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Rare Earth Minerals' 333pc rise after name change puts Aim under fresh scrutiny
What's in a name? About 10m, according to investors in Aim-listed Rare Earth Minerals Plc, whose share price rose 66pc yesterday.

Rare Earth Minerals' new website can still be found at www.zestmusic.com By Rowena Mason, Energy Correspondent 6:00AM GMT 31 Dec 2010
18 Comments
The company, which does not yet own any rare earth minerals or licences to mine them, was a loss-making music business called Zest until eight days ago.

It has not revealed how it plans to acquire any of the minerals on which China has a near monopoly. Nor has it disclosed the countries where it is targeting acquisitions with just 630,000 of cash in the bank.

However, since it proposed the name change on November 12, its share price has more than quadrupled from 0.35p, valuing it at 3.1m, to 1.52p, valuing it at 13.5m.

The rise is likely to raise further questions about the London Stock Exchange's governance of the AIM market - three years on since Roel Campos, an SEC commissioner, described the junior market as a "like a casino".

It has been under renewed scrutiny since Desire Petroleum's wild share spikes earlier this month. A spokesman for AIM declined to comment on whether the regulatory team is looking into Rare Earth Minerals

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One broker said: "It is penny stock madness, a herd mentality, though I'm not sure what they're trying to cash in on. It is just like a type of dotcom boom situation."

At the height of the dotcom boom, a string of cash shells - companies with a stock market quote but no actual business - listed on AIM. The value collapsed when the bubble burst, prompting the LSE to change its rules.

TD Waterhouse, the retail broker, said Rare Earth Minerals was its most traded stock yesterday, with the most buy orders and fourth most sell orders. "It's the first time I've ever seen it appear in the top ten," a spokesman said.

More than 143m shares changed hands, despite no new publicly available information.

The only announcement the company has made recently has been the award of 98m share options to "directors, staff , consultants and advisors" at 0.5p, redeemable in ten years.

The company's shares also rose sharply in January, when it appointed David Lenigas, a veteran of the world of penny stocks, as a non-executive. He is one of only two board members at Rare Earth Minerals and disclosed he was a director of 94 other companies including Solo Oil, Vatulouka Gold Mines and LonZim.

Last year, a study by Manchester Business School found AIM companies were no more likely to fail than those on other markets. However, they had more chance of survival if older, bigger, had a greater free float and a reputable nominated advisor.

Rare Earth Minerals was unavailable for comment.

Western Lithium Signs Distribution Agreement f

Western Lithium Signs Distribution Agreement for Us Regional Sales of Hectatone(TM) Products

Rare Earth Mineral Plc (AIM: REM) is pleased to announce that Western Lithium USA Corporation ("Western Lithium"), in which REM holds an approximate 3.02% interest, has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Hectatone Inc. has signed a distribution agreement with Raw Materials Corporation ("RMC") of Houston, Texas to sell the Company's Hectatone™ products in five US states.

The Western Lithium news release is shown in full below.

David Lenigas, the Company's Chairman commented:

"REM is pleased with its investment in Western Lithium and the significant progress that Western Lithium has made over the past few months."

Expansion Plans for the Sonora Lithium Project


Rare Earth Minerals (AIM: REM) advises that our joint venture partner in the Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico (the "Project"), Bacanora Minerals Ltd ("Bacanora"), have announced that it will commence a significant drilling and exploration programme in early November and is working with several key industry consultants to design a full scale lithium plant and mining operation, capable of up to 50,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE") to complement the already defined indicated mineral resource of 3.26 million tonnes of LCE on the Project.

REM has a 12% shareholding in Bacanora. This interest, when aggregated with REM's 30% direct interest in the Fleur - El Sauz Lithium Joint Venture and the 30% direct interest in the Megalit Joint Venture, results in a total economic interest in each of these joint ventures of approximately 38.40%.
The full news release from Bacanora, dated 30 September 2014, is shown below.

Highlights from the Bacanora release include:

· Drilling programme to commence in November, with up to 5,000 metres to be drilled, to provide detailed open-pit design for mine planning purposes, expand current mineral resource and drill test targets generated from the mapping and prospecting programme on the Megalit concession.

· Bacanora have retained Process Engineering LLC to design a plant capable of 50,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate.

