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Issue 52 May 1996 crustal scale feature, the Peace River- Prairie-Type Sedimentary Au-Ag-Cu Mineralization Athabasca Arch (Fig. 1), has periodically been reactivated producing a number of north- Hugh J. Abercrombie, GSC, Calgary Group is overlain by limestones, shaly lime- easterly trending normal faults and horst/gra- stones, shales, and minor evaporites of the ben structures of limited vertical extent. Karst Introduction Late Devonian Beaverhill Lake Formation. development at the pre-Cretaceous unconfor- Although the Western Canada Sedimen- Together, the Devonian rocks make up part of mity and at the contemporary land surface tary Basin (WCSB; Fig. 1) is better known as a Paleozoic through early Mesozoic passive further complicates structural relations. Tex- an energy basin, it is also well known for margin sequence which now is unconfor- tures indicative of elevated temperatures, world class sedimentary-hosted Zn-Pb depos- mably overlain by siliciclastic sediments of such as replacive sparry dolomite known at its at Pine Point, NWT. As a test of the hy- the mid-Mesozoic-Tertiary Rocky Mountain Pine Point and elsewhere in the basin, are ab- pothesis that other potentially economic con- foreland basin. At Fort MacKay, continental sent. Apatite fission track and organic matu- centrations of metals and other elements to peritidal sandstones of the Early Cretaceous ration studies indicate that maximum burial might be associated with evaporite-associated McMurray Formation host the Athabasca tar temperatures at the surface of the Precambrian brines in the WCSB, the GSC undertook a sand deposit which presently accounts for ap- did not exceed 90°C in the Fort MacKay area. program to investigate trace element enrich- proximately 21 % of Canada’s oil production. Mineralogy ment in brines and brine-associated rocks of Structurally the area is relatively simple. Methods the WCSB. This work led to the discovery of Salt dissolution within the Prairie Formation Au-Ag-Cu and related mineralization in sedi- (Elk Point Group) has caused localized fault- The mineralogy of core and outcrop sam- mentary rocks of the WCSB and the underly- ing, collapse and brecciation of overlying ples of basement granitoids, Devonian red ing Precambrian basement in the vicinity of strata along a northwesterly trending zone beds and carbonates, and Cretaceous sand- Fort MacKay, northeastern Alberta (Fig. 1; paralleling the eastern margin of the WCSB. stones has been determined using high reso- Abercrombie and Feng, 1994; Feng and Ab- Additionally, a major northeasterly-trending lution scanning electron microscope (SEM) ercrombie, 1994). Prairie-type mineralization consists of disseminated micro Au, Ag, Cu, with native, GSLSZ intergrown, and alloyed metals, and metal- chloride, -sulphide, -carbonate, and -oxide TA PP minerals deposited in pores and micro-vein- lets associated with fractures and diageneti- cally altered fabrics in sedimentary and crys- talline rocks of the WCSB. It has been observed from basement to surface in rocks STZ ranging from Precambrian to Cretaceous age FM and is associated with a characteristic pattern Sediment PRAA of alteration which includes native sulphur, Ce-phosphate and Ce-carbonate minerals, and Thickness microcrystaline quartz and quartz microvein- Km lets (Abercrombie and Feng, 1996). 0 Geology 1 MLE 2 The stratigraphic column at Fort MacKay is only about 300-350 m thick (Fig. 3 2). Basement comprises Precambrian grani- 4 SA toid gneisses which have undergone oxidative 5 alteration to variable depths beneath the sub- 6 Devonian unconformity. An Early to Middle Devonian red bed-evaporite-carbonate se- 7 quence, the Elk Point Group, lies unconfor- mably on basement and comprises regolith, Figure 1. Total sediment thickness and principal structural elements of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin and lower and upper red bed-salt sequences (solid lines) and underlying PreCambrian basement (dashed lines). PP - Pine Point; FM - fort MacKay; with an intervening dolostone containing or- GSLZ - Great Slave lake Shear Zone; STZ - Snowbird Tectonic Zone; TA - Tathlina Arch; PRAA - Peace ganic-rich marine laminites. The Elk Point River - Athabasca Arch; MLE - Meadow Lake Escarpment; SA - Sweetgrass Arch. May 1996 1 19951996 MDD EXECUTIVE The Gangue No. 52 Following are the MDD Executive and Directors for the 1995-1996 term. Please contact The Gangue is published quarterly by the Mineral Deposits Division, GAC, and is distrib- any of these individuals for enquiries, or to suggest initiatives for MDD. uted to members as part of their membership. Chairperson: Jennifer Pell Indian and Northern Affairs MDD Goals and Objectives & Membership: 4-4914 50th Street, Bellanca Bldg. P.O. Box 1500, Yellowknife, NWT, X1A 2R3 Tel: 403-669-2640 