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Ontario Geological Survey Open File Report 6303
Report of Activities, 2014 Resident Geologist Program
Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South District
2015
ONTARIO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Open File Report 6303
Report of Activities, 2014 Resident Geologist Program
Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South District
by
M.A. Puumala, D.A. Campbell, A. Tims, R.L. Debicki, T.K. Pettigrew and M.R. Brunelle
2015
Parts of this publication may be quoted if credit is given. It is recommended that reference to this publication be made in the following form: Puumala, M.A., Campbell, D.A., Tims, A., Debicki, R.L., Pettigrew, T.K. and Brunelle, M.R. 2015. Report of Activities 2014, Resident Geologist Program, Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South District; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6303, 75p.
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© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2015
© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2015.
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Parts of this report may be quoted if credit is given. It is recommended that reference be made in the following form:
Puumala, M.A., Campbell, D.A., Tims, A., Debicki, R.L., Pettigrew, T.K. and Brunelle, M.R. 2015. Report of Activities 2014, Resident Geologist Program, Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South District; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6303, 75p.
iii
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Ontario Geological Survey Regional Resident Geologist Program
Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist (Thunder Bay South District)—2014
by
M.A. Puumala, D.A. Campbell, A. Tims, R.L. Debicki, T.K. Pettigrew and M.R. Brunelle
2015
CONTENTS
Thunder Bay South District—2014
INTRODUCTION ...... 1 MINING ACTIVITY ...... 2 Amethyst ...... 3 Gold ...... 3 Hemlo Mine Deposits (Barrick Gold Corporation) ...... 3 Platinum Group Elements ...... 4 Lac des Iles Mine (North American Palladium Ltd.) ...... 4 EXPLORATION ACTIVITY ...... 5 Mining Lands ...... 5 Introduction ...... 6 Exploration ...... 14 RESIDENT GEOLOGIST STAFF AND ACTIVITIES ...... 22 PROPERTY EXAMINATIONS ...... 25 Lumby Lake Zinc Property ...... 25 Location and Access ...... 25 Exploration History ...... 26 Geology ...... 27 Regional Geology ...... 27 Property Geology ...... 27 Mineralization ...... 27 Field Observations ...... 29 Lumby Lake Zone ...... 29 A-Zone ...... 29 Summary and Recommendations ...... 31 Prairie Lake Niobium Occurrences ...... 31 Location and Access ...... 31 Exploration History ...... 31 Geology ...... 32 Regional Geology ...... 32 Local Geology...... 32 Field Observations ...... 34 Assay Results ...... 36 Summary and Recommendations ...... 37 New Outcrop Exposures – Highway 11–17, MacGregor Township ...... 37 General Geology ...... 37 Descriptions of New Bedrock Exposures ...... 39 Archean Maar Deposit ...... 39 Crystal Beach Area Unconformity ...... 40 7Z Amethyst Occurrence ...... 42 KOA Hill Unconformity and Faults ...... 43 Hodder Avenue Veins ...... 45 Summary ...... 46 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPLORATION ...... 46 Exploration Potential of the Garden Lake Area ...... 46 Gold Potential ...... 46 VMS-type Zinc-Copper Potential ...... 46 Copper-Nickel-Platinum Group Element Potential ...... 48 Copper, Nickel and Platinum Group Element Potential in the Atikokan – Quetico Area ...... 48
viii
Amethyst Potential near the North Shore of Lake Superior ...... 51 Mineral Potential of Conmee and Sackville Townships ...... 54 OGS ACTIVITIES AND RESEARCH BY OTHERS ...... 56 REGIONAL LAND USE GEOLOGIST ACTIVITIES—NORTHWEST REGION ...... 64 Land Use Planning Activities...... 64 Crown Lands ...... 64 Crown Land Use Policy Atlas ...... 64 Forest Management Planning...... 65 Far North Land Use Planning ...... 65 Withdrawal Orders ...... 66 Forfeited Mining Lands ...... 66 Municipal and Private Lands ...... 66 Municipal Planning ...... 66 Exemptions from Mining Tax ...... 67 First Nations ...... 68 Other Activities ...... 68 Class Environmental Assessments ...... 68 Environmental Registry ...... 68 Other ...... 69 Conferences ...... 69 General Client Service ...... 69 MINERAL DEPOSIT COMPILATION GEOLOGIST—NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO ...... 69 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... 70 REFERENCES ...... 70
Tables 1. Mine production (2014) and reserves in the Thunder Bay South District...... 2 2. Amethyst quarries active in the Thunder Bay South District during 2014...... 3 3. Assessment files received in the Thunder Bay South District in 2014...... 6 4. Exploration activity in the Thunder Bay South District in 2014 (keyed to Figures 4 and 5)...... 10 5. Afric Zone Indicated Resource ...... 15 6. Afric Zone Inferred Resource ...... 15 7. Diamond recovery results for Oskabukuta diamond property sample OSK0034 ...... 18 8. Channel sampling results from the Empire Lake property ...... 19 9. 2014 diamond-drilling results from the Sunday Lake property ...... 20 10. Notable soil/humus and bedrock sampling results from the Manitouwadge PGE property ...... 22 11. Property visits and field trips conducted by staff of the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s Office in 2014 ...... 23 12. A summary of government-led geoscience surveys for the Lumby Lake area ...... 26 13. Assay results for grab samples collected by Resident Geologist Program on the Lumby Lake Zinc property ...... 30 14. Assay results for grab samples collected by the Resident Geologist Program on the Prairie Lake Niobium property ...... 36 15. Quetico mafic-ultramafic intrusions with associated claim holder(s), assay highlights and rock types. .... 50 16. Amethyst occurrences open for staking as of October 1, 2014 ...... 53 17. Lakehead University BSc (Hons) and MSc thesis research projects ...... 57 18. Publications received by the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s Office in 2014 ...... 59 19. Mineral deposits not being mined in the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s District in 2014 ...... 60 20. Municipal planning initiatives with MNDM input, northwestern Ontario, 2014 ...... 67 21. Mineral Deposit Inventory records revisions in 2014 ...... 69
ix
Figures 1. Location map, Thunder Bay South District, showing locations of producing metal mines and amethyst quarries (image from Google Earth™ mapping service)...... 2 2. Williams Mine (background), decommissioned Golden Giant Mine (middle) and David Bell Mine (foreground) ...... 4 3. Lac des Iles Mine ...... 5 4. Thunder Bay South District (western portion), exploration activity 2014 (keyed to Table 4) ...... 12 5. Thunder Bay South District (eastern portion), exploration activity 2014 (keyed to Table 4) ...... 13 6. Diamond-drilling plan for the Sunday Lake property ...... 21 7. Northwest to southeast cross-section through a portion of the Sunday Lake intrusion ...... 21 8. Location and geological map of the Lumby Lake Zinc property, showing claim numbers and occurrences ...... 25 9. Photographs from Lumby Lake Zinc property ...... 30 10. Location and geology of the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrences ...... 33 11. Total field magnetic map for the Prairie Lake area with claims of the Prairie Lake Property outlined in black...... 34 12. Photographs from the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrence sites ...... 35 13. Photographs from the Ruffle Lake Phosphate occurrence (Site #6) ...... 35 14. Map illustrating the locations of selected bedrock exposures along the Highway 11-17 corridor, east of the city of Thunder Bay...... 38 15. Geology of MacGregor Township ...... 39 16. Photographs from Maar deposit outcrop ...... 40 17. Photographs from Crystal Beach area unconformity exposure ...... 41 18. Amethyst vein hosted in Gunflint Formation rocks at the 7Z occurrence...... 43 19. Photographs from KOA Hill ...... 44 20. Photographs from Hodder Avenue interchange area outcrops ...... 45 21. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Garden lake greenstone belt ...... 47 22. Map illustrating “high” magnetic “bulls eye” signature of the Quetico Intrusions ...... 49 23. Amethyst occurrences and quarries near the north shore of Lake Superior ...... 52 24. Map illustrating the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity, major faults and the locations of amethyst occurrences open for staking as of February 4, 2015 ...... 53 25. Simplified geology of Conmee Township ...... 55 26. Nodular pyrite in argillite on Bateman property...... 56
x
Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist (Thunder Bay South District)—2014
M.A. Puumala1, D.A. Campbell2, A. Tims3, R.L. Debicki4, T.K. Pettigrew5 and M.R. Brunelle6
1Regional Resident Geologist, Thunder Bay South District, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey 2District Geologist, Thunder Bay South District, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey 3Regional Land Use Geologist (Acting) – Northwest Region, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey 4Land Use Policy and Planning Co-ordinator, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey 5Mineral Deposit Compilation Geologist – Northwest Region, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey 6District Geological Assistant, Thunder Bay, Resident Geologist Program, Ontario Geological Survey
INTRODUCTION
The Thunder Bay South District encompasses an area of about 76 500 km². It extends from longitude 92°30′W in the southwest near Namakan Lake, south of Mine Centre, easterly to longitude 85°20′W just west of White River, Ontario. The southern boundary is the international border between Canada and the United States, touching on the states of Michigan and Minnesota. The northern boundary is irregular in nature, but extends up to latitude 50°25′N, just northwest of Armstrong, Ontario. The reader is referred to the location map, Figure 1, to locate the District. All Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) co-ordinates are reported in North American Datum 1983 (NAD83), unless otherwise noted. The District straddles UTM Zone 15 and UTM Zone 16, with the demarcation line being longitude 90°W. All assays were performed at the Geoscience Laboratories, Ontario Geological Survey, in Sudbury, unless otherwise noted. The authors note that, for ease of reading, all Web addresses mentioned in the report were accessed on March 9, 2015, unless otherwise noted.
1 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Figure 1. Location map, Thunder Bay South District, showing locations of producing metal mines (blue and yellow dots) and amethyst quarries (purple dots) (image from Google Earth™ mapping service).