· Testing has begun for the recovery of lithium hydroxide to meet potential new industry requirements from the electric vehicle markets.

· Trenching and metallurgical testing to commence on the Buenavista area (part of the Megalit Joint Venture). The Buenavista clay deposits are exposed at surface for 6 km along strike and outcrop over 1.25 km across dip and have returned surface samples of up 1,700 ppm Lithium.

· Bacanora is actively working with a number of potential off-take customers for its potential lithium compound production.

David Lenigas, the Company's Chairman commented:

"REM's shareholders have been starved of information on this exciting Lithium Project for some time and we feel that this is the beginning of a very exciting expansion, development and reporting period for the Company."

"We are very pleased with the further tangible progress towards the commercialisation of the Sonora Lithium project. The commencement of the mine and plant design work of a 50,000 tonne per annum lithium carbonate plant, the drilling to expand the mineral resource and working with potential off-takers are further evidence that underpins our belief that Sonora Lithium Project, in Bacanora's words, ranks amongst one of the largest bedrock lithium deposits in the world."

Kiran Mozaria, CEO, Rare Earth Minerals, talks about the expansion plans for the mine & plant

Click here

New Discovery of REE on Greenland Licences

Rare Earth Minerals Plc (AIM: REM) announces, further to its release on the 24 September 2014, that the analysis of samples taken during the recent exploration programme on its 100% owned Greenland exploration licenses has identified a new discovery of Rare Earth Elements ("REE") in southern Greenland near Narsarsuaq .

Highlights:

· 16 samples were re-submitted for full suite of REE analyses with results exceeding the Company's expectations.
· 5 of 16 samples exceeded 7,000 ppm Total Rare Earth Oxides ("TREO") with a further two exceeding 2,000 ppm TREO, with the highest value being 18,179 ppm (1.82%).
· These results included three significant neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) assays which contained 2,928 ppm of Nd2O3.
· Samples were taken from the target area which previously reported mineralised samples of zinc, manganese, silver and gold.

Kiran Morzaria, the Company's Chief Executive Officer commented:

"The discovery of a new Rare Earth Element deposit east of the world class Kvanefjeld REE project is significant for REM. These assay results are orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported and are indeed higher than the reported resource grades on the nearby Tanbreez deposit. In addition some of these samples contain significant quantities of neodymium oxide, which is a critical rare earth oxide or CREO as defined by the US department of energy. This along with the proximity of these results to two of the world's largest REE deposits, is very encouraging indeed."

REE Sampling Results:

Exploration on REM's 100% owned 2012/14 licence, which straddles the contact of the Julianehåb Granite and the Eriksfjord Sandstone, initially showed anomalous zinc in pan concentrates to 1,580 ppm Zn. Lithological sampling in the Eriksfjord Sandstone located samples to 0.38% Zn in float, results that indicated more work was required in the area.

Follow up sampling located significant gold anomalism in veined sandstone with a sample grading 2.59g/t Au and anomalous silver in some of the lithological samples (1.2-6.2 ppm Ag).

Samples taken in the area known to contain mineralisation of up to 0.3% Zn and 2% manganese, returned REE results that were above the detection limit of 500 ppm for Cerium and Niobium, as a result 16 samples were resubmitted for a full suite of REE analysis.

We are reporting today on the analytical results of these 16 samples. Five samples exceeded 7,000 ppm of TREO with the highest being 18,179 ppm TREO. Three samples, one at 9,240 ppm TREO, the second at 9,148 ppm TREO and the third at 18,179 ppm contained Nd2O3 of 1,540 ppm, 1,446 ppm and 2,928 ppm respectively.

The analysis was carried out on outcrop, sub crop and float samples, we are now compiling and interpreting all the results from the programme to determine the scope of further field work, and in particular determine a possible source for the highly anomalous REE results reported on today.

Qualified Person:

Qualified Person Kiran Morzaria B.Eng. (ACSM), MBA, has reviewed and approved the information contained in this announcement. Kiran holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Geology) from the Camborne School of Mines and an MBA (Finance) from CASS Business School.

