Abstract
In 2003, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) completed a four-year project aimed at assessing the mineral potential of the Precambrian region of West Greenland between latitudes 66° and 70°15´N. The project was part of a contract between GEUS and the Ministry of the Environment, and involved compilation of existing geoscientific data, new geological mapping, field examinations of known and potential mineral occurrences, new chemical and isotope analyses, and data interpretation. The data compilation, available on a DVD (Schjøth et al. 2004), comprises regional, systematically acquired data sets presented in a Geographic Information System environment. Aeromagnetic, aeroradiometric, stream sediment and rock geochemical and gravity data, a digital elevation model and a satellite image are included, plus descriptions of 60 mineral occurrences. Evaluation of the mineral potential is based on interpretations of the compiled information as well as on earlier investigations by the Survey, the University of Copenhagen and commercial companies (see e.g. Stendal & Schønwandt 2003; Stendal et al. 2004). From an economic point of view, the potential for gold and diamonds is the most interesting in the investigated area. This paper summarises the evaluation of the gold potential; results of diamond-related investigations are reported separately (Jensen & Secher 2004, this volume).
Highlights
In 2003, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) completed a four-year project aimed at assessing the mineral potential of the Precambrian region of West Greenland between latitudes 66° and 70°15 ́N
This paper summarises the evaluation of the gold potential; results of diamond-related investigations are reported separately (Jensen & Secher 2004, this volume)
While the Ataa and Nassuttooq areas (Fig. 1) were comparatively well known before the onset of the project, only limited information was available on large parts of the intervening tract
Summary
While the Ataa and Nassuttooq areas (Fig. 1) were comparatively well known before the onset of the project, only limited information was available on large parts of the intervening tract. Granitoid orthogneisses of Archaean age with subordinate supracrustal sequences underlie almost the entire area. Most of the Archaean crust in the study region was formed around 2.8 Ga, probably by accretion of tonalitic magmatic complexes formed at constructive continental margins. The metavolcanic sequences in the Ataa area were probably formed in a volcanic arc setting, while supracrustal sequences elsewhere are dominated by sediments and are likely to represent continental rift or margin settings. The southern continent of the Nagssugtoqidian orogen was the focus of recurrent alkaline and carbonatitic magmatism (Larsen & Rex 1992) resulting in numerous lamprophyre and carbonatitic dykes (see Jensen & Secher 2004, this volume) in addition to the major Sarfartoq carbonatite complex The southern continent of the Nagssugtoqidian orogen was the focus of recurrent alkaline and carbonatitic magmatism (Larsen & Rex 1992) resulting in numerous lamprophyre and carbonatitic dykes (see Jensen & Secher 2004, this volume) in addition to the major Sarfartoq carbonatite complex (c. 0.6 Ga)
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