Private firm takes on Codelco for control of Chile lithium deposit

Nautilus Minerals (TSE:NUS), a Toronto-based miner seeking to extract minerals from the ocean floor, uploaded some multimedia showing how it will mine the sea floor. The company is exploring for copper, gold, silver and zinc in seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) deposits, equivalent to land-based volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits such as Kidd Creek in Canada. The company's main focus is Solwara 1 Project, located off Papua New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean. The mineralised zone is about 1.3 km long and up to 200 m wide. It has been drilled up to depths of 19 m below the seafloor. Water depth is approximately 1600m.

The price of the most abundant rare-earths are set to extend their decline from records this year as Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota the world’s top REE consumer, switch to recycled materials or eliminate the need for REEs altogether. Prices of certain elements such as cerium used to polish TV screens and lenses are already down 40% after months of break-neck price hikes while lanthanum which finds its way into nickel-metal hydride batteries has shown similar declines. However, the price of some REEs such as samarium used in jet fighter electrical systems are showing no signs of decline despite increasing 25-fold in just three years.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 20, 2011) - Quantum Rare Earth Developments Corp. (TSX VENTURE:QRE)(OTCQX:QREDF)(FRANKFURT:BR3) ("Quantum", the "Company") is pleased to announce Rare Earth Element ("REE") results for the remaining two holes of the spring/summer exploration program at the Elk Creek Niobium – REE Project, located in southeastern Nebraska, USA. REE results have been finalized for drill holes NEC11-004, located approximately 2.5 kilometres east of the Niobium Deposit; and NEC11-005, located approximately 1 kilometre ENE of the Niobium Deposit.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said on Wednesday it estimated there were at least one-million tons of rare earth elements contained in resources in Afghanistan’s restive Helmand province.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) on Wednesday published the latest list of the 52 elements, minerals and metals most at risk of supply disruption because global production is concentrated in a few countries, many with unstable governments. Surprisingly rare earths used in green technology and defence do not top the list but comes in at number five. Antimony, extracted mainly from stibnite (pictured), widely used for fireproofing is most at risk. The platinum group metals (auto catalysts) hold the second spot while niobium used in touch screens and scanners and tungsten for cutting tools are also at risk of supply disruption as a result of increased competition among the world's growing economies, political instability, resource nationalism, along with events such as strikes and accidents. China is the number one producer of 50% of the 52 chemicals on the list and produces 75% of the world's antimony.

Reuters reports prices of most rare earth elements – used in consumer electronics, defence and green energy industries – have risen since Wednesday after of local government crackdown on mining, with three major producers slated for closure. The news follows an announcement from the EU that it is building a stockpile of a variety of REEs and that a high-level meeting of officials from Europe, the US and Japan will take place in Washington early next month to discuss supply security. The price of some REEs such as samarium oxide used in jet fighter electrical systems has increased 25-fold in just three years.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - International Montoro Resources Inc. ("Montoro") (TSX VENTURE:IMT)(PINK SHEETS:IMTFF)(FRANKFURT:O4T) has retained Aeroquest International Limited to conduct multiple large scale geophysical and radiometric airborne surveys over the highly prospective "Tacheeda NW" and "Chuchinka NW" Rare Earth Element prospects located in 'The Rocky Mountain Rare Metal Belt' of northern British Columbia. Both of Montoro's newly acquired properties are on trend with properties held by Spectrum Mining Corp. (the "Wicheeda" discovery), who announced a 48.64 metre interval which averaged 3.55% REE, a 72.0 metre interval that averaged 2.92% REE, and a 144 metre interval which averaged 2.20% REE in three separate drill holes.

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - Great Western Minerals Group (TSX VENTURE:GWG) (OTCQX:GWMGF) ("GWMG") is pleased to announce the selection of Drillcorp Africa (Pty) Ltd. ("Drillcorp") as the drill contractor for the upcoming exploration and resource evaluation program at the Company's Steenkampskraal Rare Earth Element ("REE") project in South Africa.

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - Rare Earth Metals Inc. ("Rare Earth Metals", "RA" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:RA)(PINK SHEETS:RAREF)(OTCQX:RAREF) is pleased to report preliminary Rare Earth Element results from three additional holes on the Two Tom Mineralized Zone at the Red Wine Property, located approximately 110 kilometers northeast of Churchill Falls in west central Labrador. The results include best intersections of 1.86% TREO over 121.5 meters within a larger zone of mineralization which assayed 1.46% TREO over 195.15 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-13, 1.82% TREO over 89 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-14, and 2.15% TREO over 120 meters within a larger zone of mineralization which assayed 1.68% TREO over 176.5 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-15b. The HREO/TREO ratios from these intersections range from 5.2% to 6.0%.