Since Rich declared 2020 the year of diversification, he’s been profiling more companies outside the cannabis space. From big-ticket stocks like Tesla to smaller, up-and-coming plays like Else Nutrition, a number of his picks have already become big winners.
Today, he’s bringing your attention to an incredibly promising mining stock, Defense Metals Corp (TSXV:DEFN) (OTCQB:DFMTF). DEFN is an advanced mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition of mineral deposits containing rare earth metals (REM).
“This is another pick with a lot of potential,” says Rich. “I wanted to bring this company to you first because they could be big.”
Defense Metals is Sitting on Serious Value
Rare earth metals (also known as rare earth elements) are a key ingredient in a number of markets. This includes electric power, military, national security, and the production of green energy technologies.
Defense Metals’ primary focus is to exercise its option to acquire 100% of the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project in British Columbia.
The project consists of six mineral claims totaling 1,708 hectares. It is approximately 80 kilometers northeast of the city of Prince George, which is a strategic mining center. The project is also positioned alongside a major forestry service road connected to Highway 97.
Favorable mineralogy and lanthanide distribution indicate that Wicheeda is a very attractive REM deposit. Based on positive hydrometallurgical results, DEFN expects to commence continuous pilot plant testing on Wicheeda in the near future. This is required to produce bulk quantities of purified REM product for further separation testing.
“When you compare this to other rare earth mines, it compares very favorably,” explains Rich.
Why Rare Earths Might Be the Biggest Mining Play
A big reason why Rich is so bullish on Defense Metals is that rare earth metals are getting a lot of attention these days.
The global market value of REMs was US$8.10 billion in 2018. By 2025, that market will likely be around US$14.43 billion.
Currently, China controls more than 90 percent of the world’s supply of rare earths. However, there’s been a major push as of late to break America’s reliance on China for REMs.
In a series of memos sent last year to the secretary of defense, President Trump said that the domestic production, separation, and manufacturing of rare earths is “essential to the national defense” of the US.
By December, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finalized a joint action plan to secure a domestic supply chain of rare earth metals. This plan will:
“…guide cooperation in areas such as industry engagement; efforts to secure critical minerals supply chains for strategic industries and defence … [and] promote joint initiatives, including research and development cooperation, supply chain modelling and increased support for the industry.”
Because of this push for REMs sourced from North America, companies like Defense Metals that already have a rare earth project in development have an incredible opportunity in front of them.
DEFN is Ready to Serve the World’s Hunger for REMs
Craig Taylor, President and CEO of Defense Metals, expects 2020 to be a “watershed year” for the company. This is mainly due to the promising early results from the Wicheeda project and the greater attention placed on REMs than ever before.
According to Christiane Villemure, Director General of the Canadian Rare Earth Elements Network, “over the last 10 to 15 years, the world consumption of REEs has increased at 8% to 12% per annum, a trend that experts agree will continue, and may increase.”
“I love to bring you guys companies before they explode, and these guys have a chance to be a giant,” says Rich. “What do you think?”
Are rare earths the best mining play right now? Is Defense Metals the company to capture this incredible market opportunity? Let us know your thoughts!
Featured image: DepositPhotos © ChWeiss
