Strider Lithium Project

Manitoba, Canada
Thompson Bros. Lithium Deposit
NI 43-101 Compliant

Property Description

The Strider Lithium Property hosting spodumene bearing pegmatite dykes is located on the east shore of Crowduck Bay which is part of the Grass River at the northeast end of Wekusko Lake, 20 km east of the mining community of Snow Lake, Manitoba.  The main highway, #39 from Flin Flon to Thompson and the railway going from Winnipeg to the seaport of Churchill pass approximately 30 km to the south.  The main power line to Snow Lake passes about 2 km south of the southern Property boundary.  In the summer the Property can be accessed by boat from Wekusko Lake.  In the winter, a winter road can be open on the eastern side of Wekusko Lake.  A helicopter and float plane charter company based in Snow Lake can also provide transportation to the Property.

Maps (click to enlarge)

Property History

1955-1956: Combined Developments Ltd. (CDL)

The Wekusko Lake Lithium rich pegmatite property, then known as the “Violet Property” was first worked in 1955 by CDL.  Prior to that date, no records are available as to when the original discovery was made and when the first claims were staked.  A 26 diamond drill hole program for a total of 2,536.2 meters was initiated in 1955 and completed in 1956.  Carta Resources reported in a 1998 Business Plan that CDL had estimated a tonnage of 5,260,000 tonnes grading 1.2% Li₂O based on their drill results.  This CDL resource estimate has not been made available to Rodinia.  The parameters used are unknown and there are no references to tonnage categories.  Rodinia is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources.  This historical estimate should not be relied upon.

In 1956, CDL proceeded with the acquisition and evaluation of two other blocks of claims north and adjacent to the Thompson claims.  Those blocks were referred to as the Stev and Jean claims.  They correspond to what are now claim blocks ADD 1052, 6303 and 6305 that constitute the northern part of the current Thompson Lithium Property.  Several pegmatite dykes were observed on those two properties but the reports do not mention the presence of spodumene mineralization.  Although according to Mr. George E. Midgley, (Assessment Reports 90075 and 90098, 1956), the author of the assessment reports, these properties have potential for hosting the same type of mineralization has the southern adjacent Thompson properties.  Further prospecting and diamond drilling was recommended.

1976-1987: Thompson Brothers

For a period of over 10 years, the Thompson Brothers worked this lithium property.  They completed several trenches and sampling in 1977, 1980, 84, 85 and 87.

In 1978 they drilled their first diamond drill hole (#1).  Hole #1 was drilled easterly with a 60⁰ angle.  Following logistical and operational problems they were able to complete only 92.5 feet.

In 1979, they returned to complete hole #1.  They succeeded in pushing the hole down to 192.3 feet.  They intersected a sterile pegmatite dyke between 29.1 and 32.3 meters.

In 1981, the Thompson Brothers attempted another drill campaign.  Again, a series of logistical problems plague their project.  Hole #2 had to be abandoned before hitting bedrock and hole #3 overshot the pegmatite dyke and was stopped at a depth of 200 feet.

1989: Lakefield Research (MMRD Assessment Report #93474)

Lakefield Research proceeded to a test to produce a spodumene concentrate for shipment.  The sample provided came from a trench on claim Thompson #5, which now corresponds to claim ADD13.  The assay head on the rock sample was 2.93% Li₂O.  The resulting concentrate was 5.19% Li₂O.

1995: Conrad and Dan Ziehlke

Trenching and sampling of a spodumene rich pegmatite dyke was done on claim Thompson #3.  A 500kg bulk sample was taken and sent to Dr. W. Dresler, from the Centre in Mineral and Mining Exploration Research at Laurentian University.

1996: Strider Resources Ltd., private company (D.V. Ziehlke, President)

On the Thompson claims #2, 3, 6 and 7, Strider cut a grid over 1,600 meters by 400 meters with lines spacing at 50 meters for a total of 10,630 meters of section lines and 2,400 meters of base line (MMRD Assessment Report #73006).

1997: Centre in Mineral and Mining Exploration Research, Laurentian University

A Metallurgical Evaluation of the Extraction of Lithium and Commercial Lithium Compounds from the Wekusko Lake Pegmatite, Dr. W. Dresler, January 10, 1997.  This report is based on the 500 kg sample provided by Mr. Ziehlke.  This head ore sample contained 1.70% Li₂O.  It was found that the spodumene iron content was fairly high varying between 0.94 and 1.33% Fe₂O₃.  Because of this relatively high iron content, Dr. Dresler predicted that this spodumene could be used in the glass and chemical lithium industry.  A floatation process applied to the crushed and ground ore yielded on average 6.6% Li₂O containing spodumene concentrate.  This was followed by a sulphuric acid roast process that produced a lithium carbonate, Li₂CO₃, with a concentration of 98%.

1997: Strider Resources Ltd.

A three hole diamond drill program, for a total of 930 meters, was completed on claims Thompson #2 and #3 (MMRD Assessment Report #73154).  The campaign was financed by Carta Resources Ltd. Of Vancouver.  The 1997 drill core was stored at the Ferro Mine site located 5.6 km SSE of the drill site.

1998: Mr. Dan Ziehlke reports (unpublished) that in 1998, Mr. B. Ainsworth, P.Eng, was mandated to evaluate the resources of the Strider Deposit.  Mr. Ainsworth used the 1955-56 drilling data along with the 1997 drilling results to estimate what he categorized as a drill indicated resource of 1.29% Li₂O for a total of 3.97 million tonnes down to the 130 meters level.  The average width of the mineralization zone is reported at 9.99 meters.  The parameters used to establish the tonnage estimate are unkown to the Company.  Due to the uncertainty of the data used, the category referred to as “drill indicated” would correspond to the current CIM definition of an “Inferred Mineral Resource”.  The Author did not do sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as current mineral resources.  This historical estimate should not be relied upon.

2007: Black Pearl Minerals (now Canada Lithium Corp)

In December 2007, Black Pearl Minerals (BPM) optioned the property from Strider Resources.  BPM did not proceed to any field work and in January 2009 they dropped the property after acquiring a large core property with accompanying mill in Quebec.  The property was entirely returned to Strider Resources.

Property Geology

The Wekuso Lake pegmatite is intruded into the Proterozoic age Missi Group metasediments (pebble to cobble conglomerate) and metavolcanic rocks.  The metasedimentary sequence that encloses the Wekusko Lake pegmatite has been folded and dips steeply.  Both the metasedimentary sequence and the pegmatite are conformable.  It is interpreted that the pegmatite intruded the metasediments as a semi-conformable sill (D.V. Ziehlke, 1997, unpublished and Cerny et al., 1981).