Justin Daley, M.Sc., P.Geo.
Vice President Exploration, VR Resources Ltd.
Talk Abstract:
In 2019, VR Resources set out to explore the Kapuskasing Structural Zone (KSZ), a Proterozoic failed rift stretching from Lake Superior to James Bay, using a modern IOCG deposit model to follow up fluorite, chalcopyrite and gold grain occurrences from a 2001 OGS heavy mineral survey. The area is covered by thick glacial till and an increasingly thick Paleozoic platform going northward into the James Bay Lowlands. With no outcrop to observe, this challenging terrain required modern geophysical surveys and innovative geochemical technologies, augmented by machine learning algorithms on state-of-the-art XRF/SWIR drill core scanning, for effective vectoring.
Over the past 4 years, that exploration led to the discovery of a hotter, deeper version of IOCG that contains widespread REE mineralization in hydrothermal IOA vein breccias within the Hecla-Kilmer alkaline magmatic complex with carbonatite, and a year later, the discovery of diamonds in a previously unknown pre-Devonian kimberlite field at Northway. Highlights from drilling at Hecla-Kilmer include 361m at 1% TREO with continuous mineralization from base of till, rich in Nd, Pr, Dy, and Tb, the four REEs essential for electric vehicle motors. Recent results from Northway have proven that the kimberlitic breccia first seen in November 2022 is in fact diamondiferous and is tapping the diamond stability field via SEM analysis of phlogopite, chromite and richterite.
This talk will focus on the exploration strategies, technologies, and models applied to exploration of the KSZ in the challenging cover of the James Bay lowlands, emphasizing the comprehensive analysis of all exploration data to maximize discovery potential.
Speaker Bio:
Mr. Daley is a Professional Geologist with over a decade of global experience in grassroots and early-stage mineral exploration. He obtained an M.Sc. in Mineral Exploration from Laurentian University in Sudbury, ON and a B.Sc. Honours in Geological Sciences from Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. He has recently completed the Harvard Business Analytics Program, focused on the digital transformation of business, data analytics and applied AI.
Mr. Daley has worked throughout the Americas, in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Peru and Chile, and in Turkey exploring for copper and gold for Teck Resources, Silver Standard (now SSR Mining), Centerra and Pretium. During this time, he gained an in-depth knowledge of porphyry, epithermal and VMS mineral systems, experience in the integration of exploration datasets within scientific mineral deposit models, and an expertise in the application of GIS technologies.
Justin Daley | LinkedIn
Join us in-person using the above registration link, or join our live online broadcast below! Thank you to VR Resources for sponsoring the networking reception!
Prefer to join us online?
TGDG recommends using Google Chrome to run the meeting virtually. Please register/log-in for this online broadcast using the link. TGDG members will also be able to view this presentation at a later date by visiting our member's only Talk Recordings page.
