George Bauk

Managing Director & CEO – Northern Minerals Limited

George Bauk is an experienced resources executive with 30 years’ experience in the sector. He joined Northern Minerals in 2010 and has been instrumental in transforming the company from a rare earth discoverer through to its current status as producer at the Browns Range Heavy Rare Earths Project.

The 3-year Pilot Plant Project in the East Kimberley region of WA has commenced commissioning and first mixed rare earth carbonate produced in October 2018. Over the 3-year project, the Company plans to produce 49,400kg dysprosium in 573,000kg concentrate.

Browns Range is the only significant dysprosium producer outside China. Dysprosium is a key ingredient in the permanent magnets used in electric cars and wind turbines. The Pilot Plant Project aims to confirm and improve the economics of the larger full-scale development at Browns Range, which has a potential scale of 10x the Pilot Plant Project.

Rare earths a strategic opportunity for Australia
Business Advice

Rare earths a strategic opportunity for Australia

By George Bauk

The Australian and US Governments both recognise the strategic importance of rare earths to technological advances. The recent escalation of the trade dispute between China, the largest producer of rare earths, and the US, one of the largest consumers, has seen China threaten to restrict exports as a form of tariff retaliation. Despite previous threats nearly a decade ago, it is only now that both Governments are seeing the strategic value in supporting and developing a rare earths sector that is not dependent on China. What you drive, how your energy is produced and how you are defended are all on the line in this escalating dispute.

21 Aug 2019

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