{{Short description|Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=October 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox body of water | name = Hoidas Lake | image = | image_size = | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = [[Northern Saskatchewan Administration District]] | pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan | group = | coords = {{coord|59.928|-107.820|region:CA_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = | part_of = [[Mackenzie River]] drainage basin | inflow = | outflow = | rivers = | catchment = | basin_countries = [[Canada]] | length = {{cvt|3.7|km}} | width = | area = {{cvt|180.5|ha}} | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = {{cvt|11|km}} | elevation = {{cvt|451|m}} | islands = | sections = | cities = ''None'' | frozen = }}

'''Hoidas Lake''' is a small, remote northern lake in the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Saskatchewan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hoidas Lake|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAFOF|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Siemens |first1=Matthew |title=Hoidas Lake |url=https://sasklakes.ca/hoidas-lake/ |publisher=Sask Lakes |access-date=16 July 2025}}</ref> It is about {{convert|7|km}} south of the Saskatchewan–[[Northwest Territories]] border and {{convert|50|km}} north of [[Uranium City]] in the Tazin River watershed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tazin River|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAUOQ|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=16 July 2025}}</ref> Named in honour of Irvin Frank Hoidas, a [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] pilot officer killed in action during the [[Second World War]] when his [[Short Stirling|Stirling]] W-7520 crashed near the Belgian town of [[Sint-Truiden]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gwmg.ca/media/photos/hoidas-lake/irvin_hoidas_high_quality.jpg/view |title=Irvin Frank Hoidas |access-date=2008-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127191231/http://www.gwmg.ca/media/photos/hoidas-lake/irvin_hoidas_high_quality.jpg/view |archive-date=2009-11-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.inmemories.com/Cemeteries/heverlee.htm |title = Heverlee}}</ref> it is the site of Canada's most advanced [[rare-earth element]] (REE) [[mining]] project.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hoidas Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada |url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-5975987.html |publisher=mindat.org |access-date=17 July 2025}}</ref>

== Setting == Hoidas Lake lies in the [[Rae craton|Northern Rae Geological Province]], in the general vicinity of many of Saskatchewan's large [[uranium mines]].

== Mineralogy == The [[mineralogy]] of the Hoidas Lake rare-earth deposit differs from most other such deposits in that it is hosted in [[veins]] of [[apatite]] and [[allanite]].<ref>Salvi S, Williams‐Jones A. 2004. Alkaline granite‐syenite deposits. In Linnen RL, Samson IM, editors. Rare element geochemistry and mineral deposits. St. Catharines (ON): Geological Association of Canada. pp. 315–341</ref> Hoidas Lake also differs from other deposits in that it contains a significant amount of heavy rare-earth elements, such as [[dysprosium]]. This abundance of heavy REEs is significant, as there is a growing demand for the heavier rare earths in high-tech manufacturing (such as the use of dysprosium in the manufacturing of [[hybrid car]] components).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2007-11-08 |title=INTERVIEW-Japan urges China to ease rare metals supply |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL08815827 |access-date=2023-05-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Anchor House, Inc. – Research on Rare Earth Elements |url=https://www.theanchorhouse.com/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> Mineralization is presumably [[hydrothermal]], from an alkali or [[Carbonatite|carbonatitic]] source at depth.<ref name="library2.usask.ca">{{Cite web |last=Halpin |first=Kimberley Michelle |url=https://harvest.usask.ca/handle/10388/etd-01292010-141709 | title=The characteristics and origin of the Hoidas Lake REE Deposit |date=January 2010 |access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref>

The main prospective zone is composed of two dominant rock types: a variably deformed [[monzogranite]] and a [[Granodiorite|granodioritic]] to [[Tonalite|tonalitic]] [[gneiss]]. Both are [[Paleoproterozoic]] to [[Archean]] in age.<ref>Geology of the LeBlanc-Wellington lakes area, eastern Zemlak Domain, Rae Province; in Summary of Investigations 2003, v. 2, Saskatchewan Geological Survey, Sask. Industry and Resources, Misc. Rep. 2003-4.2. Available through: http://www.er.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=11840,11458,11455,11228,3385,5460,2936,Documents&MediaID=36607&Filename=Ashton03_SOIMAP_West.pdf</ref>

== Resource scale == Ongoing work at Hoidas Lake has delineated a [[Vein (geology)|vein]] system (known as the JAK zone), which extends for at least a kilometre along the [[Strike and dip|strike]].<ref name="library2.usask.ca"/> The limits of the system have not been established along the strike nor along the dip,<ref name="library2.usask.ca"/> and the zone's total extension is therefore unknown. The resource zone averages 75&nbsp;m in width<ref>Pearson, J., (2006): Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. Assessment Report on the 2005-2006 Work Program, Hoidas Lake Rare Earth Project. Submitted to Saskatchewan Industry and Resources. Cited (at page six) in: http://library2.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-01292010-141709/unrestricted/Halpin_K.pdf</ref> and is composed of individual veins which, though ranging from one to eleven metres in thickness, average about three metres each.<ref name="library2.usask.ca"/> Veins are continuous to 300&nbsp;m depth and follow an [[Anastomosis|anastomosing]] (branching) geometry.<ref name="library2.usask.ca"/>

Estimates of the resource, given current delineations and assuming a 1.5% total rare-earth cutoff, have established a presence of at least 286,000 tonnes of rare-earth ore, which is enough to supply more than 10% of the North American market for the foreseeable future.

== Ownership == The Hoidas Lake claims are owned by Great Western Minerals Group, based in [[Saskatoon]].

== See also == * [[List of lakes of Saskatchewan]] * [[List of mines in Saskatchewan]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs087-02/fs087-02.pdf United States Geological Survey report on Rare Earths]

{{Canada topic|List of lakes of}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lakes of Saskatchewan]] [[Category:Mining in Saskatchewan]]