By Dianne Gouliquer
The search is on for tantalum in northwestern 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, Avalon's vice-president of exploration. "We're currently doing diamond drilling at 3,000 metres in about 13 holes. We're very encouraged by the results to date."
The Lilypad Lakes area saw previous exploration activity in the 1950s, 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.
Tanco carried out geophysical surveys and lithogeochemical sampling results in the identification of 10 tantalum targets. The company did not assay for cesium, rubidium or lithium.
In 1999, Avalon, through an initial reconnaissance mapping and sampling program, confirmed the presence of economically significant tantalum mineralization 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.
"About 60 per cent of the demand goes into those components," he says. "Any electronics, (even) digital dashboard display units in cars" use tantalum.
According to the United States Geological Survey, 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 supply, 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, Ont., 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-metal 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.
"In the Thunder Bay region there are three (areas where) we've noted activity, as well as recommended exploration opportunities for people," O'Brien says.
The first area is near Georgia Lake, southeast of Lake Nipigon, where numerous pegmatite dykes have been found.
The area was explored for lithium as early as 1958 but "they've just been sporadic exploration projects for lithium and not for other rare metals," O'Brien says.
Another area marked for potential tantalum exploration is north of Lake Nipigon, spanning a number of lakes.
"That again has been explored since 1958 and there are quite a few lithium occurrences through there," O'Brien says.
But the most advanced exploration activity, he notes, is the work being done by Avalon on its Lilypad Lakes property, which is the third area being recommended by the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines for tantalum exploration.
The only tantalum production in North America comes from the Bernic Lake Mine in Manitoba - owned by Tanco - which represents a small percentage of world demand.
The most significant tantalum mines in the world include the Greenbushes and Wodgina mines in Australia.
For more information on Avalon Ventures and its exploration activity, click on www.avalonventures.com . The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines Web site, www.mndm.gov.on.ca, has further information about the Ontario Geological Survey and its findings.
