Niobium (Columbium) Deposits of Canada
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DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND TECHNICAL SURVEYS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Economic Geology Series No. 18 NIOBIUM (COLUMBIUM) DEPOSITS OF CANADA By Robert B. Rowe EDMOND CLOUTIER, C.M.G., 0 .A ., D.S.P. QUEEN'S PRINTER AND CONTROLLER OF STATIONERY OTTAWA, 1958 Price, 75 cents No. 2540 4,000-/9/jB-964 Price 75 cents Cat. No, M43-18 Available from the Queen's Printer Ottawa, Canada CONTENTS P AGE Preface. vii PART I Introduction .. 1 Acknowledgments..... .. ... 1 T erminology. 2 PART II General information . 4 History.... ...... .... .. ...... ..... ........... ....... .... 4 Properties and uses. ..... 4 Production of niobium mineral concentrates . 5 Specifi cations and prices....... ......... ........... ......... .. 5 Buyers and consumers . 6 PART III General geological information . 7 Geochemical data. 7 Mineralogy. 8 Niobium minerals. 8 Niobium-bearing varieties of other minerals. 12 T ypes of deposits . 12 Deposits associated with granitic rocks... 13 Deposits in granite . 13 Granitic pegmatite deposits. ... .. .. 13 Eluvial deposits . .. .... .. ... ... ........ .... ...... 13 Placer deposits . ... .. .... ..... .. ... .... .. .. ... ... 14 Deposits associated with alkaline rocks.. .... ... .. ................. 14 Nature of alkaline ro ck complexes. 14 Deposits in alkaline silicate rocks.... ....... ..... 15 Deposits in carbonate rocks. 15 Syenitic pegmatite deposits. ...... ...... .. ..... .. 15 Deposits in fenites.. 15 Eluvial deposits . 15 'Vorld review of deposits. 15 PART IV Generalizations regarding Canadi an deposits....... ..... 24 T ypes of deposits and occurrences.......... 24 Distribution and age.. 25 Grade.... ........ ... .... .. ....... ... 25 Future outlook ..... ...... .. .. .. ... .... .. ......... ............ 26 Suggestions for prospecting. 26 79511- H lV PART V PAGE Descriptions of deposits and occurrences in Canada. ... .. ...... ..... 28 Bugaboo placer deposits, southeastern British Columbia . ......... ........ 28 Lonnie deposit, Manson Creek region, central British Columbia .... .. .... 29 Verity deposits, Blue River region, southeastern British Columbia. 31 Multi-Minerals deposits, Chapleau region, northwestern Ontario .. 35 General geology. .... ... 38 D escriptions of pyrochlore-bearing rocks .... ... .. ..... .. ..... 39 D escriptions of deposits .... ...... ................ .... .. .... ... 44 Newman deposit, Lake Nipissing, Ontario . .. ...... ... .. ....... 45 General geology ........... .... ...... .... .......... .. ... 47 P etrography of the Manitou Island complex .............. 47 D escription of deposit .. .............. ...... .. .. .... ... .. 52 General features. ..... .. .... ... .... 52 D escription of uranian pyrochlore ................. ......... 54 D escription of uranian pyrochlore-bearing rocks .................. 56 Grade and tonnage. .. .. .. .... 62 Origin.......... .......... .... .... .... 62 Basin deposit, Bancroft region, Ontario . .. .... ...... 62 D eposits of the Oka region, Quebec. ........ .. .... .... 65 General geology. ... .... ...... .. ... ... ... 67 Oka complex.. ...... .. .. .. .. .. 67 General features.... ........ 67 P etrography ...................... ........ ..... 69 Occurrence of niobium minerals . .. .... .. .. .... ... ....... 78 Origin of the Oka complex and the niobium deposits. .. .. .. 82 Descriptions of propertie~ . ...... 84 Other deposits and occurrences ......... .... .. .... ........ 88 Bibliography . .... .... 99 Index ..... 105 Table I. Partial analyses of niobium minerals, Verity property, southeastern British Columbia.. 33 II. Analyses of carbonate rock, Verity property, southeastern British Columbia.. ... ...... 35 III. Analyses of pyrochlore from Multi-Minerals property, Chapleau region, northwestern Ontario . 39 IV. Partial analyses of betafite crystals, Basin property, Bancroft region, Ontario... .. ........... .. 65 V. Other deposits and occurrences of niobium minerals in Canada.. .. ... 89 v Illustrations PAGE Figure 1. Sketch-map showing the Bugaboo placer deposits, southeastern British Columbia.. .. 29 2. Geological map of the Lonnie deposit, Manson Creek region, central British Columbia......... ........ ...... In pocket 3. Sketch-map showing occurrences of carbonate rock on the Verity property, southeastern British Columbia. 32 4. Geological sketch-map of the main showing, Verity No. 1 and Verity No. 2 claim s, Verity property, southeastern British Columbia.... .. ...... 34 5. Geological sketch-map of Multi-Minerals property, Chapleau region, northwestern Ontario . 36 6. Sketch-map showing location of magnetic anomalies, Multi-Minerals property, Chapleau region, northwestern Ontario ................. 37 7. Camera-lucida drawing of ijolite with pyrochlore-rich lcnticle, Multi- Minerals property... 38 8. Camera-lucida drawing of nepheline-pyrochlore veinlet, Multi-Minerals property. 