Patriot Battery Metals (ASX:PMT) is evaluating options to incorporate tantalum as a potential by-product into the overall economic development of the Shaakichiuwaanaan project in Canada, according to a Thursday Australian bourse filing.

Tantalite, the primary mineral host for the tantalum identified at the project, is commercially recovered as a by-product from multiple lithium pegmatite operations.

The lithium-only feasibility study on pegmatite from the project is on track for the third quarter, per the filing.

The company is conducting tests to evaluate tantalum recovery, and it produced around a 19% grade of tantalum pentoxide concentrate in the initial test program, the filing said. It is continuing to test on the waste streams from the lithium process circuit, which will allow for an overall concentrate grade and recovery to be determined.