Qajuta Nickel
During the 2007 field season Avannaa visited a reported mineralised mafic dyke located within the licence area 2008/33. The dyke is Proterozoic, undeformed and has an evolved composition (FeO/MgO ratio between 2.5 and 5). Semi massive sulphide mineralizations near the margins of this dyke returned values of about 0.4 and 0.8 wt.% combined Cu and Ni with trace of PGEs. Cobalt is present at about 0.04 wt% level. The Nickel is between 0.32 and 0.38 wt. The dyke is composite with evidence of at least two stages of melt injection. Avannaa followed up in 2008 with additional surface mapping and sampling. A helicopter borne high resolution aeromagnetic survey totalling 63 line km was flown during July to delineate the body along strike. While laboratory data is still pending, initial field observation suggest a consistent thickness of 45-55m along the entire exposed strike length of more than 15km, with a relief of up to 600m. Exposure is generally excellent. Observations in the field suggest exsolution of sulphide melt along the contact between a feldspar phyric finegrained dolerite and a coarser grained dolerite, more gabbroid in character. A study of the chemical features of the samples collected in 2007 and 2008 will provide the basis for further field studies in 2009, to help deciding on the economic potential of this large mafic intrusion.
