Avalon Rare Metals Inc., a mineral exploration and development company primarily focused on rare earth deposits in Canada, is broadening its scope following a request from an “unnamed international industrial minerals company.”

According to a press release issued by the company on October 20th, Avalon may partner with the international company to develop minerals on two promising feldspar and lithium exploration projects, provided that sample analyses from the two sites return positive results.

While it is currently unknown whether the “international industrial minerals company” is a privately or publicly-held, or is in any way state-funded, the diversification of Avalon Rare Metals Inc.’s portfolio at its request is a timely reminder that end-users are often the first to feel resource scarcity — an early-warning to U.S. policymakers to consider the importance of domestic resource development.