Alkane Resources tells the hafnium tale
Channel: InvestorCoffee
Date: 30/05/2017

May 30, 2017 -- Ian Chalmers, Managing Director of Alkane Resources Ltd. (ASX: ALK | OTCQX: ANLKY) in an interview with InvestorIntel Editor Peter Clausi discuss the Dubbo Project and hafnium. The Dubbo project, northwest of Sydney, Australia, is abundant in rare earth elements – all of which are of interest to Alkane and their investors. However, Alkane’s trump card is hafnium. While discussing the relationship between hafnium and Alkane, Ian highlights the major drivers for hafnium demand, as well as new applications.

Peter Clausi: I would imagine the past year has been an interesting one for you.

Ian Chalmers: That’s one way to describe it, yes.

Peter Clausi: Tell us a little about that.

Ian Chalmers: Trying to advance the Dubbo Project through financing, we’ve really done everything we can do in terms process development, market development. We’re effectively construction ready, just trying to put the financing in place. Started off with a billion dollar project and now working on cutting that into two slices. That’s a good step forward.

Peter Clausi: Where is the Dubbo Project?

Ian Chalmers: It’s about 400 kilometers northwest of Sydney in a region they call the Central West, which is a strange name for something that’s near the east coast, but that’s what they call it. It’s a very civilized part of the world to operate in. Lovely countryside, farming countryside, all over infrastructure, everything you need and a good place to live.

Peter Clausi: Now at PDAC in Toronto this year was the first time that I heard about hafnium.

Ian Chalmers: Right.

Peter Clausi: Good old element 72 on the periodic table. Tell us about what you’re doing with hafnium.

Ian Chalmers: Well, it’s as long story. I’ll give you the shortened version. We were approached 4 years ago by a large aerospace group to say, “what are we doing with the hafnium in our deposit?” We said, well, the hafnium reports with the zirconium. Most zirconium products have hafnium. That’s the way it lives. They said, “well if you can separate it and get it out we’d be very interested.” We embarked on a process to look at hafnium and really then looked at, first of all, the technology of getting it out. It’s very complex, but we’ve got a process. Secondly, I suppose getting into the hafnium space we suddenly realized that here was a metal that had this enormous potential with an enormous amounts of R&D taking place that showed lots and lots of opportunities so very interesting product…

Disclaimer: Alkane Resources Ltd. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.