Viking Mines Ltd. intersected multiple wide zones of visual tungsten mineralisation during its maiden drilling program at the Linka tungsten project in Nevada [1].
The discovery marks a potential revival for the historic site, which had seen no drilling activity for 40 years [1]. Tungsten is a critical metal used in high-strength alloys and industrial cutting tools, making the discovery of viable deposits significant for domestic supply chains.
The company said that the drilling intersected scheelite, a common tungsten ore that is often visible to the naked eye. This initial phase of exploration aimed to test the potential of the historic mine using modern drilling techniques [1].
Beyond the visual findings, the company conducted ore sorting tests to determine how to efficiently process the material. These trials yielded results where the processed ore reached up to 4.1 times the original feed grade [2].
Laboratory assays further supported the visual observations. The tests confirmed tungsten trioxide (WO3) grades as high as 1.91% [2]. These results indicate that the mineralisation is not only present, but occurs in concentrations that may be economically viable for extraction.
Viking Mines is now evaluating the extent of these zones to determine the overall scale of the deposit. The company said it intends to use the data from these maiden holes to guide future drilling targets across the Linka project [1].
“Viking Mines intersected multiple wide zones of visual tungsten mineralisation.”
The discovery at the Linka project suggests that historic mines may still hold significant untapped resources when explored with modern technology. By successfully increasing the feed grade through ore sorting, Viking Mines is demonstrating a path toward making the extraction of tungsten more cost-effective, which could reduce reliance on foreign imports for this critical industrial mineral.
