Targeted U-Pb dating of mafic-ultramafic intrusions, particularly those of economic interest, and characterizing their links with Large Igneous Provinces

岩浆硫化物矿床是一种特殊的矿床，与被称为大火成岩省（lip）的火山岩大量涌出有关。这些省份的面积可达数百万立方米，是镍、钴、钛、钒、铜和铂族元素的重要产地，这些元素的开采每年为加拿大经济贡献数十亿美元。然而，由于这些矿床中最容易开采的已经被发现，而且矿山的寿命有限，因此新发现对加拿大的资源部门至关重要，并且必须在更具挑战性的位置或隐藏在更深的地下。此外，构成LIP的岩石（火山岩和它们的深层等价物）并不是都能容纳矿石，尽管LIP有一个共同的来源，但在单个LIP的岩石中可能有很大的变化。该项目旨在通过对LIP岩石中发现的特定矿物中的铀和铅的同位素进行高精度测量，使这些矿床的勘探变得更容易和更准确。这样就可以高精度地计算出它们的年龄，这样就可以识别和评估火成岩活动的不同阶段，而不必进行漫长而昂贵的钻探活动，收集和测试可能价值数百万美元的毫无价值的样品。我们的行业合作伙伴将确定合适的样品套件进行测年分析，并将进行最先进的放射性同位素分析，从而将矿产资源和世界级学术研究人员的行业经验结合起来。

Magmatic sulphide deposits are a specific kind of ore deposit that is associated with voluminous outpouringsof volcanic rocks known as Large Igneous Provinces, or LIPs. These Provinces can be millions of cubickilometres in volume, and can be significant sources of nickel, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, copper, andplatinum group elements - the mining of which contributes billions of dollars annually to the Canadianeconomy. However, as the most accessible of these ore deposits have already been discovered and mines havelimited lifetimes, new discoveries are essential for Canada's resource sector and are to be found in morechallenging locations or hidden deeper underground. Furthermore, the rocks that make up LIPs (volcanic rocksand their deeper equivalents) are not all capable of hosting ore, and there can be a great deal of variabilitywithin a single LIP's rocks despite their having a common source. This project aims to make the explorationfor these ore deposits easier and more accurate though high-precision measurements of the isotopes of uraniumand lead in specific minerals found in LIP rocks. This will enable their ages to be calculated to high precision,such that distinct phases of igneous activity can be identified and assessed as to their prospectivity withoutengaging in lengthy and expensive drilling campaigns to collect and test what could be millions of dollars'worth of worthless samples. Our industry partners will identify appropriate suites of samples for datinganalysis, and state-of-the-art radio-isotopic analyses will be carried out, thereby bringing together industryexperience with mineral resources and world-class academic researchers.