The source, transport and deposition of the platinum-group elements (PGE) in unconventional magmatic settings in Canada

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Canada is faced with a critical shortage of platinum and palladium for the future demand of innovative energy production and fuel storage technologies. These metals are uniquely suited to these technological applications, and have no alternatives. Faced with shrinking reserves of platinum and palladium from traditional geological settings ("mafic" igneous rocks) in Canada, and the high cost of obtaining these metals from foreign suppliers, the mineral exploration industry will need to focus on geological environments in Canada that were previously not considered as being viable sources for the metals, but which are known to contain them in significant quantities in certain areas. Porphyry-type deposits are metallic ore deposits that typically contain a variety of valuable metals in a number of distinct zones. The deposits form as "felsic" magmas (i.e, molten rocks rich in Si, Al, Na and K) rise into the crust, cool and crystallize, and release fluid phases that can no longer stay dissolved in the magma. These fluids may contain high concentrations of dissolved metals that precipitate in economic concentrations. Traditionally considered to be major sources of copper, gold and molybdenum, porphyry deposits may provide extremely important resources of platinum and palladium (the platinum-group elements or "PGE") for Canada. Unfortunately, our knowledge of the origin of platinum and palladium in these unusual settings prevents cost-effective and successful discrimination between geological host environments that may or may not contain economic concentrations of platinum and palladium. The proposed research will identify geological criteria that can be directly applied in the mineral exploration industry in Canada to predict the location of new deposits of platinum and palladium in unconventional rock-forming environments such as porphyry deposits already known to contain copper or gold. The proposed research will have direct benefits to Canada`s economy and social/environmental health, and will maintain the country's standing as a world leader in the global geoscience and mineral resource community.