1   Ullava Länttä deposit

Keliber possesses mining concession for the Ullava Länttä deposit (37,5 ha; TEM mining register number 7025/1a).

The Länttä lithium pegmatite deposit is located in Kokkola municipality; Ullava district, Länttä village in Central Ostrobothnia, Western Finland, 60 km southeast from Kokkola city.  The Länttä deposit is located about two kilometres from the Länttä village, close to and partly under the local road (Mt 18097, uncovered).

The deposit was found by Suomen Mineraali Oy in the early sixties. In 1963 – 1967, 27 diamond drill holes, with a total length of 2 931 m, were drilled into the deposit by Paraisten Kalkkivuori Oy, which had acquired Suomen Mineraali Oy. Pilot mining, metallurgical studies and experiments on manufacturing lithium salts were done in 1978 and in 1980. Partek Oy, formerly Paraisten Kalkkivuori Oy, surrendered the mining rights for Länttä in 1992 due to poor markets for lithium salts.

The bed-rock information of the deposit is based on drillings, pits and test quarry made by Partek Oy in 1963 - 1982 and on research excavations and test stoping in 2000 and later additional drillings in 2004 - 2005 made by Keliber  (21 drill holes, 2 682 metres).

The KeLiBer-project began investigations of spodumene pegmatites in Central Ostrobothnia in 1999 and attained mining rights to Länttä. After first stage studies were completed, Keliber Oy was established in 2001 to continue further evaluation of the deposit. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) was given the task of enquiring into the mineralogy and mineral resources of the deposit. Old profiles and plans of the deposit were digitized for 3D modelling. The mineral resource assessment of the deposit was based mainly on the pegmatite dike locations obtained from drilling and on drill core assays. Drill core samples were re-examined and 38 elements were analysed from 111 samples (271 m). Advances in analysing techniques led to higher lithium values compared to values obtained in the older investigations.

The dike is hosted by a meta greywacke schist. The pegmatite has no natural outcrop but it has been uncovered when doing pilot mining. The topography is gentle and the thickness of overburden is from 0 to 7 m; around 4 m in average.

The Länttä dikes represent an example of homogenous albite-spodumene pegmatite. Albite and quartz are the dominant minerals along with lesser spodumene and potash feldspar. Spodumene occurs in the pegmatite from contact to contact and is orientated perpendicularly to the contact of the dike. Based on whole rock chemical analyses and detailed analysis of the mineral compositions of the pegmatite, the average modal composition of the pegmatite is estimated to be:

albite 40%

quartz 25%

potash feldspar 16%

spodumene 16%

muscovite   2% 

other minerals   1%

Other minor minerals include small amounts of beryl and columbite, which is expected to have  economic value. According to the analyses made by GTK, the lithium content of spodumene varies from 5.55 to 6.75% Li₂O.

3D modelling of the Länttä lithium deposit and a compilation of a mineral resource assessment was completed by GTK in 2001. Later in 2003, GTK implemented a general plan for the mining site, a preliminary mining plan to the depth of 50 m and planning of crushing and final tailing ponds. This study was done on assignment from Keliber as part of the production planning for the deposit.

At a later date Kaustinen municipality and Keliber ordered a mineral resource assessment and a mining plan for a mining depth of 200 m with extended production horizon. GTK produced the study in 2005. The drilling data base was updated, when the Kaustinen municipality and Keliber carried out further resource mapping based on a program prepared by GTK. The research program was implemented in the autumn and winter of 2004 – 2005 consisting of 21 drill holes with a total length of 2 682 m. Five channel sample profiles with a total length of 42 m were cut with diamond saw from the surface of the dikes. Exposing the bed rock surface proved how comparatively hard the pegmatite dikes are as they stand out as much as a couple of metres above the plane of the surrounding rock surface.

The deposit was interpreted by solid modelling to consist of 32 separate dikes of different sizes.  They appear as two parallel sets, each with a length of about 450 m and total width of about 40 m. The sets each have one main dike with a width of 12 to 15 m. The strike of the dike sets is SW – NE and the dip 70 degrees to the SE. The mass of the solid modelled deposit is 3.0 Mt with a density of 2.75 tons/m³. The new drill hole data fit well with the old 3D model of the deposit compiled from the older drill hole data in 2001, and supports the view of fairly continuous individual dikes. Though the pegmatite dikes seem to be fairly continuous, connection of the dikes from profile to profile is open to various interpretations, for instance due to possible fault displacements.

The mineral resources were estimated to a depth of 200 m by block modelling. The Länttä lithium deposit contains in situ 2.947 Mt mineral resource with 0.921 wt% Li₂O, 78.9 ppm Ta₂O₅ and 80.3 wt% quartz-feldspar. Analcime can also be produced, and represents 15.8 wt% of the mass of the resource. On the basis of the present drilling frequency and a fairly good conformity of the pegmatite dikes, Measured mineral resource is estimated to be 1.768 Mt, Indicated resource 0.589 Mt and Inferred resource 0.589 Mt.

