Brunswick Exploration, a mineral exploration company, has recently made a significant discovery in Greenland. The team discovered the first spodumene pegmatite in a major evolved pegmatite field, marking a breakthrough in the geological field. The site is located within the licence boundaries of the Company’s Killavaat Alannguat project in South Greenland.
To comprehend the magnitude of this discovery, it is crucial to understand what spodumene pegmatite entails. It is a source of lithium, a highly sought-after mineral, primarily for the booming battery industry. Lithium fulfils the need for high energy storage capacity in compact batteries, making it essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems.
The discovery was first recognized by Dr. Bo Møller Stensgaard, a recognized pegmatite specialist. He noted the presence of spodumene in one of the multiple swarm pegmatites within the evolved pegmatite field. Further investigations were conducted involving sampling and named Pegmatite Swarm 13. As per the results from the company’s mineral libraries, the discovered spodumene is understood to be the first in Greenland.
Brunswick Exploration mobilised its geological teams to the Killavaat Alannguat project for assessing the lithium potential of the area following these initial findings. Recognizing the discovery’s potential, they expanded the lithium project land package to cover the entire evolved pegmatite field extent. The enlarged licence area currently extends over 659 km2, a substantial increase from the original 107 km2.
Within this expanded scope, Brunswick’s team has managed to reveal further pegmatite swarms – each swarm potentially hosting multiple pegmatite dykes. This finding underscores the region’s immense pegmatite potential and potentially a vast lithium resource. The number of identified swarms has increased from the initially recognized 13 to 149, showcasing the high concentration of lithium sources in the area.
Additionally, the results from the taken samples hint at an elevated lithium, tantalum, and rubidium content amongst the rare elements. Furthermore, nearly 50% of samples taken from these swarms exhibited lithium levels of over 100 parts per million (ppm), another testament to the area’s lithium potential.
Furthermore, the Killavaat Alannguat terrain, unique to the project area, is proving helpful for the exploration process with dyke exposure levels of up to 70% in certain areas. Brunswick’s mineral exploration team notes that this advantageous geological property allows them to readily track the pegmatite swarms for kilometers.
Simultaneously, Brunswick has prioritized ensuring the project’s operation aligns with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Successfully achieving this while furthering mineral exploration and understanding offers improved outcomes for stakeholders, local communities, and the broader scientific community.
In conclusion, Brunswick Exploration’s discovery in the Killavaat Alannguat project in Greenland is a significant breakthrough. It not only recognizes the country’s lithium potential but also provides a unique opportunity to further research the rich content of past tectonic activities. The discovery also opens new prospects for the lithium industry at large, contributing to the broader transition to renewable energy and electric mobility. Undoubtedly, the implications of this find will be far-reaching, and industry-stakeholders will be closely following developments within the project.