Recent Kimberlite Indicator Mineral Results and Sampling in Northern Manitoba Hodder, T.J.1 , Gauthier, M.S.1 , Böhm, C.O.1 , Kelley, S.E.2 1. Manitoba Geological Survey 2. University of Waterloo Southern Indian Lake region Overview of kimberlite indicator mineral data in northern Manitoba Kaskattama region Reconnaissance-scale kimberlite-indicator- Reconnaissance-scale KIM sampling was undertaken during the 2016 and mineral (KIM) sampling was undertaken in the 2017 field season in the Kaskattama highland region of northeastern Southern Indian Lake area of north-central Manitoba. This is the first public study to assess the diamond potential of the Manitoba. This is the first study to investigate Regional KIM Recovery Comparison area from an indicator-mineral perspective. An additional thirty-four KIM the diamond potential of the region using till- samples were collected during the 2017 field season to follow-up on 2016 Number of till Sample volume Total KIMs recovered Average KIM recovery derived indicator-minerals. Results have been Study area results and tighten the sampling density in the study area. 2016 KIM results samples for KIMs (L) (0.3–0.5 mm) (per 11.4 L of till) released in MGS OF2017-2 (Hodder, 2017a). have been released in MGS OF2017-1 (Hodder and Kelley, 2017). 2017 KIM Kaskattama 30 11.4 95 3.2 (Hodder and Kelley, 2017) results are anticipated to be released in the spring of 2018. A total of 106 KIM grains were recovered from Southern Indian Lake 19 22.7 106 2.8 the 0.3–0.5 mm size-fraction of nineteen 22.7 (Hodder, 2017a) A total of 95 KIM grains were recovered from the 0.3–0.5 mm size-fraction of thirty 11.4 L till samples. The L till samples. The majority of the KIMs Lower Hayes River majority of the KIMs are Cr-spinels (81%) and Mg-ilmenites (8%), though G9 garnets (5%) and Cr- recovered are Cr-spinel (77%) and Mg- (Nielsen and Fedikow, 2002; Keller et 69 11 14 0.2 al., 2004) diopsides (3%) are also present. One diamond-inclusion Cr-spinel, G11 garnet and G3 garnet were also ilmenite (15%). Additionally, three G9 garnets Upper Hayes, Gods, Nelson, recovered. The highest concentration from one sample is 17 KIMs, collected from a surface mudboil. A (4%), one G11 garnet (1%) and four diamond- Pennycutaway rivers 143 11 70 0.5 gold grain was recovered from a sample in the central region of the study area. inclusion Cr-spinels (4%) were identified with (Nielsen, 2002; Keller et al., 2004) 550000E 600000E 650000E Knee Lake the results of the survey displayed below. 23 11.4 33 1.4 (Trommelen, 2015) Knee Lake - Operation Superior Manitoba 336 11 430 1.3 510000E 520000E 530000E 540000E 550000E (Trommelen, 2015)
Nejanilini, Kasmere and Putahow 6250000N Legend Ice-flow directions Dominant ice-flow 39 11 13 0.3
6370000N Southern Kaskattama River KIM Number of 2 lakes area (Böhm et al., 2008)
sample KIMs recovered 2
7 205–253° 6250000N 6 7 1 Indian Lake 1 3 5 4 6370000N 1 2 112-16-347-A1 3 Lynn Lake Legend Manitoba Ontario 4 Surface Stratigraphic Number of KIMs G 6360000N sample sample 5–7 recovered 8–9 0 Gods River 6360000N 10–13 15112TH228A01 1 Kaskattama 6200000N Southern 2 Stratigraphic Indian 3–4
section with multiple 6200000N KIM samples Lake 5–6 6350000N Shamattawa 15112TH268E01 9 Echoing River Elevation (m asl) Elevation 17 6350000N Microdiamonds present 485 High: 235 m asl 112-16-303-A1 MGS OF2017-3 Gold grain recovered in G KIM sample Low: 30 m asl 112-16-310-B1 112-16-349-B1 (Anderson, 2017) 0 Stratigraphic section with 112-16-349-B2 kilometres
6340000N multiple KIM samples 112-16-350-B1 Datum: NAD83; Projection: UTM 15N
550000E 600000E 650000E
6340000N 2016 KIM results displayed as proportional-sized symbols (Hodder and Kelley, 2017). Background hillshade image was 112-16-336-B1 generated using Canadian digital surface model (Natural Resources Canada, 2015). 112-16-312-B1 112-16-346-B1 kilometres 550000E 600000E 650000E 112-16-329-C1 6330000N Manitoba
112-16-317-B1 112-16-359-B1 6330000N 6250000N 112-16-323-C1 112-16-327-B1 Legend Kaskattama River 6250000N Published KIM data Elevation 6320000N 112-16-332-C1 High: 339 m asl MGS KIM database (Keller et al., 2004)
