RARE EARTHS: Avalon gets permit for Nechalacho pre-construction

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board has granted a land use permit for pre-construction activity at the Nechalacho rare earth elements project at Thor Lake. The project is owned by Toronto's Avalon Rare Metals.

Avalon president Donald Bubar said in a news release, "The permit allows us to proceed with the work necessary in 2014 to keep the project on schedule to achieve commercial operations by 2017-18."

The new permit allows the company to begin low impact activities as outlined in the first phase of construction. Permitted work includes site preparation, camp building, portal development, and infrastructure such as roads, power supplies and water treatment plants. Avalon expects to receive its Class B water licence in the near future. Work will then move on to the taking of water and deposition of waste at the site.

The most recent (August 2013) resource details are posted at AvalonRareMetals.com.