STRATEGIC RESOURCES - Columbium and Rare Earths

Columbium and Rare Earths have been called the “vitamins” of high-tech industry. McIntyre & Bauman Group’s Ravalli property, which includes the Dark Star rare earth mine, first shipped ore in the 1950’s. Dark Star ore includes columbium and numerous rare earth elements (REE), which have the following cutting – edge applications:

Columbium (also called niobium) and sister element Tantalum – superconducting magnets for NMR machines and body scanners.

Cerium – catalytic converters, phosphors for color cathode ray tubes and x-ray intensifying screens

Gadolinium – magnets for computer equipment, color phosphors

Lanthanum – catalytic converters

Neodymium – permanent magnets for automotive engines

Praseodymium – magnets for telecommunications equipment

Yttrium – catalytic converters, tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps

Other applications for rare earth elements are lasers, superconductors, magnetorestrictive alloys and magnetic refrigeration.