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Meta Critical Minerals (CSE: MTTA) has joined a new critical minerals consortium at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, as the explorer looks to build relationships around its two Wyoming projects.
The Critical Minerals Consortium (CMC) operates through the academy’s Center for Environmental and Geographic Sciences (CEGS). According to the centre’s website, CMC’s mission is to synchronize the technical, diplomatic and economic dimensions of critical mineral supply chains. The consortium says it aims to achieve this goal through “elite interagency coordination, global academic partnerships and original research in critical minerals policy.”
Other consortium members include the Colorado School of Mines, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), North-West University in South Africa, the University of Texas at Austin, Aeternum Resources, Cove Kaz Capital Group and AFRICOM J5 Defense Economic Unit.
“The United States has recognized that securing domestic supplies of critical minerals is a national security priority. The challenge now is turning that recognition into practical solutions,” said Rana Vig, Meta Critical’s CEO. “We believe the Critical Minerals Consortium can play an important role in bringing together the research, industry expertise and strategic thinking needed to address that challenge.”
For Meta, membership offers an opportunity to engage with researchers as it advances its Wyoming portfolio, although no formal research partnership has been announced.
“With our two Wyoming projects, Arcadia and Lake Owen, we see a meaningful opportunity to contribute to that effort while exploring relationships that could help us advance these assets toward development,” Vig added.
Wyoming projects
Located in northern Wyoming, Arcadia is an advanced-stage critical minerals project spanning about 4,480 acres (1,813 hectares). The site contains two near-surface heavy mineral deposits, Grass Creek and Dugout Creek, which host zircon, titanium-bearing ilmenite and rare-earth-element-bearing monazite. In October, Meta Critical announced approval for a 10,500-foot (3,200-metre) drill program at Dugout Creek, supporting a mineral resource estimate (MRE).
Meanwhile, Lake Owen is a layered mafic-ultramafic intrusion with potential for vanadium, scandium, titanium and gallium.
Meta Critical says it has held preliminary discussions with West Point researchers and faculty about potential collaborations. Proposed research topics include critical mineral supply chains, mineral processing and recovery technologies, and industrial and national security applications for minerals from its projects