Gemstones in Greenland

Anette juul-Nielsen and Lærke Louise Thomsen

Ministry of Mineral Resources

China Mining Congress & Expo

October 22nd 2015

Outline

Gemstone overview Ruby and sapphire Diamonds

Gemstone Overview

Great variety of gemstones

Occurrences throughout Greenland

NW-Greenland

Agate, chalcedony, almandine

Central W-Greenland

Ruby, sapphire, diamond, beryl,

tourmaline, nuummite,

greenlandite, kornerupine

SW-Greenland

Tugtupite, amazonite, amethyst,

moonstone, sodalite, labradorite

E-Greenland

Corundum, agate, chalcedony

Chalcedony

Agate

Chalcedony

Almandine Chalcedony

Agate

Almandine Diamond

Greenlandite

Beryl

Nuummite

Tourmaline

Ruby

Sapphire

Kornerupine

Amazonite

Amethyst

Moonstone

Tugtupite, Sodalite, Labradorite

Corundum

Chalcedony

Agate

Greenlandite

SiO2 & KCr2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2

Microcrystalline green to bluish

green quartz

Nuuk, W-Greenland

First discovered at Isukasia

Age of 3.8 billion years

Photo: GEUS

Tugtupite

Na4BeAlSi4O12Cl

Closely related to sodalite

Color: White to intense red color, light blue or violet

Hydrothermal veins at Ilimaussaq Complex, S-Greenland

Intense yellowish orange flourescense (LW-UV) + strongly purplish red (SW-UV)

Tenebrescence: From white/pink to red when exposed to daylight

High demand, but scarce occurrences

Photo: GEUS

Nuummite

(Mg, Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2 & (Mg, Fe)5Al2(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2

Vulcanic origin + metamorphic alteration

Color: Dark brown to black

Iridescence mainly yellow, golden, blue or blue-green

Nuuk, W-Greenland

Ruby & Sapphire

Red or pink variety most common

Blue variety known from Nuuk area

Host rock primarily anorthosite or

schist

Widespread occurrences, especially

in Central W-Greenland

Most well-known is the Fiskenaesset

anorthosite complex

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration

Exploration of corundum is limited

True North Gems Inc.:

Aappaluttoq, SW-Greenland

Within the Fiskenaesset anorthosite complex

True North Gems Inc.

Aappaluttoq

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – Fiskenaesset Complex

Fiskenaesset Anorthosite Complex

Comprises anorthosites, leuco-gabbros, gabbros and ultramafic rocks

Infolded with amphibolites and gneisses

Ruby/sapphire is often associated with green tschermakite

Ruby/sapphire is typically found at the amphibolite contact zone

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – True North Gems Inc.

Explored since 2004

Located several

occurrences

Aappaluttoq discovered

in 2005

Map: True North Gems Inc.

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – True North Gems Inc.

Pink sapphires abundant in Al-rich gabbro

Rubies abundant in phlogopite

The size range of rough: Microscopic to 80 grams in weight

Gem quality typically 1-10 grams

Aappaluttoq

Indicated resource: 189,100 t @ 313 g/t corundum (296.5 mio. carats)

Inferred ressource: 77,200 t @ 283 g/t corundum (109.5 mio. carats)

Amount of near-gem and gem quality: 31.3% ruby and 40.8% sapphire

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – True North Gems Inc.

Exploitation licence granted in

March 2014

Presently under construction

Open pit

Production start primo 2016

Photo: True North Gems Inc. Photo: True North Gems Inc.

Photo: True North Gems Inc.

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – Government

All material from the Moxie

Pictures Inc. prospect was

submitted to the Greenland

Government

In total: 42.5 g of ruby and

sapphire rough

Size: 1-5 mm

Majority was transparent with

slightly purplish red to

redpurple color

Further studies are planned

as part of a characterization

project

Ruby/Sapphire Exploration – Government

Samples collected from 8 localities in Qeqertarsuatsiaat (Fiskenaesset) area

Results indicate that samples from Qeqertarsuatsiaat might be distinguished

from other Greenlandic occurrences

More tests to be conducted by GEUS and GIT

Diamond Exploration

Diamond discoveries in

Canada triggered

exploration in Greenland in

mid-1990’s

Central W-Greenland

between Nuuk and

Sisimiut the most

prospective area

Map: GEUS

Diamond Exploration

Not many companies

focusing on diamond

exploration

Hudson Resources Inc.:

Sarfartoq

Hudson Resources Inc.

Sarfartoq

Map: GEUS

Diamond Exploration – Hudson Resources Inc.

Kimberlite dyke

Extracted a total of 1,740 macrodiamonds (>0.85 mm in 3 dimensions)

>100 carats recovered

The largest diamond is 2.5 carat

Colors: Most are colorless, but also pink, grey and amber colored

The project is momentarily on stand by

Photo: Hudson Resources Inc. Photo: Hudson Resources Inc.

Conclusion

Gemstone exploration is limited at present

The gemstone potential is there

Ruby mine soon to begin production

Thank you!