Tungsten Treasure: Old Dumps Yield High-Grade Ore

Viking Mines has unearthed significant quantities of high-grade tungsten from historical waste dumps at its Linka project in Nevada, USA. Sampling of material discarded by miners in the 1950s has yielded assays up to 1.8% tungsten trioxide, surpassing the average grade historically mined.

This discovery comes at a crucial time, as tungsten is now designated a critical mineral. The US government is actively supporting domestic projects to secure supply chains, reducing reliance on foreign sources. Viking's findings leverage modern mining technology, which can now effectively separate tungsten ore missed by earlier, less advanced methods.

The company's recent sampling campaign tested three historical rock dump areas. One site, the historical mill's run-of-mine pad, averaged 0.5% tungsten trioxide, with peaks reaching 1.8%. Adjacent waste stockpiles also showed promising results, averaging up to 0.4% tungsten trioxide.

Managing Director Julian Woodcock confirmed that historical operators indeed left tungsten behind due to technological limitations. Viking is now evaluating sensor-based ore sorting technology, with testwork results from TOMRA expected soon. Further sampling and ongoing maiden drilling are expected to establish representative grades and validate the project's potential.

The Linka project, comprising three historically producing mines, ceased operations in 1956 due to low prices. Viking is pursuing a brownfields restart, utilizing existing infrastructure. Recent metallurgical work has already demonstrated the potential for producing high-grade tungsten concentrates.