This year marks the 200th anniversary of the discovery of tantalum by Anders Gustav Ekeberg of Sweden using an ore sample from Kimito, Finland. He named it after King Tantalus of Phrygia, from Greek mythology, who was condemned to eternal frustration by standing up to his neck in water, which receded when he tried to drink it.

Tantalum Embroiled in World Affairs

Prices for tantalum raw materials skyrocketed in 2000 to US$350.00/lb, and as a result, unconventional tantalum resources such as carbonatites came into the spotlight (Simandl, 2002). British Columbia hosts several carbonatite and alkaline complex-type occurrences, specialty granites and pegmatites.

Blue River Carbonatites - Primary Exploration Targets for Tantalum

The Blue River Property is located north of the town of Blue River in east central British Columbia. The property comprises an aggregate of 5,125 hectares distributed between the Verity Claim Group to the north and the Fir Claim Group to the south. The property is wholly owned by Commerce Resources Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Geological Summary and Resource Potential of the Fir Property