Major Rare Earth Projects in Saskatchewan, Canada

Major rare earth development projects are expected to start in 5 years in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is the world largest producing place for uranium and potassium. Existing miners expand the output by 20% for potassium and by 19% for uranium while 6-8 new development projects are planned for rare earth, base metal, gold and diamond. Great Western Minerals Group tries to develop rare earth resources in Hoidas Lake deposit, which the firm purchased in 1999. The rare earth oxide value is estimated to be US$ 16,229 per tonne as of February 2008, which was higher than Mt. Weld of Australia, Baotou of China and Mountain Pass of USA. Hoidas Lake with indicated resource with 1.5% for cut off grade of total rare earth oxide (TREO) is estimated to have 80,000 tonnes of measured resource with 2.534% TREO, 1.07 million tonnes of indicated resource with 2.852% TREO and 371,000 tonnes of inferred resource with 2.581% TREO. The firm expects the deposit can produce annual 5,000 tonnes of TREO for more than 10 years through pre feasibility study. The president James Engdahl said at presentation in Tokyo the firm tries to expand the volume to 10,000 tonnes of TREO and start the operation in 2011. Saskatchewan posted C$ 4.6 billion of sales for minerals in 2007. The large portion was C$ 3.04 billion for potassium and C$ 1.36 billion for uranium though Saskatchewan also produces coal, gold, copper, zinc and other resources.