Neotech Metals (CSE:NTMC) is preparing to initiate preliminary economic assessment-level scoping work to outline the Hecla-Kilmer Project’s potential economic profile in Ontario.
This news comes ahead of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), held between 1-4 March 2026 in Toronto, Canada.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, CEO Reagan Glazier says PDAC represents an “important” milestone for the company as it accelerates various activities.
“We’re working towards releasing updated metallurgical results that further demonstrate the processing potential of our apatite-hosted rare earth mineralisation,” Glazier says.
“In parallel, we expect to advance toward our maiden mineral resource estimate following more than 25,000m of drilling and approximately $15 million invested in the Hecla-Kilmer Project to date.”
“Overall, the next quarter is focused on converting several years of exploration and drilling into tangible technical milestones, moving decisively from discovery toward definition, while continuing to build strategic relationships that support Neotech’s long-term vision of becoming a meaningful North American rare earth supplier.”
Late last year, Neotech received results from a comprehensive and independent mineralogical study on the Hecla-Kilmer Project, confirming up to 98% of total rare earth elements (TREEs) occur in apatite.
Apatite was found extensively across the sampled intervals, serving as the primary carrier of rare earths – an uncommon mineralisation style globally. The apatites contain 7.4% of total rare earth oxide (TREO) content, with the master composite accounting for 82% of the TREO distribution.
Neotech to be front and centre
At PDAC, Glazier anticipates that supply chain security and geopolitical resilience will be front and centre.
“With global rare earth processing still heavily concentrated in China, and increasing export controls and regional policy shifts emerging across Asia, the urgency to establish diversified, domestic supply chains has never been higher,” the CEO tells this news service.
“Our goal is to expand international networks and demonstrate how our geology may help address these structural bottlenecks in a responsible and scalable way.”
Glazier adds that for Neotech, PDAC is about building meaningful relationships across the full ecosystem – “not just showcasing a project”.
“The event comes at a critical time in terms of geopolitical risk and increasing demand for critical minerals,” he says.
As previously reported, global demand for rare earths is rising, as the resource is considered essential for clean energy and advanced technologies.
China has long dominated rare earths processing, accounting for 92% of all processing done for this unique industry in 2025.
Neotech seeks to change the story around rare earths and processing for these key minerals through the Hecla-Kilmer Project. This conflation of rare earths mineralisation within a unique mineralogical deposit has the potential to set up Neotech with a path to processing that can help clear the main bottlenecks for the industry as a whole.
This year’s PDAC event is set to bring together more than 27,000 attendees from over 125 countries for its educational programs, networking events and business opportunities.
Established in 1931, the annual convention has grown in size, stature, and influence, hosting more than 1,300 exhibitors and 700 presenters. Mining.com.au is a media partner of this year’s PDAC convention.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Neotech Metals
