Quest Promotes Dr. Dirk Naumann to Executive Vice-President, Development: Will Direct Efficiency Improvements & Feasibility S...
31 January 2014 - 12:30AM
Marketwired
Quest Promotes Dr. Dirk Naumann to Executive Vice-President,
Development: Will Direct Efficiency Improvements and Feasibility
Study
- Moves from previous role of Vice President, Development
- Naumann continues to manage all Strange Lake project
activities, including delivery of the full feasibility study,
negotiation of strategic partnerships, product off-take agreement,
and process improvement at planned Bécancour, Québec facility
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jan 30, 2014) - Quest Rare
Minerals Ltd. (TSX:QRM) (NYSEMKT:QRM) is pleased to announce the
promotion of Dr. Dirk Naumann to the position of Executive
Vice-President, Development.
"Through his direction of the prefeasibility study, Dirk has
more than proven his value in managing the planning of the Strange
Lake development." said Peter Cashin, Quest's President and Chief
Executive Officer. "Dr. Naumann's extensive international
experience in capital project development and high level contacts
acquired with major corporations in the mining and manufacturing
sectors are critical assets to Quest. His expertise has been most
evident in the application of a "process intensification" strategy
to simplify and optimize the Strange Lake project scope as Quest
move towards the definitive feasibility phase of the project, which
he will direct."
Dr. Naumann obtained a Diploma in Chemistry (1980) and Doctorate
in Physical Chemistry (1983) from the University of Göttingen,
Germany. His 30 year career shows an impressive track record of
bringing new technologies and products to the international market.
He has been actively involved in designing new products and
processes by managing capital projects from inception, through
engineering and construction, to successful market launch. Dr.
Naumann has worked in a senior capacity at Bayer AG, Inco Ltd. and
other resource companies in Europe, China, Korea, Japan and Canada,
with a focus on metal extraction and refining, high purity metals,
and materials and compounds for specialty applications. More
recently, he was engaged by corporate entities in both Europe and
America in Process Intensification to improve efficiency and
sustainability by reducing energy consumption and generation of
undesirable by-products.
Potential Project Efficiency Improvements
Dr. Naumann and his team have identified numerous efficiency and
operational improvements to the base case assumptions presented in
the Quest pre-feasibility study (PFS, see Press Release:
October 23, 2013) which will reduce project capital and operating
costs, increase product yields and lessen product supply risks.
These improvements will be evaluated in the definitive feasibility
study work to be initiated in early 2014.
These include: improvements to the current process flow sheet,
restructuring the business model into multiple, integrated
operating entities, on-site ore beneficiation to reduce product
shipping volumes and costs, lowering the initial mining rate to
reduce initial project capital requirements and the development of
an aboriginal-owned operating company to assume control of all
ground and marine logistics for the project.
Quest has identified a number of process improvements for its
planned processing facility in Becancour which will be part of
Quest's upcoming feasibility study (FS). These improvements include
the production of a heavy rare earth plus yttrium (HREE+Y) chloride
concentrate instead of an oxide concentrate. This step is expected
to reduce the operating costs for production of HREE+Y, while
producing a concentrate which is an improved feedstock when
compared to individual separation processes. Production of a
niobium concentrate instead of a high-purity niobium pentoxide is
also being evaluated. There is potential to improve the initial
niobium concentrate quality, to render it suitable as feedstock for
ferroniobium production, thereby removing the requirement to refine
the concentrate in a separate solvent extraction circuit. Producing
a concentrate would allow Quest to lower both capital and operating
costs at the same time and improve overall returns for the Strange
Lake project.
Details of the various project efficiency initiatives under
consideration are provided in the recently-filed Management
Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) under Quest's SEDAR profile at
www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.
About Quest Rare Minerals
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. ("Quest") is an integrated
Canadian-based exploration and development company focused on the
advancement of its flagship Strange Lake property (rare
earth-zirconium-niobium) in northeastern Québec and the
construction of a processing facility in Becancour, Quebec. Quest
is publicly listed on the TSX and NYSEMKT as "QRM" and is led by a
highly-experienced management and technical team with a proven
track record. Quest believes that its Strange Lake project has the
potential to become an important long-term supplier of rare earth
elements (REE). Quest's ongoing exploration program led to the
doubling of resource tonnage of the B-Zone deposit on the Strange
Lake property. In 2012, Quest filed an updated National Instrument
43-101 Indicated and Inferred Resource Estimate for the B-Zone
deposit and in October 2013, Quest announced the results of a
Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the B-Zone deposit. In
addition, Quest has announced the discovery of an important new
area of REE mineralization on its Misery Lake project,
approximately 120 km south of the Strange Lake project in
northeastern Québec, and is advancing the Misery Lake project.
Quest continues to pursue high-value project opportunities
throughout North America.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that may constitute
"forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities
legislation. Forward-looking information and statements may
include, among others, statements regarding the future plans,
costs, objectives or performance of Quest, or the assumptions
underlying any of the foregoing. In this news release, words such
as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect",
"anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and
the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as
guarantees of future performance or results, and will not
necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or
by which, such future performance will be achieved. No assurance
can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking
information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what
benefits Quest will derive. Forward-looking statements and
information are based on information available at the time and/or
management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and
are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions
and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Quest's
control. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but
are not limited to, those described under "Risk Factors" in Quest's
annual information form dated January 24, 2014, and under the
heading "Risk Factors" in Quest's Management's Discussion and
Analysis for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013, both of which
are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at
www.sec.gov, and could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.
Quest does not intend, nor does Quest undertake any obligation, to
update or revise any forward-looking information or statements
contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information,
events or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by
applicable laws.
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd.Peter J. CashinPresident & CEO(416)
916-0777 or 1-877-916-0777(416)
916-0779info@questrareminerals.comwww.questrareminerals.com
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