Benjamin River Project, NB, Canada

The Benjamin River rare earth element project is located approximately 53 km west of Bathurst, New Brunswick. The property consists of 493 claim blocks covering 114 sq km and hosts a heavy rare earth element enriched, apatite-diopside-magnetite vein.

Access to the property is via paved highway and logging road. Additional infrastructure includes a railroad within 10 km, ports within 50 km, and power lines also within 2 km.

The heavy rare earth elements such as dysprosium are critical to the production of high temperature permanent magnets used in hybrid vehicles.

The property is currently under a Letter of Intent with Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("TTC"), whereby TTC has exclusive right to carry out a property investigation until March 31, 2010 at which point they must decide whether or not they wish to participate in further developing the property.

Location Map

Geology and Mineralization

The property lies within an area underlain by Silurian volcanic rocks of the Chaleur Group which have been intruded by a small gabbro-granite plutonic complex of probably Devonian age. Cross cutting this complex is an apatite-diopside-magnetite vein which can be traced along strike for about 1 km and has an apparent width of up to ~50m. The vein material is dominantly clinopyroxene (diopside, 50- 90%), with lesser amounts of very coarse grained euhedral apatite (5-25%). Magnetite (2-10%) occurs both disseminated and in veinlets. Allanite was also tentatively identified. Recent sampling yielded Total Rare Earth Oxide (“TREO”) values of 0.6% to 1.0% TREO with very low thorium values (less than 50 ppm). While the overall TREO grade appears low compared with some other deposits, the proportion of heavy rare earth oxides (europium through lutetium) is high at over 11 per cent, including a dysprosium content of over 3 per cent of the total rare earth oxide content. In a typical light rare earth deposit dysprosium is usually present by proportion at 0.3 per cent or less. Phosphate grades range between 8% and 18%.

Historical Results

The apatite occurrence at Benjamin River was first noted in the early 1930’s by the provincial geological survey. A magnetic survey conducted by a private mining group in 1969 consisted of 12 line miles with readings at 100 ft intervals on 400 ft spaced lines. This survey defined a 2000 ft long by 300 ft wide magnetic anomaly on the property which appeared to be associated with the apatite showings. The anomaly seems to be caused by the presence of magnetite veins which are spatially associated to the REE bearing apatite veins. Following the magnetic survey, a soil sampling survey with the same spacing as the magnetic survey was carried out. In addition to the original showings, the geochemical soil survey revealed several phosphate (P2O5) anomalies, with one of the 12 identified anomalies corresponding to a known occurrence. Following this preliminary work six vertical holes were drilled on the property. Visible apatite up to 20% is described in the drill logs, however no assays of the core are available.

In 1988 an extensive mapping, trenching, and sampling program as well as a magnetic survey was carried out by a small mining company which outlined a strong magnetic anomaly with a strike length of at least 2000 ft. Trenching was carried out and confirmed over 1600 ft of observed apatite veining and outlined an area of approximately 1000 ft by 400 ft which showed significant concentrations of apatite. Trench assays tested for Y, Ce and La and significant values were obtained.

In 2002 and 2003 samples collected by W. Carroll (vendor to GWMG) were analyzed for a complete REE content by ICP-MS, revealing an unusual concentration of heavy rare earth elements (“HREE”), in addition to the previously recognized light rare earth (“LREE”) enrichment. An example of these results is provided below:

Current Work

In early July, 2008, GWMG collected samples from the various trenches on the property and had them assayed at the Saskatchewan Research Council laboratory in Saskatoon. Selected sample results are:

In 2009 the Company completed a 36 line-km ground magnetic and VLF-EM survey as well as a 1,712 line-km airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over the property.  Based on the ground geophysics and surface trenching, drill targets were selected, and 2,000 metres of diamond drilling was completed before year end.  The airborne survey identifed additional anomalies that will be drill-tested in 2010.  Samples from the drill core are currently at the laboratory and results will be reported when they are received, compiled and interpreted. 

Return to top