A quietly confident declaration opened my conversation with Brett Marsh, President, CEO, and Director of Spartan Metals Corp. (TSXV: W): “Tungstonia was in operation during World War I and World War II … We picked it up recently, and we’re really excited about its potential for tungsten exploration.” The historic Nevada mine, once among the highest-grade tungsten producers in the United States, now anchors a critical minerals focused strategy at Spartan.
Marsh pulled no punches. “At the time, it was one of the highest-grade tungsten mines … and recent research has shown that it continues to be so in terms of resource potential,” he said, underscoring that Spartan sees discovery potential, not just legacy assets. Moving quickly, Spartan has already initiated an exploration campaign at the Eagle Project in Nevada. “We started last week with characterization of some of the historic tailings … That program involved 34 holes, and we’re excited to receive results in a couple of weeks,” Marsh told me. And the work doesn’t stop there: “We’ve also been conducting an extensive soil sampling program across both claim blocks—Tungstonia and the Rees claim block … Those samples will be sent for analysis very soon.”
In fact, the company’s October 16, 2025, news release confirms that the exploration program, which includes tailings drilling and surface work, is underway as part of Phase 1 of the NI 43-101-recommended work plan. Marsh’s background—“a range of roles with both junior and major mining companies, as well as with world-renowned consultancies”—helps explain his urgency. “I wanted to build (from) a broad and diverse background so I could effectively serve in a leadership role like this at Spartan Metals,” he noted.
The team aspect is central too. When I asked about his newly-appointed Vice President, Exploration, he replied, “We were very fortunate to bring Rebecca Ball on board. She’s one of the top geologists I’ve ever worked with … She’s hit the ground running and is even more enthusiastic about the project than I am, if that’s possible.” That kind of enthusiasm, and talent, is now flowing toward the project’s broader potential: “Tungstonia forms the foundation of the company right now, with tungsten, silver, and rubidium as key focus metals. We also have the Rees claim block, which hosts another past-producing tungsten mine … Recent sampling in 2024 and 2025 showed significant silver and tungsten nearby … If you look at the U.S. critical minerals import reliance list, Tungstonia and the Rees claim block together contain at least 11 of the 50 critical minerals sought by the United States. It’s a very rich and well-endowed project area, and we seem to find something new every time we analyze new data or revisit the field.”
Looking ahead, Marsh outlined the next steps: “We expect results soon from the tailings drilling program, along with metallurgical testing from both waste rock and tailings. Those results will help determine what we can recover … We’ll also reinterpret historical data to identify high-priority drill targets … Over the next quarter, shareholders can look forward to a steady stream of updates showing strong progress.” Of the company symbol “W” and the name Spartan Metals, his explanation was succinct: “The trading symbol ‘W’ is the chemical symbol for tungsten … When we formed the company, we deliberately made tungsten the foundation of Spartan Metals … As for the name ‘Spartan,’ it’s been a nickname of mine for some time, so naming the company was a way to put a personal stamp on it.”
In articulating a strategy that connects deeply historic mines with modern critical-minerals priorities, Brett Marsh presents Spartan as more than an acquisition play. “We started … 34 holes … We’re really excited about the potential for discovery here,” he said, and the work is well under way.
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