Glossary:

· TREO is the sum of the oxides of the heavy rare earth elements (HREO) and the light rare earth elements (LREO).
· CREO, the term was originally defined in the US Department of Energy "Critical Materials Strategy 2010". There are 5 CREOs (neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium and europium), with neodymium being the largest by values and volume. Criticality of CREOs is based on their importance to sustainable clean energy and the supply risk of such elements over the short (0-5 years) and medium term (5-15 years).
· ppm - parts per million.

- Ends -

Fallen every day for a week.

Update on Magdalena Borate Project

Rare Earth Minerals (AIM: REM) is pleased to announce Bacanora Minerals Ltd ("Bacanora"), a company that REM has a 11.3% shareholding, have announced that is advancing the Magdalena Borate Project toward the feasibility of boric acid production.

The full news release from Bacanora, dated 14 October 2014, is shown below.

Kiran Morzaria, the Company's Chief Executive Officer commented:

"We are very pleased with the progress being made on the Magdalena Borate Project. In January 2013, Bacanora reported a net present value on this asset of US$113 million. The continued advancement of this project provides accretive value to the REM shareholding in Bacanora, and we look forward to hearing and reporting on the progress being made on this asset"

Tipped in the Daily Mail today.

Torygraph's got it as well.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/11171067/Oil-find-expected-in-Britains-Dallas.html

Topped in DM and Telegraph great for Monday.

Hatch appointed for the Sonora Lithium Project - Mexico

Rare Earth Minerals (AIM: REM) is pleased to advise that global specialists Hatch Pty Ltd ("Hatch") have been appointed as engineering consultants to the Sonora Lithium Project ("Project"), to advance the Project towards commercialisation and to assist with the design of a lithium compound plant of up to 50,000 tonne per annum and associated mining operation from the Projects' defined indicated mineral resource of 3.26 million tonnes of LCE ("Lithium Carbonate Equivalent").

Hatch have been appointed, due to their recent engineering, procurement and construction management ("EPCM") contract for the Jiangsu plant in China; a 17,000 tonnes per annum of battery-grade lithium carbonate plant, which once at full capacity will make it the largest producer in the Asia-Pacific region and the fourth-largest in the world. Hatch moved this project from a concept design to a completed facility in less than three years.

Hatch supplies engineering, project and construction management services, process and business consulting and operational services to the mining, metallurgical, energy and infrastructure industries. Hatch has project experience in more than 150 countries around the world, with over 11,000 people in over 65 offices and has more than $35 billion in projects currently under management.

REM has an 11.29% shareholding in Bacanora the Company's joint venture partners in Mexico. This interest, when aggregated with REM's 30% direct interest in the Fleur - El Sauz Lithium Joint Venture and the 30% direct interest in the Megalit Joint Venture, results in a total economic interest in each of these joint ventures of approximately 38%.

New battery is ‘killer app’ for electric cars

Drilling Re-Commences at the Sonora Lithium Project

Rare Earth Minerals (AIM: REM) is pleased to announce that a significant drilling programme will shortly commence on the Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico (the "Sonora Project"). This programme represents a five-fold increase in drilling on the project compared to the last stage of drilling undertaken.

The purpose of this new drilling programme is to add further lithium resources to the already defined indicated lithium mineral resource of 3.28 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE") on the Sonora Project, and upgrade certain sections of the indicated resource to the higher measured resource category which will underpin the mine design and in particular the open pit mine plan and future production scheduling.

The full news release from Bacanora, REM's Joint Venture partner at the Sonora Lithium Project, dated 3 November 2014, is available at Bacanora's website http://www.bacanoraminerals.com.

Yangibana Update.

Further high-grade REE results from Yangibana

Rare Earth Minerals (AIM: REM) advises that Hastings Rare Metals Limited ("Hastings"), REM's 70% joint venture partner in the Yangibana Rare Earth Element Project ("Yangibana") in Western Australia, have announced the latest assay results for rare earth elements ("REE") from recent Yangibana Stage 2 drill programme.

