The morphology and development of the Devolli Nickel Laterite, Albania R. Thorne1, R. Herrington2, S. Roberts1 1. University of Southampton, R.Thorne@noc.soton.ac.

uk 2.Natural History Museum

The Devolli Nickel laterite is located in the south east of Albania close to the Greek border. The deposit has a JORC resource of 427,000 tonnes of contained nickel (35.6 million tonnes at 1.20% nickel). The laterite is situated on a fragment of ophiolite within the south of the Vardar zone which represents the oceanic suture between the Pelagonian microplate and the Rhodope Massif. The zone is composed of a complex assemblage of Hercyinian continental basement rocks, Jurassic ophiolites and deep-water sediments. The ophiolite is part of the Albanian Western Ophiolite Belt with lithologies representative of oceanic lithosphere developed at a mid-ocean ridge within the Tethyan basin. Obduction of the Tethys oceanic lithosphere began in the Mid- Jurassic and continued into the Early Cretaceous and was followed in the Tertiary by westward prograding intercontinental deformation. The Devolli laterite deposit is composed of two distinct zones, a silicate nickel (NiSi) zone and an iron oxide (FeNi) zone. The deposit was developed over Jurassic serpentinised peridotite and is overlain by conglomerates and limestones of Eocene age. The laterite is cross-cut by a number of normal faults with 10 s to 100 s of meters of displacement. Profile mapping shows faulting occurred both during and after deposit formation. Original igneous textures are obvious within the protolith and both layering and dunitic pods are observed. Pyroxenes and chromite grains are well preserved, with slight alteration rims. Serpentine is most obvious when found as a thin light green coating on fracture surfaces. The nickel silicate zone has formed by the intense weathering of the peridotite in a tropical climate. In general the NiSi displays a brown to red/grey colouration and is highly veined and fractured. Spheroidal weathering is common within the NiSi zone, this weathering pattern results in well preserved green serpentinised cores being surrounded by weathered NiSi material. Garnierite veins are rare but occur as thin veins near the contact with the iron nickel zone. Calcite veining is prolific, while silica and magnesite veins compose a minor proportion of the veins within this zone. Pyroxenes are only preserved in and near to the less altered protolith cores. Chromite grains are observed through the zone and appear to be more abundant than in the protolith. The reported nickel grade is highest on average close to the NiSi FeNi contact. The contact between the NiSi and FeNi laterite is most frequently observed as a sharp linear boundary with little lateral variation. The FeNi zone is massive and highly fractured, giving the horizon an angular blocky appearance. Manganese coatings are often found on fracture surfaces. Chromite grains are common within the zone, though they generally appear smaller than those in the NiSi zone below. Rare calcite veins are present within this horizon which can cut across the FeNi, NiSi boundary. Nickel grade within this zone is highest nearest the contact with the NiSi zone. A clast supported dominantly monomictic conglomerate is usually found directly above the FeNi zone. Rare fine grained sands and mudstones are also evident and these contain fossils indicative of a warm, tropical climate. The profiles observed across the deposit are broadly similar but a combination of paleotopography, erosion and faulting have combined to produce variations in profile thickness, morphology and nickel grade.

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