Geological environment and location
Speciality metals in South Greenland are found almost
exclusively in peralkaline/alkaline intrusions of the Pro-
terozoic Gardar age, 13001120 Ma.
Major commodities include:
Tantalum, Loc. A
Niobium, Loc. A, B
Zirconium, Loc. C
Yttrium, Loc. C
Rare Earth Elements, Loc. B, C
Beryllium, Loc. B
Speculative commodities, Loc. B
A treasure of speciality metals
within the Ilímaussaq intrusion
The Ilímaussaq intrusion is one of the Gardar
intrusions with an age of 1186 Ma. The com-
plex has been known since 1806, but com-
prehensive descriptions appeared much later
and over a large period of time in 1912,
1957 and 1964. Since it's discovery the com-
plex has attracted researchers and explo-
rationists worldwide.
The Danish State took over exploration for
radioactive elements from 19551982. The
complex was drilled in 1962 resulting in
seven drill holes (
*
on the map).
A fan of rare metals and elements is recog-
nised within the complex: U, Th, Nb, Ta, Zr, Y, REE, Li, Be.
Tantalum in the Motzfeldt complex
The Motzfeldt Centre is one of the Gardar intrusions
(1310 Ma). Pyrochlore accumulations in the Motzfeldt
syenite show significant grades of Ta.
The deposit at Motzfeldt is a typical `low grade -
large tonnage' type of resource. 600 million t of ore
with c. grades of 120 ppm Ta are the figures based on
major investigations carried out by the Survey (GEUS).
High grade zones carries up to 426 ppm Ta. Company
exploration has now taken over what is believed to be
one of the largest Ta deposits in the World.
Niobium at Motzfeldt and Kvanefjeld
The Motzfeldt Centre Ta deposit is located in mineralised
syenite. Additionally a Nb resource of at least 130 mil-
lion t with 0.41.0% Nb
2
0
5
is known.
The Kvanefjeld uranium deposit has an additional
potential for Nb, settled in several rare minerals
Deposits of speciality metals
in South Greenland
Kobberminebugt
Igutsaat fjord
Kangerluluk
Kutseq fjord
Quaternary
Lujavrite
Kakortokite
Naujaite
Sodalite foyaite
Foyaite and pulaskite
Alkali granite
Augite syenite
Various host rocks
(including Eriksfjord
Formation and
Julianehåb granite)
Drill hole
0
2
3
km
1
Kang
erlu
arsu
k
Kvanefjeld
A
BC
(e.g.pyrochlore and epistolite) partly in the ore and
in associated veins. Resource estimates are not
available.
Zirconium and Yttrium at
Kangerluarsuk
Deposit are found in Zr- and Y-rich agpaitic rocks
within the Ilímaussaq intrusion, where Zr, Y and
REE are accumulated in the mineral eudialyte. The
host rock kakortokite is a layered rock, where
the eudialyte is enriched in 29 separate layers.
Eudialyte is a complex Zrsilicate. The ZrO
2
content
is c. 14%, and the (Ce,La,Y)
2
O
3
content is c. 3%.
Y element can reach 4000 ppm.
Eudialyte accumulations carry a potential for
exploitable amounts of Zr, Y, REE and Nb.
Estimated resources of +2 million t ore with an
average of 3% ZrO
2
are located. Peak values of
6% ZrO
2
, 0.2% Y
2
O
3
, 3% REE
2
O
3
and 0.2%
Nb
2
0
5
are at hand.
Beryllium at Kvanefjeld
The Ilímaussaq intrusion rocks have an average Be
content of 30 ppm. Be is located in a suite of rare
minerals ranging in mineral content from more
than 40% BeO (beryllite) to about 5% BeO (tug-
tupite).
In the Kvanefjeld area a rough estimate indi-
cates a resource
of 180,000 t
rock with 0.1%
Be.
Speculative commodities at Kvanefjeld
Lithium is enriched in the agpaitic rocks of the
Ilímaussaq intrusion. Values of Li in the Kvanefjeld
deposit are found between 6001900 ppm. An
estimated resource in the Kvanefjeld deposit
counts 235,000 t Li.
Summary of potential for speciality
metals
South Greenland has an obvious potential for spe-
ciality metals. Characteristically both `large ton-
nage low grade' as well as `low tonnage - high
grade' deposits are outlined.
Tantalum takes the lead in the deposit of the
Motzfeldt Centre with more than 600 million t of
Ta ore grading 120 ppm. Zirconium is found at the
exceptional formation at Kangerluarsuk where
over 2 million t of Zr ore grading 3% ZrO
2
is
located. Additional rare metals are Y, Nb, REE, Be
and Li.
Greenland Resources A/S
Tuapannguit 38
P.O. Box 821
DK-3900 Nuuk
Greenland
Tel: (+299) 32 79 13
Fax.: (+299) 32 79 14
E-mail: gras@greennet.gl
Internet: www.resources.gl
Geological Survey of Denmark
and Greenland (GEUS)
Øster Voldgade 10
DK-1350 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Tel: (+45) 38 14 20 00
Fax.: (+45) 38 14 20 50
E-mail: geus@geus.dk
Internet: www.geus.dk
Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum
(BMP)
Government of Greenland
P.O. Box 930
DK-3900 Nuuk
Greenland
Tel: (+299) 34 68 00
Fax.: (+299) 32 43 02
E-mail: bmp@gh.gl
Internet: www.bmp.gl
Author: K.Secher
Editor: K.Secher
Layout: GEUS, Grafisk
Printers: FROM & CO
© GEUS 2002
Kakortokite layers
Kvanefjeld 1969
Tugtupite (pink)
Key references
Engell, J., Jensen, M., Kunzendorf, H. & Løvborg, L. 1971:
Beryllium mineralization in the Ilimaussaq intrusion, South
Greenland, with description of a field beryllometer and chem-
ical methods. Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Rapport
33, 40 pp.
Petersen, O.V. & Secher, K. 1993: The Minerals of Greenland, The
Mineralogical Record 24,2, Arizona, U.S.A. 67 pp.
Sørensen, H. (ed.) 2001: The Ilímaussaq alkaline complex, South
Greenland: status of mineralogical research with new results,
Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 190, 167 pp.
Tukiainen, T. 1988: Niobium-Tantalum mineralisation in the
Motzfeldt Centre of the Igaliko Nepheline Syenite Complex,
South Greenland, in Boissonnas, J. & Omenetto, P., eds.,
Mineral Deposits within the European Community: Berlin,
Springer-Verlag, p. 230146.
