Geology and Ore 38, 2024

The PGE potential in Greenland

The potential for Platinum Group Element (PGE) resources in Green land attracted interest already in the 1960’s and has been part of the Survey’s considerations for more than 50 years. The PGE potential is found in Precambrian to Palaeogene environments. The most promising occurrence is in the Skaergaard intrusion in East Greenland. The corporate interest in PGE targets in Greenland was initiated by Kryolitselskabet Øresund in the early 1960’s and related to a suite of norites in the Archaean of West Greenland. In 1968, Platinomino A/S was established to search for Merensky Reef type deposits in the gabbroic Fiskenæsset Complex. GEUS and university groups focused In the 1980’s on the formation of massive sulphides in the Palaeogene basalts of West Greenland. The research has led to continued exploration for Noril’sk type occurrences. In the 1980’s, Platinova Resources prospected known PGE indications in Amitsoq peridotites in Southern Greenland. From 1986 and into the 90’es their focus shifted to Paleaogene mafic intrusions in East Green land leading to the discovery of a world-class PGE and Au deposit in the Skaergaard intrusion. Sub-economic occurrences were identified in more of the Paleaogene intrusive complexes and macrodykes. The exploration has continued to date. Since 1995 norites in the Tasiilaq region, East Greenland have been the target for Cu-Ni-PGE exploration by several companies. In 2005 NunaMinerals initiated exploration for PGE in the mafic intrusions of the Fiskefjord area.

Introduction

Traces of PGE mineralisation are numerous in the terrains of Greenland. The Archaean of south-west Greenland hosts anorthositic suites, like the reworked Fiskenæsset complex (south of Nuuk). The complex hosts accumu lation of chromite in anorthosite, and traces of PGE mineralisation in Ni-sul-phide segregations in amphibolite. The Archaean shield north of Nuuk hosts the Maniitsoq Norite Belt; a suite of leuconorite and gabbro rocks in irregular bodies with traces of PGEs related to Ni-Cu-sulphide mineralisation. Within the same region, large ultramafic bodies and mafic layered complexes, such as Amikoq, locally show subeconomic PGE concentrations. The Proterozoic Ammassalik Belt on the East coast of Greenland hosts a suite of norites enveloped in supracrustals with komatiites to which are related massive sulphide occurrences, potentially PGE-bearing. Palaeogene Ni-sulphide occurrences with potential PGE concentrations are known in the West Greenland Basalt Province. Exploration has been carried out for more than a century in the Disko Bay region. Known occurrences are mainly hosted in lavas contaminated

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