PGE-Ni Variations in the Long-Victor Mine, Western Australia
Supervisors
Research Affiliations
Degree Type/Name
Pre-requisites
Student Support
Collaboration
Dr Marco Fiorentini and Dr Wolfgang Maier
Centre for Exploration Targeting
Honours - Geology, Earth Science, Minerals Geoscience
Degree in Geology or other Geoscience degree.
The student undertaking this project is eligible for financial
support provided by the UWA Geoscience Foundation. Full time
vacation employment is available at the Long-Victor Ni Mine over
the summer vacation.
This project is a collaboration with Lightning Nickel
Skills
This research project provides the opportunities for research students to obtain skills and
experience in geochemistry applied to Archaean Ni deposits, skills highly regarded by the
mining industry, as well as forming a firm basis for a research or academic career.
Project Description
The Kalgoorlie Terrane of the Yilgarn Craton is a world class nickel district. The resurgence in
the Ni industry has led to a questioning of the conventional wisdom as to the genesis of these
deposits. Working at the Long-Victor Mine, this study will aim to understand Ni tenor
variations within the orebodies by sampling for multiple metals and platinum group elements
along plunge, across width and across strike of the orebodies to understand the primary
(magmatic) versus secondary (metamorphic, structural, hydrothermal) controls on Ni tenor
variation within the mine. This will be the first study of its kind in komatiite-hosted Ni deposits.
This project will integrate with a larger research team at CET investigating the controls on Ni
mineralisation systems within the Yilgarn.
The outcome wil be an integrated 4D model (3D plus time) of the controls on PGE distribution
and Ni tenor in the Long-Victor deposit.
Field work (6 weeks – May to mid June)
 Underground mapping and core logging of Ni orebodies in various geometric
positions
 Sampling of relevant rocks and diamond core for PGE and other metal assays
Laboratory work
 Petrography of ore assemblages
 Paragenesis of ore and overprinting alteration mineral assemblages
 Microprobe analyses on selected ore minerals
 Interpretation of geochemical analyses in light of paragenetic studies
 3D modelling of Ni tenor through the mine