Rackla Metals Bets on High-Grade Canadian Tungsten
The tungsten grades that attracted Union Carbide to Lentung more than four decades ago are showing up again in drill core from Rackla Metals Inc. (TSXV: RAK). The company’s October 13 drilling results included a 17.95-metre downhole interval grading 2.28% tungsten trioxide (WO₃), adding fresh evidence to the historical record at its Northwest Territories project. The mineralization’s proximity to surface gives management another reason to examine its development potential. In an InvestorNews interview with world renowned critical minerals expert Jack Lifton, CEO Simon Ridgway explained how Rackla plans to combine these results with Union Carbide’s extensive drilling database to establish a current mineral resource.
Union Carbide Exploration Corporation acquired the property, previously known as Lened, in 1976 and completed 26,900 metres of drilling in 178 holes between 1977 and 1982. Rackla’s January 2026 account of that work cites a 1980 historical estimate of 2.82 million tonnes grading 1.27% WO₃ across the Western Skarn and Stephens Ridge zones. That estimate predates NI 43-101 and must not be treated as a current mineral resource. Its value today lies in the geological information available for verification and the development questions it allows Rackla to investigate.
In early 1982, Union Carbide submitted the project to the federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process seeking a mine permit, then withdrew its application as tungsten prices declined. The Bhopal disaster followed in December 1984, while Dow’s acquisition of Union Carbide was completed in February 2001. Those events belong to a longer corporate history; the documented reason for suspending the project in 1982 was deteriorating tungsten prices. The investment question is whether modern technical work and sustainable market conditions can now support development.
Rackla arrived at tungsten through gold exploration. During its regional work in 2025, the company evaluated intrusions around Lened for gold potential, found that much of the historical drill core remained recoverable, and staked the property. The geological connection is meaningful: Lentung’s scheelite mineralization occurs in altered limestone beside Cretaceous intrusions belonging to the Tungsten Suite. For a company exploring the broader Tombstone Gold-Tungsten Belt, the opportunity emerged from following the geology into a different commodity.
Ridgway described the hillside geometry as “a very simple mining scenario,” reflecting his interest in an open pit concept. The reported drill intervals are not true widths, however, and favourable geometry is only one part of a mine design. Modern engineering and metallurgical work must establish how the mineralization could be mined and processed, with recoveries, slope stability and costs determining the economics.
The next major milestone is a current mineral resource estimate. Rackla’s October corporate presentation targets the first or second quarter of 2027, consistent with Ridgway’s interview comments about initially aiming for the first quarter before acknowledging that “it will likely be the second quarter.” That gives investors a defined milestone to follow. The estimate should help establish the scale, grade and geological confidence available to support subsequent engineering and economic work.
The exploration season also brought a practical complication. Rackla discontinued reverse circulation drilling after five holes because groundwater inflows raised concerns about sample quality and the reliability of the geological information. Diamond drilling performed well under those conditions, and the company expanded its historical core resampling program. The adjustment illustrates why fresh fieldwork remains necessary even when substantial historical information exists.
Permitting progress needs to be understood in the same measured way. Rackla’s five-year Type A Land Use Permit, announced in May, covers an exploration camp, drilling and the use and maintenance of existing trails and access routes. It provides a foundation for exploration, while mine development would require further technical and economic assessment, applicable approvals and financing. The company has also described ongoing consultation with Indigenous governments and local communities as part of advancing the project.
Infrastructure could ultimately matter as much as the headline grade. Rackla’s September project description places Lentung approximately 55 kilometres north of the former Cantung mine and 10 kilometres from the Howard’s Pass Access Road. Its July update described engineering and other studies for a proposed connecting road, with the connection dependent on permitting and construction. Existing regional infrastructure therefore offers possibilities, but the access requirements and costs still need to be established.
Lifton’s strategic argument centres on tungsten’s role in industrial manufacturing. The U.S. Geological Survey identifies tungsten carbide in cemented carbides as the metal’s largest use, supporting cutting and wear applications in metalworking, mining and construction. Tungsten also serves defence, electrical and other demanding applications. That breadth of use helps explain the interest in dependable supply, while leaving each proposed mine to demonstrate that it can deliver material competitively and consistently.
Asked about potential customers, Ridgway said he had spoken with a couple of European corporations but had not spoken with the military. Europe already has tungsten production, including Panasqueira in Portugal and Mittersill in Austria. Additional Canadian supply could broaden procurement options for manufacturers seeking dependable sources in allied jurisdictions. For Rackla, the commercial test will be whether preliminary interest develops into partnerships or purchase commitments that can help support development.
Rackla brings together encouraging modern drill results, extensive historical data and a clear program to establish a current resource. With that foundation in place, the deposit is well positioned for a fresh look at a time when secure tungsten supply matters more than ever.
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