Magmatic ore deposits host some of the world’s most important concentrations of critical metals, providing essential resources for the global transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy.
Dr John Simmonds, Technical Advisor – Geology at Nimy, presented “Multi-mineral system investigation of the newly defined Mons Greenstone Belt in the Youanmi Terrane, Yilgarn Craton” at the International Symposium on Mafic-Ultramafic Mineral Systems 2026 (ISMUMS2026).
The symposium continues a prestigious conference series that has brought together the global magmatic ore deposit community for more than 50 years. Since its inception, 30 conferences have been held across Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, China, Finland, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
As scientific understanding has advanced, ISMUMS2026 has embraced a broader perspective, covering the full spectrum of mineral systems associated with mafic and ultramafic rocks.
The symposium provides a forum for researchers, students and industry professionals to share the latest advances in understanding the genesis, exploration and economic potential of mafic-ultramafic mineral systems. Key commodities of interest include nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum group elements, vanadium, titanium and chromium.
Investigating the Mons Project
Dr Simmonds’ presentation examined the Mons Project and its intrusion-hosted copper-nickel-PGE mineral systems at Masson.
The presentation outlined the interpretation of greenstone sequences and mafic-ultramafic intrusions within the project area. It focused on the Domes area and Masson Dome, where magnetic and gravity anomalies have been interpreted as sets of mafic-ultramafic intrusive complexes.
At Masson Dome, the presentation showed complex magnetic anomalies that are discordant to the greenstone magneto-stratigraphy, magnetic anomalies interpreted after olivine-rich cumulates and hints of cumulate layering.
Ultrafine regolith sampling results for nickel, chromium, copper and palladium were also presented, together with VTEM picks and ground electromagnetic surveys.
Drilling at the Masson prospect intersected sulphides at 80 metres. The presentation described the 2024 drilling of NRDD0008, which intersected greenstones and mafic intrusive rocks extensively crosscut by late quartz-feldspar pegmatites.
Magmatic sulphide breccia and taxitic textures were interpreted as suggesting dynamic flow. The presentation also identified multi-phase emplacement controlled by structural complexity.
Next steps
The next steps presented for copper-nickel-PGE exploration include three-dimensional modelling of magnetic and gravity anomalies at Masson, drilling the interpreted intrusion source of remobilised sulphides, an MLEM survey across 31 square kilometres of the Masson Dome and continued ultrafine regolith sampling in the Domes area.
Download Dr John Simmonds’ complete ISMUMS2026 presentation here >