OTCQB:COBA
LA COBALTERA PROJECT
“La Cobaltera is one of the only few primary cobalt deposits known globally. With the district-scale potential that this project holds, we are focused on restarting and expanding these past-producing mines while exploring for additional resources. Operating in Chile, one of the world’s top mining jurisdictions and a US Free Trade Agreement country, we also offer an Americas-focused supply chain for end users who are interested in a reliable and sustainable source of this critical mineral.”
Duncan T. Blount, Chairman & CEO
La Cobaltera, San Juan District, Northern Chile – C3’s La Cobaltera project is located in northern Chile (Atacama Region III), covering 2,635 hectares in the San Juan District, a past-producing cobalt-copper district that the Chilean government has recognized as one of the premier cobalt targets in Chile”.
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La Cobaltera was the largest
production area of San Juan, a district within a district -
Numerous past-producing
mines with historic flotation
plant, tailings, and processing facilities located nearby -
Continuous cobalt mining
activity took place from the mid-1800s until 1944 -
Cobalt grades between 1%
and over 15% were mined from open pit and underground -
As WW2 ended, cobalt
production wound down; resources not depleted -
Open pit copper has been
mined as recently as 2016 at
La Cobaltera and trucked to nearby ENAMI tolling plant.
Despite over 100 years of mining activity, the district has not previously been consolidated or professionally explored using modern techniques until C3’s involvement; the first drilling campaign in the district.
Geologically, La Cobaltera is a high-volume hydrothermal system with exceptional historical grades and outcropping vein targets with evidence of extension; three large copper trend systems + interlaced cobalt-rich vein system; evidence of gold mineralization in quartz vein systems at depth.
C3 has assembled a team of industry experts with the ability to further consolidate the district and continue exploration and development work with a focus on long-term sustainability
La Cobaltera Regional Infrastructure
La Cobaltera is strategically located in the Huasco Province within the Atacama Region of Chile. The project has a considerable infrastructure advantage, which supports near-term project development and regional exploration opportunities.
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Low altitude (700 m – 1,100 m)
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Dry and tranquil weather year-round
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Near the coast (10 km); potential sea water use
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Nearby Port of Huasco (30 km)
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Nearby ENAMI Vallenar copper plant / tolling facility (70 km)
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Established road infrastructure, small upgrades to connector roads
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Close regional grid tie-in (15 km) with solar power potential
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Access to ample local labor without need for a large camp; city of Freirina 30 km away
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Good relations with the regional community; no local communities on site and no relocation required
C3’s wholly owned Chilean subsidiary Baltum Mineria SpA owns 2,635 hectares of 100% owned, unencumbered mining property. The Company is continually working to consolidate the district and add fully exploitable mining concessions in the La Cobaltera project area. There are numerous past-producing mines and development sites located within this land package and across the broader district.
Prior exploration by C3 in this area has validated historical geological data and included extensive diamond drilling with nearly 22,000 meters of core recovered across the district, including technical and modeling work by SRK Consulting, C3’s Independent Technical Advisor. This exploration data will be leveraged in tandem with ongoing and future exploration with the intention of advancing brownfield and greenfield deposits into production. C3 began an extensive exploration and development program starting in 2018, which includes:
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District topography work, visual assessment of vein outcrops at the surface
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District trenching to uncover outcrops, sampling (at surface and depth), XRF analysis
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District geophysics (magnetic analysis)
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Induced polarization test indicates vein structures at least 300m depth
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Vein drilling program (RA/FAR mostly), 21,943 meters
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Geo-chemical analysis, computer modeling, geostatistical analysis, metallurgical work
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Technical Assessment report issued in 2018 validated by Qualified Person and SRK Consulting
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Baseline Geo-mechanical analysis for mine design
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SRK Synthetic Modelling of high-value targets (pits/veins)
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Site design and layout for small-scale cobalt operation with initial infrastructure design
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Environmental baseline and hydrological work completed by SGA on small-scale cobalt operation
C3’s La Cobaltera Phase 1 project is focused on near-term production potential from cobalt-copper and copper oxide resources with little to no overburden. This takes advantage of the district’s historical open pit development, which C3 is working to define and delineate in order to re-design brownfield mine sites with expansion potential at depth and along mineralized trends. Phase 1 is limited to crushing, classification, curing, and leaching of ore.
La Cobaltera Phase 2 will focus on the deeper sulphide mineralization, which contains copper and cobalt, with evidence of gold. Phase 2 expands to grinding, flotation, and roasting when treating these deeper transition and sulphidic ores
Numerous Historic Open Pits
La Cobaltera Mineral Layers
