Commerce Resources Corp. Announces Participation in Eco-Friendly Flotation Collector Research
Commerce Resources Corp. Announces Participation in Eco-Friendly
Flotation Collector Research
October 18, 2021 – Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV: CCE, FSE: D7H 0; OTC: CMRZF)
(the “Company” or “Commerce”) is pleased to announce that it will be providing in-kind support
for an academic project involving the research and development of ecologically friendly flotation
collector reagents. Specifically, the Company will contribute Ashram Deposit material , collected
from the 2012 bulk sample, to support the study.
The initial objective of the project, named SideroFlot, was to develop a bio -based process for
removing iron-containing impurities (e.g. iron oxides and sulfides) from industrial minerals such
as clays, kaolin , and quartz sands. However, the program has since been expanded to the
beneficiation of rare earth minerals and identification of flotation collectors that are both effective
as well as biodegradable and ecologically sustainable.
The process is based on the use of microbial complexing agents (amphiphilic siderophores) for
selective binding, modification of, and separation of the iron particles in an environmentally
friendly, wet processing procedure. The amphiphilic siderophores “Marin obactin”, which are
formed by the microorganism Marinobacter, are used as agents for the hydrophobisation (i.e.
process of making particle s repel water) of the iron minerals. In the current project, the
performance of Marinobactin siderophore (a hydroxamate) will be evaluated as a sustainable and
biodegradable collector for flotation of REE-minerals – monazite, bastnaesite and xenotime – from
a carbonatite matrix.
The SideroFlot Project is being carried-out by Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR),
a non-profit research organization and member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research
Centers, Germany’s largest scientific organization with a 3-billion-euro annual budget. The HZDR
conducts research on three areas of focus – materials, health, and energy with the long-term
overarching objective of addressing some of societ y’s larger challenges. The project is being
assisted by Gerhard Merker, a Mineral Process Engineer who helped with the development of the
Ashram Deposit flowsheet (see news release dated August 13 and December 4, 2013)
Company President, Chris Grove comments , “The academic and R&D community maintains a
strong interest in using Ashram Deposit material in support of their research, in large part due to
the deposit’s similarity to global hard rock rare earth element (REE) producers. This program is
focused on environmentally friendlier solutions to the mining and processing of the REE’s and we
are excited to be providing material for this. The data collected from this program will ideally
help advance the Project and position it for the long-term, as well as advancing the understanding
of REEs as a whole and, therefore, move us closer to a decoupling of Chinese control.”
NI 43-101 Disclosure
Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the
Ordre des Géologues du Québec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43 -101
– Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects , supervised the preparation of the technical
information in this news release.
About Commerce Resources Corp.
Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of
the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located in Quebec, Canada. The Company is
positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on
being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market.
The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and
gangue (carbonates) mineralog y, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has
demonstrated the production of high -grade (>45% REO) mineral concentrates at high recovery
(>70%) in line with active global producers. In addition to being one of the largest rare earth
deposits globally, Ashram is also one of the largest fluorspar deposits globally and has the potential
to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets.
For more information, please visit the corporate website at https://www.commerceresources.com
or email [email protected].
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.
“Chris Grove”
Chris Grove
President and Director
Tel: 604.484.2700
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.commerceresources.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward -looking
statements. Forward looking statements in this press release include , but are not limited to, statements regarding
the progress of the Company’s metallurgical program and any future methods employed therein, the Company’s
ability to reduce downstream processing costs and risk, the Company’s ability to repeat and produce high -grade
monazite concentrates, the Company’s ability to become one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally as
well as its potential ability to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a variety of risks and u ncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those projected in the forward -looking information. Risks that could change or
prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that the methods prop osed do not work as well as
expected, the leach residue may not be usable, that the Company may experience difficulties producing concentrate
or achieving an upgrade to the concentrate; changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the
timing and content of the work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more
detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and
by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; that
testing of the Company’s process may not prove successful and even i f tests are successful, the economic and
other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour , equipment and markets for the products
produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on
our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the env isaged mine
can be obtained. The novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, also poses new risks that are currently indescribable
and immeasurable. The forward -looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the
Company assumes no respo nsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances,
except as required by law.