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TORONTO ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 31, 2025 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce that it has submitted a comprehensive report (the "Addendum") as part of the Penco Module Environmental Impact Assessment (the "EIA 1") to the Environmental Service Assessment Authority (the "SEA"). The Addendum addresses all the technical observations raised by the SEA and various other government agencies that review the EIA 1 (the "Technical ICSARA"), as well as comments received from local stakeholders (the "Citizen ICSARA"), in respect of EIA 1. The SEA is expected to take approximately 30 days to confirm the next steps of the evaluation process. Aclara remains committed to working closely with the SEA throughout the environmental evaluation process.
Jose Augusto Palma, Aclara's Executive Vice President, commented: "We have worked diligently with our partner CAP S.A.to address all the questions and comments received as part of the Technical ICSARA and the Citizen ICSARA, ensuring that the Penco Module project meets the highest environmental and social standards. We remain committed to working with the authorities and local stakeholders to complete the environmental evaluation process and implement the Penco Module as soon as possible."
The Technical ICSARA, received from the SEA on September 12, 2024, included 394 technical observations on EIA 1. Additionally, the Citizen ICSARA, received on December 12, 2024, comprised 1,331 observations gathered by the SEA during the citizen participation process.
About Acara
Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA), a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company, is focused on building a vertically integrated supply chain for rare earths alloys used in permanent magnets. This strategy is supported by Aclara's development of rare earth mineral resources hosted in ionic clay deposits, which contain high concentrations of the scarce heavy rare earths, providing the Company with a long-term, reliable source of these critical materials. The Company's rare earth mineral resource development projects include the Carina Project in the State of Goiás, Brazil as its flagship project and the Penco Module in the Biobío Region of Chile. Both projects feature Aclara's patented technology named Circular Mineral Harvesting, which offers a sustainable and energy-efficient extraction process for rare earths from ionic clay deposits. The Circular Mineral Harvesting process has been designed to minimize the water consumption and overall environmental impact through recycling and circular economy principles. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aclara Technologies Inc., the Company is further enhancing its product value by developing a rare earths separation plant in the United States. This facility will process mixed rare earth carbonates sourced from Aclara's mineral resource projects, separating them into pure individual rare earth oxides. Additionally, Aclara through a joint venture with CAP, is advancing its alloy-making capabilities to convert these refined oxides into the alloys needed for fabricating permanent magnets. This joint venture leverages CAP's extensive expertise in metal refining and special ferro-alloyed steels. Beyond the Carina Project and the Penco Module, Aclara is committed to expanding its mineral resource portfolio by exploring greenfield opportunities and further developing projects within its existing concessions in Brazil, Chile, and Peru, aiming to increase future production of heavy rare earths.