Optics is a relatively niche application. Production of hydrogen...

Optics is a relatively niche application. Production of hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid, important in pharmaceuticals and the petrochemical industry) is much more significant; it's also important in the production of aluminium.

Average pricing for fluorspar (the name for the commercial grade mineral) is around $US380 per tonne, based upon a quick search. That compares with $US42,000 per tonne for neodymium oxide - but considering that the concentration of fluorite is higher than that of rare earths, that's not really a fair comparison. I don't know enough - and don't have the time to go digging - to figure out just how much value this might have to the company, but regardless, it's still good to see the company doing preliminary exploration for prospects to explore in depth after the mine is in production.