The giant Norilsk Ni-Cu-PGE camp: new results and models [video]

Over the last six years, the CSIRO Ore Deposit Petrology Nickel team has been applying a range of new characterisation techniques to a suite of samples from the supergiant Norilsk-Talnakh orebodies in Arctic Siberia. This is the largest camp of its type in the world, containing well over a trillion dollars’ worth of Ni, Cu and PGEs in magmatic sulfide ores formed in subvolcanic intrusions. Among other things, our work has shown that some of the most spectacular features of these orebodies arise from the shallow depth of emplacement and extensive interaction with evaporitic country rocks, which resulted in explosive degassing of the magmas. This formed part of a province-wide event that had catastrophic climate consequences, leading to the greatest mass extinction in Earth history. In this group presentation we cover some of the science behind these discoveries and show how you can make your own Norilsk orebody by mixing alka-seltzer with salad dressing…