MINING ACTIVITY
In 2014, there were 2 producing gold mines and 1 palladium base metal mine in the Thunder Bay South District (Table 1); David Bell and Williams gold mines are located near Hemlo, and the Lac des Iles palladium mine is located 85 km north of Thunder Bay. Mine production and reserve statistics for the operating metal mines are listed in Table 1. Seven producing amethyst quarries are located in McTavish Township and the Tartan Lake area, east of Thunder Bay. These quarries are seasonal operations that produce mineral specimens, decorative stone, landscaping stone, slabbing and tumbling stone, jewelry and giftware (Table 2).
Table 1. Mine production (2014) and reserves in the Thunder Bay South District.
Mine Production to End of 2014 Production in 2014 Reserves and Resources as of Dec. 31, 2014 *Reserves as of Jan. 1, 2015 **Resources as of Feb. 2, 2015 Tonnage Total Commodity Tonnage Total Tonnage Grade @ Grade @ Grade Commodity Hemlo 83 159631 t 14 432 898 oz Au 2 916 000 206 000 oz Au 12 267 000 tonnes for a 2.08 g/t Au Deposits @ 5.4 g/t Au tonnes @ 2.34 total of 820 000 oz Au (700 g/t Au (Proven + Probable) employees 36 930 000 tons for a 1.41 g/t Au including total of 1 671 000 oz Au contractors) (Measured + Indicated) Lac des Iles 50 901 554 t 3 057 013 oz Pd 2 684 782 t 174 194 oz Pd *20 367 000 t for a total 2.13 g/t Pd, 0.18 g/t Pt, Mine @ 1.90 g/t 241 518 oz Pt @ 2.7 g/t Pd 13 072 oz Pt of 1 395 000 oz Pd 0.16 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu, (465 Pd 217 426 oz Au 11 607 oz Au (Proven + Probable) 0.08 % Ni employees 61 750 742 lb Cu 3 029 525 lb Cu **71 468 000 t for a total 1.98 g/t Pd, 0.20 g/t Pt, including 35 035 969 lb Ni 1 677 820 lb Ni of 4 543 000 oz Pd 0.14 g/t Au, 0.06% Cu, contractors) (Measured + Indicated) 0.08 % Ni Unit abbreviations used: g/t = grams per tonne; lb = pounds; oz/ton = ounce(s) per ton; oz = ounces; t = tonnes.
2 M.A. Puumala et al.
Amethyst During 2014, there were 7 producing amethyst quarries in the Thunder Bay South District. These quarries are located in 2 areas northeast of Thunder Bay where amethyst veins occur in abundance (see Figure 1). Five of the current amethyst producing sites are located in McTavish Township and are accessible from Highway 11/17. Three of these quarries also operate as seasonal tourist attractions that are open to the public. The two other operating quarries are located in the Tartan Lake rea (north of MacGregor Township) in an area that is accessed via the Magone Lake Road from Highway 527. A listing of the producing amethyst quarries, including information about their available products and services, is provided in Table 2.
Table 2. Amethyst quarries active in the Thunder Bay South District during 2014.
Deposit Name and Ownership Location Products and Services Amethyst Mine Panorama McTavish Township Tourist attraction (pick-your-own & mine tours), specimens, S. and T. Lukinuk decorative and landscaping stone, slabbing and tumbling stone, jewelry, giftware, carvings, faceted gemstones http://www.amethystmine.com/ Bill’s Old Amethyst Mine McTavish Township Tourist attraction (pick-your-own), specimens, cluster Z. Hasler specimens, decorative stone, landscaping stone https://www.facebook.com/billsoldamethystmine Blue Points Amethyst Mine McTavish Township Tourist attraction (pick-your-own), specimens, decorative L. Swanson stone, aquarium stone [email protected] - email Boulder Creek Amethyst Quarry McTavish Township Specimens, giftware C. Anderson http://mininglifeonline.net/company_page_487.html Canadian Shield Amethyst Mine McTavish Township Specimens, decorative and landscaping stone G. Blakely http://www.canadianshieldstoneworks.com/ Purple Haze Mine Tartan Lake Area Specimens, giftware, jewelry, decorative and landscaping M. and S. Grieve stone http://www.purplehazeamethyst.com/ Windy Ridge Amethyst Quarry Tartan Lake Area Specimens, giftware, garden rock L. Kowtuski http://www.windyridgeamethyst.ca/index.html
Gold
Barrick Gold Corporation continued to produce gold from the Hemlo deposit (Figure 2).
HEMLO MINE DEPOSITS (BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION)
Production from the Hemlo gold mines (Barrick Gold Corporation) during 2014 consisted of 206 000 ounces of gold from 2 916 000 tonnes milled, at an average grade of 2.34 g/t. Combined Proven and Probable Reserve figures as of December 31, 2014, totalled 12 267 000 tonnes at a grade of 2.08 g/t Au (www.barrick.com, Q4 and Year-End Mine Statistics and 2014 Mineral Reserves and Resources, February 18, 2015).
Production at the David Bell Mine ceased effective May 16, 2014, because of the depletion of economic mineral reserves (DB Operating Corporation, Notice of Material Change filed with MNDM, April 2, 2014). The David Bell Mine commenced production in 1985 and produced continuously for approximately 29 years. Gold production continues from the Williams Mine open pit and underground operations.
3 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Figure 2. Williams Mine (background), decommissioned Golden Giant Mine (middle) and David Bell Mine (foreground). Most surface infrastructure visible in this photograph on the Golden Giant and David Bell mine sites has been removed since this photograph was taken.
Platinum Group Elements
LAC DES ILES MINE (NORTH AMERICAN PALLADIUM LTD.)
In 2014, production from the Lac des Iles Mine (North American Palladium Ltd.), Figure 3, located 85 km north of Thunder Bay, consisted of 174 194 ounces palladium from 2 684 782 tonnes of ore processed at an average palladium head grade of 2.7 g/t, with a palladium recovery of 82.4%. Mill feed consisted of a combination of ore mined from underground, low-grade open pit ore sourced from surface stockpiles and reprocessed tailings (North American Palladium Ltd., 2014 Annual Report, February 19, 2015).
Proven and Probable Reserves for the Lac des Iles Mine as of January 1, 2015, totalled 20 367 000 tonnes at a grade of 2.13 g/t palladium for a total of 1 395 000 oz Pd (North American Palladium Ltd., news release, February 25, 2015).
Measured and Indicated Resources for the Lac des Iles Mine as of February 15, 2015, totalled 71 468 000 tonnes at a grade of 1.98 g/t palladium for a total of 4 543 000 oz Pd (North American Palladium Ltd., news release, February 25, 2015).
4 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 3. Lac des Iles Mine.
EXPLORATION ACTIVITY Mining Lands
There were 4449 active mining claims, totaling 34 224 claim units, in the Thunder Bay South District as of January 2, 2015.
On April 1, 2013, new provisions came into effect under the Mining Act requiring Exploration Plans and Permits for certain prescribed early mineral exploration activities.
• Exploration Plans must be filed for geophysical surveys requiring a power generator; line cutting where the line widths are less than 1.5 m; drilling with a drill rig lighter than 150 kg; mechanized stripping where the total surface area stripped does not exceed 100 m2 within a 200 m radius; and test pitting and trenching of bedrock where the volume extracted is between 1 and 3 m3 within a 200 m radius (www.mndm.gov.on.ca/en/mines-and-minerals/mining-act/mining-act-modernization/exploration-plans). • Exploration Permits must be obtained for line cutting where the line widths exceed 1.5 m; drilling with drill rigs heavier than 150 kg; mechanized stripping where the total surface area stripped exceeds 100 m2 within a 200 m radius; and test pitting and trenching of bedrock where the total volume extracted exceeds 3 m3 within a 200 m radius (www.mndm.gov.on.ca/en/mines-and-minerals/mining-act/mining-act-modernization/exploration-permits).
Plan submissions and Permit applications for projects located in the Thunder Bay South District are processed by the MNDM Northwest Region Mineral Development and Lands Branch office in Thunder Bay. During 2014, 12 new Exploration Plans were filed, and 24 new Exploration Permits were issued for projects in the Thunder Bay South District, bringing the total number of active Plans and Permits in the District to 31 and 62, respectively, as of December 31, 2014.
5 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Introduction
The Thunder Bay South District is actively being explored for a wide variety of mineral deposit types, including lode gold; volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-hosted copper-zinc; mafic to ultramafic rock-hosted copper- nickel-platinum group elements (PGE); Olympic Dam-style iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG); polymetallic veins; Algoma- and Superior-type iron formation; molybdenum-, lithium- and rare metal-bearing pegmatite; carbonatite- hosted rare earth elements (REE) and phosphate; diamonds; graphite; chromite; amethyst and stone.
Assessment work filed during 2014 for mineral exploration that was completed in the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist District is listed in Table 3. Exploration projects that were active during 2014 are listed in Table 4 and keyed to Figures 4 and 5. The exploration activity table is followed by an “Exploration” section providing a listing of Thunder Bay South District mineral exploration industry activity highlights for 2014.
Table 3. Assessment files received in the Thunder Bay South District in 2014.
