Perhaps not JUST phosphatesI have been doing more due diligence on FOS. In reviewing old filings (from CO - - was Batlic before) - older material August 13/2001 press release (on SEDAR) -
I have been in the resource industry for over 25 years (including 8 in the fertilzer businees) and noted not only are the phoshate grades and tonnage very, very good --- but that the property also appears contains some exceptional niobium values and strike lengths - excerpts below (I appreciate the table is hard to read) - but those who understand the possible significance or who have an interest should look at the original filing. Niobec mine (Canada's only niobium producer) - has been very profitable with hard rock (u/g) operation with grades <0.7 % and with lower niobium market price than the current price.
The joint venture partners have started to check core samples from the deposit for both
metals. Becquerel Laboratories Inc. of Toronto have analyzed 29 samples from 13
previous drill holes, on a semi-quantitative basis, for 34 metals and Bondar Clegg of
Vancouver have assayed the same sample suite for niobium. The samples were selected
to represent a range of niobium values in the carbonatite residuum grading from 0.06% to
4.35% Nb2O5. Results of this first test are shown in Table 2 attached.
The Becquerel analysis revealed the presence of tantalum, particularly in samples with
high niobium values. The average of 10 high-grade niobium samples is 0.072%
tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) or 1.58 lbs. per tonne and 2.21% Nb2O5. The check
analyses for niobium were in line with assays reported in the original testing of the same
samples.
Becquerel Laboratories Inc. used a semi-quantitative analytical technique, Neutron
Activation Analysis (NAA), to analyze for tantalum. To assay the niobium, Bondar
Clegg used an acid digestion followed by ICP analysis.
TABLE 1 : INTERCEPTS IN TAN ZONE BASED ON DRILLING IN 1980’s
Hole Northing Easting From To Intercept Nb2O5
Number metres metres metres metres metres %
83-61 8402 2646 97.6 117.3 19.7 1.93
83-42 8397 3004 53.9 57.6 3.7 0.89
83-39 8208 2798 60.6 74.7 14.1 1.33
83-39 8208 2798 96.0 109.7 13.7 0.79 *
83-43 8203 2606 76.8 142.3 65.5 0.68 *
82-25 8200 3000 48.5 86.6 38.1 0.51
82-33 8200 3200 36.9 45.1 8.2 0.72
84-91 8100 3000 41.8 55.8 14.0 0.69
84-87 8100 3050 38.7 45.8 7.1 0.60
84-87 8100 3050 63.1 69.2 6.1 0.71
84-84 8100 3100 35.4 57.9 22.5 1.32
84-83 8100 3150 38.7 72.8 34.1 1.59
84-79 8050 3000 41.4 62.8 21.4 0.28
84-80 8050 3050 53.9 75.3 21.4 0.34
84-81 8050 3100 50.9 66.1 15.2 0.39
84-82B 8049 3150 38.1 76.2 38.1 0.96 *
83-40 8002 2600 55.2 65.5 10.3 0.70
82-27B 8000 2798 103.3 112.5 9.2 0.42
83-38 8001 2996 40.6 68.0 27.4 1.03
84-78 8000 3050 60.0 78.0 18.0 0.56 *
83-60 8000 3100 38.7 88.1 49.4 0.75
84-95B 8000 3151 38.7 76.2 37.5 0.59 *
82-7 8000 3200 41.2 85.3 44.1 0.80 *
82-32 8000 3390 36.7 49.4 12.7 0.85
82-18 8000 3400 32.6 62.2 29.7 0.70
82-34 7990 3195 39.7 72.2 32.5 0.98
84-74C 7950 2999 53.3 78.3 25.0 0.68 *
84-75 7950 3050 46.5 62.8 16.3 0.83
84-76 7950 3100 44.5 62.8 18.3 0.86
84-77 7950 3150 47.9 57.0 9.1 0.82
83-59 7903 2991 67.6 107.6 40.0 1.40
84-73 7900 3050 57.0 78.3 21.3 1.52 *
83-58 7901 3093 53.9 63.7 9.8 0.47
83-58 7901 3093 105.8 118.0 12.2 2.21
83-57 7897 3197 53.9 57.0 3.1 0.62
83-50 7815 3192 73.8 107.3 33.5 0.59
83-56 7807 3099 67.7 104.2 36.5 0.69
83-48 7601 3000 50.9 61.6 10.7 0.49
Notes: * indicates drill holes that stopped while still in zone