Establishing Ontario's First Regional Lithium Battery Materials Refinery In Thunder Bay

Creating A Supply Chain to Serve the Needs of Battery & Ceramic Manufacturers

Free
Message: Progress on its' Separation Rapids Lithium Minerals Project in Kenora, Ont.

Avalon Reports Significant Progress on Its Separation Rapids Lithium Minerals Project, Kenora, ON

September 3, 2014

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 3, 2014) - Avalon Rare Metals Inc. (TSX: AVL) (NYSE MKT: AVL) ("Avalon" or the "Company") is pleased to report on its progress at the 100% owned Separation Rapids Lithium Minerals Project ("Separation Rapids") located north of Kenora, Ontario. Most significantly, recent metallurgical process development work has successfully produced a very high purity lithium mineral (petalite) concentrate, notable in its exceptionally low iron content.

Twenty kilograms of petalite concentrate has been produced by the Company for evaluation by several potential customers in the glass and ceramics industry in North America, Europe and Asia who have expressed interest in a high-purity product. If this product meets the customers' performance requirements, it is anticipated that the Company would (subject to financing) then proceed with bulk sampling and construction of a demonstration scale production facility to produce larger quantities of the product for full-scale trials by the customers.

Petalite is a very rare lithium mineral that is preferred for the production of certain specialty glass-ceramic products, notable for their high durability and thermal shock resistance. Avalon's Separation Rapids deposit, with 8.9 million tonnes of indicated resources grading 1.34% lithium oxide (open at depth), is the largest known undeveloped petalite resource in the world.

Pierre Neatby, Avalon VP Sales and Marketing, commented "Our potential customers have shown renewed interest in Separation Rapids for over eighteen months. Since process development work was restarted in 2013, we have been able to produce a petalite concentrate at the bench scale with over 4.0% lithium oxide content and less than 0.01% iron oxide. Such extremely low iron levels make this material very attractive to glass manufacturers, since iron is otherwise a contaminant in glass manufacturing."

The Company anticipates producing a feldspar by-product also notable for its very low impurity levels. This material has potential application in other glass and ceramic products and trial samples are also being prepared for evaluation by potential customers.

The technical information contained in this document has been reviewed and approved by Donald Bubar, P. Geo. (ONT), CEO and President of Avalon, the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

About Avalon Rare Metals Inc.

Avalon Rare Metals Inc. is a mineral development company focused on rare metal deposits in Canada, with three advanced stage projects. Its 100%-owned Nechalacho Deposit, Thor Lake, NWT is exceptional in its large size and enrichment in the scarce 'heavy' rare earth elements, key to enabling advances in clean technology and other growing high-tech applications. Avalon is also advancing its Separation Rapids Lithium Minerals Project, Kenora, ON and its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project, Yarmouth, NS. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

For questions and feedback, please e-mail the Company at [email protected], or phone Don Bubar, President & CEO at 416-364-4938.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the

Share
New Message
Please login to post a reply