Abbreviations AEM ...... Airborne electromagnetic survey Interp ...... Interpretation AGRAD …………………………..Airborne gradiometric survey IP ...... Induced polarization survey AM ...... Airborne magnetic survey Lc ...... Linecutting ARA ...... Airborne radiometric survey LiDAR ...... Light detection and ranging survey ASD ...... Assay data Met ...... Metallurgical testing Beep ...... Beep Mat survey MICRO ...... Microscopic study BORE ...... boring, other than core OD ...... Overburden drilling Bulk ...... Bulk sampling ODH ...... Overburden drill hole(s) DD ...... Diamond drilling PEM ...... Pulse electromagnetic survey DDH ...... Diamond-drill hole(s) PGM ...... Platinum group metals DGP ...... Downhole geophysics Pr ...... Prospecting ENV ………………………………………..Environmental study REP…………………………………..Report (data interpretation) GC ...... Geochemical survey RES ...... Resistivity survey GEM ...... Ground electromagnetic survey Samp ...... Sampling (other than bulk) GL ...... Geological survey Seismic...... Seismic survey GM ...... Ground magnetic survey SP ...... Self-potential survey GRA ...... Ground radiometric survey Str ...... Stripping Grav ...... Gravity survey Tr ...... Trenching HLEM ...... Horizontal loop electromagnetic survey UG ...... Underground exploration/development HM ...... Heavy mineral sampling VLEM ...... Vertical loop electromagnetic survey IGD...... Interpretation of geophysical data VLFEM ...... Very low frequency electromagnetic survey IM ...... Industrial mineral testing and marketing
Township or Area Company Name Year Type of Work AFRO Resident Geologist Number Office File Designation* Anders Lake area Minfocus International Inc./ 2012–2013 GL 2.54351 52A15NW-024 (Seagull North property) Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp. 52A14NE-012 Anders Lake area Minfocus International Inc. 2014 GL 2.55190 52A15NW-028 (Seagull North property, Sigh- Singlet Claims) Anders Lake area Minfocus International Inc. 2013–2014 ASD, GL, MICRO 2.54840 52A15NW-026 (Sigh-Springlet property) Bedivere Lake area Frymire, M. / Brown, J. 2013–2014 ASD, Pr 2.55195 52B15SW-039 (Bedivere Lake property) Bedivere Lake area Minfocus International Inc. / 2013 ASD 2.54333 52B15SW-037 (Chief Peter property) Fenwick, K. Bedivere Lake area Frymire, M. / Brown, J. 2013 Pr 2.54535 52B15SW-038 (Sandy Lake property) Bedivere Lake area Frymire, M./ Brown, J. 2014 Pr 2.55352 52B15SW-040 (Sandy Lake property) Bomby Tp. Barrick Gold Inc. / Teck 2013 DD 2.55283 42C12NW-140 (Williams Mine property) Resources Limited
6 M.A. Puumala et al.
Township or Area Company Name Year Type of Work AFRO Resident Geologist Number Office File Designation* Brothers Tp. Metalcorp Limited 2012–2013 ASD, DD 2.54839 42C12NE-068 (Hemlo East property, Gouda Lake Zone) Cecil Tp. Gionet, G./ Gionet, M. 2012–2014 ASD, GC, Met, Pr 2.55044 42F04SE-050 (Faries Lake property) Corrigal Tp. Meunier, D. 2013–2014 Pr 2.55416 52H01SE-005 (Claim #4270208) Crooks Tp. Pathfinder Metals Inc. / 2014 ASD, GL, Pr 2.55333 52A04SE-093 (Pigeon River property) Luski, M. / Chataway, R. Empire Lake area HTX Minerals Corp. 2013–2014 ASD,GL, 2.55313 52G09NE-005 (Empire Lake property) MICRO, Pr Greenwich Lake area HTX Minerals Corp. 2012–2013 ASD, GEM, GM, 2.54519 52A15SW-063 (Dorion property) GL, Lc 52A15NE-017 52A15NW-025 52A15SE-036a,b Greenwich Lake area Panoramic PGMS (Canada) 2012–2013 ASD, DD 2.54503 52A15SW-062a,b (Thunder Bay North property) Limited 52A11NE-035 Hele Tp. HTX Minerals Corp. 2011–2013 ASD, DD, GM, 2.54521 52A15NE-016 (Hele property) GC, Grav, Lc 52A16NW-009 Horne Tp. Gold Cache Inc. 2014 ASD, Str 2.55228 52A12SW-182 (Gold Cache property) Jean Tp. Gurney, S. / Hietapakka, R. 2013 Pr 2.54606 52B08SE-021 (Tower Lake Amethyst property) Jean Tp. Hietapakka, R. / Gurney, S. 2013 Pr 2.54615 52B08SE-022 (Tower Lake Amethyst property) Killala Lake area Wahl, R. 2013–2014 ASD, GC, Met 2.55029 42E02SE-029 (Killala Lake South property) 42D15NE-035a,b Killala Lake area Wahl, R. 2013–2014 Pr, ASD 2.55505 42E02SE-030 (Killala North property) Lac des Iles area Lac des Iles Mines Ltd./ NAP 2012–2014 ASD, DD 2.55162 52H05SE-013 (Chisamore property) Ltd. Lac des Iles area Lac des Iles Mines Ltd./ 2012–2014 AEM, AM 2.55138 52H04NE-065a,b (Lac des Iles Suite Intrusions) Houston Lake Mining 52H04NW-061a-d Inc./Bjorkman, K./ Fenwick, K. 52H04SE-047a,b 52H04SW-023a-c 52H03NW-037 52H03SW-027 52H05SE-012a,b 52H05SW-029a,b 52G01NE-019 52A13NW-025 Leckie Lake area Minfocus International Inc. / 2013–2014 ASD, OD 2.54936 52H02SW-049 (Seagull North property) Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp. / Trillium North Minerals Ltd. Leckie Lake area Minfocus International Inc./ 2013–2014 ASD, GL, MICRO 2.54766 52H02SW-047 (Seagull North property) Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp./ 52H03SE-018 Trillium North Minerals Ltd. 52A14NE-013a,b 52A15NW-027 Leckie Lake area Panoramic PGMS (Canada) 2013–2014 Lc, GM 2.55494 52H02SW-050 (Seagull North property) Limited Leckie Lake area Orebot Inc. / 2278481 Ontario 2012–2014 GM 2.54835 52H02SW-048 (Sturge Lake property) Inc. 52H02NW-034 Little Sturge Lake area Thompson, T. 2013–2014 Pr, ASD 2.55353 52H02NW-035 (Claim # 3007095) Little Sturge Lake area Pavey Ark Minerals Inc. 2013 ASD, GC, BORE 2.54732 52H02NW-033 (Disreali Copper property) 52H03NE-027
7 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Township or Area Company Name Year Type of Work AFRO Resident Geologist Number Office File Designation* Lorna Lake area Entourage Metals Ltd./ Bond, 2012 ASD, DD 2.54770 42D16SE-067 (Black Raven and Cirrus Lake J./ Michano, D./ Renner, R./ properties) Fenwick, K./ Moses, J. McCron Tp. Wahl, R. 2014 Pr, ASD 2.55520 42C11NW-013 (White River property) McIvor Tp. HTX Minerals Corp. 2012–2014 ASD, DD, Grav, Pr 2.54887 52H01NW-011 (Frazer Lake property) McMaster Tp. HTX Minerals Corp. 2012–2014 ASD, Pr, GC, Grav, 2.54846 52H02SE-015 (Fog Lake property) Lc McTavish Tp. Gehrels, P. / Onchulenko, A. 2012–2013 Pr 2.54397 52A10NW-054 (Claim #4242905) McTavish Tp. Smitham, P. 2012–2014 Pr 2.54984 52A10NE-097 (Claim #4257206) McTavish Tp. Kowtuski, L. 2013–2014 Pr, Tr 2.54714 52A10NE-096 (Claim #4265719) McTavish Tp. Kowtuski, L. 2013 Pr 2.54684 52A10NE-095 (Claim #4265719) McTavish Tp. Noyes, M. 2012–2014 Pr, Str 2.55369 52A10NE-098 (Gunnard property) McTavish Tp. Noyes, M. 2012–2013 Pr, Str 2.54522 52A10NE-094 (Gunnard property) McTavish Tp. Blakely, G. 2013 Str 2.54759 52A10SE-017 (Sibley Sandstone property) McTavish Tp. Blakely, G.A. 2014 DD, Str 2.55492 52A10SE-018 (Superior Oyster White property) Moss Tp. Echo Ridge Resources Inc. 2014 ASD, GL 2.55250 52B10SW-128 (Echo Ridge property) Moss Tp. Kukkee, K. 2014 GC 2.55464 52B10SE-214 (Moss Lake property) Nipigon Tp. Demers, B. / Smeltzer, R. / 2012–2014 ASD, Pr 2.54981 52A16NW-010 (Nipigon property) Demers, D. / Tees, P. Onion Lake area Seeley, S. / Brumpton, G. 2014 ASD, Pr 2.55069 52A11NE-036 (Claim #1221340) Onion Lake area Joseph, M. / Homer, C. 2012–2013 Pr, Str 2.54562 52A11NE-034 (Claim #4250542) Onion Lake area Benton Resources Inc. 2014 ASD, Pr 2.55297 52A11NE-037a-d (Onion Lake property) 52A11NW-012 Onion Lake area Benton Resources Inc. 2014 ASD, Pr, Str 2.55376 52A11NE-038a-c (Onion Lake property) 52A14SE-025 Oskabukuta Lake area Rio Tinto Canada Diamond 2012–2014 AM, GM, GL, GC, Pr 2.55164 42C11SW-013 (White River Project) Exploration Inc. 42C12SE-020 Pardee Tp. Pathfinder Metals Incorporated 2014 Pr, ASD 2.55481 52A04SE-094 (Lenore Lake property) / Chataway, R./ Luski, M. Pays Plat Lake area Golden Share Mining 2013–2014 ASD, GL, Pr 2.54796 42E03SW-060 (Pick Lake property) Corporation 42D14NW-087 Pic Tp. Jiminex Inc. / Beaufield 2013 ASD, GL 2.54350 42D09NW-155 (Northern Eagle property) Resources Inc. 42D09NE-142 Pickerel Lake area Kuzmich, B. 2013 ASD, Pr, BORE 2.54577 52B11NW-019 (Nym Lake property) Priske Tp. Strike Minerals Inc. 2012–2014 Lc 2.54964 42D14SW-070 (Claim #4205993) Priske Tp. Canadian Star Minerals Ltd. 2012–2013 ASD, Pr 2.54653 42D14SW-069 (Schreiber property)
