Figure 1: Mackenzie Great Dyke Swarm

The Muskox intrusion is among the world’s largest layered mafic intrusions and rivals the Bushveld complex of South Africa which produces approximately 67% of world PGE mine production and 80% of the world’s platinum.

Many PGE experts agree that the Muskox intrusion is the most prospective geological target for PGEs in North America. The size of this magmatic event leads to this inescapable conclusion: The intrusion as evidenced by very anomalous gravity and magnetic anomalies appears to be the largest layered mafic intrusion in the world. The associated Mackenzie Dyke swarm is the largest known land based dyke swarm in the world and the overlying cogenetic Coppermine River basalts are one of the largest accumulations of continental flood basalts in the world making this the largest land based tholeiitic magmatic event in the world.

Further reasons for the potential of the Muskox Intrusion arise from PGE deposit theory. PGE deposits are formed in large mantle-sourced mafic intrusions through the collection of PGE by sulphur from background concentrations of PGE in the mafic rocks. Often chromium is associated in the process and forms very extensive reef-style deposits. The richness and size of the deposits formed are likely to be proportional to the size of the intrusion, and the size and duration of the magmatic event. Since chromite crystallizes while the remaining silicates and sulphur are still molten and quite often collects the sulphur it promotes efficient scavenging of the PGE from the silicates.

Several chromitite layers are known to occur in the mafic sequence in the Muskox intrusion and provide significant encouragement as to the substantial potential.

Previous work on adjacent areas strongly suggests the existence of a PGE reef beneath the hidden portion of the Muskox intrusion as well as the possibility of a contact deposit at depth.

Platinex’s property holdings have recently been surendered but research covering a strategic portion of the intrusion where it is both unexposed and unexplored is continuous.

Strategic developments will be announced immediately.