Voisey's Bay
Labrador (Nain Plutonic Suite), Canada
Magmatic (Ni-Cu-PGE, carbonatites)Ni-Cu (Co)
- Type
- Conduit-hosted magmatic Ni-Cu-Co sulfide
A nickel-copper-cobalt deposit dated at 1.33 Ga, in troctolites of the Nain Plutonic Suite. Discovered in 1993, it has been mined by Vale (formerly Inco) since 2005, with reserves of 124 Mt at 1.66% Ni. It comprises the Ovoid, Mini-Ovoid, Eastern Deeps, Reid Brook and Discovery Hill zones. Mineralisation results from contamination of the magma by the sulfidic Tasiuyak paragneiss, with an R factor of about 433.
δ34S in ‰ (per mil) Values of the same system
Standard : V-CDT
| Value | Range | n | Mineral or matrix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −2 / 0 ‰ | massive and disseminated sulfides (Eastern Deeps, Ovoid, Discovery Hill zones) δ34S decreases steadily westwards across the deposit. The eastern zones (Eastern Deeps, Ovoid, Discovery Hill) range from 0 to -2 ‰. Main sulfides: pentlandite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite. | Ripley et al. 1999, Sulfur and oxygen isotopic evidence of country rock contamination in … | ||
| −4 / −2 ‰ | massive and disseminated sulfides (Reid Brook zone) The western Reid Brook zone is more contaminated by the Tasiuyak gneiss. Its negative signature is attributed to mixing with crustal sulfur of bacterial origin (marine sulfate reduction). Multiple sulfur isotope modelling gives an R factor of about 433 ± 177. | Ripley et al. 1999, Sulfur and oxygen isotopic evidence of country rock contamination |
Deposits of the same type
- Hart deposit (Abitibi) Canada
- Sudbury Canada
- Stillwater Complex (J-M Reef) United States
- Pechenga Russia
- Rössing Namibia
- Great Dyke (Main Sulfide Zone) Zimbabwe
- Bushveld, Merensky Reef South Africa
- Bushveld, UG2 chromitite South Africa
Cite this page
IsoFind Atlas (2026). Voisey's Bay, isotope signatures. https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/voisey-s-bay/ (accessed 2026-10-06).
@misc{isofind2026voiseysbayisotopesignatures,
title = {Voisey's Bay, isotope signatures},
author = {{IsoFind Atlas}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/voisey-s-bay/},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06}
}Updated : 2026-10-06