Abstracr the High-Grade Chalcopyrite
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~e / ABSTRAcr The high-grade chalcopyrite orebodies at the Temagami mine are situated within a sequence of steeply-dipping Archean rhyolites near a conformable metadiabase sill. The bodies occur in a rough vertical plane not more than 300 feet from the sill). the base of which contains a zone of heavily disseminated pyrite with low copper values. Pyrite and chalcopyrite from the orebodies and from the pyritic zone were analyzed for Au~ Mn, Ag, Zn, Co and Ni by' atomic absorp- tion spectrometry. An overall significant difference in trace element content was found to exist between the two zones. From study of the trace element variation and from the qualita- tive similarity i~.. mineralogy, it was concluded that the Temagami chalcopyrite ore is probably a later hydrous emanation from the same source as the pyritic zone and metadiabasee Following the intrUsion of the metadiabase some faulting and metamorphism took place, the faulting probably providing channelways for introduction of chalcopyrite., The contact between rhyolite and rhyolite breccia units provided a favourable horizon for dispersion of the fluids and replacement of rhyolite to form the orebodies. Name: Susan Anne Scott. Title of Thesis: Trace Element Study of Sulphides from the Temagami Mine~ Ontario. Department: Geological Sciences. Degree: Master of Science. Trace ElJement Study ot S.ï.1l.phides trom the 'nemagami Mine" ODtario:: TRACE ELEMENT STUDY OF SULPHIDES FROM THE TEMAGAMI MINE, ONTAmO by Susan A. Scott A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Geological Sciences McGill University Montreal, Canada.. July, 1969. @) Susan A• .scott 1970 ;_ li ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express her sincere appreciation to Dr. G. R. Webber for Many hours of constructive discussion regard ing this study, and for helpful suggestions throughout the work. Thanks are also due to several other members of the Depart ment of Geological Sciences at McGill who have assisted the author at various stages. The Department of Metallurgical Engineering was extremely generous in allowing the author the use of its super panner and atomic absorption equipment. The aid of the geological staff at the Temagami Mine, both in sample collection and in initial discussion, is gratefully acknowledged. Ui TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS li LIST OF FIGURES v LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF PLATES vii INTRODUCTION 1 Location and Access 2 Previous Work 2 REGIONAL GEOLOGY 4 Faulting and Shearing 6 GEOLOGY OF THE MINE AREA 8 Acid Volcanic Rocks 8 Basic Intrusive Rocks 12 Faulting 13 GEOLOGY OF THE SULPHIDE DEPOSITS 14 Pyrite Zone 14 Massive Chalcopyrite Bodies 17 REVIEW OF TRACE ELEMENT STUDIES IN SULPHIDES 23 SAMPLE COLLE CfION AND PREPARATION 27 ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY 29 Method and Calibration 29 iv e TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont' d) .!'age ANAL YSIS OF RESULTS 32 Variation among areas within the mine 32 Variation with depth 48 Variation between coexisting pyrite and chalcopyrite 62 Variation between pyritic zone and ore 69 Cobalt and nickel content of pyrites 76 Structural control of ore as determined by contouring 83 DISCUSSION 87 CONCLUSIONS 91 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK 92 IMPLICATIONS FOR MlNING 94 APPENDICES 1 Detailed Regional Geology 95 II Description of units within the mine area 102 ID Mineralogy of the Pyrite Zone 108 IV Mineralogy of the Massive Chalcopyrite Bodies 111 V Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Theory 114 VI Division of samples into populations 117 VII Trace element content of samples 118 VIn Programmes for IBM 360 computer 122 IX Crushing, grinding and separating procedure 124 X Instrument settings and sample calibration curves for atomic absorption 126 XI Investigation of the effect of excessive Fe in solution on Co and Ni analyses 134 REFERENCES 144 v LIST OF FIGURES Page 1. Regional geological map (seale 1 inch = 1 mUe) (pocket) 2. Longitudinal section of mine (scale 1 inch = 200 feet) (pocket) 3. Cross section 2 + 00 E 10 4. Cross section 12 + 00 E 11 5. Preparation of sulphide samples 28 6. Population means, standard deviations and standard error 36 - 41 7. Total ore and pyritic zone means, standard deviations and standard error 42 - 44 8. Variation of trace elements with depth 49 - 54 9. Variation in populations A and D with depth (semi-Iogarithmic) 55 - 60 10. Variation between coexisting pyrite and chalcopyrite 63 - 68 11. Variation between pyritic zone and ore '10 - 75 12. Values of Ni vs. Co in pyrites from Temagami ·mine .79 13. Variation: of Co:Ni ratio in pyrite with depth 82 14. Compression-tension fault system applied to Temagami mine 85 15. Schematic diagram of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer 116 16. Sample calibration curves for atomic absorption 128 - 133 17. Cobalt calibration curves showing depression due to iron in solution 135 18. Nickel calibration curves showing