40 9. Camera-lucida drawing of pyrochlore-bearing malignite, Multi-Minerals property. 41 10. Camera-lucida drawing of pyrochlore-bearing magnetite-apatite rock, Multi-Minerals property. 42 ll. Vertical cross-section through No. 8 deposit and body of calcite rock, Multi-Minerals property. 43 12. Camera-lucida drawing of pyrochlore-bcaring calcite rock, Multi-Minerals property. 44 13. Index map showing location of Manitou Islands, Lake Nipissing, Ontario . 46 14. Generalized geological map of Mani tou Islands, Lake Nipissing, Ontario ... ......................... ..................... In pocket 15. Aeromagnetic map of Manitou Islands and vicinity, Lake Nipissing, Ontario ............................ ...... .. ...... ... ... " 16. Vertical cross-section, Newman deposit, Lake Nipissin g, Ontario . 49 17. Generalized geological plan, 400-foot level, Newman deposit, Lake Ni pissing, Ontario . 51 18. Camera-lucida drawings of uranian pyrochlore crystals, Newman deposit. 53 19. Camera-lucida drawing of potash fe ldspar-soda pyroxene-uranian pyroch- lore rock, Newman deposit.. ...... ................ .. ... ...... 54 20. Camera-lucida drawing of potash feldspar-soda pyroxene-uranian pyroch- lore rock, Newman deposit....... 55 21. Camera-Jucida drawing of soda pyroxene-uranian pyrochlore rock, Newman deposit. 5 7 22. Camera-lucida drawing of soda pyroxene-urani an pyrochlore rock, Newman deposit. ............ 58 Vl Illustrations (cont'd) PAGE 23. Camera-lucida drawing of apatite-rich variety of soda pyroxene-uranian pyrochlore rock, Newman deposit. ...... ......... .. .. .......... 59 24. Camera-lucida drawing of soda pyroxene-potash feldspar-uranian pyroch- lore rock, Newman deposit . 60 25. Camera-lucida drawing of soda pyroxene-potash feldspar-uranian pyroch- lore rock, Newman deposit. 61 26. Geological map of part of the Basin property, Bancroft region, Ontario. 64 27. Geological sketch-map of the Oka region and vicinity, Quebec.......... 66 28. Map showing general geology of the Oka complex, and the approximate locations of mining properties and diamond drill-holes, Oka region, Two Mountains county, Quebec ............................. In pocket 29. Aeromagnetic map of the Oka complex and vicinity, Oka region, Two Mountains county, Quebec . ..... .............................. " " 30. Composite plan showing general geology of the Bond zone, Molybdenum Corporation property, Oka region, Two Mountains county, Quebec .. 68 31. Camera-lucida drawing of calcite-olivine-pyroxene rock that contains pyrochlore, Oka region .......................... .. ...... .. .. 71 32. Camera-lucida drawing of soda pyroxenc-biotite-calcite-pyrochlore rock, Oka region .............. .............. ... ..... .. ... .. .. 73 33. Camera-lucida drawing of betafite in biotite rock, Oka region ......... 75 34. Camera-lucida drawing of niobian perovskite showing complex twinning, Oka region .. .. ........ .... ....... ...... .. .... ...... 76 35. Camera-lucida drawing of okaite that contains niobian perovskite, Oka region .......... .............. .............................. 77 36. Camera-lucida drawing of altered nepheline okaite that contains niobian perovskite, Oka region ........ ........ .. ..... ........... ... 79 37. Camera-lucida drawing of monticellite rock that contains niobian perov- skite, Oka region .............. ......... ... ..... ............ 81 38. Camera-lucida drawing of altered ijolite that contains niobian perovskite, Oka region .... ........ .. .. ....................... ......... 83 39. Camera-lucida drawing of altered ijolitic(?) rock that contains niobian perovskite, Oka region ....................................... 85 40. Camera-lucida drawing of calcite rock that contains niocalite, Oka region ...... .... ...................... .. ...... ....... ...... 87 Vll PREFACE The element discussed in this report is by international agreement now officially called niobium, but it is also widely known as columbium. Niobium is used mainly for making stainless, high-temperature steels which are in particular demand for components of jet aircraft. During the last few years there has been an increased demand for niobium, causing much interest in deposits containing the metal. The principal sources are in Africa, where large deposits are known, but Canadian deposits have attracted much attention because of their proximity to North American markets. The author began a comprehensive study of Canadian niobium deposits in 1951, and two preliminary reports dealing with deposits near North Bay, Ontario, and Oka, Quebec have been published. The results of other investigations are presented here for the first time. This report describes the principal known Canadian deposits and lists other Canadian occur rences, gives brief accounts of foreign occurrences, presents generalizations on the mode of occurrence of niobium in Canada and elsewhere, and includes condensed information on uses, markets, and other economic matters..