The full Hastings news release date 10 November 2014 (including maps) is available at:

http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20141110/pdf/42tll4zzlnyyv0.pdf

Highlights (from Hastings News Release):

· Stage 2 drilling programme comprising 122 Reverse Circulation ("RC") drill holes totalling 6,500m have been drilled and 9 diamond drill holes totalling 170.1m has been completed at Yangibana.
· Hastings has drilled 7 Prospects at Yangibana, including the Yangibana North, Lion's Ear, Hook, Gossan, Kane's Gossan Prospects in which REM holds a 30% interest.
· Highly encouraging neodymium-rich rare earths returned from each project.
· JORC resource estimate being undertaken on each of these prospects will add to the current JORC complaint resource previously announced at Yangibana North.
· Scoping Study being prepared by renowned independent mining consultant, Snowden

Update - Yangibana Rare Earths Element Project

Statement re: Press Speculation


REM notes the speculation in today's press regarding an update on its lithium operations in Mexico. The Company expects to provide an update on its operations in due course.



-END-

Top mover today.

Scoping Study

US$2 Billion NPV Valuation of El Sauz and Fleur Lithium Project, Mexico.

Rare Earth Minerals Plc (London AIM: REM) is pleased to announce the results of its Scoping Study ("Scoping Study") on the El Sauz and Fleur Lithium Project in northern Mexico, in which it has an economic interest of 38.4%. As a result of the Scoping Study which is summarized below, the Board of REM believe the El Sauz and Fleur lithium project has the identified potential to be one of the world's largest Lithium Carbonate ("LCE") producers, capable of producing up to an average of 75,600 tonnes LCE per annum which is equivalent to approximately 45% of the estimated global production in 2012 (note 1).

HIGHLIGHTS

· Pre-tax net present value ("NPV") of US$2,023 million based on a discount rate of 8% and a Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) price of US$6,500 per tonne.
· Average total cash cost of US$2,525 per tonne of LCE over life of mine, with an average operational cash flow of US$233 million per year.
· The NPV is achieved with a constrained optimised pit shell of an average of 69,800 tonnes of lithium carbonate per annum over an initial 20-year mine life, with an average of 75,600 tonnes of lithium carbonate per annum between years 2-19.
· Mined from a single open pit, 2.75 km long, 1.4 km wide and 400 metres deep containing 1.39 million tonnes of lithium carbonate (recoverable).
· Plant and infrastructure capital cost of US$422 million for a plant with a rated maximum capacity of 11.7 million tonne per annum ("Mtpa").
· Payback period of 3.3 years, after taxes and royalties.

Rare Earth Minerals - US$2 Billion NPV Valuation of El Sauz and Fleur Lithium Project, Mexico

Click hre

Western Lithium Ships First Organoclay Order

Sonora Lithium Project expanded

Sonora Lithium Project expanded with new drilling discovery.

Rare Earth Minerals Plc (London AIM: REM) is pleased to announce the results of the successful drilling campaign on the southern 3 km of an estimated 6 km strike extent of lithium bearing clays on the Buenavista Project ("Buenavista"). The exploration programme targeted a new and previously untested deposit type in the Sonora Lithium Project, which is thought to be of fluvial origin and eroded from a primary lithium source, as opposed to the types of deposits previously drilled at the Sonora Lithium Project in northern Mexico. The results confirm significant thicknesses of lithium bearing clays, very close to surface, at greater than 1,000 ppm Lithium values.

David Lenigas, the Company's Chairman, commented:

"These drilling results from Buenavista are highly encouraging, especially given the geological simplicity of the deposit and the minimal overburden which overlies the lithium, both of which would serve to reduce the potential mining costs of such a deposit. Moreover the results prove that there are other continuous lithium deposits within the Sonora Lithium Project, which will add to the already substantial Indicated Lithium Resources of 3.28 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent ("LCE") already defined at La Ventana, Fleur and El Sauz."

Highlights of Drill Results

· 24 reverse circulation holes tested approximately half of the 6 km strike length of the lithium-bearing clays exposed at Buenavista.
· The lithium-bearing clays outcrop at surface and dip gently to the east, providing a target for potential open pit mining with a minimal strip ratio.
· Significant lithium values (i.e. greater than 1,000 ppm Li) were found in 13 of the 24 holes.
· Of those 13 holes, 11 reported significant thicknesses and grades of lithium-bearing clays, as tabulated below in Table 1.
· Lithium values of individual 1.0 metre samples, within the significant intervals, range from 336 to 2,210 ppm Li.

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