Annual report 2008
Mineral resources

Creating the scientific basis for targeted and environment-friendly exploitation of mineral deposits in Greenland and Denmark

Geological mapping and new mineral finds
Solid geological knowledge is important for exploration by mining companies, and therefore the industry wants detailed geological maps and maps of mineralisations. In recent years GEUS has been working intensively on geological mapping and assessing the mineral potential of the area around Godthåbsfjorden in West Green land, while 2008 was the first year for similar efforts in the areas further south between Buk sefjorden and Frederikshåb Isblink. Field work in the summer has included geological mapping in the Fiskenæsset area with a view to modernising the existing maps in the scale 1:100 000. In para llel with this mapping, ore geological surveys have been carried out in order to assess the opportunities for finding new mineral deposits. Activities are focusing on the Precambrian supracrystalline rocks, which may contain mineralisations of precious and base metals. The work over the summer was extremely successful, and geologists found several new gold mineralisations and ruby deposits. The geological mapping has been carried out in a collaboration between GEUS and a number of universities from the UK, Sweden and Canada. The activities have been partly funded by the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum in Nuuk.

Marketing Greenland's minerals
Targeted marketing of Greenland's minerals is one of the activ ities initiated to help attract investment to Greenland from the international mining industry. The mineral potential of Greenland is being marketed through direct contact with the industry, dissemination of knowledge via the media, and by giving easy access for the mining sector to publications and geodata. During 2008, in cooperation with the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum in Nuuk, GEUS took part in two large minerals fairs in Vancouver and Toronto, at which investors and the mining industry met to consider the potential of investments in the exploration and mining sector. In addition, information about exploration activities and the geology of Greenland is also reported through the newsletter 'MINEX' as well as the thematic magazine 'Geology and Ore' and the fact sheet 'Exploration and mining in Greenland'. Service for the industry also includes easy web access to extensive data and publications in databases which are regularly updated as the work in Greenland progresses. This means online access to open company reports and geoscientific publications and data in the DODEX database and presentation of mineral deposits and other geodata via the web facility Greenland Mineral Occurrence Map (GMOM). At the end of 2008, the international mining industry was feeling the effects of the global financial crisis, but there is still considerable interest in Greenland.

Conclusion of successful public diamond surveys
The occurrence of diamonds in Greenland has been known for many decades, but not until the opening of diamond mines in Canada has the mining industry shown serious interest in West Greenland. In the 1990s there was a large-scale search for diamonds and several mining companies have retained their interest. With support from the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum, in recent years GEUS has followed up on the work of the companies with scientific surveys of kimberlitic rocks in western Greenland and compilations of non-confidential company data. GEUS completed this work in 2008 and the results of the long-term efforts were presented at the 9th Inter na tional Kimberlite Conference in Frankfurt in August. The ex tensive results have been included in a new atlas of kimber lites in West Greenland, the first edition of which was completed during the year. The atlas contains information about de posits and the chemistry of kimberlites and kimberlite-like rocks as well as information about the geological conditions in the areas where they are found. Public efforts have helped sharpen interest from the mining industry in diamond exploration in Greenland, and the results of work by both GEUS and the companies have in recent years led to an increasing number of diamond finds in Greenland. 2008 was no exception as in November the Avannaa Resources company could report finds of 1,487 diamonds in the Disko Bay area, including 10 macro diamonds.

New book about the fold mountains of North-East Greenland
A new book about the fold mountains of North-East Greenland entitled The Greenland Caledonides. Evolution of the North-east Margin of Laurentia was published in 2008 in the series Memoirs Geological Society of America. The book presents a review of the results of the comprehensive mapping by GEUS of the entire northern part of East Greenland. The mapping was carried out between 1968 and 1998 and the results have been published regularly in several hundred scientific reports as well as 16 maps in the scale 1:100 000 and five less detailed maps in 1:500 000. In 14 chapters the book reviews the geological development of the region, which is primarily composed of fold mountains formed during the Caledonian orogeny about 400 million years ago. A geological map of all of North-East Greenland and a CD with the map accompany the book. The 26 authors of the book are employees of GEUS as well as external geologists who have taken part in the mapping. A vital part of the planning, organisation and practical design of the text and illustrations in the book was done by GEUS with funding from the Carlsberg Foundation.

Marine raw materials in Denmark
Denmark is more or less self-sufficient in raw materials for building and construction. Resources such as sand, gravel and clay come primarily from quarries on shore and the increase in extraction in some areas conflicts with the desire to preserve landscapes and nature. Therefore, attention is being directed towards raw materials on the seabed, and in recent years GEUS has been mapping landscapes and sediments on the seabed. In contrast to the Danish coastal waters, the North Sea has been poorly surveyed. This means that very little is known about the mineral resources in this large area, apart from the areas nearest the coast where, on behalf of the Danish Coastal Authority, GEUS has mapped sand deposits for coastal protection. In 2008, GEUS compiled a review of available data on the North Sea in order to prepare and optimise a marine geological survey. At the end of the year, work began in earnest when the EU granted funding for a project to map the landscapes and deposits on the seabed with a view to making a habitats map. As part of the move towards more sustainable exploitation of raw materials, in 2008 GEUS completed a project in the Storstrøm area in cooperation with the Agency for Spatial and Environmental Planning, which aimed at examining how we can best coordinate extraction both offshore and onshore. Finally, as a consultant for minerals companies, GEUS has carried out marine geological surveys north of Funen and in Køge Bugt in order to assess the available data on the areas.