Mineracao Taboca SA, the Brazilian-based tin mining and processing subsidiary of Peru’s Minsur, is looking to generate revenue from rare earths as well as tin, niobium and tantalum. Minsur acquired the operation for 850 million reais (US$374 million) at the end of last year and is in the process of re-evaluating the Pitinga mine’s operations and potential. Pitinga produced 6,257 tonnes of tin-in-concentrate last year. Last week Taboca signed an agreement with Neo material technologies to advance this process.
Under the terms of the agreement, Neo will have exclusive access for two years to Taboca’s Pitinga tin mine located in the State of Amazonas, Brazil for the purpose of investigating the potential to commercially produce a heavy rare earth concentrate. Pitinga produces primarily a tin concentrate as well as a niobium/tantalum (columbite/tantalite) ferro alloy.
In a statement Neo said that “early indications are that appreciable and possibly commercially attractive concentrations of heavy rare earths in the form of xenotime, and possibly other mineral forms, exist in the tailings and/or the reserves. Heavy rare earths are in higher demand, in applications such as energy efficient lighting, display panels, electronic ceramic chips, and high performance magnets for hybrid electric vehicle motors. As part of the agreement, Taboca has granted Neo a right of first refusal for the commercialization of the Pitinga rare earths.”
