Sprott Inc. has launched the Sprott Rare Earths Ex-China ETF (Nasdaq: REXC), the first fund focused solely on rare earths companies operating outside China, tracking the Nasdaq Sprott Rare Earths Ex-China Index (NSREXC). The index covers miners, separators, refiners and producers of rare earth elements, with REXC required to hold at least 80% of assets in index constituents. Positioned around national and energy security themes, the ETF complements Sprott’s existing pure-play critical mineral funds in uranium, copper, lithium and nickel.

Manganese X Energy has secured a US patent for its proprietary manganese sulphate purification technology, extending IP protection already accepted in South Africa and with further applications filed in Canada, Mexico and Australia. The patent is intended to support development of the 12.2 km² Battery Hill project in New Brunswick, which hosts a historically reported 194 million tonnes of manganese carbonate across five zones and is now in pre-feasibility assessing multiple processing routes. Shares rose over 9% to C$0.12, valuing the company at C$25.8 million.

Wear liners at belt conveyor transfer points act as sacrificial protection for skirtboards, preventing dents and holes that lead to spillage and dust escape, explains Daniel Marshall, Process Engineer at Martin Engineering. Marshall notes that conventional liner removal and replacement can be gruelling, often needing several workers and taking multiple days per transfer point. The discussion points to design and maintenance changes that cut change-out time and manual handling, with direct implications for confined-space work, lockout durations and dust control performance.