RAPAPORT... Two years ago the University of Minnesota partnered with an Australia-based mining company to survey the geology of its home state to determine whether or not kimberlite pipes could exist. At that time WMC Resources, a company subsequently taken over by BHP Billiton, funded the project but the arrangement did not allow the university to reveal results of the survey until March 2007.

So, on March 2, the university's Minnesota Geological Survey director Harvey Thorleifson told Rapaport News the report is now free to distribute and that, while there are rarely guarantees of a find, indeed Minnesota is favorable for diamonds. Geological and chemical results hinted that diamonds in quantities large enough to mine could exist across Minnesota.

"None of these patterns however are obvious discoveries of something that was previously unknown," Thorleifson and a number of other researchers wrote in their final report. "With respect to kimberlite indicator minerals, however, there are two noteworthy patterns, including a few Cr-pyrope garnets in an area from the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) to southwestern Minnesota, as well as Mg-ilmenites and high-chrome Cr-diopsides in the far north-central part of the state."

Results determined that kimberlite indicator minerals were not unlike several of the patterns that have been found in Canada, where some have resulted in kimberlite discoveries.

"In the case of the Minnesota's results, the data may indicate sources within the state, or quite possibly could be manifestations of long distance glacial sediment transport, possibly from known or unknown sources in neighboring states or in Canada," researchers concluded.

Thorleifson told Rapaport it was possible similar features likely extend into neighboring Wisconsin, and perhaps into Michigan.

While BHP Billiton has owned the results for two years, it remains unclear whether the mining giant would target the state for exploration. Researchers concluded that, at best, the resulting research was a significant step in mapping the state's geo-chemical landscape, clarifying mineral potential, and providing reference data for environmental protection.

The full report is more than 500 pages, however there is a 55-page report that touches upon key points and offers mapping of findings at (FTP site file in PDF) ftp://mgssun6.mngs.umn.edu/pub5/indicator_min/01_Report.pdf

Thorleifson will be available one day (March 6) at the PDAC in Toronto,  in the Minnesota booth (1135,) but other researchers will be available during the full event, which runs March 4-7.