Ian Levy is a geologist and is now entirely focused on the rare earths province and has found and engaged a suitable drill rig that can get through the clay. Don't forget, Tasmania only just recently reopened their border and you had to book 3 months ahead to get your car (or your drill rig) onto the ferry to cross Bass Strait.
Mark Cooksey is a materials scientist and has been working with an international design and engineering team to build the first ever pilot plant to manufacture aluminium fluorides utilising waste fluoride from smelters, currently a toxic waste that must be stored FOREVER by smelters. Note FIRST EVER. That pilot plant is due for completion within 2 months, and I have been told the next plant will be a production plant. I was worried there might have to be a second larger pilot plant so I asked that question specifically, but apparently not. The plan is for the engineers to learn everything they need from the pilot plant.
They will not need to "try and sell AIF". Australian smelters (and many others) will fall over each other to buy whatever ABX can manufacture to avoid the supply side risk in buying from China, who just proved last year how much harm unreliable supply can do. You may have noticed there's a bit of geo-political East-West tension at the moment. Why take the risk when there is a domestic supply. ABX can also solve their toxic waste problem.
So the pilot plan news will be massive, and hopefully announced in the next 2 months or so.
I don't see any point bitching about delays caused by a 1 in 100 year pandemic. We're not 3 year olds.
Keep the faith. DYOR.
ABX Price at posting:
13.5¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
