Avalon Advanced Materials
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company with a primary focus on the rare metals and minerals, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Avalon's principal assets are its Nechalacho Project, Separation Rapids, East Kemptville, Nova Scotia, Lilypad Cesium, and Warren Township.
Avalon is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "AVL" and on the OTCQB market under the symbol "AVLNF". The company changed its name from Avalon Rare Metals to Avalon Advanced Materials in February 2016.
Projects
Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements and Zirconium Project
Avalon's Nechalacho REE and Zirconium Project is located 100 km southeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Avalon completed a Feasibility Study in April 2013, focused on defining high-grade resources in the large basal zone of the deposit.On July 29, 2013, the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board completed its Report of Environmental Assessment and recommended approval of the Nechalacho Project. On November 4, 2013, the Federal government approved the project, allowing the company to proceed with formal applications for the required land use permits and water licenses.
As rare earth prices fell, the project become largely inactive. In May 2018, Avalon announced it was re-activating the project on the global demand for neodymium and praseodymium and in January 2019 it was announced that Avalon and private Australian company Cheetah Resources Pty Ltd would be collaborating to develop the T-Zone and Tardiff Zones of the project. Cheetah is focused on the small-scale development of rare earth resources enriched in the magnet rare earths—neodymium and praseodymium—presently in short supply and high demand for clean technology applications.
The Nechalacho Project at Thor Lake is situated in an area known as the Akaitcho Territory, which is subject to a comprehensive land claim negotiation between several communities of the Dene Nation and Canada's federal government. In 2012, Avalon completed an Accommodation Agreement with the Deninu Kue First Nation. The Accommodation Agreement provides business and employment opportunities for the Deninu Kue related to the project and contains measures to mitigate environmental and cultural impacts that may result from the project development. In February 2014, the company signed a Participation Agreement with the Northwest Territory Metis Nation.
Lake Superior Lithium Inc.
Lake Superior Lithium Inc. is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., focused on developing Ontario’s first lithium hydroxide processing facility. The project aims to support North America's growing electric vehicle and battery supply chains by producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide from multiple lithium concentrate sources.Separation Rapids Lithium Project
Avalon is also developing a lithium deposit, located 70 km north of Kenora in Ontario, Canada. The Separation Rapids property is host to a large "complex-type" pegmatite; it is the fourth example in the world of a rare-metal pegmatite with the size required to be of major economic importance. The strike length of the deposit is over 1.5 km, and the width ranges from 10 to 70 metres. The mineralized zone is well exposed at surface in a low dome-shaped hill. This part of the deposit will be readily amenable to mining by low-cost quarrying methods. Avalon has demonstrated it is able to produce high-purity petalite from the deposit, for use in the glass-ceramics industry, as well as battery-grade lithium chemicals for use in the lithium-ion battery sector.The property lies within the traditional land use area of the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations of Whitedog, Ontario. In August 1999, Avalon signed a Memorandum of Understanding with WIN which was renewed in May 2013.