Grant: Alliance Grants

Global transitions toward clean energy systems, advanced technologies, and novel materials are rapidly increasing demand for critical minerals. Volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are an important source of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in Canada and globally. These deposits can also contain other critical minerals, including cobalt, nickel, gallium, tellurium, germanium, indium, bismuth, and tin, which are often not recovered due to economic constraints or technical limitations. Improving understanding of the distribution of critical minerals in VMS deposits and associated historical mine wastes has potential to improve value chains and increase supply, by supporting exploration activities, informing mineral processing, improving waste management, and enhancing environmental performance. The research will focus on VMS deposits in the Hanson Lake area, Saskatchewan, in the western part of Precambrian Flin Flon belt, one the most Cu-Zn-rich regions in the world. This area includes historical and active exploration targets (McIlvenna Bay, Bigstone), and historical tailings and waste rock deposits (Western Nuclear Mine) accessible for sampling, and existing environmental data to assess long-term environmental impacts. The project will be led by Ansdell and Lindsay, who have complementary expertise in mineral deposit geology and environmental geochemistry, respectively. It will involve both industry (Foran Mining) and government (SK Ministry of Environment, and Energy and Resources) partners, who will provide significant in-kind contributions, such as support for field work and sampling, access to sample drill core, and data, and expertise to help guide research and supervise highly qualified personnel. In addition, for the first time with an NSERC-project, the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence will be involved in developing two-way conversations with Indigenous communities to help guide and use this research. The goal of this project will be to provide new constraints on the evaluation of critical metals through the entire life cycle of a VMS system, which could be used anywhere in Canada and globally.