7
gadolinium (“Gd”)
– a malleable, ductile metallic element of the lanthanide series that has seven natural isotopes
and 11 artificial isotopes. Two of the natural isotopes, Gd 155 and Gd 157, are the best known neutron absorbers.
Gd is used to improve the heat and corrosion resistance of iron, chromium, and various alloys, in medicine as a
contrast medium for magnetic resonance imaging and as a radioisotope in bone mineral analysis.
geochemical
– related to the distribution and amounts of the chemical elements in minerals, ores, rocks, solids,
water and the atmosphere.
geophysical
– related to the mechanical, electrical, gravitational and magnetic properties of the earth's crust.
geophysical surveys
– survey methods used in the mining industry as exploration tools that apply the properties and
methods of physics and engineering to the earth's surface and subsurface.
grade
– quantity of metal per unit weight of host rock.
heavy rare earth elements (“HREEs”) –
defined as the elements Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y.
host rock
– the rock in which a mineral or an ore body is contained.
Lanthanides –
a series of fifteen
with
57 through 71,
from
through
These fifteen lanthanide elements, along with the chemically similar
elements
and
, are often collectively known as the
lanthanum (“La”)
– the first metallic element of the lanthanide series. La is a strategically important rare earth
element due to its use in fluid cracking catalysts (“FCC”), which are used in the production of transportation and
aircraft fuel. La is also used in fuel cells and batteries.
life-of-mine
– a term commonly used to refer to the likely term of a mining operation and normally determined by
dividing the tonnes of Mineral Reserve by the annual rate of mining and processing.
light rare earth elements (“LREEs”)
– defined as the elements La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu and Gd.
mineral
– a naturally occurring, inorganic crystalline material having a definite chemical composition.
mineralization
– a natural accumulation or concentration of one or more potentially economic minerals in rocks or
soil. Also the process by which minerals are introduced or concentrated in rocks or soil.
monazite
– a reddish-brown rare earth phosphate mineral. Monazite-group minerals are typically accompanied by
elevated concentrations of uranium and thorium. This has historically limited the processing of monazite. However,
this mineral is becoming more attractive because it typically has elevated concentrations of heavier rare earth
elements.
National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”)
– standards of disclosure for mineral projects prescribed by the
Canadian Securities Administrators.
neodymium (“Nd”)
– a metallic element of the lanthanide series, occurring principally in REE fluorocarbonate and
monazite minerals. Nd is a key constituent of NdFeB permanent magnets and an additive to capacitor dielectrics.
NdFeB magnets maximize the power/weight ratio and are found in a large variety of motors, generators, sensors,
and hard disk drives. Capacitors containing Nd are found in cellular telephones, computers and nearly all other
electronic devices. A minor application of Nd is for lasers.
open pit
– surface mining in which the ore is extracted from a pit or quarry. The geometry of the pit will vary with
the characteristics of the ore body.
ore
– mineral-bearing rock that can be mined and treated profitably under current, or immediately foreseeable,
economic conditions.
ore body
– a mostly solid and fairly continuous mass of mineralization estimated to be economically mineable.
