Pele Mountain Resources says it has reached a milestone in its progress to develop its Elliot Lake uranium-rare earth oxides property with the production of a yellowcake.

Yellowcake is produced during the extraction and refining of uranium. Pele’s was produced during bench scale metallurgical testing conducted by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC).

"Our production of mixed rare earth concentrates and yellowcake is an important metallurgical processing milestone and confirms that Pele Mountain is a clear leader in the race to develop secure and reliable supplies of critical rare earths in North America,” Pele president Al Shefsky said in a news release.

“We have achieved this excellent progress with the help of a very talented and dedicated team including the proactive and very capable personnel at SRC."

Pele aims to get a licence to construct its Eco Ridge uranium and rare earth oxides mine in 2015.