Canadian mining company Midland Exploration has begun its first exploration for lithium at its Mythril area and Galinée projects, located in the Canadian province of Quebec.

Mythril Regional, including Chisaayuu, Corvette and Mythril East, along with the Galinée projects, are located in Baie-James and in Eeyou Istchee municipalities in Quebec, respectively.

The Eeyou Istchee region in the province is presently seeing exploration rush for lithium pegmatites.

The Mythril regional projects feature 730 claims, spread across 370.1km², while the Galinée project has 54 claims across 27.7km².

In June, Rio Tinto signed an option deal with Midland to acquire up to 50% interest across Mythril-Corvette, Mythril-East, Mythril-Chisaayuu, Galinee, Moria, Shire, Komo, Warp, Sulu, and Picard properties.

These properties contain a total of 2009 claims. which are spread across on more than 1,000km².

The exploration programme being conducted by Midland includes high resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR) survey. At Chisaayuu and Corvette projects, lithium lake bottom anomalies were found following statistical treatment.

The Mythril Regional projects are claimed to contain amphibolite rock formations which are known to host rocks bearing lithium pegmatites. A historical work by the company shows evidence of lithium-beryllium-tantalum (Li-Be-Ta) pegmatite potential.

An exploration for copper, at Chisaayuu last year, returned strong anomalous lithium values with 0.12% and 0.04% of lithium oxide (Li2O).

A grab sample of pegmatitic boulder at Corvette project returned highly anomalous Li-Ta values 0.02% Li2O and 72ppm of Ta. Lake bottom lithium anomalies have also been found at the Chisaayuu and Corvette projects.

Midland further stated that none of these anomalies followed up yet and will be targeted during this exploration programme.