Australian miner Vital Metals has begun rare earth production in Canada’s Northwest Territories, becoming the first producer in Canada and second in North America. The milestone has strategic significance and comes as democratic nations move to shore up rare earth supply chains independent of China. The Nechalacho project is expected to yield a minimum of 5,000 tonnes of rare earth by 2025 including bastnaesite. Vital Metals says blasting of the mine has already begun. “We will continue to ramp up crushing and ore sorting with full production rates expected to be achieved in July,” Geoff Atkins, managing director at Vital Metals said in an investor update (pdf). “Beneficiated material will be stockpiled for transport to our extraction plant in Saskatoon,” he added. “We look forward to keeping the market updated throughout the ramp-up process, in what is a very significant milestone for the company and North America.” Rare earth includes 17 …