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An Overview of Cu-Ni Deposits in Minnesota: A Geological Perspective

An Overview of Cu-Ni Deposits in Minnesota: A Geological Perspective. Jim Miller Department of Geological Sciences Precambrian Research Center University of Minnesota Duluth LAKE SUPERIOR BINATIONAL FORUM March 25, 2013 Virginia, MN. Outline Why are these deposits here?

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An Overview of Cu-Ni Deposits in Minnesota: A Geological Perspective

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  1. An Overview of Cu-Ni Deposits in Minnesota: A Geological Perspective Jim Miller Department of Geological Sciences Precambrian Research Center University of Minnesota Duluth LAKE SUPERIOR BINATIONAL FORUM March 25, 2013 Virginia, MN

  2. Outline • Why are these deposits here? • History of exploration • Why “sulfide” mining? • What are the uses of Cu, Ni, and Pd and where else can they be found • Why these ores will be mined, someday

  3. A Looming Stewardship Question for Minnesotans: When should we develop this immense copper-nickel-precious metal mineral resource?

  4. _______________ THE MIDCONTINENT RIFT _______________ An attempt at continental rifting 1.1 billion years ago

  5. Tectonic and Magmatic Evolution of the Midcontinent Rift 1,109-1,086 Ma 1,090-900 Ma 1,000-900 Ma

  6. Midcontinent Rift Exposure in the Lake Superior Region Duluth Complex

  7. South Kawishiwi Intrusion Partridge River Intrusion

  8. Sequential Emplacement of Duluth Complex Intrusions

  9. Sulfur Contamination creating the Cu-Ni-PGE Sulfide Deposits of the Duluth Complex Cu Ni Co Pd + Pt + Au S S

  10. State land opens for mineral leasing Active exploration drilling Polymet, Teck, Franconia, Wallbridge (Duluth Metals) Cu-Ni sulfide discovered at Spruce Rd Cu-Ni Regional Study Bear Creek drills Babbitt State land closed to new mineral leasing LTV shuts down INCO drills Maturi PGE discovered Cu Prices 1948-2006 Current $ - 7,060 $/ton

  11. The Current Situation Current Exploration Activity Polymet – Northmet Teck American – Mesaba Twin Metals MN – Nokomis, Maturi, Dunka Pit, Birch Lake, Spruce Rd Encampment– South Filson Cr.

  12. Mineralogy of Magmatic Cu-Ni Sulfide Deposits Sulfide Minerals Pyrrohotite – FeS1-x Chalcopyrite - CuFeS2 Pentlandite - (Fe,Ni)9S8 Bornite - Cu5FeS4 Chalcocite - Cu2S Cobaltite – CoAsS Pt Group Minerals – Pt, Pd, Au, Bi, Te, As, ... Silicate/Oxide Minerals Olivine - (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 Plagioclase – (Ca,Na)(Al,Si)4O8 Augite – Ca(Mg,Fe)Si2O6 Titano-magnetite – (Fe,Ti)3O4

  13. The Environmental ChallengePreventing Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) 2FeS2(s) + 7O2(g) + 2H2O(l) → 2Fe2+(aq) + 4SO42-(aq) + 4H+(aq)

  14. Why Sulfide Mining?Most of the world’s metals comes from sulfide minerals Chalcopyrite CuFeS2 Bornite Cu5FeS4 Chalcocite Cu2S Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 Sphalerite ZnS Cinnabar HgS Molybdenite MoS2 Cobaltite CoAsS Galena PbS

  15. Separating Metal from Sulfur THEN Roasting/Smelting Sudbury, Ont. Monchegorsk, Russia NOW Hydrometallurgy

  16. United States – The #1 consumer of mineral resources, that produces little for itself % Mined by US % Imported for Metalvs. Total Mining US consumption Copper 6.9% 30% (Chile (41%), Canada (33%)) Nickel 0% 43% (Canada (44%), Russia, Australia, Norway) Cobalt 0% 81% (Norway, Russia, China, Canada) Palladium 5.9% 58% (Russia (44%), South Africa (37%))

  17. 35% from Recycled Cu Data from USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries

  18. COPPER An Important Metal in a Green Economy NW Mining Association, 2009 Cu in a Standard Car with Combustion Engine 43-55 lbs Cu in a Prius 80 lbs

  19. PGE – Platinum Group Elements Pt – Platinum, Pd – Palladium, Os – Osmium, Ru – Ruthenium, Rh – Rhodium, Ir - Iridium

  20. Bushveld Complex South Africa Supplying the 70% of the World’s Platinum Merensky Reef, Amplats Mine, Rustenburg, SA Merensky Reef, Eastern Bushveld Complex

  21. Palladium: “The Environmental Metal” Pd Uses

  22. Stillwater Mine (Montana) Only Precious Metals Mine in the U.S. (owned by Noril’sk Nickel)

  23. Noril’sk, Russia Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits Supplies 45-60% of the World’s Palladium Sulfide Smelters in Russia In 1998, responsible for ~half of SO2 in the northern hemisphere

  24. World Class Ores of the Duluth Complex Compared to other Magmatic Sulfide Deposits, the Duluth Complex is: #1 or 2 in contained Copper #4 in contained PGE #3 in contained Nickel Only the Bushveld, Great Dyke, and Noril’sk contain more PGE From Peterson, 2010

  25. World Scale of the Maturi Deposit Nokomis Maturi Maturi Maturi From Peterson, 2010 and DM press release 12/2012

  26. The Largest UNDEVELOPED Cu-Ni Deposit on Earth Duluth deposits are perceived as low grade. But compared to the source of most of the world’s copper - Porphyry Copper Deposits... …the Duluth Complex ores are HIGHER GRADEwith MORE CONTAINED METALthan nearly all porphyry systems. The largest copper ore deposits in the USA are on this diagram, and the Duluth Complex ores are much larger then all of them. From Peterson, 2010

  27. CONCLUSION: The base and precious metal deposits of the Duluth Complex are a World Class Resource that will be mined …. SOMEDAY Stewardship question - If not now, when?

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