Exploration for Magmatic Ore Deposits

This 10-day intensive in-person and online course in magmatic Ni-Cu-(PGE), PGE, Cr, and Ti-V deposits, including 3 days of theoretical material, 5 days of case studies, and 2 days of exploration methods.

Topics include: S and Cr solubility and metal partitioning in mafic-ultramafic magmas; generation of fertile magmas; applications of stable and radiogenic isotopes (including mass-independent S isotopes) in identifying S and metal sources; sulfide transport and localization mechanisms; textures and deformation of Fe-Ni-Cu sulfide ores, sulfide recalculation and plotting methods; geology/genesis of and exploration for Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposits in mafic-ultramafic lava channels, feeder sills/dikes, and magma conduits; geology/genesis of and exploration for PGE deposits in mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions; geology/genesis of and exploration for stratiform and podiform Cr deposits and Ti-V deposits in anorthosites and mafic-ultramafic intrusions. 

Case studies and laboratory exercises will include: Alexo (ON), Duluth (MN), Eagle (MI), Eagle’s Nest (ON), Kambalda (WA), Jinchuan and other deposits in China, Noril’sk-Talnakh and Pechenga (RU), Tamarack (MN), Thompson (MB), Raglan (Nunavik), Sudbury (ON), and Voisey’s Bay (Labrador) Ni-Cu-PGE; and Bushveld (SA) and Stillwater (MT) PGE and Cr; and ‘Ring of Fire” (ON) Cr. 

• Location: on campus at Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, and live webcast. 

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply quantitative methods to solve numerical problems related to magmatic processes, metal partitioning, and ore formation.
2. Observe, describe, and interpret suites of igneous rocks associated with significant magmatic ore deposits, using mineralogical, textural, and compositional criteria.
3. Relate rock characteristics and quantitative constraints to magmatic and metallogenic processes responsible for ore formation.
4. Evaluate magmatic ore deposit models by comparing observations and calculations with established geological interpretations.
5. Integrate quantitative results and rock-based observations to develop coherent interpretations of ore-forming processes.
6. Communicate analytical results and geological interpretations clearly and accurately in written laboratory assignments.
    

What to expect:

This course is a graduate-level course designed to develop students’ ability to analyze and interpret magmatic ore systems through quantitative problem solving and direct examination of igneous rock suites from major ore deposits. The learning outcomes emphasize analytical reasoning, geological interpretation, and the integration of observations with established ore-forming models in a mineral exploration context.