8 M.A. Puumala et al.
Township or Area Company Name Year Type of Work AFRO Resident Geologist Number Office File Designation* Priske Tp. Kravchik, O. 2014 Pr 2.55303 42D14SE-163 (Worthington Creek property) Puddy Lake area Pavey Ark Minerals Inc. 2014 ASD, GL, Pr 2.55421 52H13NE-034a,b (Chrome-Puddy property) 52H14NW-006 Puddy Lake area Navigator Minerals Inc. 2013–2014 ASD, DD, GEM, Pr, 2.54765 52H13NE-033 (Puddy Lake property) Lc Richardson Lake area China Metallurgical 2012–2013 ASD, GC 2.54224 52G03SE-050a,b (Richardson Lake property) Exploration Corp. 52G03NE-005a,b Richardson Lake area China Metallurgical 2012–2013 ASD, GC 2.54225 52G03SE-051a,b (Richardson Lake property) Exploration Corp. 52G03NE-006 Richardson Lake area China Metallurgical 2011–2012 ASD, GL 2.54216 52G03SE-052 (Richardson Lake property) Exploration Corp. 52G03NE-007 Richardson Lake area China Metallurgical 2013 GC, Met 2.55010 52G03SE-053 (Richardson Lake property) Exploration Corp. 52G03NE-008 Rope Lake area Fowler, B. and Partners 2013 ASD, Pr 2.54658 42E03SW-061a,b (Big Duck Lake property) 42E03SE-061 42D14NW-088 Santoy Lake area Onchulenko, A./ Gehrels, P. / 2013 ASD, Pr 2.54545 42D15NW-047 (Claim #4242907) Kuzmich, B. Santoy Lake area Renner, R. 2013–2014 ASD, Pr 2.54863 42D15NW-048a,b (Larry Lake property) Senga Lake area Lac Des Iles Mines Ltd. / North 2013–2014 ASD, DD 2.55140 52H04SW-022 (Taman Lake property) American Palladium Ltd. Sharp Lake area Lac Des Iles Mines Ltd. / North 2012–2014 ASD, DD 2.55137 52G01NE-018 (Buck Lake property) American Palladium Ltd. 52H04NW-060 Shelby Lake area Platinum Group Metals Ltd. 2013 ASD, Pr 2.54552 52H04SE-046 (Shelby Lake property) 52H04SW-021 Strey Tp. Renner, R. 2013–2014 ASD, Pr 2.54933 42D14SE-161 (Bews Lake property) Syine Tp. Alto Ventures Ltd. 2013–2014 ASD, Pr, GL 2.54774 42D15SW-144 (Empress property) 42D14SE-160 Syine Tp. Alto Ventures Ltd. 2014 ASD, GL, Pr 2.55209 42D15SW-146 (Empress property) 42D14SE-162 Syine Tp. Richards, W./ Hamel, J. 2013 Pr 2.55268 42D15SW-147 (Jackfish Lake property) Syine Tp. Wahl, R. 2013–2014 ASD, GL, Pr 2.55028 42D15SW-145 (Jackfish Lake property) Tartan Lake area Bakovic, D. 2013 Str 2.55413 52A10NW-055 (Claim #1232333) Tib Lake area Goldbank Mining Corp. / Ultra 2013 ASD, GL, Pr 2.54921 52H04NW-058 (Buck Lake property) Resources Corp. / Houghton, F. / Richmond, W. Tib Lake area Lac des Iles Mines Ltd. 2012–2014 ASD, DD 2.54868 52H04NW-057 (Bullseye property) Tib Lake area Houston Lake Mining Inc./ Lac 2012–2013 ASD, DD 2.55064 52H04NW-059 (Tib Lake property) des Iles Mines Ltd. Trottier Tp. Brown, J.R. / Frymire, M. 2013 Pr 2.55197 52B14SE-072 (Abiwin property) Trottier Tp. Asselin, R. / Kulik, H. 2014 Pr 2.55412 52B14SE-073 (Claim #4212177) Wabikoba Lake area Barrick Gold Inc. 2013 LiDAR 2.55003 42C12NW-138 (Barrick Gold Hemlo property) Wabikoba Lake area Barrick Gold Inc. 2014 GM 2.54999 42C12NW-139 (Hemlo property, NA Claims) 42C13SW-147
9 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Township or Area Company Name Year Type of Work AFRO Resident Geologist Number Office File Designation* Walsh Tp. Renner, R. / Bond, J. 2013 ASD, Pr 2.54598 42D15SE-117 (McKellar Creek Diatreme property) Ware Tp. Onchulenko, A. / Gehrels, P. 2014 ASD, Pr 2.55022 52A12SE-040 (Claim #4256088) Weaver Tp. Asselin, R. 2014 ASD, Pr 2.55213 52B14SE-071 (Claim #4265717) Wolseley Lake area Dan Patrie Exploration Ltd. 2013 ASD, Pr 2.54894 52C08NE-004 (Wisa Lake property) * Bolded files relate to the location of the main hard copy file in the Thunder Bay South District office.
Table 4. Exploration activity in the Thunder Bay South District in 2014 (keyed to Figures 4 and 5).
Abbreviations AEM ...... Airborne electromagnetic survey IM ...... Industrial mineral testing and marketing AGRAD ………………………….Airborne Gradiometric survey IP ...... Induced polarization survey AM ...... Airborne magnetic survey Lc ...... Linecutting ARA ...... Airborne radiometric survey Met ...... Metallurgical testing Beep ...... Beep Mat survey OD ...... Overburden drilling Bulk ...... Bulk sampling ODH ...... Overburden drill hole(s) DD ...... Diamond drilling PEM ...... Pulse electromagnetic survey DDH ...... Diamond-drill hole(s) PGM ...... Platinum group metals DGP ...... Downhole geophysics Pr ...... Prospecting GC ...... Geochemical survey RES ...... Resistivity survey GEM ...... Ground electromagnetic survey Samp ...... Sampling (other than bulk) GL ...... Geological survey Seismic ...... Seismic survey GM ...... Ground magnetic survey SP ...... Self-potential survey GRA ...... Ground radiometric survey Str ...... Stripping Grav ...... Gravity survey Tr ...... Trenching HD ...... Hand drilling UG ...... Underground exploration/development HLEM ...... Horizontal loop electromagnetic survey VLEM ...... Vertical loop electromagnetic survey HM ...... Heavy mineral sampling VTEM ...... Versatile time-domain electromagnetic survey
No. Company/Individual Area Exploration (Occurrence Name or Property) (Commodity) Activity 1 Alto Ventures Ltd. (Empress) Syine Township (Au) Pr, Samp 2 Ardiden Limited (Manitouwadge Graphite) Olie Lake (graphite) Samp, Met 3 Asselin, R. (Pothole) Weaver Township (Au) Samp 4 Barrick Gold Corporation (NA Claim Group) Bomby Township (Au) GM 5 Barrick Gold Corporation (Williams & David Bell properties) Bomby Township (Au) UG, DD 6 Beaufield Resources Inc. (Hemlo North) Wabikoba Lake (Au) Pr, Samp 7 Benton Resources Inc. (Onion Lake) Onion Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) Pr, Str, Samp 8 Blakely, G. (Pearl Red Granite) McTavish Township (stone) Pr, Str 9 Blakely, G. (Superior Oyster White) McTavish Township (stone) Str, DD 10 Blakely, G. (Tease Lake) Manchester Lake (stone) Pr, Samp 11 Blakely, G. (White Pegmatite) Onion Lake (stone) Pr, Samp 12 Clemons, B. and Gurney, S. (7Z Amethyst) MacGregor Township Pr (amethyst) 13 Coldstream Mineral Ventures Corp. and Canoe Mining Ventures Corp. Burchell Lake (Au) Samp (Coldstream) 14 Frymire, M. and Brown, J. (Sandy Lake) Bedivere Lake (Au, Cu) Pr, Samp 15 Gold Cache Inc. (Gold Cache) Dawson Road Lots (Au) Tr, Str, Samp
