Mount Wheeler Historical Tungsten Mine

The main period of activity began with the discovery of tungsten in 1950. Between 1952 and 1955, Mt. Wheeler Mines, Inc., under a Defence Minerals Exploration Administration (“DMEA”) contract. “Exploration has shown that the beryllium minerals occur in a zone that extensds for about 2,500 feet along dip of the outcrop of the “Wheeler Limestone” in Pole Canyon and extends eastward into the strike for above 4,000 feet.”. Between 1952 and 1954, 1,800 tons of ‘rock’ averaging 1.3% WO3 was extracted and milled at Minerva, Nevada, with 75% DMEA sponsorship.

A feasibility study titled “Feasibility Study Mt. Wheeler Mine Beryllium project” was commissioned in 1972 by W.S. Moore Co. which states that “Milling was successfully piloted by the Chicago School of Mines” “From 1959 to 1962, largely through the efforts of the Anaconda Company, an additional 4,475 feet of laterals and sub drifts were driven. Approximately 1,000 samples were taken.” An indicated Tungsten-Beryllium resource was prepared.

The access roads to the mine are all blacktopped except for the last five-mile stretch which is gravel.

Figure 2. Department of Interior – Bureau of Mines “Mine and Prospect Map of Wheeler Park”

Regional Context

Letain lies within the Cache Creek Terrane, bounded by the Thibert Fault to the north and the Kutcho Fault to the west, and displaced by the King Salmon Fault to the south. This geological setting is analogous to other ultramafic-hosted nickel systems in British Columbia

Importantly, the Letain Project shares geological similarities with the Decar Nickel Deposit (FPX Nickel Corp.), located 70 km northwest of Fort St. James, BC, which hosts magnetically recoverable awaruite nickel—a form that can be upgraded without pyrometallurgical smelting.

Geology and Mineralization

The property hosts disseminated awaruite (Ni-Fe alloy) mineralization within peridotite and dunite, with several zones containing fine to coarse alloy grains. Surface sampling has returned average grades of approximately 0.25% nickel, with rock chip assays ranging from 1,700 to 3,800 ppm Ni, 1,000–3,000 ppm Cr, and 100–150 ppm Co.

Two principal forms of awaruite mineralization are present:

The peridotite is highly differentiated, with porphyritic, sheared, and brecciated textures and local concentrations of magnetite, chromite, picrolite, and lizardite. Sampling delineated a 1.1 km discontinuous ridge zone containing coarse-grained awaruite exposed between 1,700 and 2,050 meters elevation.

Company Updates

Keep up to date with our latest news and analysis by subscribing to our company updates

Historical Information and Exploration Context

The mineral properties comprising the portfolio have been the subject of extensive historical exploration, development work, and, in several cases, past commercial production or advanced-stage evaluations with the intent to commence mining. The historical exploration results, sampling, drilling, resource estimates, feasibility studies.