Green Technology Metals adds rubidium dimension to Seymour

Green Technology Metals’ maiden rubidium resource adds a new dimension to the strategic value of its Seymour project in Ontario, Canada.

Rubidium adds value to the Seymour project. Pic: Getty Images

Special Report: Green Technology Metals shares climbed 29% after it boosted the value of its Seymour project in Ontario, Canada, by defining a maiden contained rubidium resource of 23,000t.

• Green Technology Metals defines a maiden rubidium resource
• New estimate sits alongside one of GT1’s large Canadian lithium resources
• The in-demand critical mineral offers substantial strategic value

While Seymour hosts a substantial lithium resource of 10.3Mt at 1.07% Li2O, the addition of rubidium – a critical mineral with essential uses in defence such as night vision imaging and radiation detector, potential use for chemical storage in hydrogen batteries and to replace caesium – adds a new dimension to value calculations.

The maiden resource of 8.3Mt at 0.27% Rb2O – including 6.2Mt at 0.28% in the higher confidence indicated category – was defined following Green Technology Metals’ (ASX:GT1) detailed review of historical exploration data and metallurgical testwork.

It includes a higher-grade component of 3.4Mt at 0.4% Rb2O, or ~13,600t of contained rubidium, and sits within the existing 2023 North Aubry lithium deposit.

The new resource ranks amongst the top rubidium deposits globally and represents a valuable byproduct that can generate low-cost revenue to support the company’s core lithium strategy.

This is particularly true given that historical metallurgical testwork identified grades of up to 1.3% rubidium in mica-rich waste streams that were separated during lithium processing.

Rubidium distribution at Seymour. Pic: Green Technology Metals

Strategic value

GT1 will be one of few companies to integrate rubidium recovery as a by-product within lithium operations, enabling it to benefit from limited global rubidium supply, its inclusion on critical minerals lists in the US and Japan, Seymour’s strategic location close to the large and growing US market, and robust trade and economic ties between Canada and Japan.

The US and Japan government’s recognition of rubidium as a critical mineral also boosts the company’s ability to potentially access additional strategic funding streams to advance development of Seymour.

“The discovery of significant rubidium mineralisation at Seymour adds an exciting new dimension to our project’s strategic value,” managing director Cameron Henry said. 

“As one of the largest high-grade rubidium resources on the ASX and the most substantial in Canada, Seymour is well positioned to play a critical role in the global supply of this high-value specialty metal. 

“Rubidium’s importance in advanced technologies and its recognition as a critical mineral by the US and Japan highlight the growing demand and strategic relevance of this metal. 

“By investigating rubidium products as a low-cost by-product alongside our core lithium operations, we can unlock additional value, enhance project sustainability, and provide diversified exposure for investors.”

High value critical mineral

Rubidium is a high-value critical mineral trading at a significant premium to lithium, with high-purity material priced at about US$1060/kg. It is recognised as a critical mineral in multiple jurisdictions where it is prioritised for supply chain security.

Besides traditional uses in defence, aerospace applications, advanced electronics and biomedical applications, rubidium use is expanding into emerging technologies such as quantum computing, advanced battery chemistries and next-generation electronics.

This underpins its long-term growth potential and strategic value as highlighted by the expected growth in the global market.

The rubidium market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from US$4.63bn in 2023 to US$8bn in 2033.

Despite this value, there are only a few rubidium deposits known including some in Australia.

Even China – a significant producer of the mineral as a byproduct of lithium and other mineral processing – continues to import rubidium with Canada historically supplying a substantial portion.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

Originally published as Green Technology Metals adds rubidium dimension to Seymour