In This Article:
KELOWNA, BC, Feb. 12, 2025 /CNW/ - Cantex Mine Development Corp. (TSXV: CD) (OTCQB: CTXDF) (the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its 100-percent-owned 14,077 hectare North Rackla claim block in the Yukon.
Dr. Charles Fipke reports
Bulk Germanium Results
Cantex's directors are pleased to report bulk germanium results from the 2024 drilling program (see Figure 1 for drill pad locations). Germanium analyses were completed on all intercepts with elevated silver-lead-zinc analyses.
The 180 g/t germanium was in a 2.53 metre intercept in hole YKDD24-320 which also contained 93 g/t silver, 11.43% lead and 32.68% zinc. It was within a larger 6.09 metre mineralized zone which contained 98 g/t germanium, 53 g/t silver, 6.01% lead and 19.47% zinc.
Hole YKDD24-315 had a high-grade intercept of 9 metres of 171 g/t germanium with 96 g/t silver, 5.27% lead and 28.81% zinc. This was within a 15 metre interval containing 117 g/t germanium, 62 g/t silver, 3.49% lead and 19.38% zinc.
These results, along with other highlights from the 2024 drilling are presented in Table 1.
Germanium Market
After announcing in August 2023 that it would be restricting exports of germanium, the Chinese government announced in December of 2024 that it would be banning all exports of germanium to the US. As China produces and refines the majority of the world's germanium this leaves the West in need of alternative sources to reliably supply this critical metal, which is used in computer chips, solar panels, fiber optics and military applications such as night vision optics, etc. This western source has yet to be developed.
Table 1: Germanium results of selected intervals from 2024 drilling.
Pad | Dip | Azi | Hole | From | To | Interval | Germanium | Silver | Lead | Zinc | Lead + Zinc | Copper |
| | | | (m) | (m) | (m) | (g/t) | g/t | ( %) | ( %) | ( %) | ( %) |
MZ49 | -45 | 145 | YKDD24-327 | 92.00 | 95.00 | 3.00 | 13.9 | 9.67 | 1.08 | 2.46 | 3.54 | 0.01 |
| 120.60 | 125.60 | 5.00 | 54.1 | 50.33 | 5.56 | 8.55 | 14.11 | 0.06 | |||
| 159.50 | 161.20 | 1.70 | 46.0 | 26.36 | 6.51 | 6.63 | 13.14 | 0.04 | |||
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MZ53B | -45 | 130 | YKDD24-302B | 92.40 | 106.03 | 13.63 | 18.8 | 17.3 | 3.59 | 3.66 | 7.25 | 0.01 |
Including | 94.70 | 97.10 | 2.40 | 48.8 | 69.1 | 16.74 | 9.08 | 25.82 | 0.03 | |||
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-65 | 130 | YKDD24-306 | 79.75 | 81.80 | 2.05 | 28.5 | 37.2 | 7.10 | 4.48 | 11.58 | 0.01 | |
| 99.00 | 117.85 | 18.85 | 13.0 | 9.8 | 1.88 | 2.15 | 4.03 | 0.01 | |||
| 130.14 | 131.74 | 1.60 | 44.5 | 17.4 | 3.25 | 7.06 | 10.31 | 0.02 | |||
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-75 | 130 | YKDD24-307 | 98.30 | 106.45 | 8.15 | 46.9 | 17.91 | 2.13 | 5.97 | 8.11 | 0.03 | |
| 109.50 | 110.55 | 1.05 | 61.0 | 38.10 | 7.03 | 9.76 | 16.79 | 0.03 | |||
| 128.10 | 131.18 | 3.08 | 31.3 | 37.07 | 8.45 | 6.88 | 15.33 | 0.02 | |||
| 137.28 | 138.65 | 1.37 | 12.1 | 16.85 | 4.24 | 1.89 | 6.13 | 0.02 | |||
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MZ56 | -55 | 130 | YKDD24-300 | 81.85 | 91.50 | 9.65 | 25.1 | 11.9 | 2.09 | 3.55 | 5.64 | 0.04 |
Including | 85.45 | 88.10 | 2.65 | 62.9 | 17.0 | 3.56 | 9.78 | 13.34 | 0.02 | |||
| 109.00 | 111.25 | 2.25 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 0.94 | 0.90 | 1.84 | 0.00 | |||
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-75 | 130 | YKDD24-303 | 80.24 | 82.40 | 2.16 | 16.6 | 2.9 | 0.33 | 2.75 | 3.08 | 0.01 | |
| 99.00 | 105.35 | 6.35 | 43.2 | 26.3 | 4.79 | 9.13 | 13.91 | 0.05 | |||
Including | 100.95 | 103.05 | 2.10 | 85.7 | 51.3 | 11.25 | 16.39 | 27.63 | 0.07 | |||
