{"id":27479,"date":"2022-11-18T11:01:55","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T11:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=27479"},"modified":"2022-12-01T14:53:25","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T14:53:25","slug":"sokoman-benton-discover-high-grade-caesium-mineralisation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/sokoman-benton-discover-high-grade-caesium-mineralisation\/27479\/","title":{"rendered":"Sokoman and Benton discover high-grade caesium mineralisation"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sokoman Minerals Corp.<\/a> and Benton Resources Inc.<\/a> have announced the discovery of a high-grade caesium-rich dyke with grab samples assaying up to 1.56% Cs2O (caesium oxide), 0.4% Li2O (lithium oxide), 0.022% Ta2O5 (tantalum oxide), and 0.30% Rb2O (rubidium oxide). This is the first high-grade caesium mineralisation recorded on the Island of Newfoundland.<\/p>\n The caesium-rich dyke is approximately five to six metres wide and has been traced for approximately 100m along strike to where it disappears under overburden in both directions. The dyke is located about 12km northeast of the Kraken lithium discovery. Together, the companies have completed first-pass channel sampling across the dyke with results pending.<\/p>\n The caesium-rich dyke is distinctly different from the main Kraken field, containing very coarse, as well as fine-grained phases, with the coarse phase a dark grey quartz (pollucite), coarse green mica, and large (20-30cm) grey\/white blocky plagioclase crystals. Minor black to green tourmaline or tantalite, as well as fine-grained pinkish garnet and other minerals, including lepidolite, a lithium-rich mica, may be present, but until petrographic work is completed, the full suite of minerals in the dyke is uncertain. Samples have been shipped to Vancouver Petrographics for thin sectioning and mineral identification.<\/p>\n Detailed mapping, as well as additional sampling, will be conducted once the channel results are received. Results of the petrographic examination and the channel sample values will be released as they are received.<\/p>\n Caesium is rare globally. The US and Canada have included caesium, lithium, and tantalum (among others) in their lists of critical minerals<\/a> since each of them have been identified as being essential to the economy and national security.<\/p>\n At this point in time, there are only two pegmatite mines globally that produce caesium: Bitika in Zimbawe and Sinclair, Australia. However, Bitika is not currently producing the mineral.<\/p>\nAbout the discovered caesium-rich dyke<\/h3>\n
The importance of this mineral discovery<\/h3>\n