Metamorphosed calcic anorthosites form one of the most distinctive rock units in the Archean gneiss complex of West Greenland. These anorthosites are of special interest because of their unusual composition with extremely calcic plagioclase, low-levels of extraneous mineral contaminates, and extensive preservation of primary igneous textures and minerals. These unique mineral-chemical attributes are directly linked to their potential use in various industrial mineral applications, in particular, their use as an alternative source of raw material for the aluminum industry.

Mineralization on the property consists of anorthosite with minor muscovite (2%) and clinozoisite (3%). Rutile, pyrite and biotite are present in extremely small amounts («1%) Thin section petrographic analysis (Le Couteur, 2012) indicates the anorthosite is composed of approximately 95% plagioclase. The rock is hard, massive and has an off-white colour with some vaguely defined patches having a faint brownish cast. The plagioclase varies in grain size up to about 30 mm across. The brownish-tinged patches appear to be large single crystals. The rock is described as coherent but crazed with fine fractures radiating in all directions, indicating the impact of tecto-morphism activity. Pale yellow clinozoisite grains up to 8 mm across, but typically less than 2 mm, account for about 2% of the rock mass. The clinozoisite grains are scattered throughout the rock mass, with some strung along fractures or present a fine veinlets. Pale-yellowish silvery muscovite up to 10 mm across is present at about 2% of the rock mass. Small (<0.1 mm) re-brown biotite plates can be observed in the coarsest transparent plagioclase.

Conventional open pit mining at 400,000 tpa

Two stages of crushing to produce a -25 mm (1 inch) product Outdoor storage area for material at the port in Greenland Ship loading and port facilities in Greenland

All infrastructure including accommodations, truck shops, power, sewage, water, etc.

Transportation by bulk ship to North America for hydrometallurgical processing to alumina

This flowsheet consists of:
Stage grinding of the anorthosite ore;

Hydrochloric acid leaching (AL) of the ground anorthosite;

Crystallization of aluminum chloride hexahydrate (ACH) from the AL pregnant leach solution (PLS);

Two stage calcination of the ACH crystals with an intermediate water wash to remove sodium and
produce a final SGA product; Acid regeneration and recycling.

The design basis for the White Mountain project is an open pit quarry and loadout facility in Greenland. Crushed material will be shipped in bulk to North America where it will be unloaded, moved to storage and recovered for final grinding to minus 100 to minus 200 mesh product. The grinding product will enter the process facility where it will be treated with hydrochloric acid, followed by HCL sparging and two stages of calcination to produce an alumina particle. Co-products in the production are amorphous silica and calcium silicate.