Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Canada is known for large pegmatites mined for industrial minerals, uranium and specialty metals, in particular lithium. Pegmatites currently account for approximately one-third of the global production of lithium and lithium componds. Lithium is strategically important for the development of green technologies and major automobile manufactures are investing in exploration for lithium pegmatites in Canada. The demand for lithium is projected to increase dramatically over next decade because of its use in batteries and in the aerospatiale and automotive industries. The Wabouchi pegmatite of Nemaska Lithium Inc. is one of the most advanced, currently active, lithium projects in Canada. It is expected that the result obtained will be indirectly applicable to other pegmatites in Quebec and elsewhere. The proposed research will establish the structural controls on the emplacement of the Whabouchi pegmatite, which is needed to develop exploration models for additional resources. In addition, the ""footprint"" of the pegmatite will be established using whole rock geochemistry and mineral chemistry to determine the extent of the dispersion halo around the pegmatite. The ages of pegmatites in immediate area around Whabouchi will be determined and the trace element concentrations of several pegmatite minerals will be analyzed, the most important of which are K-feldspar and mica. These data will be used to determine whether the Whabouchi pegmatite is the most evolved pegmatite within a larger pegmatite field.