Applied Minerals Inc. recently announced it has entered into a development agreement with OPF Enterprises LLC to formulate a range of ceramic-based proppants to market to oil and gas drillers in shale formations in close proximity to the company’s Utah-based Dragon Mine. Preliminary development work reportedly indicates that the presence of both halloysite and other clay minerals found in areas of the Dragon Mine resource can produce ceramic proppants with a attractive crush strength, permeability and specific gravity characteristics that meet or exceed certain performance metrics of several competing ceramic-based products.

For more information, visit www.appliedminerals.com.