StockNews.AI
PMETF
StockNews.AI
5 days

High-Grade Pollucite Confirmed as Main Caesium Host Mineral at the Vega and Rigel Zones

1. Patriot Battery Metals identified significant caesium deposits in its CV13 Pegmatite. 2. Widespread pollucite confirms high potential for caesium extraction. 3. Lithium-only feasibility study completion is on schedule for Q3-2025. 4. Caesium, tantalum, and gallium could become valuable by-products. 5. Market for caesium projected to grow in medical and oil & gas sectors.

45 mins saved
Full Article

FAQ

Why Bullish?

The identification of substantial caesium resources could enhance PMETF's overall valuation and revenue potential, similar to prior positive drills leading to price increases for mineral exploration stocks.

How important is it?

The strategic discovery of caesium opens up new revenue streams while maintaining focus on lithium operations, making this update crucial for potential investors.

Why Long Term?

The estimated resource update and feasibility study completion in Q3-2025 may take time to reflect in share prices but can significantly influence future valuations.

Related Companies

Identification of High-Value By-Products within Lithium Mineral Resource

Identification of other potential high-value by-products within the existing lithium Mineral Resource shows the highly evolved pegmatites at Shaakichiuwaanaan as a potential major host for further critical metals.

VANCOUVER, BC, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - June 11, 2025 – Sydney, Australia

HIGHLIGHTS


1 Refer to news release dated April 9, 2025.

Ken Brinsden, President, CEO, and Managing Director, comments: "The confirmation of widespread pollucite mineralization – the optimal host mineral for caesium – at the Vega and Rigel zones marks another important step forward in evaluating the economic potential of this exciting discovery. As we advance towards a preliminary mineral processing program to evaluate recovery of caesium, the team is working on a maiden MRE for caesium that is anticipated to be announced before the end of third-quarter 2025.

"The presence of significant caesium mineralization at Shaakichiuwaanaan, in addition to lithium and tantalum, reinforces the amazing endowment of the geology and the potential for other critical and strategic metals to further enhance and diversify future Project economics. We are very keen to explore these value-add opportunities on top of what is already recognized as a world-class lithium pegmatite in its own right," added Mr. Brinsden.

PATRIOT BATTERY METALS INC. (THE "COMPANY" OR "PATRIOT") (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA) is pleased to provide an update on caesium – a high-value critical and strategic metal – identified at the CV13 spodumene pegmatite, at its 100%-owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property (the "Property" or "Project") located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec. The CV13 Spodumene Pegmatite is located approximately 3 km west-southwest along geological trend of the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite, which is situated approximately 13 km south of the regional and all‑weather Trans-Taiga Road and powerline infrastructure corridor, and is accessible year-round by all-season road.

The Shaakichiuwaanaan Li-Cs-Ta ("LCT") pegmatites are highly evolved through the process of crystal fractionation during formation, whereby mineral crystallization leads to progressive changes in the chemistry of the remaining melt, resulting in increasingly rare minerals being formed as the process unfolds. This process of pegmatite formation most commonly leads to only modest enrichment of lithium and other critical metals. However, in the LCT pegmatites at Shaakichiuwaanaan this process has resulted in the extreme enrichment of lithium, caesium, and tantalum – each at potentially world-class scale – as well as other potentially recoverable critical and strategic metals (e.g., gallium).

Each of these critical metals could become further value-added by-products to the envisioned lithium operation at Shaakichiuwaanaan. Additional information is provided below describing the caesium opportunity and the steps being taken to evaluate development of this unique asset. Further details will be provided on the other potential by-products identified, including tantalum and gallium, in the coming weeks.

CAESIUM OPPORTUNITY

In news releases dated March 2 and April 9, 2025, the Company announced the discovery of significant caesium mineralization in drill hole at the CV13 Pegmatite within the Vega and Rigel zones. Initial drill results include:

The Company is pleased to report that XRD-Rietveld mineralogical analysis completed on drill core samples from the Vega and Rigel caesium zones has confirmed pollucite as the dominant caesium-bearing mineral present. A pollucite content high of 74.2% was reported over 1.1 m in drill hole CV23-204, assaying 26.6% Cs2O.

Pollucite is considered the optimal mineral host to caesium in LCT pegmatites due to its very high caesium content (typically >30%) and its relative ease of processing and recovery. Pollucite is typically recovered using standard and conventional ore sorting methods as well as potential secondary flotation. The Company has completed collection of drill core samples from the Vega Zone for an ore sorting test program that will evaluate pollucite (caesium) concentrate recovery ahead of the typical spodumene (lithium) and tantalite (tantalum) recovery circuits.

Using a 0.5% Cs2O grade constraint within the wider CV13 Pegmatite body, the interpreted extent of the Vega and Rigel caesium zones has been further refined. The footprint of caesium mineralization at the Vega Zone has been traced over a general area of at least 800 m x 250 m and consists of two proximal flat-lying lenses, at a depth of ~110 m, with a true thickness of <2 m and up to ~10 m and ~6 m, respectively. At Rigel, the footprint of caesium mineralization has been traced over a general area of least 200 m x 100 m and consists of a single, shallow dipping lens at a depth of ~50 m with a true thickness of <2 m to ~6 m.

The interpreted dimensions for the Vega and Rigel caesium zones will form the primary constraints to the subsequent block modelling and Mineral Resource Estimate anticipated to be announced in Q3-2025.

Mineral deposits of caesium (pollucite hosted) are extremely rare globally and represent the most fractionated component of LCT pegmatite systems, which are effectively the only primary source of caesium globally. Economic deposits of caesium pegmatite are typically on a smaller scale of <10 kt to 350 kt in size compared to deposits of lithium pegmatite that typically range in the millions of tonnes in size.

Globally, it is estimated only three (3) primary caesium mines have historically operated and all were pollucite hosted – Tanco (Canada), Bikita (Zimbabwe), and Sinclair (Australia). At Bikita and Sinclair, the pollucite resources were exhausted in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Tanco is understood to be approaching the end of its mine-life with extraction from existing tailings piles and/or mine remnants being explored...

"This news release contains forward-looking statements..."

NEXT STEPS

Through the lithium focused exploration and resource development drilling to date at the Property, the Company has identified other high-value critical metal potential by-products in addition to the existing large-scale lithium Mineral Resource at Shaakichiuwaanaan, namely caesium, tantalum, and gallium.

CAESIUM MARKET

Caesium is listed as a critical and strategic metal by the province of Quebec (Canada), Canada, Japan, and the United States. Mineral deposits of caesium (in pollucite) are extremely rare globally...

QUALIFIED/COMPETENT PERSON

The information in this news release that relates to exploration results for the Shaakichiuwaanaan Property is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr. Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person...

ABOUT PATRIOT BATTERY METALS INC.

Patriot Battery Metals Inc. is a hard-rock lithium exploration company focused on advancing its district-scale 100%-owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property...

This news release has been approved by the Board of Directors."KEN BRINSDEN" Kenneth Brinsden, President, CEO, & Managing Director

Related News