Geoscience

Geological Survey Activity Tracker

Province-wide projects

 

Lithium in Manitoba

Project Information

Principal investigators:
Tania Martins and Michelle Nicolas

Partnered with:
Western University

Location:
Regional scale

 

Project Description

Main objectives:

The purpose of this project is to highlight Manitoba’s lithium potential which can attract new exploration companies to the province.

The objectives of this project are to:

  1. Compile the already known lithium assets in Manitoba (e.g. Li-bearing pegmatites),
  2. Identify new potential lithium targets in Precambrian rocks, and
  3. Investigate the potential for deep Phanerozoic lithium brines in the Williston Basin.

Methodology:

  • Review and compile all historic occurrences of lithium in pegmatites and deep brines.
  • Field site visits in areas of active lithium exploration, including Far Resources’ Zoro1 property, Wekusko Lake; Ashburton’s Violet-Thompson/Thompson Bros pegmatite, Wekusko Lake; and Tanco mine, Bernic Lake.
  • Compile historical water and chemical analyses from petroleum technical wells files and groundwater data.
  • Sample and conduct geochemical analyses on brines from brine springs and well heads (tentative).

 

Benefits:

This project will investigate the lithium potential of the province and provide much needed information on the various lithium occurrences in Manitoba in both Precambrian rocks and deep Phanerozoic brines. This will create new exploration targets and attract junior companies interested in this emerging and high-demand commodity.

 

Plans for fiscal year 2020–21:

  • Continuing collaboration with Western University on a MSc. thesis project: test pegmatite drill core in systematic intervals using a Raman spectrometer to obtain a better resolution data set; electron microprobe and laser-ablation work in micas. MSc. student currently writing papers and thesis.

 

Completed outputs:

2019–2020

Benn, D., Brenan, J.M., Fuller, K., Grondahl, C., Layton-Matthews, D., Leybourne, M.I., Linnen, R., Martins, T., Milidragovic, D., Moynihan, D.P., Mungall, J.E., Nixon, G.T., Padget, C.D.W., Pattison, D.R.M., Rempel, K.U., Scanlan, E.J., Scoates, J.S., Tsay, A., Voinot, A., Van Wagoner, N.A., Weston, R., Williams-Jones, A.E., Woods, K., Zajacz, Z. 2019: Targeted Geoscience Initiative 5, Grant Program interim reports 2018-2019; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8620, 80 p., URL <https://doi.org/10.4095/314997> [October 2019].

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins T. 2019: Evaluating muscovite as an indicator mineral for lithium bearing pegmatites, Wekusko Lake, central Manitoba; Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention 2019, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 18–19, 2019, oral presentation.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins, T. 2019: Evaluating portable Raman spectrometers for use in exploration of pegmatite dikes, Wekusko Lake, Manitoba; The Canadian Mineralogist, v. 57, no. 5, p. 711–713.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins T. 2020: Evaluating muscovite as an indicator mineral for lithium bearing pegmatites, Wekusko Lake, central Manitoba; Association of Mineral Exploration Roundup 2020, Vancouver, British Columbia, January 20–23, 2020, poster presentation.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins T. 2020: Evaluating muscovite as an indicator mineral for lithium bearing pegmatites, Wekusko Lake, central Manitoba; Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention 2020, Toronto, Ontario, March 1–4, 2020, poster presentation.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins T. 2020: Evaluating muscovite as an indicator mineral for lithium bearing pegmatites, Wekusko Lake pegmatite field, Manitoba, Canada; abstract submitted to GeoConvention 2020 (GAC-MAC).

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins T. 2020: Evaluating white mica as an indicator mineral for lithium bearing pegmatites, Wekusko Lake pegmatite field, Manitoba, Canada; Open File report, Targeted Geoscience Initiative, Phase 5 (TGI-5; 2015–2020).

Benn, D., Martins, T. and Linnen, R.L. 2019: Interpretation of U-Pb isotopic dates of columbitegroup minerals in pegmatites, Wekusko Lake pegmatite field, central Manitoba (part of NTS 63J13); in Report of Activities 2019, Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development, Manitoba Geological Survey, p. 52–59.

Martins, T. 2019: Lithium: overview and update; Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention 2019, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 18–19, 2019, oral presentation.

Nicolas, M.P.B. 2019: Lithium brines and helium in southwestern Manitoba; Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention 2019, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 18–19, 2019, oral presentation.

Nicolas, M.P.B. 2019: Beyond oil: mineral potential within and below Manitoba's oil fields; Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development, Manitoba Geological Survey, Geoscientific Presentation PRES2019-6; Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 18–19, 2019, poster presentation.

2018–2019

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins, T. 2019: Evaluating portable Raman spectrometers for use in exploration of pegmatite dikes, Wekusko Lake, Manitoba; PEG2019: 9th International Symposium on Granite Pegmatites, Pala, California, June 11–18, 2019, abstract and poster presentation.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins, T. 2018: Geology and bedrock mapping of the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field, central Manitoba; Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention 2018, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 22, 2018, poster presentation.

Benn, D., Linnen, R.L. and Martins, T. 2018: Geology and bedrock mapping of the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field (northeastern block), central Manitoba (part of NTS 63J13); in Report of Activities 2018, Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, p. 79–88.

Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade 2019: Lithium in Manitoba; Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, URL <https://www.gov.mb.ca/iem/geo/commodity/files/comm_lithium.pdf> [June 2019].

Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade 2019: Lithium in Manitoba; Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, URL <https://www.gov.mb.ca/iem/geo/lithium/index.html> [June 2019].

Nicolas, M.P.B. and Grasby, S.E. 2018: Lithium concentrations in brine springs near Lake Winnipegosis, west-central Manitoba (parts of NTS 63C, 62N16, 62O12, 13); in Report of Activities 2018, Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, p. 119–124.

2017–2018

Linnen, R.L., Martins, T., Galeschuk, C., Halden, N.M., Fedikow, M.A.F. and Singh, J. 2017: Metasomatic haloes around lithium pegmatites: case studies from the Dibs and Dyke 1 pegmatites; Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 2017, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 15–16, 2017, oral presentation.

Martins, T., Linnen, R.L., Fedikow, M.A.F. and Singh, J. 2017: Whole-rock and mineral geochemistry as exploration tools for rare-element pegmatite in Manitoba: examples from the Cat Lake–Winnipeg River and Wekusko Lake pegmatite fields (parts of NTS 52L6, 63J13); in Report of Activities 2017, Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, p. 42–51.

Martins, T. and Nicolas, M.P.B. 2017: Lithium potential in Manitoba: overview and update; Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 2017, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 15–16, 2017, oral presentation.

Nicolas, M.P.B. 2017: Lithium in groundwater in sedimentary rocks, southwestern Manitoba; Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 2017, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 15–16, 2017, poster presentation.

Nicolas, M.P.B. 2017: Preliminary investigation of the potential for lithium in groundwater in sedimentary rocks in southwestern Manitoba; in Report of Activities 2017, Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, p. 183–190.

Reid, K.D., Gagné S. and Martins, T. 2017: New perspectives on the mineral potential of the Reed and Wekusko Lake areas, west-central Manitoba (parts of NTS 63K and 63J); Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 2017, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 15–16, 2017, poster presentation.

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