Porcher Island, located off the coast of Prince Rupert, is predominantly accessible by helicopter due to its offshore position. Despite previous limited demand for vanadium, the property, renowned for its elevated levels of titanium and vanadium, is now attracting attention.
Canadian junior mining company, Great Republic Mining, is gearing up to explore the potential vanadium resources at a former gold mine site on the sprawling 3,122-hectare property. Historic concentrations at the site have indicated promising vanadium grades ranging from 0.34% to 0.84% V2O5. The property, conveniently situated just 39km from the deep-water port of Prince Rupert, shows promise for expansion in various directions.
A 2019 field program involved extensive aerial surveying and rock sampling, further enhancing the property’s appeal for potential development. Great Republic Mining CEO, Fred Davidson, referred to Porcher Island as a “surprisingly exciting” property and expressed confidence in its potential. “At this point in time, it’s an early-stage project, but it’s certainly gone beyond that first level of first pass,” Davidson said.
Vanadium, a versatile transition metal, finds applications in various industries, particularly in strengthening steel for construction, aerospace, and automotive sectors. It is also gaining popularity for grid energy storage through vanadium-based batteries, such as vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs), known for their long lifespan and high efficiency.
China leads in vanadium production, followed by Russia and South Africa, with significant deposits found in Brazil and Australia. The growing demand for vanadium has spurred exploration efforts on Porcher Island, supported by a substantial magnetic anomaly indicating the presence of vanadium.
“With the grades we’re seeing, we’re probably going to have to be fairly aggressive about (exploration),” Davidson noted. “Vanadium right now is in short supply. Most of it is produced by people you don’t want to associate with. I think it’s going to attract some attention.”