depression due to iron in solution 136 vi LIST OF FIG URES (Cont 'd) Page 19. Test for Iron Interference using FeCl2 aqueous solutions 137 20. Test for Iron Interference using acidic Iron solutions 138 21. Correction curves for cobalt analyses 141 22. Correction curves for nickel analyses 142 LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Regional formations 5 2. Local formations 9 3. Precision of results 31 4. Key to location of populations 34 5. Cobalt and nickel in pyrites from Canadian mines 78 6. Percent depression in instrument readings caused by Fe in solution 139 vU LIST OF PLATES Pale 1. Pyrite zone showing pyrite as irregular fillings, chalcopyrite interstitial, Magnetite 18 2. Pyrite zone showing pyrite, chalcopyrite and mUlerite 18 3. Ore zone - fresh pyrite grains in chalcopyrite 20 4. Ore zone - pyrite gridwork in chalcopyrite, mUlerite 20 5. Ore zone - pyrite gridwork crosscutting chalcopyrite, sphalerite, calcite 21 6. Ore zone pyrite gridwork, partly replaced pyrite crystal 21 7. Ore zone pyrite crystal partly replaced by chalcopyrite 22 8. Ore zone sphalerite exsol ved in chalcopyrite 22 INTRODUCTION The Temagami Mine high-grade copper deposits and the nearby low-grade pyritic zone can be represented ideally as occurring in two parallel, steeply-dipping planes, separated by a distance of roughly 200 feet. The pyritic zone has been shown by a previous study (Franklin, 1967) to be genetically related to the basic sill along whose base the zone occurs. The present study has determined the trace element content of sulphides from the pyritic zone and ore in an attempt to find whether they are related genetically. For this purpose, samples were collected from all accessible high grade orebodies (in one plane)" and from the pyritic zone in a position as nearly as possible opposite each orebody (in the second plane). From each sample the chalcopyrite and pyrite were analyzed separately. Optical spectrography was the method tried first, analyzing for Co, Cr, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Ti, V, Zn and Zr. However, repro ducibility of the results was found to be too poor for use, possibly because of variation during arcing of samples. The method used successfully was atomic absorption spectroscopy, analyzing for Ag, Au, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zno Concentrations of Cr and Mo in the samples were found to be below the detection limit of the instru ment used; results for the remaining elements are presented here 2 " and discussed. Location and Access The Temagami area lies approximately 60 miles north of North Bay, Ontario, and is served by Highway Il and the Ontario Northland Railway. The Temagami Mine of Copperfields Mining Company Limited is located on Temagami Island which is situated at the junction of the arms of Lake Temagami. Access to the mine is provided by a road which leaves Highway Il at a point 3 miles south of Temagami townsite and extends 12 miles west to the shore of the lake opposite the island. A ferry is maintained by the company in the summer. Previous Work Reports of general interest concerning the Temagami area are those on the Vogt-Hobbs area (Grant, 1964), the Northwestern Tima gami area (Simony, 1964), and the Northeastern Portion of the Tima gami Lake are a (Moorhouse, 1942). The Vogt-Hobbs "area lies immediately to the south of the Temagami Mine, and includes the Grenville Front which influences the regional geology. The two latter reports include the mine area, describing it before and after the dis covery of economic mineralization. Simony (1964) gives a good review of older geological reports, and of prospecting activity in the area. Since the discovery of the Temagami mine, geologists associated 3 with Copperfields Mining Company Limited have carried out detailed mapping of Temagami Island and surrounding areas, and some struc tural and mineralogical studies. E. R. Rose of the Geological Survey of Canada described pyrite nodules from the mine (1965) and the copper-nickel deposits of the island (1966). J. M. Franklin (1967) described the characteristics and chem istry of the low-grade Cu - Ni deposits (pyritic zone), the high-grade Cu ore, and locally associated rocks. He suggested that the pyritic zone represents the sulphide-rich differentiated phase of a tholeiitic magma. The intrusion was a two-phase one, first of diabasic rock, then of the immiscible sulphide-rich phase. Differentiation took place in the original magma chamber. 4 REGIONAL GEOLOGY (For a more detailed description, see Appendix 1) The area of the Northeast Arm of Lake Temagami is a window of deformed and metamorphosed Archean rocks in the overlying Huronian sediments and Keweenawan intrusives (see Fig. 1, Table 1). The mine area lies in the extreme southwestern corner of this window, with Cobalt sediments blanketing to within 2 miles to the south and so1Jthwest, and within 1/2 mile to the north. Acid, intermediate and basic lavas and pyroclastics of Keewatin age occur aIl along the shores of the Northeast Arm, and extend also to the north and somewhat to the south.