MMDF Approved Projects as of January 2024 

 

The latest intake round of projects approved by the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) saw $3.3M distributed to 15 mineral development projects from December 2023 to January 2024. Below is an overview of the projects. 

Alamos Gold Inc. (Lynn Lake)
Alamos Gold has dedicated substantial investments and reached notable milestones in the development of their Lynn Lake Gold project, aiming to revive a mining operation. In aid of these endeavors, the MMDF is providing Alamos Gold $300,000 to progress their Burnt Timber – Linkwood deposits and Maynard prospect through diamond drilling. The project encompasses the Lynn Lake greenstone belt in northwestern Manitoba, spanning 125 kilometers and comprising 58,000 hectares of mineral tenure. 

Boreal Gold (Flin Flon)
Boreal Gold has been awarded a $184,650 grant from the MMDF to investigate Copper-Zinc Gold VMS Deposits in the base metal Camp of Flin Flon-Snow Lake Manitoba. The company’s strategy involves a base-metal exploration for copper-zinc-gold VMS and exploration of the Fay Lake-Puffy Lake Shear zone. This exploration effort encompasses line cutting, mapping, prospecting, sampling, and assays on the Fay Grid. Anomalies will guide the subsequent diamond drill program. 

Bit Space Development Ltd. (Flin Flon)
Bit Space Development is receiving $67,200 from the MMDF to improve their artificial intelligence model, which is specifically designed for preserving and digitizing geological sample thin section slides. The objective is to expand data scanning capabilities to include unprocessed samples and develop an advanced algorithm for in-frame detections in mineral exploration. The aim is to create a prototype software tool for local inference on geological frames, with the intention of showcasing it to potential clients. 

Core Nickel (Thompson)
Core Nickel, a spin-off from CanAlaska, has secured a grant of $207,300 from the MMDF to commence magnetic surveys on the newly acquired Halfway Lake claims. The company also plans to conduct property-wide airborne electromagnetics to identify conductors associated with nickel mineralization. These properties are situated in the southern region of the Thompson Nickel Belt in Manitoba. 

Conduit Nickel (Thompson)
Conduit Nickel, under the umbrella of NewQuest Capital Group, is committed to exploring nickel and copper sulphide ore deposits in the Thompson region. The company has received a $300,000 grant from the MMDF to carry out a high-resolution airborne magnetics geophysical survey. This survey is designed to generate detailed geological data, serving as the foundation for identifying initial exploration drill targets. 

Critical Discoveries (Snow Lake)
Critical Discoveries has been granted $195,100 from the MMDF to focus on their gold exploration project in the Snow Lake region. They will be conducting geophysical surveys and diamond drilling. The company has completed the acquisition and sale of two properties to Snow Lake Lithium, and provided consulting services to multiple companies, including Tanco, and Snow Lake Lithium. 

Exiro Minerals (Theresa Point, Manitoba)
Exiro Minerals is receiving $211,200 from the MMDF to initiate an exploration project near St. Theresa Point, Garden Hill, and Wasagamak. The project was identified through a comprehensive examination of historical proprietary and publicly available data using natural language-seeking algorithms and optical character recognition technology. The key goals involve refining the structural framework, progressing known gold occurrences, and exploring the eastern flank of the project area. 

Flying Nickel Mining Corporation (Norway House)
Flying Nickel Mining is in the process of advancing their Minago Nickel Project. To address their electrical power needs, the MMDF is awarding the company a $52,500 grant which will facilitate a Manitoba Hydro connection study, specifically addressing the power requirements for the limestone quarry and Minago nickel mine operations. 

Foremost Lithium (Snow Lake)
Foremost Lithium has acquired funding from MMDF for $300,000 to support their exploration project at the Zoro property in the Snow Lake area. The company has identified lithium dykes on their land and aims to conduct infill drilling to precisely assess lithium volumes, a crucial step in determining the resources’ value and definition. 

Kenorland Minerals (Thompson)
Kenorland Minerals has received $300,000 from the MMDF for their South Thompson Project. The objective is to evaluate the potential mineral deposits in the Precambrian basement rocks of the Thompson Nickel Belt. Following the acquisition and analysis of geophysical data, the project will proceed to the drilling phase. Exploration will be conducted in targeted areas, focusing on new and previously untested locations identified through geophysical anomalies. 

Kopore Limited (Thompson)
ENRG Elements’ subsidiary, Kopore, has been awarded a $180,000 grant from the MMDF, specifically earmarked for their clean energy and decarbonization projects. The company has submitted mineral exploration license applications, encompassing a total area of 500 km2 in Manitoba. The primary objective of the exploration program is to assess the potential presence of viable lithium-bearing pegmatites within the designated areas around Thompson. 

NiCan Limited (Snow Lake)
The MMDF has granted $300,000 in support to NiCan for the ongoing drill exploration of their nickel project on the Wine property, situated near Snow Lake, Manitoba. NiCan has pinpointed multiple targets and intends to identify more through an Electromagnetic (EM) survey. The company plans to execute 10-20 drill holes, adjusting the number based on their discoveries. 

NorCanGeo Limited (Thompson)
The MMDF is supporting Norcangeo with a $69,345 grant to actively engage in prospecting and conducting till geochemistry exploration on their claims east of Thompson. The company plans to auger 50 boreholes and sample the till directly overlying bedrock to locate mineralized zones and define potential drill targets. Diamond drilling will follow. 

Testmark Laboratories Ltd. (Thompson) 

Testmark Laboratories has received a $300,000 grant from the MMDF to deliver environmental testing services to industries, encompassing mining, forestry, food, environmental remediation, energy, and municipalities. The company will establish and operate an accredited environmental laboratory in Thompson, Manitoba. This ISO 17025 certified laboratory will provide crucial testing services for the mining, municipal, and environmental sectors in northern Manitoba. 

Xtract Lithium (Southwest Manitoba) 

Xtract Lithium Corporation will be receiving $300,000 in funding from the MMDF to investigate the lithium brine potential within the Manitoba section of the Duperow Formation. Xtract’s plan involves drilling wells, perforating them, and collecting water samples for lithium testing. The potential impact is uncovering substantial lithium concentrations which has the potential to yield a significant supply of reservoir water, creating ample opportunities for advancement.