Projects / Chuchinka Property

In October of 2009, Spectrum Mining reported significant rare earth element mineralization on its Wicheeda carbonatite-syenite breccia intrusive complex rare earth discovery.

Highlights included a 48.64 metre interval which averaged 3.55% rare earth elements ("REE"), a 72.0 metre interval that averaged 2.92% REE, and a 144 metre interval which averaged 2.20% REE in three separate drill holes.

Additionally, 11 NTW diamond drill holes totalling 1835 m were drilled in the "Main Zone" from 2 new drilling platforms on Wicheeda. All 11 drill holes intersected significant rare earth mineralization and the Wicheeda deposit remains open in all directions.

World-recognized carbonatite rare earth mineralization specialist Anthony Mariano visited the Wicheeda project during the 2009 drilling program and has subsequently examined drill core samples as well as rock samples that he collected on the site. His analytical work including SEM and cathodoluminescense indicates that the Wicheeda mineralization is mainly quite coarse grained (0.2 m to 0.5 mm) monazite and a bastnaesite-synchisite-parasite mineral. He has also conducted a bench scale heavy liquid and magnetic separation study on a composite sample of Wicheeda drill core and was able to produce a high grade REE concentrate that contained 56.09 wt. % REE. This test indicates that the Wicheeda rare earth mineralization is simple and easy to produce a marketable concentrate from compared to most other world rare earth deposits including the dormant world-class rare earth mine at Mountain Pass in California.

By applying a flotation circuit, it should be easy to produce a 60% LREE concentrate from Wicheeda which would exceed the concentrate grade from Mountain Pass (which for over 40 years was the main North American supplier of rare earth products to the world.)