unintentionally funny article

Extract starts about 2/3 down the main article. Linky at the bottom of my post.

TMR: What are some examples of development-stage tantalum, tungsten and tin projects in conflict-free jurisdictions that manufacturers might be interested in starting relationships with?

LR: Commerce Resources Corp. (CCE:TSX.V; D7H:FSE; CMRZF:OTCQX) is an obvious one. It is extremely close to production this year or next. It is probably at the point where it is doing offtake agreements.

TMR: When is the earliest that its Blue River tantalum and niobium project in British Columbia, Canada, could be in production?

LR: Commerce is targeting 2014. It made the shift from being institutionally focused to being more end-user focused. It is trying to better understand who the big players are in the North American market and tying those relationships together. It is more visible to end users. It used to only be at rare earth metal conferences, but now I’m seeing it at places where end users of tantalum are.

There are other projects as well: one in Egypt that’s quite substantial, Critical Elements Corp. (CRE:TSX.V) in Canada and NOVENTa (NVTA:AIM). Many of these companies are far from actually becoming operational, but Commerce and some of these others should make it to market.

Meanwhile, Buffalo Tungsten is quietly making its way. It’s a family-owned company that’s at least 30 years old, but who has heard of it? However, it is trying to make a splash in the tungsten industry, investing heavily in new equipment, trying to get some processing capability and making substantial investments.

TMR: NOVENTa is an interesting company because it’s producing tantalum in Mozambique. Is that considered a conflict area?

LR: No, it’s not. That’s a really interesting opportunity. We are going to see alternative sources come from other countries within Africa. NOVENTa is completely viable.

TMR: And it is already in production.

LR: Exactly. If you were to go sniffing around NOVENTa’s website, I’m sure you’d find that it has gone through quite a rigorous conflict-free smelter program. I’d be shocked if it hadn’t.

"One in Egypt that's quite substantial"? Not worth mentioning by name, apparently. But Noventa, Noventa, Noventa er, no longer own their mine because the pitiful recovery rates meant that they defaulted on their loan. They are now a shell company and the ongoing operations could best be described as artisanal in scale. Completely viable, apparently.

http://jutiagroup.com/20130604-the-conflict-over-conflict-metals-lisa-reisman/