Footwall/Offset Geological Environment Studies
FindMine - Mineral Exploration and Geophysics
Purpose
Provide a greater understanding of the Footwall /Offset geology of the Sudbury Igneous Complex and develop new or improved geophysical detection techniques thereby enhancing future opportunities for exploration success.
Value Proposition
Valuable mineral deposits continue being found at depth in Sudbury. The value of footwall and offset ores, in particular, are high on a per tonne basis. Additional knowledge governing how these deposits have been emplaced and subsequently modified, coupled with an enhanced geophysical capability leading to further direct detection success is warranted.
Solution Team Members
Approach
- Fund new knowledge-creation research projects
- Provide seed funding for the establishment of a Chair in Geophysics at Laurentian University (LU)
Progress
The following projects have commenced:
- Detailed petrologic and geochemical studies of Offset rocks- MSc. Project, complete Q4 2010
- Detailed petrologic and geochemical and partial melting studies of South Range rocks
- PhD project to be completed in 2014
- Detailed structural and metamorphic analysis of footwall rocks in the South Range
- PDF project to be completed in Q2 2011
- Experimental studies of the role of Bi, Te, As in PGE fractionation and remobilization during sulfide liquid fractionation and during metamorphism - PhD project already commenced and to be completed in 2014
- The role of fluids in the modification and formation of Cu-Ni-PGE systems - PhD project to be started in January 2011 and completed in 2015
In addition, approval from NSERC for funding of a further two related projects has been granted:
Dr. Richard Smith has been hired as the Chair in Geophysics at LU and already has three MSc students at work with a further 3 PhD students to come.
Team Members
Mineral Industry Research Centre (MERC), part of the Dept. of Earth Sciences at Laurentian University, Vale, Xstrata Nickel, Wallbridge Mining, QuadraFNX Mining.
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