10 M.A. Puumala et al.
No. Company/Individual Area Exploration (Occurrence Name or Property) (Commodity) Activity 16 GTA Resources and Mining Inc. / Balmoral Resources Inc. (Northshore) Schreiber (Au) DD 17 Joseph, M. (Claim 1231649 ) Blake Township (Ag) Pr 18 Kaminak Gold Corp. (Hemlo North) Wabikoba Lake and Rous GL, GC Lake (Au) 19 Kukkee, K. (Moss Lake) Moss Township (Au) Samp 20 Kravchik, O. (Worthington Creek) Priske Township (Au) Samp 21 Minfocus Exploration Corp. (Chief Peter) Bedivere Lake (Ni-Cu-PGE) Tr, Samp 22 Minfocus Exploration Corp. / Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp. / Trillium North Leckie Lake (Ni-Cu-PGE) GL, Tr, Samp Minerals / Black Panther Mining Corp. (Nipigon Reefs) 23 Mistango River Resources (Sackville) Sackville Township (Cu, Zn, Pr Pb, Ag, Au) 24 North American Palladium Ltd. (Lac des Iles Mine) Lac des Iles (Cu, Ni, PGE) UG, DD 25 Noyes, M. (Gunnard Amethyst) McTavish Township St, Tr, Samp (amethyst) 26 Onchulenko, A. & Gehrels, P. (Claim 4256088) Ware Township (Au) Samp 27 Pathfinder Metals Inc. (Pigeon River) Pardee Township (Cu, Ni, Pr PGE) 28 Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Limited (Thunder Bay North) Greenwich Lake GL, Pr (Cu, Ni, PGE) 29 Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Limited (Seagull North) Leckie Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) Lc, GM 30 Pavey Ark Minerals Inc. (Chrome-Puddy) Puddy Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) Pr, Samp 31 Richards W., Hamel J., and Renner R. (Jackfish Lake) Syine Township (Au) Pr, Samp 32 Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. (Crystal Lake) Pardee Township (Cu, Ni, DD PGE) 33 Seeley, S. and Brumpton, G. (Claim 1221340) Onion Lake area (Au, PGE) Pr, Samp 34 Stillwater Mining Company (Bermuda) Seeley Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) GL 35 Stillwater Mining Company (Marathon PGM) Seeley Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) Feasibility Study 36 Tashota Resources Inc. and Echo Ridge Resources Inc. (Echo Ridge) Tilly Lake (Cu, Au) GL, Samp 37 Tashota Resources Inc. (Hemlo South) Lecours and Bomby AM Townships (Au) 38 Transition Metals Corp. (Empire Lake) Empire Lake (Cu, Ni, PGE) GL, Samp 39 Transition Metals Corp. and Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Sunday Lake) Stirrett Bay and Onion Lake GL, GM, DD, DGP (Cu, Ni, PGE) 40 Wahl, R. (Eric Lake) Black River (diamonds) Pr, Samp 41 Wahl, R. (Jackfish Lake) Syine Township (Au) Pr, Samp 42 Wahl, R. (Killala North) Killala Lake (diamonds, Pr, Samp REE) 43 Wahl, R. (Prairie Lake) Killala Lake (Nb, phosphate, Pr, Samp REE) 44 Wahl, R. (Sandspit Lake) Islington Lake (diamonds, Pr, Samp Nb) 45 Wahl, R. (White River) McCron Township Pr, Samp (diamonds) 46 White Metal Resources Corp. (Manitouwadge PGE project) Cecil Township (Cu, Ni, GC, Samp PGE) 47 Wiwcharyk, G. (Kabaigon Bay) Haines Township (Au, Cu) Pr, Samp 48 Yamana Gold Inc. and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited formerly Osisko Mining Finlayson Lake (Au) Environmental Corporation (Hammond Reef) Assessment
11 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
ogical Survey (2011). Survey ogical Thunder Bay South District (western portion), exploration activity 2014 (keyed to Table 4). Bedrock geology from Ontario Geol Ontario from geology Bedrock 4). Table to (keyed 2014 activity exploration portion), (western District South Bay Thunder
Figure 4.
12 M.A. Puumala et al.
(eastern portion), exploration activity 2014 (keyed to Table 4). Bedrock geology from Ontario Geological Survey (2011). Survey Geological Ontario from geology Bedrock 4). Table to (keyed 2014 activity exploration portion), (eastern
Thunder Bay South District South Bay Thunder Figure 5.
13 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Exploration
Alto Ventures Ltd. (www.altoventures.com) reported results from surface bedrock and soil sampling programs carried out in May and June 2014 on the Empress gold property, 15 km east of Terrace Bay. The exploration program was designed to locate alteration, veining and gold mineralization within the Terrace Bay batholith near the northern and northeastern contacts, and to test a regional east-trending aeromagnetic anomaly with prospecting, and soil and mobile metal ion (MMI) geochemistry. Prospecting identified several areas of strong silicification that were sampled, returning gold values of up to 0.087 g/t Au. Additional prospecting and bedrock sampling have been recommended along the northern and northeastern contacts of the Terrace Bay batholith, while a till sampling program has been recommended for the southern property boundary (Koziol 2014).
Ardiden Limited (formerly Stratos Resources Ltd.) acquired the Manitouwadge Graphite property, 27 km north of Manitouwadge. Stratos contracted GSA Global to carry out a channel sampling program on the property to test historic trenches and graphite-bearing outcrops. GSA Global is also conducting a review of historical geophysical and geological information for the property, while Stratos has applied for an Exploration Permit to allow for future diamond drilling (Stratos Resources Ltd., news releases, October 7 and 22, 2014). Ardiden released sampling program results that indicate concentrate-purity levels of up to 94.8% for jumbo flake graphite, and 94.0% for large flake graphite (Ardiden Limited, news release, January 6, 2015).
AsiaBaseMetals Inc. (www.asiabasemetals.com/s/Home.asp) entered into an option agreement (subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval) with Great Lakes Resources Inc. whereby AsiaBaseMetals can earn a 100% interest in Great Lakes’ Jean Iron Ore Project, 65 km west-southwest of Thunder Bay (AsiaBaseMetals Inc., news release, August 26, 2014).
R. Asselin filed assessment for a summer 2014 prospecting program on his claim block that covers the historic Pothole gold occurrence, 40 km east of Atikokan. An assay value of 3.41 g/t Au was obtained from a sample collected along the shoreline of The Pothole Lake (Whaley 2014).
Barrick Gold Corporation completed a ground magnetic survey on the NA Claims Group gold property, 40 km east of Marathon. The property is located just to the northeast of the Hemlo mines (Marsh 2014b).
Barrick Gold Corporation (www.barrick.com) filed an assessment report for an open pit exploration drilling program on their Williams Mine property, 40 km east of Marathon. The nine-hole diamond-drilling program was carried out during 2013, and the work submitted included lithology, alteration, mineralization, structural and geotechnical logs for 8 of the 9 drill holes (one hole was previously filed during 2013). No assay data were provided (Marsh 2014a).
Benton Resources Inc. (www.bentonresources.ca) completed a summer prospecting program on their Onion Lake property, 50 km north of Thunder Bay. A total of 10 grab samples were collected; 1 sample collected from a mafic- ultramafic intrusive rock returned 0.115% Ni and 0.05% Cu (Sims 2014a). During the fall of 2014, Benton completed further prospecting, stripping and sampling surrounding the anomalous sample location; however, the program was not successful in finding additional mineralization (Sims 2014b).
Gerald Blakely was active on a number of dimension stone exploration projects in the Thunder Bay South District during 2014, as listed below.
• Prospecting and sampling programs were completed on the White Pegmatite and Tease Lake granite properties, 30 km and 55 km north-northeast of Thunder Bay, respectively. • Prospecting and outcrop stripping programs were completed on the Pearl Red Granite property, 45 km northeast of Thunder Bay. Results of this work were promising and follow-up stripping and core-drilling programs have been recommended (Blakely 2014a). • An exploration program, consisting of stripping and drilling, was completed on the Superior Oyster White sandstone project, 40 km east-northeast of Thunder Bay. Drilling results indicated that the sandstone at this test site is layered and fractured and not suitable for dimension stone (Blakely 2014b).
14 M.A. Puumala et al.
Canoe Mining Ventures Corp. (www.canoemining.com) completed settlement agreements with Birch Hill Gold Corp and Alto Ventures Ltd. that will result in Canoe holding an unencumbered 100% interest in the Coldstream gold property, under the new name Coldstream Mineral Ventures Corp. The Coldstream property is located 100 km west of Thunder Bay. (Canoe Mining Ventures Corp., news releases, June 3 and October 21, 2014).
Canoe Mining Ventures Corp. entered into a definitive agreement with Glencore Canada Corporation, Mega Uranium Ltd. and Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp. to acquire a 100% interest in the Hamlin-Deaty Creek iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) property, 110 km west of Thunder Bay (Canoe Mining Ventures Corp., news release, September 22, 2014).
M. Frymire and J. Brown completed prospecting and sampling on their Sandy Lake property, 160 km west of Thunder Bay. Previous sampling by Schnieders and Dutka (1985) returned trace to 0.02 ounces of gold per ton and up to 3.83% Cu from a quartz-carbonate zone with pyrite and chalcopyrite. Results from samples taken in September 2014 are pending (Frymire and Brown 2014).
Gold Cache Inc. filed an assessment report for a summer 2014 trenching, outcrop stripping and sampling program on their Gold Cache property, 50 km west-northwest of Thunder Bay. Five samples were assayed, with values ranging from <0.005 g/t Au to 0.370 g/t Au (Yahn 2014).
Golden Share Mining Corporation (www.goldenshare.ca) staked 2 additional claims (total of 8 claim units) to add to their Shebandowan Project property, 70 km west of Thunder Bay. The new claims are located north of the Band Ore Main deposit and host a strong very low frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) anomaly that is coincident with a gold-in-humus geochemical anomaly of 788 ppb Au (Golden Share Mining Corporation, news release, March 27, 2014).
GTA Resources and Mining Inc. (www.gtaresources.com) and joint-venture partner Balmoral Resources Inc. (www.balmoralresources.com) released a NI 43-101-compliant mineral resource estimate for the Afric Zone on their Northshore property, 4 km south of Schreiber. The mineral resource estimates are provided below in Tables 5 and 6. (GTA Resources and Mining Inc., news release, June 10, 2014).
GTA Resources and Mining Inc. completed all of the requirements to earn a 51% interest in the Northshore property but elected not to exercise their second option to acquire an additional 19% interest. (GTA Resources and Mining Inc., news releases, July 16 and August 18, 2014).
Table 5. Afric Zone Indicated Resource (from GTA Resources and Mining Inc., news release, June 10, 2014). Cut-Off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Gold Grade (g/t) Contained Ounces 0.2 27 980 000 0.61 549 000 0.5 12 360 000 0.99 391 000 0.8 6 650 000 1.28 275 000 1.2 2 560 000 1.78 147 000
Table 6. Afric Zone Inferred Resource (GTA Resources and Mining Inc., news release, June 10, 2014). Cut-Off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Gold Grade (g/t) Contained Ounces 0.2 63 490 000 0.58 1 184 000 0.5 29 580 000 0.87 824 000 0.8 12 090 000 1.22 472 000 1.2 4 210 000 1.73 233 000
Kaminak Gold Corp. filed the results of surficial geology and bedrock geochemistry studies that were completed during 2014 on their Hemlo North property, 40 km east of Marathon. The bedrock geochemistry study identified alteration along magnetic lineaments that have been interpreted as structural corridors with further gold exploration potential (Kutluoglu 2014).
