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Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Less Common Metals, has successfully carried out the first full-scale melt with LCM's newly acquired furnace.
The first pour was undertaken on Friday, January 27, 2012 at LCM’s new plant located in Hooton Park in Birkenhead, United Kingdom. The installation of the new furnace, which began in November, 2011 and was completed by mid-January, 2012, was undertaken by a team comprised of engineers from the furnace supplier alongside LCM personnel. After extensive testing of the power, water, vacuum and control systems, the furnace was approved to commence melting trials of Neodymium-Iron-Boron alloys for permanent magnet applications. The subsequent trials, which will continue into February, will focus on the production of alloys that fully conform to detailed customer specifications. GWMG President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Engdahl said, "The success of the first round of testing with LCM’s new furnace speaks highly of the level of expertise that resides within the team at LCM. The first pour with the new furnace is a significant step forward in the continued advancement of our "mines to markets" strategy as it increases our alloy production capacity by almost 50%. The newly acquired furnace positions our Company to further satisfy the requirements of our global customer base and, in the process, solidify the position of GWMG as a pre-eminent global supplier of rare earth products." Photos and a brief video of the first pour with LCM's new furnace can be seen on the GWMG website at www.gwmg.ca/lcm-first-pour. |