Further exploration work has been done in 2009, i.a. magnetic measuring. Results from the measuring will be evaluated and possible updating of the resource estimates will be done in connection with revision of mine plan and estimation of mineable ore volumes (2010).

2   Emmes deposit

Keliber has the claim (30 ha) for the Emmes deposit (TEM mining register number 8646/2).

The Emmes deposit is located under the Emmes lake and the surrounding Emmes village of the Kronoby municipality.  The bed-rock information has been obtained by the drilling works made by Suomen Mineraali Oy and Partek Oy during 1960 - 1982.

The bed-rock is composed of biotite plagioclase gneiss, which possibly also contains layers of putrid mud.  The direction of schistosity is generally NE-SW.

The most accurately explored vein lies under the Emmes lake (average depth of water is about 1,5 metres) and the distance from the lake surface to the roof level of the deposit varies between 5 - 8 m. The direction of the spodumene pegmatite vein is NW-SE and this direction intersects the direction of the general schistosity. The dip angle of the vein is 60^o - 80^o SW. The measured length of the vein is about 350 m. Spodumene pegmatite has been found down to the level +155 metres. The estimated amount of spodumene ore under the lake (down to +155 m) is 1.1 -1.2 Mt, which contains about 1.3% Li₂O.

Other parallel veins lie under the village. This is why full knowledge of the structure of the total lithium deposit is not known.

The structure of the pegmatite is zonal.  The principal minerals are: microline, plagioclase (of albite form), albite, quartz, spodumene and muscovite.  Accessory minerals are petalite, amblygonite, beryl and trifylline.

The Suomen Mineraali Oy and Partek Oy companies drilled in the Emmes region in 1960-1982 about 80 holes with total length of more than 8 000 metres.  The population in the neighbourhood was the obstacle for further drilling.  Since two years, all cores have been stored in Keliber, moved to better wooden boxes, photographed by a digital camera and reported again by our company.  The work was carried out by Mr. Joakim Ånäs, geology student in the university of Åbo Academy.  His graduate thesis is focused on the structure of the Emmes lithium deposit under the guidance of prof. Carl Ehlers.   In his thesis Mr. Ånäs has worked out a 3D-pattern of the lithium region in Emmes.

3   Jänislampi deposit

Keliber has the claim (30 ha) for the Jänislampi deposit (TEM mining register number 8646/1).

The spodumene pegmatite at Jänislampi is located in the border between the Haavisto village of Kronoby municipality and the Hanhikoski village of Kaustinen municipality.  One end of the vein is on the Kronoby side, the other end on the Kaustinen side.  The bed-rock information has been obtained by the drilling and drying works made by Partek Oy and Suomen Mineraali Oy in 1960-1982.

The bed-rock is composed of mica schist of greywacke type.  The direction of schistosity varies between N60^oE and E-W.  The structure of pegmatite is zonal.  The principal minerals are: plagioclase, microline, quartz, spodumene and muscovite.  Also beryl and some phosphates have been met in small amounts.

The direction of the pegmatite vein is N60^oE.  The dip angle of the vein is 50^o - 55^oNW.  The measured length of the vein is 200 metres, of which about 150 metres contain spodumene.  On the strength of the drillings the thickness of the vein varies between 3 -12 metres.  The depth of the vein is not known.

It is estimated that down to about 15 metres there are about 60 000 tons of spodumene ore with Li₂O concentration above 0.5 %.  As best the lithium contents are between 1.5 – 1.7 % Li₂O.

In the Jänislampi region 16 holes were drilled, of which 7 holes penetrated the pegmatite.  The drillings were done with small/light equipment, probably on account of prospecting.

Two drill holes on the northern side of the deposit also indicate spodumene pegmatite.  There are good indications that in the neighbouring region of the deposit there may be parallel veins, or the detected vein may continue.

4   Other deposits in our lithium province

Suomen Mineraali Oy started its lithium investigations in the region in 1960. Later on Partek Oy bought Suomen Mineraali Oy and continued these studies. Comprehensive boulder investigations were carried out in 1960 - 1962 in the region of six municipalities. These investigations led to the discoveries of five lithium deposits, i.e. Emmes, Länttä, Jänislampi, Vintturi and Ruohojärvi.

In addition, prospectors found several other boulder drifts, boulder groups and single boulders which cannot be originated from the known deposits. Keliber has maps of these boulder distributions.  Altogether there are thousands of boulders and it can be assumed that 10 new deposits could be discovered.  Furthermore, it is reasonable to expect that there may be lithium deposits, which have not cropped out to the bed-rock surface.

Local inhabitants have accidentally found three lithium deposits.  Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has been exploring the region for many years.  GTK has found three more deposits.

Altogether eleven (11) lithium containing deposits have been discovered. They are given in the following table:

       Remarks:      ¹⁾Found in connection of ditchdigging

                            ²⁾Found in connection of agricultural activities

                            ³⁾Found in connection of installing water pipes

Speculated lithium potential of the region is substantial and it is reasonable to characterize the region as a lithium province of sigificant importance.