Perpetual Resources has confirmed high grade tin mineralisation within multiple tin oxide bearing pegmatites. Pic: Getty Images.
It’s raining tin, hallelujah: Perpetual Resources discovers tin, lithium, rare earths combo in Brazil
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- Perpetual Resources reports high-grade tin at Brazilian Itinga project
- Tin prices expected to advance along with demand
- The company has also found anomalous lithium, rubidium, niobium and manganese
Special Report: Perpetual Resources has discovered high-grade tin plus anomalous lithium, rubidium, niobium and manganese at its Itinga project in the ‘Lithium Valley’ region of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Tin has a well-established association with a number of prolific lithium-bearing pegmatites and was a key associated mineral at each of the Greenbushes, Pilgangoora, Wodgina and Tabba Tabba lithium projects in Western Australia, as well as the giant Manono pegmatite in the DRC.
Tin has been one of the world’s best performing metals in 2024, advancing >30% to over US$33,000 per tonne, with MIT researchers having ranked tin as the most critical tech metal on earth.
Peak rock chip assay results from Perpetual Resources’ (ASX:PEC) reconnaissance program at Itinga include 7.4% tin (74,000ppm tin with 2859ppm tantalum) with further strong supporting results including >1% Sn (>10,000ppm), which is the maximum detection limit.
Those results have been expedited for re-analysis with an upper limit of detection of >10%.
The Perpetual team is particularly excited by the rock chip assays as the benchmark grade for tin exploration is anywhere from 0.6-0.8% Sn.
Other notable results include:
- 0.7% Sn (6960ppm)
- 0.67% Sn (6672ppm); and
- 0.63% Sn (6265ppm).
Perpetual’s assays all contained tin in cassiterite, a tin-enriched mineral amenable to processing at hard rock tin mines like Metals X’s (ASX:MLX) Renison Bell in Tasmania.
Greenfields discovery could be on the cards
This marks the first modern exploration effort in the area, presenting a compelling opportunity for a greenfield discovery, the company says.
Along with tin, exploration has also confirmed numerous fertile pegmatites with anomalous mineralisation, with assays up to 2,027ppm Li2O and 3,012ppm Rb₂O found in weathered outcrops.
The results also flagged an anomalous manganese sample >10% Mn (>10,000ppm), which was the maximum detection limit. This has now been sent for expedited re-analysis with an upper limit of detection of 100%.
“The results from our first systematic reconnaissance program at the newly acquired Itinga licenses has provided compelling evidence of tin mineralisation in a prolific historical and contemporary producing tin region,” PEC exploration manager Allan Stephens said.
“Our results have also confirmed highly anomalous lithium, rubidium, niobium and manganese, in addition to a host of significantly anomalous pathfinder elements which further highlight the potential of the fertile pegmatites in tenement area.”
Anomalous titanium of 14.5% TiO2 (87,199ppm Ti) and 1,096ppm niobium samples were also confirmed.
Tin market opportunity
During the 1980s, Brazil was a significant global tin producer and explorer, producing 22% of world production in 1989. But the industry declined with falling tin prices.
Renewed interest in tin as a critical mineral has recently emerged, driven by its importance in new technologies – with an expectation of potential additional price increases due to bubbling demand.
This presents a significant opportunity to develop Brazil’s tin resources, particularly given its economic coexistence of lithium-bearing pegmatites and the ongoing exploration focus in Brazil’s Lithium Valley.
Expanding the exploration area
Importantly, the project covers over 2,000ha of prospective ground in both the Jequitinhonha Valley and Brazil’s renowned Lithium Valley precinct.
“With only ~50% of the 2,000 hectare tenure covered in this most recent reconnaissance program, we are already seeing the opportunity presented and believe that this foundational evidence builds a strong case for subsequent project evaluation,” Stephens said.
“We look forward to executing a follow-on exploration program shortly, aiming to expand significantly on the scale of existing mineralisation.”
This article was developed in collaboration with Perpetual Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
