Everest Metals (ASX:EMC) has appointed Hall Chadwick (NASDAQ:HCAC) as exclusive strategic adviser to assess funding and transaction pathways for its Mt Edon Critical Mineral Project in Western Australia.
The review focuses on US and allied markets to examine government and industry funding alongside capital market opportunities. Hall Chadwick has been designated to coordinate specialist market and supply chain analysis to determine the optimal development pathway.
Executive Chairman and CEO Mark Caruso says Mt Edon has reached an important development milestone following two years of resource growth and metallurgical advancement.
“The United States has developed a strong policy focus on securing critical minerals supply chains from diversified and allied sources, and our membership of the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium provides an important strategic connection into that market,” Caruso says.
The review will evaluate options including offtake agreements, prepayment arrangements, joint ventures, project-level investment, and standalone public or private structures to assess value creation for shareholders.
Hall Chadwick has engaged an independent external specialist to conduct a two-phase validation of the project’s rubidium thesis. Phase one will examine supply chain vulnerability, China-linked exposure, and market demand, while phase two will evaluate US economic and national security exposure alongside funding pathways.
Located 5km southwest of Paynes Find in WA, Mt Edon hosts an indicated and inferred resource of 4.3 million tonnes (Mt) @ 0.23% rubidium oxide (Rb2O) and 0.10% lithium oxide (Li2O), containing 9,800 tonnes of Rb2O and 4,400 tonnes of Li2O.
The mineral resource estimate includes a ‘high-grade’ subset of 1.56Mt @ 0.31% Rb2O and 0.10% Li2O. Everest notes the entire resource is considered amenable to open pit mining.
The company says it retains flexibility regarding the review outcome, with no certainty it will result in a transaction.
Everest Metals is a resource company focused on discovering gold, silver, base metals, and critical minerals in tier one jurisdictions.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Everest Metals
