- Patriot Battery Metals (PMETF, Financial) confirms the world's largest pollucite-hosted caesium pegmatite deposit at the Shaakichiuwaanaan Project.
- The Rigel and Vega Zones of the project boast high caesium concentrations with a combined indicated and inferred caesium content of 71.3 kt Cs2O.
- The company positions itself for future advancements in the solar technology market, leveraging caesium's role in enhancing solar panel efficiency.
Patriot Battery Metals (OTCQX: PMETF) has announced the discovery of the world's largest pollucite-hosted caesium pegmatite deposit at its Shaakichiuwaanaan Project. This significant discovery is characterized by a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate across two primary zones: the Rigel Zone, which contains 163,000 tonnes at 10.25% Cs2O, and the Vega Zone, housing 530,000 tonnes at 2.61% Cs2O indicated and 1,698,000 tonnes at 2.40% Cs2O inferred. The total contained caesium content stands at 30.5 kt Cs2O indicated and 40.8 kt Cs2O inferred.
The consolidated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the project now totals 108.0 million tonnes indicated at 1.40% Li2O, 0.11% Cs2O, 166 ppm Ta2O5, and 66 ppm Ga, and 33.4 million tonnes inferred at 1.33% Li2O, 0.21% Cs2O, 155 ppm Ta2O5, and 65 ppm Ga. This discovery places Patriot Battery Metals (PMETF, Financial) in a strategic position to be a significant player in the global supply chain for caesium, a rare and high-value mineral with critical applications in the emerging solar panel technologies due to its potential to enhance panel efficiency and lifespan.
The Rigel and Vega Zones, integrated into the CV13 Pegmatite open-pit resource component of the company's overall consolidated MRE, are poised for further exploration and development. The company is actively evaluating metallurgical processes, including conventional X-ray ore sorting methods, to integrate the pollucite recovery into their broader economic development plan. Additionally, the feasibility study for the lithium component of the project is on track for completion by Q3 2025.
Given the rarity of pollucite-hosted caesium deposits globally, the discovery at Shaakichiuwaanaan marks a substantial addition to the critical minerals market. The project's year-round accessibility via an all-season road further underscores its strategic advantage, allowing Patriot Battery Metals to capitalize on the potential growth in caesium demand driven by advancements in terrestrial solar technologies.