| 143.50 | 145.40 | 1.90 | 21.9 | 12.9 | 2.29 | 7.02 | 9.30 | 0.01 | |||
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MZ57 | -55 | 130 | YKDD24-323 | 91.35 | 99.53 | 8.18 | 8.2 | 34.35 | 12.95 | 0.93 | 13.88 | 0.07 |
Including | 96.50 | 99.53 | 3.03 | 7.0 | 59.79 | 25.07 | 0.67 | 25.73 | 0.01 | |||
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MZ58
| -45 | 130 | YKDD24-309 | 92.00 | 93.02 | 1.02 | 26.1 | 18.00 | 0.35 | 2.54 | 2.89 | 0.32 |
| 102.50 | 106.50 | 4.00 | 46.7 | 6.46 | 0.26 | 4.31 | 4.56 | 0.05 | |||
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-55 | 130 | YKDD24-311 | 98.60 | 108.60 | 10.00 | 15.3 | 13.10 | 2.88 | 1.55 | 4.43 | 0.02 | |
| 150.45 | 151.35 | 0.90 | 52.8 | 12.40 | 2.48 | 10.10 | 12.58 | 0.05 | |||
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-75 | 130 | YKDD24-314 | 119.85 | 123.00 | 3.15 | 54.6 | 22.60 | 3.62 | 7.06 | 10.67 | 0.03 | |
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MZ59 | -45 | 130 | YKDD24-316 | 85.80 | 91.00 | 5.20 | 26.2 | 6.71 | 0.23 | 3.07 | 3.30 | 0.05 |
| 95.30 | 96.30 | 1.00 | 47.8 | 12.2 | 0.32 | 5.25 | 5.57 | 0.03 | |||
| 118.65 | 120.35 | 1.70 | 7.8 | 8.22 | 0.34 | 1.47 | 1.81 | 0.04 | |||
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-65 | 130 | YKDD24-319 | 106.21 | 106.84 | 0.63 | 149.5 | 112.00 | 5.83 | 32.78 | 38.61 | 0.06 | |
| 113.97 | 121.54 | 7.57 | 17.7 | 14.90 | 0.86 | 2.72 | 3.58 | 0.16 | |||
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-75 | 130 | YKDD24-320 | 113.5 | 116.5 | 3.00 | 40.7 | 22.17 | 4.46 | 6.42 | 10.88 | 0.02 | |
| 129.91 | 136.00 | 6.09 | 98.0 | 53.32 | 6.01 | 19.47 | 25.48 | 0.03 | |||
Including | 131.00 | 133.53 | 2.53 | 180.5 | 93.23 | 11.43 | 32.68 | 44.11 | 0.04 | |||
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MZ60 | -45 | 130 | YKDD24-308 | 82.40 | 85.50 | 3.10 | 19.1 | 9.39 | 0.45 | 2.00 | 2.45 | 0.08 |
| 121.00 | 124.00 | 3.00 | 23.2 | 12.68 | 0.34 | 4.53 | 4.87 | 0.02 | |||
| 132.05 | 135.70 | 3.65 | 42.2 | 43.60 | 13.40 | 5.89 | 19.29 | 0.02 | |||
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-55 | 130 | YKDD24-310 | 96.90 | 101.17 | 4.27 | 18.0 | 4.37 | 0.15 | 1.64 | 1.79 | 0.04 | |
| 103.15 | 104.00 | 0.85 | 40.6 | 8.43 | 0.64 | 5.09 | 5.73 | 0.02 | |||
| 119.00 | 120.20 | 1.20 | 14.9 | 5.82 | 1.12 | 1.54 | 2.66 | 0.02 | |||
| 128.00 | 135.30 | 7.30 | 16.7 | 3.37 | 0.72 | 2.05 | 2.77 | 0.01 | |||
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-65 | 130 | YKDD24-312 | 117.50 | 142.54 | 25.04 | 21.0 | 18.52 | 0.83 | 3.79 | 4.62 | 0.08 | |
Including | 128.00 | 130.00 | 2.00 | 90.8 | 48.50 | 4.44 | 18.83 | 23.27 | 0.03 | |||
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-75 | 130 | YKDD24-315 | 141.00 | 156.00 | 15.00 | 117.2 | 61.82 | 3.49 | 19.38 | 22.87 | 0.13 | |
Including | 141.00 | 150.00 | 9.00 | 170.8 | 96.01 | 5.27 | 28.81 | 34.08 | 0.20 | |||
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-85 | 130 | YKDD24-317 | 161.70 | 163.50 | 1.80 | 88.6 | 42.10 | 8.98 | 13.85 | 22.83 | 0.03 |
*Silver, lead, zinc and copper values were released by the Company on November 27, 2004 and January 20, 2025. |
The impact of this ban is both financial and strategic. The fact that China has banned the export of germanium highlights the need for consumers like the United States to secure sources of this critical mineral that are both safe and reliable. The United States Geological Survey has recently published a report on germanium and gallium (found at: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2024/1057/ofr20241057.pdf) which quantifies the potential disruption to the US economy.