15 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Ken Kukkee contracted Clark Exploration to carry out soil and rock sampling on the Moss Lake gold property, 110 km west of Thunder Bay. A total of 24 soil samples and 3 rock samples were collected across the Snodgrass Lake fault, which is not exposed on the property. The samples were assayed for gold; however, no significant values were returned (Siemieniuk 2014).
Oren Kravchik contracted Thunder Bay Geological Services to conduct a property visit on the Worthington Creek area mining claims 1142416 and 1142417, approximately 4.4 km southeast of Schreiber. Samples were collected from the Univex West occurrence and assays were reported as pending (Scott 2014).
In March 2014, Minfocus Exploration Corp. (www.minfocus.com) provided an exploration update for their Chief Peter property, 130 km west-northwest of Thunder Bay. A historic trench was pumped out and mapped in an effort to identify the source of a copper-nickel-mineralized float boulder that occurs adjacent to the trench. A grab sample from the largest float boulder returned 0.23 g/t Pt, 0.25 g/t Pd, 0.11 g/t Au, 0.58% Cu and 0.07% Ni. The bedrock mapped in the trench was not the source of the mineralized float. As a result, additional work was recommended to locate the source of the glacially transported boulders; however, in November 2014, Minfocus terminated the Chief Peter option agreement (Minfocus Exploration Corp., news releases, March 19 and November 3, 2014).
Minfocus Exploration Corp. met their obligations under the amended Seagull PGE option agreement with joint- venture partners Black Panther Mining Corp. (www.blackpanthermining.com), Rainy Mountain Royalty Corp. (www.rmroyalty.com) and Trillium North Minerals Ltd. for the Nipigon Reefs PGE project, 60 km north-northeast of Thunder Bay. Summer 2014 mapping, sampling and trenching programs on the Nipigon Reefs property has reinforced the importance of faults as controls on PGE mineralization (Minfocus Exploration Corp., news release, November 3, 2014).
Mistango River Resources (www.mistangoriverresources.ca/cms/) plans to drill test versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM), induced polarization (IP), and magnetic anomalies on the Sackville volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-type property, 50 km west of Thunder Bay. The VTEM, IP, and magnetic anomalies are located approximately 3 km north of the “Stares”, “Boomer” and “Calvert” mineralized boulders. Mistango reported historical grades for the Stares boulder (12% Zn, 0.6% Cu, 4.4% Pb, 359 g/t Ag, 5.52 g/t Au) and the Calvert boulder (12% Zn, 0.26% Cu, 1.70% Pb, 214 g/t Ag, 3.51 g/t Au). (Mistango River Resources, news release, November 13, 2014).
Nevado Resources Corporation (www.nevadoresources.com) acquired the 175 claim unit Bozema [sic Bozena] Lake Zn-Cu-Ag property, 240 km east of Thunder Bay (Nevado Resources Corporation, news release, April 9, 2014).
During 2014, North American Palladium Ltd. (www.napalladium.com) completed 66 diamond-drill holes totalling 36 309 m on their Lac des Iles Mine property, 85 km north of Thunder Bay. Drill targets that were tested included the Upper and Lower Offset Zones and the Powerline Zone. Several new, near-surface exploration targets were also identified in the areas located to the south of the Offset Zone and north of the Roby Zone.
Highlights of the 2014 diamond-drilling programs are summarized below.
Upper Offset Zone:
• 5.2 g/t Pd over 20.3 m in diamond-drill hole (DDH) 14-776 • 6.2 g/t Pd over 17.7 m in DDH 14-903 • 7.2 g/t Pd over 11.0 m in DDH 14-908.
Lower Offset Zone:
• 5.86 g/t over 9.0 m in DDH 14-904. • 4.7 g/t over 49.7 m in DDH 14-909. • 4.9 g/t over 50.0 m in DDH 14-912. • 7.9 g/t over 20.0 m in DDH 14-916. • 4.1 g/t over 46.7 m in DDH 14-918.
16 M.A. Puumala et al.
Powerline Zone:
• 2.8 g/t Pd over 96.0 m in DDH 14-105. • 5.7 g/t Pd over 35.3 m in DDH 14-119. • 6.0 g/t Pd over 43.9 m in DDH 14-122. • 6.4 g/t Pd over 62.8 m in DDH 14-125. • 4.6 g/t Pd over 62.2 m in DDH 14-126. (North American Palladium Ltd., news releases, October 16, 2014, and February 10, 2015.)
Mitchell Noyes completed prospecting, stripping, trenching and sampling on his Gunnard Amethyst project, 50 km east of Thunder Bay (Noyes 2014).
Nuinsco Resources Limited (www.nuinsco.ca) retracted statements disclosed in previous press releases, dating back to October 2011, with regard to information about the Exploration Target Mineralization Inventory (ETMI) at the Prairie Lake property, 45 km northwest of Marathon. There is no current mineral resource at the Prairie Lake mineralized zone (Nuinsco Resources Limited, news release, April 11, 2014).
Thunder Bay prospectors Allan Onchulenko and Peter Gehrels conducted prospecting and sampling on their Claim 4256088 in Ware Township, approximately 26 km northwest of Thunder Bay. The prospectors collected 6 samples from old test pits, quartz veins and gabbro with minor sulphides. The best assay returned 0.028 ppm Au (Onchulenko 2014).
Osisko Mining Corporation (www.osisko.com) completed an agreement whereby Yamana Gold Inc. (www.yamana.com) and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (www.agnicoeagle.com) jointly (50% each) acquired 100% of Osisko Mining Corporation. The partners will jointly operate the Canadian Malartic Mine in Quebec and plan to jointly develop and explore Osisko’s assets, including the Hammond Reef property, 22 km northeast of Atikokan (Yamana Gold Inc., news release, June 16, 2014).
Pathfinder Metals Inc. contracted TBT Engineering to carry out a prospecting program on their Pigeon River property, 50 km south of Thunder Bay. A total of 4 grab samples were collected. The best assay results were obtained from a car-sized gabbronorite float boulder that returned <2 ppb Au, 4 ppb Pt, 5 ppb Pd, 129 ppm Cu and 174 ppm Ni (Arnold 2014 ).
Panoramic PGM’s (Canada) Limited completed a ground magnetometer survey on the Seagull North Ni-Cu- PGM Project, 60 km northeast of Thunder Bay. A magnetic “low” was detected below Leckie Lake and is consistent with the anomaly detected by the 1999 Nipigon airborne survey. No other significant magnetic anomalies were detected (Johnson 2014).
Panoramic Resources Ltd.’s (www.panoramicresources.com) wholly owned subsidiary, Panoramic PGM’s (Canada) Limited, signed a three-phase earn-in with option to enter into a joint-venture agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. The agreement includes consolidating Panoramic’s Thunder Bay North project and Rio Tinto’s Escape Lake project, approximately 50 km northeast of Thunder Bay (Panoramic Resources Ltd., news release, July 30, 2014).
Rio Tinto and Panoramic have completed the initial (Phase 1) joint exploration target-generation phase of the agreement, and Rio Tinto informed Panoramic that they plan to proceed to the earn-in phase (Phase 2). Further details about the agreement are available from the news release referenced below, which can be accessed through the Panoramic Web site (Panoramic Resources Ltd., news release, January 16, 2015).
Pavey Ark Minerals Inc. (www.paveyarkminerals.com) completed an exploration program consisting of prospecting and field x-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping on the Chrome-Puddy property, 180 km north of Thunder Bay. Highlights from the sampling program are reported below as follows (Sutcliffe 2014).
• Sixty field XRF measurements were recorded at the Commerce East and West occurrences with up to 2.7% Ni in a magnetite vein at Commerce West.
17 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
• Twenty-six samples were collected along the shore of Puddy and Chromes lakes and pulverized to <100 mesh. The whole rock pulps and magnetic separates were prepared and analyzed with a portable XRF with results of up to 2.62% Cr at the north end of Chrome Lake and 0.08 to 0.26% Ni throughout the intrusion. • Sixteen samples were collected for conventional assay analyses at Accurassay Laboratories in Thunder Bay with results of up to 1.39% Ni in a massive magnetite vein from the north shore of Puddy Lake and 0.63% Ni, 651ppb Au in serpentinite with 5% magnetite at the Commerce East. Quinto Real Capital Corporation (www.quintocorp.com) acquired 3 properties located in the Jackfish Lake area, approximately 12 km east of Terrace Bay. The 3 claim blocks are known as the Sawmill Lake (zinc), Sawmill Lake Perimeter (gold-silver-molybdenum) and Little Steel River (copper-zinc-lead-silver) properties. Noteworthy information about these properties are listed below.
• Previous prospecting on the Sawmill Lake property resulted in the discovery of a float boulder of massive sphalerite that returned 66% Zn. • The Sawmill Lake Perimeter property hosts the historic Observation Point gold-molybdenum-silver occurrence (MDI42D15SW00068). • Grab samples collected on the main showing on the Little Steel River property have returned assay values of up to 31.0 g/t Ag, 3.0% Pb, 1.3% Cu and 2.1% Zn. (Quinto Real Capital Corporation, news release, April 8, 2014.)
Prospectors Wayne Richards, James Hamel and Russell Renner continued to prospect and sample their Jackfish Lake gold property (also referred as the Prospectors J.V. property), 20 km east of Terrace Bay.
Rio Tinto Canada Diamonds Exploration Inc. filed assessment (received and processed November 2014 in the Resident Geologist Program, Thunder Bay Office) reporting the discovery of 167 diamonds from a 200 kg boulder sample on their Oskabukuta diamond property, 15 km west of White River. Between March 2012 and October 2013, Rio Tinto Canada Diamonds Exploration Inc. completed prospecting, geological mapping, airborne and ground geophysical surveys, and heavy mineral sampling. During prospecting, 2 heavy mineral samples and 1 diamond fusion sample (OSK0034) were sent for analysis to Rio Tinto’s Thunder Bay laboratory. The diamond fusion sample was described as “yellow macrocrystic melnoite boulders w[ith] large xenoliths (20%), variably magnetic”. Results are highlighted by the recovery of 167 diamonds weighing 2.51 g. The largest diamond recovered is between 0.600 to 0.850 mm and additional results are provided below in Table 7 (Kinakin 2014).