FAX: 403-873-5763; The Mineral Deposits Division of the Geo- e-mail: [email protected]. logical Association of Canada is Canada’s fore- most society for promoting the study of mineral deposits by supporting local and national meet- Vice-Chairperson: Cominco Resources International Ltd., ings, symposia, short courses and field trips. We David Moore 7th Floor 409 Granville St. Vancouver, B.C., V6C 1T2. sponsor the publication of research relating to ore Tel: 604-685-3064; FAX: 604-685-3069 deposits and metallogeny and recognize the con- tributions of outstanding Canadian economic ge- Past-Chairperson: Dept of Natural Resources ologists by annually awarding the Duncan Derry H. Scott Swinden P.O. Box 698, Halifax and William Harvey Gross medals and the Julian Nova Scotia, B3J 2T9 Boldy certificate. Tel: 902-424-8135 FAX: 902-424-7735; e-mail: [email protected]. Publication Schedule: Secretary: Inmet Mining Corporation SUBMISSION PUBLICATION Gary S. Wells 3-311 Water Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6B 1B8 Tel: 604-681-3771 FAX: 604-681-3360 DEADLINE DATE December 15 January Treasurer: Cathro Exploration Corp. March 15 April Robert J. Cathro RR#1, Site U-39, Bowen Isl., B.C., V0N 1G0 June 15 July Tel: 604-947-0038 FAX: 604-947-0038 September 15 October Publications: Consulting Geologist Kathryn P.E. Dunne RR#1 S12 C16 Information for contributors: Gabriola Island, BC, V0R 1X0 Tel: 604-247-7432 FAX: 604-247-7458; The objective of this newsletter is primarily e-mail: [email protected]. to provide a forum for members and other profes- sionals to voice new ideas, describe interesting Professional Development New Brunswick Geological Surveys Branch mineral occurrences or expound on deposit mod- Short Courses: P.O. Box 50, Bathurst, N.B., E2A 3Z1 els. Articles on ore deposits, deposit models, news Tel: 506-547-2070 FAX: 506-547-7694 events, field trips, book reviews, conferences or David R. Lentz other material which may be of interest to the economic geology community are welcomed. Re- Professional Development BC Geological Survey prints of presentations given to companies, min- Field Trips: 5100 - 1810 Blanshard Street; Victoria, BC, V8T 4J1 ing groups or conferences are particularly Dani Alldrick Tel: 604-952-0412 FAX: 604-952-0381; welcome. e-mail: [email protected] Manuscripts should be submitted on IBM- formatted diskettes in any major word processor Program Chair:Winnipeg ‘96 Falconbridge Limited format. A printed version should be included. D. James Robertson 21 Murray Park Road; Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3J 3S2 Illustrations must be camera-ready; photos should Tel: 204-837-3614 FAX: 204-885-4152 be of good quality. Short items dealing with news events or meetings can be submitted by FAX, Program Chair: Ottawa ‘97 Mineral Resources Division, GSC, 601 Booth St., postal mail or E-mail. Al Sangster Ottawa, Ont, K1A 0E8. Tel: 613-992-8603; FAX: 613-996-9820; e-mail: [email protected]. Contributions may be edited Newsletter Editor The Gangue, c/o:Box 8076, Victoria, B.C., V8W 3R7 for clarity or brevity. Brian Grant Tel: 604-952-0454; FAX: 604-952-0451 For Information & Submissions: e-mail: [email protected] Brian Grant MDD DIRECTORS Editor - THE GANGUE Isabelle Cadieux (1995-1998) Quebec, Quebec PO Box 8076, Victoria, BC, V8W 3R7 Tel: 418-688-4272; FAX: 418-688-4272 Tel: 604-952-0454 FAX: 604-952-0451 Dan Brisbin (1995-1998) Timmins, Ontario. E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: 705-267-1188 Michael J. Downes (1995-1998) Toronto, Ontario. Tel: 416-869-3578; FAX: 416-869-3359. Dani Alldrick - Associate Editor Grant Abbott (1993-1996) Whitehorse, Yukon E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: 403- 667-8510 FAX 403- 667-7074 *** Benoit Dubé (1993-1996) Sainte-Foy, Quebec Tel: 418- 654-2669 FAX: 418- 654-2615; The MDD encourages geoscientists to join e-mail: [email protected]. the division and contribute to the various Jenna Hardy (1993-1996) Vancouver, British Columbia programs and activities. Tel: 604-684-1175 FAX: 604-684-0147 Terence J. Bottrill (1994-1997) Oakville, Ontario Tel: 905-842-2893 Pamela L. Schwann (1994-1997) La Ronge, Saskatchewan Tel: 306-425-4564 FAX: 306-425-2909 Marcos Zentilli (1994-1997) Halifax, Nova Scotia Tel: 902-494-3873 FAX: 902-494-6889 2 The Gangue No. 52 have carried metals derived from basement or the Elk Point Group. These brines may be original residual evaporite brines, or they may have originated as low salinity waters of me- Alberta Saskatchewan teoric origin which rose to salinities approach- Athabasca ing halite saturation by dissolution of salt in River the Prairie Formation. In either case, reaction Au with anhydrite and hematite in red bed-eva- porite strata of the Elk Point Group would Au Au 500 m have raised redox potential of the brine suffi- Au Basement ciently to leach