The Thule black sand province, North-West Greenland: investigation status and potential

The Thule black sand province (76°-78°N) composes a coastline several hundred kilometres long that is navigable in summer. Both ilmenite-rich and magnetite-rich deposits are known.

The most economically promising heavy mineral sands occur on active and uplifted beaches of the Steensby Land ilmenite showing that is located immediately north-west of Thule Air Base. Here a flat uplifted plain up to 3 km wide, dominated by alluvial and littoral deposits, forms the outer coast for over 80 km; active sandy beaches are up to 10 m wide.

Mineralogical composition of the darkest sands show an opaque fraction of up to 95% with more than 75% absolute weight of ilmenite. Grade of the active beaches is high - up to 60% - with an average about 43% TiO₂; uplifted beaches have a larger tonnage potential but lower titanium values up to 23% TiO₂ with an average around 12%.

The uplifted beaches contain commercially viable tonnage if sufficient grade could be maintained. Results so far available are confined to surface sampling down to permafrost level (> 1 m). Potential of the titanium province would be increased by the discovery of black sands at depth or offshore.