The mineral resource assessment project, South-East Greenland: year one

Abstract

South-East Greenland between 62°N and 67°N is one of the lesser known regions in Greenland, having seen only limited geological investigations and only few detailed ones, with the Skjoldungen alkaline igneous province as a notable exception (Nielsen & Rosing 1990). Systematically collected geoscientific data are scarce; however, such data are essential as a basis for geological models and for evaluation of the mineral potential. In order to open up the region for exploration, the Greenland Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum financed a two-year, mainly geochemical programme for 2009 and 2010, which is an initial part of a five to six year project that involves subsequent geophysical surveys, a geological programme and a full-scale resource assessment of the region. The primary objective of the initial geochemical programme is to collect sediment samples for analysis of chemistry and indicator minerals. Supplementary to this, surface water for chemistry is collected and radiometric spectra of representative lithologies are measured. Geological reconnaissance field work focussing on selected key areas is also carried out.