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SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Geological Investigation of the Genesis of Hydrothermal Sulfide Mineralizations on the Barents Shelf

Awarded: NOK 55,999

Global demand for mineral resources continues to increase, particularly non-ferrous metals which constitute vital components in many technologies imperative to the green shift. By investigating sulfide mineralizations in non-traditional environments, such as the mostly submerged continental Barents Shelf, we aim to increase our understanding and develop a model of the genesis of such mineralizations along other submerged continental shelves worldwide. A structural geological, geochemical and metamorphic analysis of the known sulfide mineralizations on Bjørnøya will be compared with previously undocumented sphalerite and galena occurrences found in drill cores from the Loppa High, with the end goal of incorporating our findings from the Barents Shelf into a larger model of mineralizations along rifted continental margins. Norwegian continental shelves provide a unique opportunity to conduct such investigations, owing to the treasure-trove of publicly available data from the petroleum industry.

Funding scheme:

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum