Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company with a primary focus on the rare metals and minerals, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Avalon specializes in niche market metals and minerals with growing demand in new technology. Avalon's principal assets are its Nechalacho Project, Separation Rapids, East Kemptville, Nova Scotia, Lilypad Cesium, and Warren Township. Avalon is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "AVL" and on the OTCQB market under the symbol "AVLNF".
Avalon's Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Deposit is located 100 km southeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Avalon completed a Feasibility Study in April 2013, focused on defining high-grade, resources in the large basal zone of the deposit. On July 29, 2013, the Mackenzie ValleyEnvironmental Impact Review Board completed its Report of Environmental Assessment and recommended approval of the Nechalacho Project. On November 4, 2013, the Federal government approved the project, allowing the company to proceed with formal applications for the required land use permits and water licenses. As rare earth prices fell, the project become largely inactive. In May 2018, Avalon announced it was re-activating the project on the global demand for neodymium and praseodymium and in January 2019 it was announced that Avalon and private Australian company Cheetah Resources Pty Ltd would be collaborating to develop the T-Zone and Tardiff Zones of the project. Cheetah is focused on the small-scale development of rare earth resources enriched in the magnet rare earths - neodymium and praseodymium - presently in short supply and high demand for clean technology applications.
First Nations Agreements
The Nechalacho Project at Thor Lake is situated in an area known as the Akaitcho Territory, which is subject to a comprehensive land claim negotiation between several communities of the Dene Nation and Canada's federal government. In 2012, Avalon completed an Accommodation Agreement with the Deninu Kue First Nation. The Accommodation Agreement provides business and employment opportunities for the Deninu Kue related to the project and contains measures to mitigate environmental and cultural impacts that may result from the project development. In February 2014, the company signed a Participation Agreement with the Northwest Territory Metis Nation.
Separation Rapids Lithium Project
Avalon is also developing a lithium deposit, located 70 km north of Kenora in Ontario, Canada. The Separation Rapids property is host to a large "complex-type" pegmatite; it is the fourth example in the world of a rare-metal pegmatite with the size required to be of major economic importance. The strike length of the deposit is over 1.5 km, and the width ranges from 10 to 70 metres. The mineralized zone is well exposed at surface in a low dome-shaped hill. This part of the deposit will be readily amenable to mining by low-cost quarrying methods. Avalon has demonstrated it is able to produce high-purity petalite from the deposit, for use in the glass-ceramics industry, as well as battery-grade lithium chemicals for use in the lithium-ion battery sector. The property lies within the traditional land use area of the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations of Whitedog, Ontario. In August 1999, Avalon signed a Memorandum of Understanding with WIN which was renewed in May 2013.
East Kemptville Tin Project
The East Kemptville Tin Project is located approximately 45 km northeast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in the vicinity of the former East Kemptville Tin Mine. In May 2014, Avalon entered into an agreement with the surface rights holder to secure access to lands held under the Special Licence for a limited drilling program, to confirm historic estimates of tin-copper-zinc resources remaining in the ground after production ceased at the East Kemptville mine in 1992, and bring them into compliance with NI 43–101 for reporting purposes. In July 2018, Avalon announced the completion of a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment on the project. The company's re-development model, as presently conceived, is an environmental remediation project that will be financed through the sale of tin concentrates recovered in large part from previously-mined mineralized material on the site.
Corporate sustainability
Avalon has made social responsibility, health and safety and environmental stewardship its cornerstones of development. In 2011, Avalon produced its first full corporate sustainability report, entitled Journey to a Sustainable Future, prepared within the framework of the GRI version G3.1. A 2019 Sustainability Report was released in November 2019.
