Exploring for tantalum.The search is on for tantalum tantalum (tăn`tələm) [from Tantalus], metallic chemical element; symbol Ta; at. no. 73; at. wt. 180.9479; m.p. 2,996°C;; b.p. 5,400±100°C;; sp. gr. 16.65 at 20°C;; valence +2, +3, +4, or +5. in northwestern Ontario Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. , and at least one junior exploration company is reporting "encouraging" results. Avalon Ventures is currently undertaking a $1-million diamond-drilling program on its Lilypad Lakes property located 150 kilometres northeast of Pickle Lake, Ont. The tantalum-cesium project consists of 14 claims covering a field of rare metal pegmatites. "(The drilling program) will be ongoing until August," says Ian Campbell Ian Campbell is a name shared by several people:
The Lilypad Lakes area saw previous exploration activity in the 1950a, when Standard Lithium Corp. was searching for lithium. Between 1979. and 1981, the area was explored for tantalum by Tantalum Mining Corp. of Canada (Tanco). Standard drilled at least a dozen holes totaling 968 metres in two targets, but the company did not assay for tantalum or cesium cesium (sē`zēəm) [Lat.,=bluish gray], a metallic chemical element; symbol Cs; at. no. 55; at. wt. 132.9054; m.p. 28.4°C;; b.p. 669.3°C;; sp. gr. 1.873 at 20°C;; valence +1. . Tanco carried out geophysical surveys and lithogeo-chemical sampling results in the identification of 10 tantalum targets. The company did not assay for cesium, rubidium rubidium (r  bĭd`ēəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Rb; at. no. 37; at. wt. 85.4678; m.p. 38.89°C;; b.p. 686°C;; sp. gr. 1.53 at 20°C;; valence +1. or lithium. In 1999, Avalon, through an initial reconnaissance mapping and sampling program, confirmed the presence of economically significant tantalum mineralization Mineralization The process by which the body uses minerals to build bone structure. Mentioned in: Rickets mineralization, n the bioprecipitation of an inorganic substance. at several locations, on the property and also discovered high-grade cesium mineralization in association with the tantalum. Tantalum, Campbell says, is currently in high demand around the world, particularly by the electronics industry. It is used to make electronic capacitors and microchips for use in cellular phones, laptop computers, Sony PlayStation 2 consoles and wireless technology. According to the United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. , the world consumption of tantalum is estimated at 2.48 million kilograms per year, Campbell says. The estimated supply is just 2.25 million kilograms per year. "The demand is about 10 per cent greater than the sup ply, and the demand is increasing now at an annual rate of 20 per cent, as opposed to 10 per cent."' Avalon is also exploring for tantalum on its Raleigh Lake property near Ignace, Ong., and on its East Braintree property located on the Trans-Canada Highway near Falcon Lake in southeastern Manitoba. But the potential for finding tantalum is not limited to the far northwest. Mark O'Brien, the acting district geologist for Thunder Bay North, says while there is grassroots to advanced tantalum and rare-mental exploration taking place west of Thunder Bay, Ontario Geological Survey results have shown significant levels of tantalum to the east of the Lakehead as well. The areas are as follows: near Georgia Lake, southeast of Lake Nipigon and north of Lake Nipigon, spanning a number of lakes. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion