Excellent Report from TUC - consistent with recent marketing...

Excellent Report from TUC - consistent with recent marketing efforts:


Chinese rare earths limit boosts NT
DAVID WOOD | November 12th, 2011
TUC Resources Managing Director Ian Bamborough in Changsha, China. The rare earths the company is searching for are used in iPad screens. Picture: JUSTIN SASNSON
CHINESE moves to limit its exports of rare earth elements - key materials in hi-tech manufacturing - might make NT reserves even more valuable, a resource industry figure says.
The Territory Government yesterday held its second resource investment seminar in China, spruiking the potential of the NT mining and energy sector.
TUC Resources managing director Ian Bamborough told the Changsha event in south central China his company was open to investment from China in its Territory projects which have identified four of five rare earth elements in short supply.
He said China dominated rare earth production, with up to 97 per cent of world supply mined there but the Government this year put restrictions on its exports.
This raised the price but also blocked manufacturing competitor countries such as Japan, Germany and the US from getting the elements.
TUC has a project - Stromberg on Fish River Station at Daly River - where it has found dysprosium, yttrium and terbium and it has neodymium at Pine Creek.
Dysprosium is used in super-powered magnets. Yttrium is used in glass screens, such as for iPods.
Terbium is used in making electrical devices such as naval sonar systems and sensors. Neodymium also is used in magnets and in electric car motor production.
Mr Bamborough said research showed supply of some elements might not be met until 2017.
He said his company and Northern Minerals, also in the Territory, had potential to mine sooner.