US Critical Materials announces the results of an Idaho National Laboratory study that clearly demonstrates high-grade, economical gallium in the Sheep Creek deposit, Montana

The Idaho National Laboratory is currently researching ways to separate and process Sheep Creek gallium and other critical minerals.

Salt Lake City, Utah–(Newsfile Corp. – December 4, 2024) – US Critical Materials is pleased to announce that the first phase of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been completed. This phase included the investigation, testing and confirmation of the content of gallium and other critical minerals in the US Critical Materials Sheep Creek deposit.

At the same time, INL, with a team of scientists, engineers, laboratory technicians and critical minerals experts, began exploring options for creating a separation and processing system for the Sheep Creek ore. The next phase will be structured to cover the next two years of continued development of multiple separation and processing technologies.

Idaho National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory engaged in world-leading research and development of critical materials. INL excels in technology development in the Advanced Separation Science & Engineering technology area and is known throughout the DOE system as the Separation Sciences R&D Testbed.

US Critical Materials can confirm that the INL has measured gallium levels ranging from 180 parts per million (ppm) to 385 ppm and up to 18% (three) total rare earth elements. “We are now able to confirm the presence of high-grade gallium at Sheep Creek. We look forward to further work that will further develop a process for the efficient and sustainable separation of gallium and other elements,” explained Dr. Robert Fox, business manager for critical materials for INL’s Energy, Environment, Science and Technology Directorate.

“The gallium and rare earth grades calculated and verified by the Idaho National Laboratory are higher than any known to us in the United States,” explained Jim Hedrick, U.S. president of Critical Materials and a former 31-year rare earth minerals specialist for the USGS and the US Bureau of Mines

According to the 2024 USGS Gallium Mineral Commodity Summary, the average gallium content worldwide is 19 ppm, and potential gallium deposits in the United States consist primarily of subeconomic resources. Gallium is not currently produced in the United States.

Gallium is consistently listed as one of the top supply risks related to U.S. national security because the U.S. is 100% dependent on imported gallium, primarily from China. In July 2023, the Chinese government imposed an export ban on gallium, which is critical for national defense and many other vital applications. Gallium is used for semiconductors, 5G technology, smartphones, satellite systems, critical photonics technologies and especially current and next generation defense systems.

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The US currently lacks separation and processing technology, with China dominating global processing of critical minerals.

The scope of work of the CRADA between US Critical Materials and INL includes the identification of materials handling, beneficiation and separation technologies for carbonatite ore handling, beneficiation and extraction of targeted value-added metals. This is done in a sustainable, efficient way with a minimal carbon footprint.

“The U.S. has very little commercial rare earth processing capacity,” Hedrick said. “This research agreement and the technology that will be developed will help advance rare earth processing expertise in the United States. Not only is our gallium of high quality, we are confident that in collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory we will be able to create one.” “We are developing a proprietary separation process that respects the environment,” Hedrick said.

US Critical Materials Corp. is a private rare earth exploration and development company based in Salt Lake City, UT, with interests in Montana and Idaho. The mineral deposits held by US Critical Materials in Montana and Idaho are unique due to their high rare earth grades, low thorium content and large number of surface carbonatites, and contain some of the highest grades of rare earth minerals in the United States (US). including at least thirteen of the currently listed “critical” minerals (e.g. gallium).

US Critical Materials Corp. is a private rare earth exploration, development and process technology company based in Salt Lake City, UT, with interests in Montana and Idaho. USCM’s Montana and Idaho mineral deposits are unique for their high rare earth contents, low thorium contents, and large numbers of surface carbonatites, and contain some of the highest quality rare earth minerals in the United States, including at least thirteen of the currently listed “critical” minerals.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is a US DOE national laboratory engaged in world-leading research and development of critical materials. INL excels in technology development in the Advanced Separation Science & Engineering technology area and is known throughout the DOE system as the Separation Sciences Testbed. INL has been a core member of the DOE-AMMTO Critical Materials Institute (CMI) for a decade and will continue to be a core CMI partner leading in Advanced Separations Science & Engineering.

CONTACT: [email protected]

US CRITICAL MATERIALS CORPORATION
4190 S HIGHLAND DR SUITE #230
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84124
Office: 801-322-3401
Cell: 801-680-7448

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