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Yangibana Project Development Newsletter #1 | September 2022
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Yangibana Rare Earths Project
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The Yangibana Project covers approximately 650 square kilometers in WA’s Gascoyne, some 250 kilometers north-east of Carnarvon. Yangibana is a significant rare earths project, containing substantial quantities of Neodymium and Praseodymium (NdPr).
Fast Facts
- Yangibana contains a unique series of deposits, with up to 52% NdPr, more than triple the world's average!
- Upstream, Upper Gascoyne, mining and production of Rare Earths Oxide at Yangibana will utilise traditional drill, blast and haul operation; and beneficiation (crushing, screening, grinding etc).
- Downstream, Pilbara, Onslow hydrometallurgical plant, production of MREC (Mixed Rare Earths Concentrate) containing 59% TREO (total rare earths oxide).
- 15-year mine life with significant exploration potential for discovery of new rare earths deposits.
- First construction blast completed signalling start of next phase of infrastructure development works.
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- Purchasing focus with the award of five equipment packages with a combined value of $28m including Off-Gas Scrubber, Filter Press, Thickeners and Flotation Cells packages.
- Milestone engineering reviews completed for the beneficiation and hydrometallurgical plants, whilst bulk earthworks continue to progress to finalisation.
- Yangibana early works construction is advanced with installation of the 300-person village, airstrip, water supply, telecommunications and access roads.
- Significant interest received from parties for debt and strategic equity financing; proposals are being evaluated.
- Commissioning scheduled for 2024.
Yangibana Lifecycle
The lifecycle of a mining project is prolonged. Hastings has moved beyond Exploration & Discovery and is in Development, with a two-year Construction phase to follow.
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Let the future begin!
Electric Mobility
Western Australia’s Gascoyne region is hosting the Yangibana Rare Earths Project, which will produce products, vital in the manufacture of permanent magnets and electric generators used in electric vehicles, E-bikes, E-Scooters, drones, wind turbines, robotics etc, collectively called electric mobility.
Rare Earth Elements (REE) are a set of 15 elements essential in the production of green energy and electric mobility.
The two REE's of which there is no substitute, are NdPr - enabling global energy transition. The market for NdPr will be in supply deficit over the coming decade due to strong global demand.
The Yangibana Project is expected to supply up to eight percent of global NdPr requirements, a significant contribution to a greener future.
Hastings’ European centric strategy and agreements with Schaeffler, thyssenkrupp and other customers have positioned Hastings to be a reliable long-term source of supply of rare earth feedstock to the European permanent magnets industry. Begin the Future
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Health and Safety
The business continues to remain loss time injury (LTI) free having reached 1,430 days LTI free at the end of the June quarter.
Several COVID-19 cases on site were managed with personnel in isolation as mandatory, and then returning to work.
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Community
Proudly sponsored by Hastings, the Gascoyne Junction Races and Carnarvon College Careers Fair saw our team members discuss opportunities in mining, attend the races ladies’ lunch and award the fashions on the fields. Hastings also hosted year 10 students from St Mary’s & Carnarvon College during their trip to Perth to test their interest in pursuing careers in the broad resources sector.
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Environment
Baseline and impact studies for Yangibana Rare Earths Project have been completed and environmental monitoring activity has increased.
The botanical team travelled far and wide to successfully survey and demonstrate that Priority 1 Flora species, Acacia Curryana is present.
Water is abstracted from three bores: it is pumped to two turkey nests and then used to keep dust down and to condition soil for construction; and, pumped to the fly camp and treated in a Reverse Osmosis Plant for a potable water supply.
Water is regularly monitored for volume abstracted, quality and levels in adjacent and regional bores and results reported to DWER.
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People
HASTINGS seeks to have a high performing workforce and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace that is reflective of the communities in which we operate. We want our team members to feel respected and safe and for everyone to bring their whole self to work.
Hastings currently has 100 personnel, including 60 on site at Yangibana; though the site numbers can double at times with contractors.
We actively recruit locally and utilise regional service providers. Around 30 local businesses have provided services to date, including accommodation and travel, catering, consulting, automotive and fuel, engineering and transport.
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Spotlight on Stakeholders
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If you have an interest in Yangibana or if the development of Yangibana impacts you or your community, then you are a stakeholder. Yangibana’s stakeholders include government, local communities, shareholders, pastoralists and landholders, employees etc.
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Tell Me About ... technology metals
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Hastings Technology Metals: Generally rare metals that are essential to produce ‘high tech’ devices used in generating electricity using ‘alternative’ sources such as solar panels and wind turbines; and the storage of electricity using cells and batteries
Rare Earths
The term “rare earths” is somewhat misleading as the RE elements are not particularly rare in nature. What is rare is for them to be present in such abundance that they can be economically utilised.
At Yangibana, Hastings Technology Metals is developing an operation that will produce a mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) product. Most of the value of the MREC lies in its neodymium and praseodymium content, with lesser value derived from dysprosium and terbium content.
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European Policy
At the European Raw Materials Alliance conference in Berlin in May this year, the Europeans identified an aspirational target of 30% of NdFeB magnets to be manufactured in Europe by 2030.
Bernd Schäfer, CEO of EIT RawMaterials – the Innovation Community which manages the European Raw Materials Alliance, commented “The EU has committed to the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050. The raw materials needed to facilitate this energy transition are massive, and Europe urgently needs to secure their supply. This Action Plan outlines the steps we must take to ensure that the rare earth elements upon which the EU Green Deal relies remain available for European industry and society.”
Globally, the challenge of supply chain resilience in the face of geo-political pressures and supply chain disruptions has brought critical mineral policies to the forefront of governments around the world.
Hastings’ pro-Europe strategy has positioned the Company to be a reliable long-term source of supply for critical minerals including NdPr for manufacturing neodymium boron sintered/bonded magnets, known in the industry as NdFeB magnets.
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Vacancies @ Hastings
If you are interested in these positions, email your credentials to careers@hastingstechmetals.com
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Great Opportunity to Join DRA Global Engineering
DRA has been awarded the contract to perform the EPCM (engineering, procurement, construct, manage) services for the Yangibana Rare Earth Project with a team of 100 working in the Perth office and at site. The project consists of two major components, a beneficiation plant to be constructed onsite at Yangibana and a Hydromet plant will be built at Onslow.
Quote your Job Title and Name in the subject line when submitting your CV to Recruitment-west@draglobal.com
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