The geology of the Vakkerlien nickel prospect, Kvikne, Norway

The Vakkerlien nickel prospect is a small sulfide mineralized zone centrally located within a metagabbro body. The body, and a second barren metagabbro, are elongated parallel to the regional lineation. Both are compositionally zoned across the bodies from ultramafic to metagabbro. The composition of the bodies suggests that they may represent a differentiated mafic sheet, the sheet being disrupted into its present form during regional deformation. Mineral chemistry reveals a complex, possibly two phase, metamorphic history. Three sulfide types are distinguished, all containing the same sulfide phases in varying proportions. The sulfide composition suggests that the sulfides have suffered some metamorphic re-equilibration. The mineralized zone is considered to be partially in an original magmatic position with some additional concentration during deformation.