Colorado-based Rare Element Resources (RER) has received operations approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to allow it to commence operations at its new rare earth demonstration plant in Upton, Wyoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The green light follows the recently announced U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s (DOE) operations budget acceptance and issuance of its continuation notice approving operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The demonstration plant, which was designed for RER\u2019s proprietary processing and separation technology, is expected to generate the operational and economic data necessary for the design of a commercial-scale plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cFollowing our previously announced DOE operations approval, we progressed the final pre-operational work at the plant, including preparing the sample feed material from our Bear Lodge project, and finalizing the plant\u2019s equipment installation and interconnections, including final electrical, instrumentation and controls, and mechanical systems,\u201d said new COO Jaye Pickarts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCurrently, pre-startup testing of each of the plant\u2019s processes as well as installation of our one-of-a-kind proprietary control system are progressing. The receipt of the NRC amendment now clears the way for the shakedown of equipment to commence, leading to the planned progression to full operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the plant\u2019s appointed manager, staffing contractor Wood has mobilized workers and they are now in training, Pickarts added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n