NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO– MAJOR CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECTS

Critical minerals are required for a modern innovative society. Transportation (electric vehicles), renewable energy, electronics, telecommunications and aerospace, all use critical minerals. Critical elements already produced in Ontario include: nickel, copper, and platinum/palladium, but in addition, Northwestern Ontario is home to exciting major exploration projects poised soon to produce and contribute the following  :  lithium, graphite, copper, palladium, platinum and chromium .

Clean Air Metals released a new palladium/platinum resource for the Thunder Bay North Project (located just north of the city) and a Technical Report completed by Nordmin Engineering. Diamond drilling is underway at Escape Lake and on geophysical targets. On March 18 the company reported a drill intersection of massive sulphides. Metallurgical testing and ramp development planning are in the works.

Impala Canada will be drilling 50,000 metres during 2021, with a goal of doubling the Lac des Iles Mine life. Diamond drilling is focused on brownfields palladium zones proximal to the mine.

Generation Mining released a positive Feasibility Study (FS) in Q1 for the Marathon Palladium-Copper Deposit, located just north of Marathon, ON. The mine project has a 14 year mine life and will employ approximately 365 employees. Federal Environmental Assessment is scheduled for much of 2021.

Noront Resources commenced a new Feasibility Study (FS) for the Eagle’s Nest Copper-Nickel-PGE Deposit. Environmental Assessment is underway. Wyloo Metals (Australia) continues as the largest shareholder of Noront. Noront completed metallurgical testing on a bulk sample from Eagle’s Nest ,via Glencore’s XPS Research Facility. The “Road to Prosperity” (Northern Link)  EA and engineering planning/design continues, led by Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations in concert with SNC Lavalin, AECOM and Dillon Consulting.

Avalon Advanced Materials continue with plans to advance the Separation Rapids Lithium Deposit, located north of Kenora. A 5000 tonne bulk sample will be extracted in 2021 for petalite (lithium mineral)  processing in a pilot plant. A Feasibility Study will commence for a planned Thunder Bay/FWFN lithium plant location . Rock Tech Lithium has a previously signed joint venture– Letter of Intent in place. In addition, Avalon has other critical element and rare earth element projects in Ontario.

Rock Tech Lithium continues with a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) to advance the Georgia Lake Lithium Deposit, located south of Beardmore, as well as work toward establishing a lithium chemical plant in Thunder Bay. The facility would receive lithium concentrate from Georgia Lake and produce lithium sulphate for the electric vehicle battery industry. Site selection and establishing key management personnel in Thunder Bay is underway. ALS Chemex Laboratories (Perth)has been hired to work through pilot plant work.

Frontier Lithium released a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) illustrating a 27% Internal Rate of Return for a proposed lithium mine ( located north of Red Lake), right through and including a lithium hydroxide chemical/hydromet plant facility, to be built on the Great Lakes. The lithium spodumene (lithium mineral) resource combines the two adjacent orebodies, PAK and Spark The PEA speaks to a an estimated life of mine (LOM) of 26 years. Exploration continues on a 3^rd lithium target called “Bold”.

Zen Graphene Solutions is patenting a biocidal graphene application to treat PPE gloves and masks against COVID19, and is working with researchers on bacteria resistance applications . The company has a significant R&D pipeline with an interest in monomers, polymers, metal alloys, corrosion coatings, biosensors, along with the production of graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots. Source graphite/graphene is sources from a bulk sample garnered from coarse diameter drilling on the company’s Constance Lake FN/Hearst area graphite deposit. Environmental baseline work is underway on the deposit. An implementation agreement was recently signed with Constance Lake First Nation.