Pebble confirms potential for critical mineral production – by Jackson Chen (Mining.com – August 20, 2020)

https://www.mining.com/

Northern Dynasty Minerals’ (TSX: NDM) controversial Pebble project in southwest Alaska may turn out to be not just a prominent producer of base and precious metals, but also a strategic mineral required by the US to secure military dominance.

In an updated mineral resource estimate for the proposed mine in the Bristol Bay region, it was revealed that the Pebble deposit contains substantial quantities of rhenium – a metal used in jet engines and other military applications and for producing high-octane fuels – adding to the massive accumulations of copper, gold, molybdenum and silver already confirmed by previous studies.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) considers rhenium to be a strategic metal and confirms the US currently relies on foreign producers for 82% of its rhenium needs.

“Certainly the US military has identified rhenium as a critical mineral, and one the United States must develop additional domestic production of in order to enhance its military security,” Northern Dynasty president and CEO Ron Thiessen said in a press release.

For the rest of this article: https://www.mining.com/pebble-owner-confirms-potential-for-critical-mineral-production/