Ximen Mining Corp (CVE:XIM) (OTCMKTS:XXMMF) provided more information on Friday about a critical mineral - tellurium - after its option partner GGX Gold Corp (CVE:GGX) (OTCQB:GGXXF) released high-grade tellurium results from the Gold Drop property.
A chemical element with the symbol Te, tellurium is among 35 mineral commodities deemed critical to the security and prosperity of the United States. There is a shortage of the brittle, rare, silver-white metal as traditional recovery methods become obsolete.
Tellurium’s main use is for manufacturing films essential to thin-film photovoltaic solar cells. When it is added to other elements, it forms a compound that enhances electrical conductivity. Thin films can efficiently absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity.
Solar panel production growing
Solar panel production has increased exponentially over the past decade. According to Global Market Insights, thin film cadmium telluride solar panel production -- which today accounts for 40% of tellurium consumption -- is expected to grow from US$8 billion in 2016 to over US$30 billion by 2024.
As the use of tellurium in thin film solar applications increases, governments and industry are growing more concerned about securing an adequate supply of the metalloid to meet future demand. While most of the global supply of tellurium comes from copper refining, the US Geological Survey has noted that, as copper grades decline, new copper recovery processes are being considered for implementation, but the methods do not recover tellurium.
High-grade tellurium results
Ximen’s partner GGX recently announced core from its Fall 2018 drill program at the Gold Drop project in BC confirmed high-grade tellurium.
The tellurium results from two drill holes, COD18-67 and COD18-70 showed high-grade tellurium.
The re-examination showed COD18-67 hosted 129 g/t gold, 1154 g/t silver and 823 g/t tellurium over a 7.28-meter core length.
Meanwhile, COD18-70 showed 107 g/t gold, 880 g/t silver and 640 g/t tellurium over a 6.90-meter core length.
Katie Lewis also contributed to this story
Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com
Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas