Similar series are also reported in the Skaergaard Complex in Greenland, the Stillwater Complex in Nunavut, and the Cullin Complex in the British Tertiary Province. Another Archean equivalent is the Bell River Complex in the Matagami area, Quebec, Canada, which hosts the Iron-T Vanadium Project owned by VanadiumCorp. Such differentiated mafic intrusions are rather common, and many of them contain vanadium bearing magnetite series. More than 80% of the vanadium produced worldwide is from such occurrences, which also accounts for near to 100% of the primary production.

Vanadium is a ubiquitous element, reported at levels reaching hundreds of ppm in almost any kind of rock. Vanadium is a polyvalent transition metal, with valences between V++ to V+5, which is the controlling factor in its distribution. Vanadium is constituently in minerals from supergene environments, representing very oxidizing conditions and where vanadium is present as tetravalent vanadyl (V+4O)+2 or pentavalent vanadate radical (V+5O4) -3 such as pentagonite, mounanaite, bannermanite and more than 200 exotic mineral species.

In reducing systems, V+2 has a chemical behaviour similar to iron in regards to most common ferromagnesian minerals, such as chlorite or pyroxene, where it substitutes into M+2 sites. Vanadium therefore does not tend to concentrate in a specific mineral in silicate dominated magmatic, hydrothermal or metamorphic systems. Inversely, under higher oxygen fugacity, vanadium in its V+++ state tends to partition against Fe+++ in minerals such as magnetite (coulsonite or vuorelainenite are the vanadium end-member of the spinel family (Fe Mn)+2V2 +3O4) and hemo-ilmenite (karelianite V2O3 end-member as a diadochic substitution with FeTiO3). Some other complex vanadium titanium minerals are known, such as Kyzylkumite and Schreyerite, which are noted for reference only.

Massive iron oxide precipitation can occur in differentiating mafic magmatic systems, such as layered complexes. Triggering of this precipitation is apparently caused by silica saturation related to contamination of the magma by melted roof-rocks and the development of granophyre. Precipitation of these iron and titanium oxides may take on the form of rhythmically layered series such at Lac Doré or in the Bushveld, as massive oxide pockets such as the "pipes" in the Bushveld Complex or the St-Urbain Anorthosites, or as broad horizons such as nelsonites (ilmenite-apatite-magnetite magmatic rocks typically associated with anorthosite) and cumberlandite (magnetiteilmenite-olivine magmatic rocks typically associated with troctolite) deposits in the Lac St-Jean Anorthosites. In all cases, vanadium is preferentially partitioned into the first oxides to precipitate. Only magnetite layers series and magnetite pipes are economically mined as vanadium sources. Vanadium within ilmenite ore is considered a contaminant in respect of titanium production. Vanadium bearing magnetite cannot be distinguished from common magnetite on the basis of its appearance or physical property, necessitating assaying.

Layered mafic complexes being large geological features, tens to hundreds of square kilometres in area, host extremely large magnetite deposits. Such occurrences are easily identified in mineral exploration due to their prominent aeromagnetic signature. However, in most occurrences, layers are thin or the magnetite is disseminated, rendering mining of these non-economical. The titanium content of such magnetite makes them not suitable for iron production through conventional blast furnace process.

The resource estimations are based on a scenario considering an open pit mining method (50° slope) up to a maximum depth of 200 m. Mineralized block selection is made in two steps. First, the abundance of magnetite (Davis tube magnetite concentrate) must be over 15%. Then, the amount of V2O5 measured in the magnetite concentrate must be over the cut-off limit. The cut-off limit is the breakeven point between cost and revenue for the specific cell. In this case, the cost for extracting V2O5 from magnetite bearing rocks varies in relation to the abundance of magnetite within the rock. Thus, the V2O5 cut-off cannot be a constant and is taken as a function of the magnetite abundance in the rock.