Table 7. Diamond recovery results for Oskabukuta diamond property sample OSK0034 (from Kinakin 2014). Size Class (mm square mesh) Stones +0.85 0 +0.6 1 +0.425 11 +0.3 13 +0.212 32 +0.15 47 +0.106 63 Total 167
In November 2011, Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. (www.riotinto.com) signed an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Great Lakes Nickel Limited (GLNL) (www.greatlakesnickel.com) property in Pardee Township, 40 km south of Thunder Bay. The basic terms of the agreement state that Rio Tinto may exercise the option upon paying $5 125 000 over 7 years, at which time Rio Tinto will grant GLNL a 2% Net Smelter Royalty (NSR). To date, Rio Tinto has honoured all option agreement commitments (Great Lakes Nickel Limited, Management Discussion and Analysis, November 19, 2014; filed with SEDAR®, see SEDAR Home Page).
18 M.A. Puumala et al.
Prospectors S. Seeley and G. Brumpton prospected for platinum group elements on their claim number 1221340 in the Onion Lake area, approximately 25 km northeast of Thunder Bay. Eight samples were analysed for Au, Pt and Pd; however, no anomalous results were returned (Seeley and Brumpton 2014).
Stillwater Mining Company (www.stillwatermining.com) completed a feasibility study for the Marathon PGM- Copper Mine project, 10 km north-northeast of Marathon. The feasibility study findings indicated that changes to the design and scale of the project would be required, necessitating a suspension of the project Environmental Assessment. Stillwater scaled back activities associated with the Marathon PGM project, reducing staff levels by 50% and annual capital expenditures by 60%. Exploration continued for the 2014 field season; however, further continuation is dependent on positive results and better market conditions. Stillwater continues to maintain good relations with local First Nation communities and municipalities (Stillwater Mining Company, news releases, January 31, March 3, and September 2, 2014; Northern Ontario Business, news article, May 17, 2014).
The Marathon PGM-Copper deposit contains Proven and Probable reserves of 91.45 million tonnes grading 0.832 g/t palladium, 0.237 g/t platinum, 0.085 g/t gold, 0.247% copper and 1.44 g/t silver (Marathon PGM Corporation, news release, January 11, 2010).
Tashota Resources Inc. (www.tashotaresources.com) and joint-venture partner Echo Ridge Resources Inc. completed geological mapping and sampling on the Echo Ridge property, 120 km west of Thunder Bay. Six trenches were mapped and 11 grab samples sent for gold analysis. The best assay, hosted by wacke, returned 7.492 g/t Au from a sulphide band containing 5 to 10% disseminated pyrite and trace chalcopyrite, with malachite staining on the weathered surface (Bowdidge 2014). Echo Ridge Resources Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation with respect to exploration activities on the Echo Ridge property (Tashota Resources Inc., news release, February 24, 2014).
Tashota Resouces Inc. also completed a 327 km, helicopter-borne geophysical survey on their Hemlo South property, 30 km east of Marathon (Tashota Resources Inc., news release, July 13, 2014).
TerraX Minerals Inc. (www.terraxminerals.com) and Alberta Star Development Corp. (www.alberta-star.com) received TSX Venture Exchange approval of a previously announced option agreement whereby Alberta Star may earn a 60% interest in the Central Canada gold project property, 20 km east of Atikokan. Alberta Star plans to carry out an exploration program on the property during 2014 to follow-up on the results of a 2012 TerraX diamond- drilling program (TerraX Minerals Inc. and Alberta Star Development Corp., news release, March 3, 2014).
Transition Metals Corp. (www.transitionmetalscorp.com) and HTX Minerals Corporation filed an assessment report with results from prospecting and sampling programs carried out during the 2012, 2013 and 2014 field seasons on their Empire Lake property, 75 km north of Upsala. Exploration was focused on a sulphide-mineralized zone, 1700 m long and ranging from 50 to 200 m wide, within an Archean mafic intrusion. The zone contains disseminated chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite associated with massive magnetite ± ilmenite layers. Channel sample results from 6 trenches are provided in Table 8.
Table 8. Channel sampling results from the Empire Lake property (from Flank 2014).
V O wt.% 2 5 Fe O wt.% TiO wt.% Cu (ppm) Ni (ppm) (calculated) 2 3 2
Trench # Samples Length (m) Avg Range Avg. Range Avg. Range Avg. Range Avg. Range 1 16 8.0 0.37 0.21-0.61 36.9 24.5-51.2 2.98 1.83-4.32 721 164-2020 309 154-554 2 9 4.5 0.18 0.16-0.24 24.8 21.3-28.5 1.96 1.76-2.34 154 105-185 109 71-132 3 29 14.5 0.26 0.06-0.42 32.7 14.05-50.1 2.59 0.63-4.38 273 69-680 257 86-580 4 7 3.5 0.20 0.09-0.39 32.9 21.1-54.4 2.39 1.14-4.68 534 177-786 278 139-401 5 25 12.5 0.23 0.1-0.6 31.79 17.25-60.8 2.22 1.15-4.86 537 56-1410 253 98-474 6 14 7.0 0.22 0.01-0.63 27.28 6.97-65.1 2.11 0.17-5.84 639 34-1215 235 69-403
19 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Transition also reported elevated PGE values (>100 ppb Pt+Pd+Au) from 4 grab samples and 2 trench samples, with the best assay of 367 ppm PGE from a leucocratic, brecciated, iron-rich gabbro (Flank 2014).
The Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association presented the 2014 Bernie Schnieders Discovery of the Year Award to Transition Metals Corp. and joint-venture partner Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) in recognition of the Sunday Lake PGE discovery (3.22 g/t combined Pt+Pd+Au over 20.2 m), 25 km north of Thunder Bay. During 2014, Transition and Implats continued to explore the Sunday Lake property through an exploration program consisting of ground and borehole geophysical surveys, detailed geological mapping, and 2 diamond-drilling programs consisting of 8 holes for 4623 m (Transition Metals Corp., news releases, April 9, August 7, September 24, and November 17, 2014, and January 26, 2015). Highlights from the 2014 drilling programs are summarized in Table 9.
The Sunday Lake diamond-drilling results have identified PGE mineralization at depths between 370 and 800 m below surface over an area of approximately 700 by 300 m. The PGE-mineralized zone remains open in all directions. A diamond-drilling plan map and cross-sectional representation of the mineralized intrusion are provided as Figures 6 and 7.
Table 9. 2014 diamond-drilling results from the Sunday Lake property (from Transition Metals Corp., news releases, June 4, 2014, August 7, 2014 and January 26, 2015). PGE From To Length Pt Pd Au Cu Ni S Hole (Pt+Pd+Au) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) SL-14-002 412.00 420.00 8.00 1.13 0.46 0.08 1.67 0.13 0.52 0.74 incl. 417.00 420.00 3.00 1.80 0.68 0.14 2.62 0.22 0.90 0.94 SL-14-003 389.30 401.00 11.70 1.79 0.94 0.06 2.79 0.12 0.37 2.49 incl. 391.00 396.00 5.00 3.25 1.65 0.10 5.00 0.14 0.04 3.67 incl. 393.00 394.00 1.00 6.34 3.22 0.19 9.75 0.24 0.06 3.37 and 501.50 502.10 0.60 0.82 0.68 0.06 1.55 0.24 0.11 0.90 and 526.00 541.00 15.00 1.80 0.92 0.12 2.84 0.22 0.09 0.58 incl. 532.00 540.00 8.00 2.52 1.16 0.17 3.85 0.30 0.10 0.75 SL-14-004 463.6 465.3 1.7 1.00 0.51 0.07 1.58 0.12 0.05 0.29 SL-14-005 512.0 516.8 4.8 0.61 0.39 0.04 1.04 0.18 0.09 1.23
SL-14-006 825.0 835.9 10.9 1.38 0.83 0.09 2.30 0.30 0.12 NR
incl. 831.0 835.9 4.90 1.97 1.19 0.13 3.29 0.41 0.16 NR
SL-14-008 656.6 674.4 17.80 1.17 0.70 0.08 1.95 0.27 0.11 NR
incl. 656.6 663.6 7.00 1.99 1.19 0.12 3.30 0.37 0.15 NR
incl. 661.6 662.6 1.00 4.03 2.37 0.20 6.60 0.65 0.22 NR incl. = including
20 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 6. Diamond-drilling plan for the Sunday Lake property (from Transition Metals Corp., news release, January 26, 2015).
Figure 7. Northwest to southeast cross-section through a portion of the Sunday Lake intrusion (from Transition Metals Corp., news release, January 26, 2015).
21 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Marathon prospector, Rudy Wahl, conducted prospecting and sampling programs on several properties in the Schreiber–Terrace Bay and Marathon areas, as listed below. All of the properties are available for option, except for the Prairie Lake property; further information is available in assessment files or on Wahl’s website (http://users.renegadeisp.com/~rwahl/main.htm).
• Eric Lake diamond property. • Killala Lake North diamond property, 1 claim (16 claim units), 62 km northwest of Marathon (Wahl 2014a). • Prairie Lake niobium-phosphate property, 247 claim, 45 km northwest of Marathon. R. Wahl completed prospecting, trenching and sampling on the Prairie Lake property during the 2014 field season. • Jackfish Lake gold property, 14 claim units, 16 km east of Terrace Bay. R. Wahl completed prospecting and sampling on the Jackfish property during the 2014 field season. • Sandspit Lake diamond property, 1 claim (16 claim units), 85 km north-northwest of Marathon. R. Wahl completed a prospecting and sampling program that resulted in the discovery of 4 kimberlitic boulders (Wahl 2014b) • White River diamond property, 2 claims (31 claim units), 10 km west of White River. During July and August 2014, R. Wahl completed prospecting, stripping and sampling focusing on several magnetic anomalies (Wahl 2014c).
