Rockland Resources reports 39.3 ppm gallium and 1,420 ppm rubidium on Beryllium Butte Property, Utah
Rockland Resources Ltd. [CSE: RKL], with concerns on the recent ban on gallium from China, the company reported widespread anomalous gallium (Ga) values (up to 39.3 parts per million (ppm) Ga) and rubidium (Rb) values (up to 1,420 ppm Rb) from its Beryllium Butte project in Juab County, Utah.
Mike England, CEO, stated: “With record gallium prices, and the discovery of highly anomalous gallium (Ga) and rubidium (Rb) values in rock sample from our Beryllium Butte property, the property’s potential is further enhanced. We are continuing to go through our data from our past programs and will report on further rare earths in the near term.”
“Our excellent beryllium and lithium values have been the centre of attention for us and, to that end, the property is fully permitted for a maiden drill program. We look forward to an active program in the first quarter of 2025,” he added.
On December 3, 2024, Reuters reported that, “China on Tuesday banned exports to the United States of the critical minerals gallium, germanium and antimony that have widespread military applications, escalating trade tensions the day after Washington’s latest crackdown on China’s chip sector.” Bloomberg reported “… prices for both metals (gallium and germanium) have surged since the restrictions were announced last year – gallium has risen 80%, while germanium has more than doubled.”
The company has reviewed 133 rock samples from the Beryllium Butte property that include analysis for gallium (Ga) and rubidium (Rb), and the peak value is 39.3 ppm Ga, and 54 samples (41 %) had 30 ppm Ga or greater. The peak value for rubidium is 1,420 ppm Rb, the average of all 133 samples is 729 ppm Rb, and 39 samples (29%) are +/+ 1,000 ppm Rb.
Three areas with elevated Ga (+/=30 ppm Ga) have indicated but the greatest concentration of higher anomalous gallium values (+/= 35 ppm Ga) occur on the East Pavilion target, a priority target previously identified with elevated beryllium and lithium values. Elevated rubidium values generally correlate with anomalous gallium values. Company geologists will further compile and interpret the soil and rock sample data base to refine drill targets for first quarter 2025.
The most advanced gallium project in the Great Basin is the Cordero Gallium Project located in the McDermitt mercury district, northern Humbolt County, Nevada. A 2010 Report (Gold Canyon Resources Ltd, in resourceworld.com, 2010) for the Cordero Gallium Project reports measured/indicated resources of 14.8 million tonnes at 47.7 ppm Ga and inferred resources of 6.5 million tonnes at 43.7 ppm Ga.
A 2017 U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper (Foley, N.K., et.al, 2017, SGS Professional Paper 1802-H, Gallium Chapter H of Critical Mineral Resources of the United States-Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply, described the Cordero Gallium Project, as reportedly North America’s largest known primary gallium occurrence (Rêserva International LLC, 2008)…The resources for the project above a cutoff grade of 30 ppm gallium are estimated to exceed 13 million metric tons (Rêserva International LLC, 2008).