Projects in progress Alberta II Research Permit

Various old mining jobs can be found at the Alberta II research permit. The works in this zone, most intense to the northern area of the permit, were carried out during the ‘40s and ‘50s, when metal prices were high. Exploitation would be done manually, mainly consisting of small galleries and trenches, where the depth matches the possible height of manual digging.

The deposits exploited in this region are mainly pegmatite and veins of mineralized quartz.

Pegmatites are frequently kaolinized, thus leading to a formation of muds where tin can be found in small concentrations, although this alteration does not reach very great depths.

There has been very little research in this area. Most of it is on the surface and has been done by independent prospectors, or people who exploited minerals manually when prices were high.

Firstly, photointerpretation works were carried out, so as to identify possible areas of interest and developing a general cartography. Then, field jobs were carried out to verify the areas of interest, taking chip samples to perform geochemical assays and develop detailed cartography.

In 2011, we conducted a geological and geotechnical exploration campaign in the Alberta II research permit, consisting of a number of diamond drill holes, digging tests pits, as well as channel sampling and chip sampling in outcrops.

Strategic Minerals Europe has carried out its mining research activities sustainably in order to evaluate the potential of the deposits.

In this sense, because of its environmental commitment and sustainable development Strategic Minerals Europe has established an environmental policy based on the responsibility to protect and rehabilitate the environment in areas where we have had mining research works, according to the following directives:

• Guarantee that the planned mining research and exploration works are carried out with respect for the environment, analyzing the environmental aspects of each plan as a tool for preventing and minimizing the impacts that this work could have in the areas we are working in.
• Ensure exhaustive compliance with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, as well as any other requirements that we may be commited to. This exhaustive compliance will extend to the contracted companies working for us.
• Make our research works compatible with the interests of the involved property owners, guaranteeing an understanding between parties.
• To be able to comply with this premise, each employee and contracted company has a responsibility to, as their most important task, monitor environmental protection in all of their actions.

While we are carrying out the mining research works, we have a responsibility to follow and meet these environmental objectives:

• Guarantee the least possible impact on the environment of our planned mining research activities, by getting to know the affected area and controlling significant environmental aspects.
• Make efficient use of water, maximizing its reuse and preventing any type of uncontrolled spills, both in surface or subterranean water.
• Reduce emissions and use appropriate methods for reducing potential dust generated, as well as noise and vibrations outside.
• Identify the potential protected areas (nature reserves, protected habitats, etc.) in the research area and request authorization to work prior to starting, respecting all internal standards of procedure within the protected space.
• Reduce our impacts on the land and current vegetation, minimizing the area of occupation.
• Maintain a good relationship with the landowners affected by the mining research works and other interested parties. Therefore, they should first be given the work plan, which will include the established time frame, the significant environmental aspects, their contact person and the equipment or vehicles used.
• Environmental training and sensitization for workers and external personnel.
• Once the works are over, the exploration area must be free of all types of waste and restored to its original condition.

The planning phases for the geological mining research and exploration campaigns, as well as the survey and sampling activities to be conducted in the campaigns, are to be planned and controlled pursuant to the environmental premises described in this section.

• Pegmatites
Appearance of pegmatite

The pegmatite dikes are hosted by the schists, croping out between two granities as dikes and irregular bodies with variable thickness and length, and with main direction NNW-SSE, paralel to the schistosity of the hosting rock.

These pegmatites contains tin, tantalum, niobium and lithium mineralization and seem to be related to the granite located to the west of the permit.

• Quartzites
Quartzite

Quartzites crop out to the east of the research permithosted by the schists. They show variable thickness and fine to medium grain size, and were formed due to contact metamorphism. They are not mineralized.

• Quartz dikes
Quartz fragments

They display the same direction as the pegmatite dikes (NNW-SSE), with less thickness than the quartzites, are located to the north of the permit, and there are no indications of mineralization.

• Schists
Schists

They constitute the main hosting rock throughout the permit, composed of alternating albite green schists and grey micaschists layers with staurolite and garnet.