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Bard Ventures Ltd. () was a Canadian mining and exploration company headquartered in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
. The company conducted exploratory drilling to assess mineral rights within the Lone Pine Molybdenum Property outside of
Houston, British Columbia Houston ( ) is a forestry, mining and tourism town in the Bulkley Valley of the British Columbia Interior, Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its population as of 2021 was 3,052, with approximately 2,000 in the surrounding rural area ...
, specifically focusing on
molybdenum Molybdenum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mo (from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'') and atomic number 42. The name derived from Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lead ores. Molybdenum minerals hav ...
. The company has also held interests in several other projects, including a 50% interest in the Wasi Creek Zinc Lead Silver Project, outside of
Mackenzie, British Columbia Mackenzie is a district municipality within the Fraser-Fort George Regional District in central British Columbia, Canada. The community is located at the south end of Williston Lake. The townsite, established by Alexandra Forest Industries (acq ...
.


History

The Lone Pine property has seen extensive historical exploration. A Minister of Mines and Resources (Canada) annual report from 1914 was the first mention of workings on the property, detailing a shaft intersection of a narrow silver-lead-zinc-copper-gold bearing quartz vein. Various surface workings continued in the 1920s as additional veins were discovered. Numerous companies from 1959 to 1971 conducted a variety of exploration over the property, however, it wasn't until 1976 that molybdenum mineralization was being sought after as a primary commodity. Between 1976 and 1992 continued exploration resulted in moderate molybdenum mineralization on the property. The Lone Pine Property consists of seven mineral claims covering 1051 hectares, which are approximately 15 kilometers north-northwest of Houston, BC, and are situated in the Omineca Mining Division. The Property area extends over several molybdenum showings including Quartz Breccia, Alaskite Zone, Mineral Hill and Granby. The Alaskite Zone is aptly named for the white, fine to medium grained
quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...
feldspar Feldspar ( ; sometimes spelled felspar) is a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagiocl ...
porphyry Porphyry (; , ''Porphyrios'' "purple-clad") may refer to: Geology * Porphyry (geology), an igneous rock with large crystals in a fine-grained matrix, often purple, and prestigious Roman sculpture material * Shoksha porphyry, quartzite of purple c ...
intrusive that was recognized and mapped in outcrop in 1967 as
alaskite Leucogranite is a light-colored, granitic, igneous rock containing almost no dark minerals. Leucogranites have been reported from a variety of orogenies involving continental collisions. Examples include the Black Hills (Trans-Hudson orogeny of ...
. The alaskite intrusive is the main focus of the Lone Pine Property drilling and has been interpreted as being the most favorable lithology for molybdenum mineralization. The alaskite intrusive to date continues to be drilled to the northwest of its original outcropping occurrence, BD-07-01 area, with exploration advancement to the northwest ongoing.


Mining operations and community

Bard Ventures drilling program for the Lone Pine Property provides employment for the surrounding communities of
Smithers, British Columbia Smithers is a town in northwestern British Columbia, approximately halfway between Prince George, British Columbia, Prince George and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Prince Rupert. With a population of 5,378 in 2021, Smithers provides service cove ...
and Houston. Commercial production will not interfere with the local communities as the property has access to an existing infrastructure and is located less than one kilometre off Highway 16 that connects Prince Rupert to Prince George in central BC. The main power grid connecting the area transects the property along Highway 16. In addition, a power sub station occurs within two kilometres of the property, opening the potential for simple, low-cost power for the project. Surface rights in the area are controlled by a few (less than five) local residents that have thus far been cooperative with the exploration efforts. Also transacting the property is a natural gas pipeline. Natural gas is an important component used to drive energy for a Mo roaster facility, should the project ever warrant the development of one.


Demand for molybdenum

According to the International Molybdenum Association, demand from the manufacturing of tools,
high-speed steel High-speed steel (HSS or HS) is a subset of tool steels, commonly used as cutting tool material. Compared to high- carbon steel tools, high-speed steels can withstand higher temperatures without losing their temper (hardness), allowing use of ...
,
stainless steel Stainless steel, also known as inox, corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), or rustless steel, is an iron-based alloy that contains chromium, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion comes from its chromi ...
and
low alloy steel Alloy steel is steel that is alloyed with a variety of elements in amounts between 1.0% and 50% by weight, typically to improve its mechanical properties. Types Alloy steels divide into two groups: low and high alloy. The boundary between the ...
accounts for about 80% of total molybdenum consumption. Demand for molybdenum has also increased because of its use as a reducer of sulfur in
crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...
. One of the applications pertinent in current market conditions is the use of molybdenum in the pipework for the offshore oil and gas industry. High growth in the energy sector has contributed to the growth in global demand of molybdenum, due to increased demand for the metal for new and replacement pipelines. However, an analyst from Fundamental Research Corp. says: "The recent decline in energy prices and global steel consumption will put downward pressure on molybdenum demand growth." Other
mining companies This is an incomplete alphabetical list of mining industry, mining companies. A * Adex Mining * Aditya Birla Group * African Rainbow Minerals * Agnico Eagle * Aiteo * Almonty Industries * Alumina Limited, Alumina * Anaconda Copper * Anglo Americ ...
in the molybdenum industry are Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., General Moly, Inc. and Roca Mines Inc.


References

Junior Mining Weekly, July 16, 2008, Canaccord Ada

{Dead link, date=January 2025


External links


International Molybdenum Association

Current Price of Molybdenum Chart
Companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange Mining companies of Canada