Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

A continuous supply of metals is essential for economic development and growth because metals are the backbone of industrialized societies. This project aims to improve our understanding of the genesis and distribution of deposits containing primarily platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and gold (Au) but also containing significant amounts of rhodium (Rh), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). These metals have a wide range of applications. For example, in addition to their value as investment instruments, Pt and Pd are essential elements in catalytic processes and in high demand for pollution control in several sectors, including the automotive industry. The project provides a unique opportunity to characterize, in detail, one of the largest known Pt, Pd, Au mineralizations worldwide: the Platreef (Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa). The project will address two fundamental questions: (a) which processes controlled the spatial distribution and variations in the thickness of the mineralization?; (b) what particular characteristics can be used as 'exploration vectors' to better define the extent of known mineralization and find similar deposits elsewhere? (in South Africa and worldwide, including Canada's unexplored north). Answers to these questions will make mineral exploration more efficient, cost-effective, and more successful in finding new deposits. The project is designed around the training of highly-qualified personnel and several graduate students (4 MSc and 2 PhD) will be directly involved in the project. In addition to the industrial partner, the project is supported by two Canadian initiatives: the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). NSERC support contributes to fulfil the goals of the two Canadian institutions in fostering research and collaboration with developing countries and building technological capacity in universities of Commonwealth countries.