Ucore nabs Lifton's REE expertise

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. April 4 said it appointed Jack Lifton to its advisory board. In this role, Lifton will be consulting exclusively to Ucore in matters related to rare earths, including resource securement, production, and offtake agreements.

Educated as a physical chemist specializing in high-temperature metallurgy, Lifton is a consultant, author and lecturer on the market fundamentals of technology metals, including rare earth elements, lithium, platinum group metals, and other core technology metals. He has more than 50 years of experience in the global automotive and other high-tech industries.

He subsequently became a metal trader specializing in the sourcing, manufacturing and sales of platinum group metals- and rare earth-based technologies, including rare earth permanent magnets, batteries, sensors, phosphors and ceramic specialties used to make catalytic converters.

Lifton is a founding principal of Technology Metals Research, which informs individuals and corporations about rare earths, lithium, tellurium, gallium and other technology metals.

He currently focuses his time conducting due diligence studies of business models and operations on behalf of institutional investors interested in metals-related opportunities.

"Jack"s depth of knowledge of the specialty metals sector is unparalleled, and we look forward to drawing on this knowledge as we continue to develop SuperLig® Technology as a separation tool for rare earths and other specialty metals," said Ucore CEO Jim McKenzie. "We expect that Jack's extensive network of contacts within the industry will serve us particularly well in sourcing rare earth feedstock and end user accounts as we transfer our focus to near term production."

Ucore recently completed the SuperLig®-One rare earth separation pilot plant, which utilizes a highly-selective process known as molecular recognition technology to isolate the rare earth elements suspended in a solution.

-SHANE LASLEY