The Råna Intrusion Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project
The Råna Intrusion is located approximately 20 km southwest of
Narvik, in the municipality of Narvik, northern Norway.
Råna ApS, a fully owned subsidiary of Scandinavian Highlands
Holding A/S, holds 15.5 km2 exploration licences
covering the majority of the ultramafic rocks exposed along the
northern intrusion boundary. The now closed Bruvann mine is located
within the licence area. The Norwegian State holds the mining
claims and Bruvann ApS (also a fully owned subsidiary of
Scandinavian Highlands Holding A/S) has subsequently rented
them.
Existing infrastructure is in place in and partly around the
intrusion. The project has good access routes; having the main
trans-Norwegian road (E6) crossing the northern part of the
intrusion, along the shore of the Ofotfjord. Quay and loading
facilities are also in immediate vicinity of the intrusion.
The license area is an Early Silurian (ca 437 Ma) synorogenic
mafic-ultramafic intrusion. The intrusion was emplaced during the
Caledonian orogeny and is situated in the Upper Allochton, of the
Narvik Nappe Complex (NNC), Caledonides of Norway. The intrusion
covers an area of approximately 70 km2. Caledonian sulphidic
metasedimentary rocks are well known in the NNC. The Råna Intrusion
is located in proximity of several old past producing sulphide
mines. The presence of sulphidic country rock is highly important
and of ore genetic importance for the Råna Intrusion.
The Råna intrusion has the shape of an inverted cone with its
axis plunging to the north-northwest. The exposed part of the
intrusion forms a nearly concentric shape with a peripheral zone of
gabbro-norite containing bands and lenses of ultramafics i.e.
peridotite and pyroxenite. The central part of the intrusion is
dominated by quartz-norite. The lithostratigraphy thus resembles
many layered intrusions, but lack primary structures due to later
obliterating orogenic deformation phases. The intrusion bears
witness to several deformational events, of which at least one was
an isoclinal folding phase and local thrusting, shearing and minor
folding is evident in many localities in the intrusion. Compared to
other gabbroic intrusions, the Råna Intrusion is on a gross scale
fairly homogenous, and only on the large scale is magmatic
differentiation obvious.
The exploration activities carried out between 2004−2008 have
followed two parallel lines. Firstly a re-evaluation of the
remaining ore body in the Bruvann mine and secondly, a renewed
exploration activity level focused on the fertile mafic-ultramafic
cumulate rocks in the northern part of the Råna Intrusion.
The majority of the exposed ultramafics in the northern part of
the intrusion are mineralised to a variable extent. Disseminated
sulphides, occurring interstitial to the mafic silicate matrix by
far dominate the mineralisation scheme. More erratic mineralised
zones with accumulation of semi-massive sulphides are often found
in relationship with assimilated country rock.
The comprehensive field work done in the Råna Intrusion area
comprises different geophysical survey techniques, including
helicopter born time domain electromagnetic surveys (TEM) ,
conducted by SkyTEM ApS, Denmark, ground based magnetometer (MAG)
and frequency domain electromagnetic (FDEM) surveys, as well as
ground based Beep-Mat surveys. Geochemical data has likewise been
collected to a great extent. In addition to hundreds of surface
rock grab samples and stream sediment samples, more than 4000 soil
samples have been collected within the license area.
Combining the extensive data-sets formed the basis for two
diamond drill campaigns, undertaken in autumn 2006 and 2007,
totaling 3982 m. New mineralisations were intersected during both
drill campaigns. The intersections include minor massive sulphide
veins, massive to semi-massive sulphide breccias and basal
disseminated sulphide mineralisations in ultramafic cumulate rocks.
Sulphide mineralisation consists predominantly of pyrrhotite,
pentlandite, chalcopyrite and lesser amounts of pyrite. The
geological environment and the encountered mineralisations are
regarded as good indicators for larger ore-potential.
Last updated: November 23, 2011
Facts
Location: Norway
Ownership: 100%
Licence area: 15.5 km2
Status: Exploration licence including rented mining
claim
Type of Ore body: Mafic-ultramafic intrusion
Commodity: Nickel, Copper and Cobalt
Simplified regional geological map. The Råna Intrusion is
situated in the Caledonian rock package, shown in the central part
of the figure.
