Apex secures Rift Rare Earth Project exploration permit in Nebraska, US

Canadian exploration institution Apex Critical Metals has obtained an exploration licence for the Rift Rare Earth Project, a large milestone arsenic the institution moves towards drilling operations astatine the tract successful south-eastern Nebraska, US.

The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (NDEE) granted the exploration permit, allowing Apex to proceed with its archetypal drilling run astatine the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex.

At present, the Rift Project encompasses astir 3,500 acres wrong the complex.

The tract reportedly has a agelong grounds of important drilling by anterior operators including Molycorp (1973–1986) and Quantum Rare Earth Developments (2010–2011).

Previous exploration programmes astatine the tract identified wide, high-grade uncommon world constituent (REE) mineralised intercepts, including 155.5m grading 2.7% uncommon world oxides (REOs), with a higher-grade conception of 54.9m astatine 3.30% REOs (EC-93), and 236.2m astatine 2.10% REOs, including 68.2m astatine 3.32% REOs (NEC11-004).

With the exploration licence successful place, Apex has begun pre-drilling enactment and is targeting the commencement of drilling successful the archetypal 4th of 2026.

Preparatory enactment is progressing, including concluding negotiations with contractors, locking successful drill mobilisation timelines and enactment services, confirming entree routes and projected drill pad sites, and finalising logistics for halfway handling, sampling and on-site activities.

In parallel, the institution is updating its drill targets utilizing humanities accusation and an in-depth geological assessment.

Apex absorption besides noted that drill-hole EC-93 is simply a historical hole, initially drilled by Molycorp betwixt 1984 and 1986, and aboriginal re-examined by Quantum Rare Earth Development successful 2010.

Apex CEO Sean Charland said: “We person been precise progressive expanding and consolidating our spot presumption and completing humanities re-logging, re-assaying and 3D modelling enactment successful mentation for our inaugural drill run astatine the Rift Rare Earth Project. We are precise pleased to person our drill permit, which marks a important measurement guardant arsenic we modulation from readying and mentation to drill programme execution.

“We are anxious to statesman verifying and expanding upon the fantabulous humanities results, which we judge tin rapidly presumption the Rift Project arsenic 1 of the premier uncommon world projects successful North America.”

In November 2024, Apex announced the acquisition of the Bianco Carbonatite Project successful north-western Ontario, adjacent the assemblage of Big Beaver House.

"Apex secures Rift Rare Earth Project exploration licence successful Nebraska, US" was primitively created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.