Nickel & Platinum Exploration Background

NI-PGM MINERALISATION
The bulk of nickel and platinum is found mined from magmatic and magmatic-hydrothermal deposits. The famous platinum deposits such as the Merensky Reef in the Bushveld complex of South Africa and the nickel- PGM deposits of the Sudbury Basin, Canada are associated with so-called layered mafic-ultramafic complexes. The vast Noril’sk orebodies are related to differentiated gabbrodoleritic sills. The huge Voisey’s Bay, Canadadian deposit that sparked an exploration frenzy is associated with magmatic sulphide mineralization in various mafic intrusions – anorthosites, pyroxenites, ferrodiorites and gabbro-troctolites has yet to be exploited

The new Aguablanca mine of Rio Narcea in Spain is Ni-Cu-PGM mineralization hosted in a gabbro-norite intrusive. Reserves here for reference are 15.7Mt grading 0.66% Ni, 0.46% Cu and 0.47 g/t combined PGM.

The Arctic Platinum project of Gold Fields of South Africa is hosted in mafic layered intrusives that occurred during episodes of crustal rifting in the latest Archean and Early Proterozoic in the Fennoscandian shield. The intrusions are similar in composition to the Bushveld, Sudbury and Stillwater complexes. This clearly shows the potential of the Fennoscandian shield that covers northern Sweden and Finland – the focus for Lapp Plats exploration.

Mineralisation styles in the Portimo Complex at the Arctic Platinum project are highly variable and include:

• Disseminated PGE-bearing Cu-Ni sulphides;
• Massive sulphide lenses ner basal contact;
• PGE Reef style mineralisation in layered series units;
• Offset style Cu-PGE mineralization in basement gneisses and granites.

However, the entire area is covered by glacial tills up to 30 metres thick with little outcrop exposure, hence the importance of the geochemical till database as a basis for mounting a serious exploration programme.

In Sweden favourable layered mafic intrusions are known e.g. the Nottrask project of Tertiary Minerals. Indeed screening of the Geochemical Database by independent consultant geochemist Dr. Richard Mazzucchelli clearly identified this project, which indicates the ability of the Company to acquire such mineralization.

Lapp Plats will also innovatively seek possible unconventional styles of mineralization. So-called orogenic Au-Pt-Pd in carbonaceous metasedimentary rocks are now recognized. The giant Sukhoi Log gold deposit is believed to contain 75Moz of gold at 2.7 g/t Au with total PGE grades of the same order. The host rocks to the deposits are clastic metasediments with abundant carbonaceous matter and sulphide.

By way of comparisson to Swedish deposits the Brazilian Serra Pelada Au-PGE deposit located in the Carajas district is hosted by carbonaceous and calcareous siltstones. Resources at Serra Pelada are reportedly 110t au, 35t Pd and 18t Pt. The deposit displays many similar characteristics to the Fe oxide Cu–Au class of mineral deposits that exist in Sweden, in that:

• The Au-PGE mineralization is genetically related to strong Fe metasomatism in the form of magnetite and hematite breccias;
• The Au-PGE ore is associated with Light Rare Earth Elements (“LREE”), Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, as, Bi, W and U enrichment;
• The Rare Earth Element patterns for the ores show similar patterns and enrichment factors;
• The ore is epigenetic and displays strong structural control; and
• There is a potential alkaline magmatic source.

Lapp Plats will be an innovator in applying the Sukhoi Log and Serra Pelada geological models to its exploration and to have a competitive lead over other companies active in the region.

Kito