Soissons (Ni-Cu-Co)

Covers a series of Ni-Cu-Co showings associated with two distinct troctolite to olivine-bearing gabbronorites (Soissons intrusive suite).

Recent geochronological work by the Geological survey of Canada recently returned an age of 1,311±1.1 Ma for the host troctolite/gabbronorite intrusions, close to the age of the Voisey’s Bay troctolite (1,332.7±1 Ma), host to the world-class Ni-Cu-Co Voisey’s Bay deposit. The Soissons intrusions also belong to the Nain plutonic suite (1,330 to 1,290 Ma).

Previous exploration in 2001-2002 revealed the following Ni-Cu-Co grades in grab samples:

1.22% Ni, 0.5% Cu, 0.06% Co; 1.03% Ni, 0.47% Cu, 0.05% Co (Papavoine showing);

0.63% Ni, 0.15% Cu, 0.04% Co (A14-1W showing);

0.67% Ni, 0.43% Cu, 0.05% Co (A14-1E showing);

0.30% Ni, 0.29% Cu, 0.03% Co (A17-1 showing).

A limited drilling campaign in 2001 (9 drillholes) also revealed the following grades:

1.07% Ni, 0.23% Cu, 0.09% Co / 0.75m; 0.55% Ni, 0.43% Cu, 0.03% Co / 1.7m (Papavoine);

0.57% Ni, 0.29% Cu, 0.03% Co / 1.0m (Papavoine West);

Large intervals (tens of meters) of disseminated sulfides with nickel values between 0.1% and 0.2%.

Unexplained and untested off-hole borehole electromagnetic anomalies have been identified from previous exploration, laterally from the zones of disseminated sulfides.

Ni-Cu tenors (grades recalculated to 100% sulfides) are clustered around 3-4% Ni and 2-3% Cu, similar to the Discovery Hill orebody at Voisey’s Bay.

Mineralization occurs as disseminated to blotchy sulfides in troctolite, olivine gabbronorite, in basal magmatic breccias with partly assimilated paragneisses, and in footwall gneisses.

Mineralized basal magmatic breccias indicate a very dynamic magmatic environment, a feature very favorable for Ni-Cu-Co deposits – upgrading of Ni-Cu-Co grades.