Patriot Battery Metals (TSX: PMET; ASX: PMT) says work streams are currently underway to unlock critical mineral tantalum that is present in abundance at its Shaakichiuwaanaan property, located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec.
Tantalum, which is primarily hosted in the mineral tantalite on the property, has been commercially recovered from LCT (lithium, cesium and tantalum) pegmatites historically and at active mining operations today (e.g., Greenbushes, Pilgangoora, Wodgina and Tanco).
This potentially de-risks the pathway to recover tantalum at Shaakichiuwaanaan, the company said.
Further bolstering this potential is the ranking of the mineral resource at Shaakichiuwaanaan as a top 5 tantalum pegmatite in the world in terms of both grade and tonnage: 108 million tonnes at 1.40% Li2O and 166 ppm Ta2O5 indicated, plus 33.3 million tonnes at 1.33% Li2O and 156 ppm…