Nejanilini, Kasmere and Putahow lakes area Manitoba 6320000N 112-16-335-B1 Low: 251 m asl Ontario KIM data (Böhm et al., 2008) kilometres Southern Indian Lake KIM data (Hodder, 2017a) 112-16-341-C1 Legend Datum: NAD83 Gods River Projection: UTM Zone 14N / Kaskattama KIM data (Hodder and Kelley, 2017) Cr-Diopside stratigraphic surface 6200000N 510000E 520000E 530000E 540000E 550000E Cr-Spinel 2016 KIM results displayed as proportional-sized symbols (Hodder, 2017a). NEW 2017 KIM sampling, results pending Diamond Inclusion 6200000N Background hillshade image was generated using Canadian digital surface model Lynn Lake KIM sampling (Gauthier and Hodder, 2017) Cr-Spinel (Natural Resources Canada, 2015). Mg-Ilmenite Shamattawa Echoing River 510000E 520000E 530000E 540000E 550000E Kaskattama KIM sampling (Hodder, 2017b) / G3 Garnet stratigraphic surface Elevation Legend Ice-flow directions Dominant ice-flow G9 Garnet High: 235 m asl
2 6370000N Kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) data was compiled by the Manitoba Geological Survey (MGS) as part of a 2003 initiative and version 3.0 of the database was released Cr-Spinel G11 Garnet 2 Low: 30 m asl 7 205–253° as part of stand alone KIM database (Keller et al., 2004). Since 2004, in northern Manitoba, KIM results have been published for the far north (Böhm et al., 2008), 6 7 1 Diamond Inclusion 3 5 4 6370000N Cr-Spinel 1 Southern Indian Lake (Hodder, 2017a) and Kaskattama highland (Hodder and Kelley, 2017) areas. 2017 KIM sampling was undertaken along the road network in the Stratigraphic section with kilometres multiple KIM samples Datum: NAD83; Projection: UTM 15N Mg-Ilmenite Lynn Lake area (Gauthier and Hodder, 2017) and additional sampling was conducted in the Kaskattama highland area (Hodder, 2017b). 112-16-347-A1 550000E 600000E 650000E G9 Garnet 2016 KIM results displayed as proportional-sized compositional pie charts (Hodder and Kelley, 2017). Background 6360000N G11 Garnet hillshade image was generated using Canadian digital surface model (Natural Resources Canada, 2015).
6360000N Stratigraphic Lynn Lake region section with multiple 15112TH228A01 KIM samples Southern The diamond potential of the Lynn Lake area of Manitoba is unknown. There is currently no Kaskattama ice-flow indicators Indian public KIM data available for the Lynn Lake region (Keller et al., 2004), hence this study will Lake
6350000N provide the first regional-scale insight into diamond potential from an indicator-mineral 15112TH268E01 perspective. 6350000N
112-16-349-B1 To the west, the Sask craton is known to host the Cretaceous aged Fort-a-la-Corne 112-16-303-A1 diamondiferous kimberlites (Leckie et al., 1997). In addition, recent diamondiferous
112-16-310-B1 kimberlites have been discovered within the Sask craton at the Pikoo project (Armstrong
6340000N and Kupsch, 2016), which is located approximately 100 km west of Flin Flon, Manitoba. 112-16-350-B1 112-16-349-B2 Ages consistent with that of the Sask craton were also observed in the Lynn Lake area in rocks from the Sickle Group (Beaumont-Smith et al., 2006). The presence of Archean to 6340000N 112-16-336-B1 earliest Proterozoic rocks in the west-central area of Southern Indian Lake, as well as the ubiquitous presence of zircons of Archean age in volcaniclastic rocks of the Southern Indian 112-16-312-B1 112-16-346-B1 domain, suggests the potential existence for Archean crust in the area (Kremer et al., 2009). 112-16-329-C1
6330000N This may be analogous to the Archean crust of the Sask craton.
Results from the Lynn Lake area will be compared to recent KIM results in the Southern
6330000N 112-16-359-B1 112-16-317-B1 Indian Lake area (Hodder, 2017a) to provide additional insight into the diamond potential of 112-16-323-C1 112-16-327-B1 northwestern Manitoba.
Elevation 6320000N A total of 48 till samples (22.7 L each) were collected during the 2017 field season (Gauthier 112-16-332-C1 High: 339 m asl and Hodder, 2017). 2017 KIM results are anticipated to be released in Spring 2018. 2017 till sample sites and historical sampling in the Lynn Lake area (Gauthier and Hodder, 2017).
6320000N Low: 251 m asl References: Streamlined-landform flowsets 112-16-335-B1 Anderson, S.D. 2017: Preliminary geology of the diamond occurrence at southern Knee Lake, Oxford Lake–Knee Lake greenstone belt, Manitoba (NTS 53L15); Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Manitoba Geological Survey, Open File OF2017-3, 27 p. kilometres Armstrong, K. and Kupsch, B. 2016: Pikoo diamond project – 2016 exploration update; Saskatchewan Geological Survey, Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy, Open House 2016, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, November 28–30, 2016, PowerPoint® presentation, 20 p., URL