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. has acquired all issued and outstanding shares of Moss Lake Gold Mines Ltd. that it did not previously own. As a result, Moss Lake is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Wesdome. Moss Lake Gold Mines Ltd. holds the Moss Lake gold deposit, 100 km west of Thunder Bay (Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd., news release, March 28, 2014). NI 43-101-compliant resource estimates for the Moss Lake deposit are listed below:
• Indicated: 39 795 000 tonnes grading 1.1 g/t Au, for 1 377 300 ounces Au • Inferred: 50 364 000 tonnes grading 1.1 g/t Au, for 1 751 600 ounces Au White Metal Resources Corp. reported the results of 600 soil and humus geochemical samples and 60 rock samples collected from the Manitouwadge PGE property, 15 km east-southeast of Manitouwadge (White Metal Resources Corp., news release, December 4, 2014). Highlights from the sampling program are provided in Table 10.
Table 10. Notable soil/humus and bedrock sampling results from the Manitouwadge PGE property (from White Metal Resources Corp., news release, December 4, 2014). Analyte Maximum Value Soil/Humus Maximum Value Bedrock Copper 917 ppm 10% Nickel 172 ppm 0.19% Cobalt 72 ppm 0.2% Platinum 26 ppb 253 ppb Palladium 32 ppb 333 ppb Gold 68 ppb 135 ppb
RESIDENT GEOLOGIST STAFF AND ACTIVITIES
The Thunder Bay South District is staffed by M.A. Puumala, P.Geo., Regional Resident Geologist; D.A. Campbell, P.Geo., District Geologist; M.R. Brunelle, District Geological Assistant; and R. Pelaia, Administrative Assistant.
During 2014, the Thunder Bay South District staff dealt with approximately 1500 inquiries from the mining and mineral exploration sector, other government agencies and the general public. Drill-core storage facilities in Thunder Bay and outdoor storage facilities at Marathon and in Conmee Township were made available for the use of exploration and university clients.
22 M.A. Puumala et al.
Thunder Bay South District staff conducted 37 property visits and 14 field trips with industry and university groups in 2014 (Table 11). District staff attended and participated at the Northwestern Ontario Mines and Minerals Symposium (Thunder Bay); Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada annual convention (Toronto); Fort William First Nation (FWFN) Mining Conference (Thunder Bay); Ontario Exploration and Geoscience Symposium (Sudbury); 60th Annual Institute on Lake Superior Geology (ILSG) Meeting and Field Trips (Hibbing, Minnesota); Mining Day (Thunder Bay); Kenora District Mineral Exploration Information Session (Dryden); and Confederation College Environmental Technician program Mine Rehabilitation field trip (Shebandowan). D.A. Campbell continued to serve as Treasurer, Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CIM), Thunder Bay Branch.
Table 11. Property visits and field trips conducted by staff of the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s Office in 2014. Number Area, Property or Occurrence Commodity 1 Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, Structure and Mineralization of the Biwabik Iron Formation, Central iron Mesabi Iron Range (ILSG field trip, Minnesota) 2 Mineview from a Canoe - Ironworld Pit Lake (ILSG field trip, Minnesota) iron 3 Geology and Gold Mineralization of the Virginia Horn Area (ILSG field trip, Minnesota) gold 4 Hackl Raith and Fisher Lake copper-nickel-PGE occurrences copper, nickel, PGE 5 Enterprise Mine lead, zinc 6 Dorion lead-zinc mine lead, zinc 7 Goodmorning Lakes U occurrence uranium 8 Furcate molybdenum occurrence molydenum 9 Amethyst Mine Panorama amethyst 10 Shebandowan Mine area field trip copper, nickel 11 Seagull copper-nickel-PGE occurrence copper, nickel, PGE 12 Tower Mountain gold occurrence gold 13 White Pegmatite (Onion Lake) property dimension stone 14 Tease Lake property dimension stone 15 Lundmark Marble occurrence marble 16 Quetico Subprovince geologic reconnaissance north of Manitouwadge 17 Dorion area field trip copper, lead, zinc, uranium 18 Thomas Lake Graphite occurrence graphite 19 Moshkinabi Lake property copper, nickel 20 Faries Lake property copper, nickel 21 Sibley Peninsula field trip 22 Tatlock Quarry (Tweed District) calcium carbonate 23 Chapman Lake property copper, gold 24 Van Horne property – Flambeau Lake exposures (Kenora District) gold 25 Pidgeon molybdenum exposure (Kenora District) molybdenum 26 Goldlund property (Kenora District) gold 27 Thunder Bay North property copper, nickel, PGE 28 Shallownest West intrusions copper, nickel, PGE 29 Blue Points Amethyst Mine amethyst 30 Coldwell Complex Rare earth elements 31 Ripple Lake diamond occurrence diamond 32 Williams Mine undergound and surface tours gold 33 Dryden area ILSG field trip reconnaissance - Ghost Lake batholith and Wabigoon Subprovince transect (Kenora District) 34 Jackfish Lake property gold 35 Shebandowan Mine Rehabilitation field trip for Confederation College students copper, nickel 36 KOA Hill geology
23 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Number Area, Property or Occurrence Commodity 37 Kabaigon Lake property copper, gold 38 Mining Location 7Z Amethyst property amethyst 39 Empire Lake property iron, titanium, vanadium 40 Dryden area field trip - Wabigoon Subprovince transect follow-up (Kenora District) 41 Sudbury Ejecta occurrences in Thunder Bay area 42 McKenzie Creek and Hwy 17 amethyst 43 Lumby Lake zinc property copper, zinc 44 Kawene copper-nickel-PGE occurrence copper, nickel, PGE 45 Eva Lake copper-nickel-PGE occurrence copper, nickel, PGE 46 North Lac des Iles intrusion copper, nickel, PGE 47 Prairie Lake Niobium occurrence niobium, phosphate, REE 48 North Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation area aggregate, sand and gravel 49 Devon Township volcanic rocks 50 Copper Point occurrence copper 51 Agate Point volcanic rocks agate
24 M.A. Puumala et al.
PROPERTY EXAMINATIONS
Lumby Lake Zinc Property
LOCATION AND ACCESS
The Lumby Lake Zinc property is located approximately 35 km northeast of Atikokan and consists of 6 claims (14 claim units) in the Norway Lake area (Figure 8). The claims are registered to D.B. Saunders. Access to the property is obtained by travelling 40 km north along the Premier Lake Road from Sapawe (located at the terminus of Highway 623) to a secondary logging road. After travelling a further 1.3 km north along the logging road, the No. 1 Pit occurrence can be found near the junction with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail. The Anderson West Trenches, Beaver Dam and A-Zone occurrences are accessed by travelling east 0.25, 1.1 and 1.7 km, respectively, along the ATV trail. The Anderson occurrence is located 200 m south of the trail, approximately midway between the Anderson West and Beaver Dam occurrences.
Figure 8. Location and geological map of the Lumby Lake Zinc property, showing claim numbers and occurrences. Base map is from Buse, Lewis and Magnus. (2010).
25 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
EXPLORATION HISTORY
The earliest prospecting activity in the Lumby Lake area began during the 1890s and culminated in the discovery of the Golden Winner gold deposit at Longhike Lake, approximately 5 km southwest of Lumby Lake. Development of the Golden Winner Mine resulted in the production of 15 tons of ore during 1899–1900 (Woolverton 1960). Between 1913 and 1918, exploration activity focused on pyritic iron occurrences in the Cryderman–Pinecone Lakes area (Jackson 1985). Exploration interest increased markedly in the late 1930s after the discovery of a gold-bearing float near Lumby Lake by the Geological Survey of Canada (Tanton 1938). Since that time, exploration efforts by numerous prospectors and exploration companies have resulted in the discovery of several gold and base metal occurrences in the vicinity of Lumby Lake. One of these historic occurrences (Anderson) is located in the central portion of the Lumby Lake Zinc property.
A summary of exploration work that has been documented on the Lumby Lake Zinc property is provided below (Assessment Files, Thunder Bay South District, Thunder Bay).
1950: L.C. Anderson - prospecting, sampling and assays. 1951: Noranda Exploration Company Ltd. – geological mapping, trenching and diamond drilling (9 diamond-drill holes (DDH) for 736.7 m). 1954: Balacen Mines Ltd. – diamond drilling (1 DDH for 152.4 m). 1970–72: Univex Mining Corp. – ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys, diamond drilling (5 DDH for 520.3 m). 1975: Kerr Addison Mines Ltd. – ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys, geochemical survey and diamond drilling (1 DDH for 63.4 m). 1981–82: Mining North Explorations Ltd. – prospecting, trenching, stripping, sampling, geological mapping, ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys. 1986–89: Premier Lake Resources. – prospecting, geological and geochemical surveys, ground magnetic, electromagnetic and IP surveys, diamond drilling (7 DDH for 1213.7 m). 1998–2005: D. Saunders – prospecting, trenching, sampling, ground magnetic, electromagnetic and IP surveys. 2006–2007: Probe Mines Ltd. – diamond drilling (17 DDH for 1913 m).
Since the late 1890s, federal and provincial geological surveys have completed several mapping and data collection projects in the Lumby Lake area. A listing of these surveys is provided below in Table 12.
Table 12. A summary of government-led geoscience surveys for the Lumby Lake area.
Year Author Organization/Company/Individual, Assessment Work Reference 1897 W. McInnes Geological Survey of Canada Summary Report 1896, Volume IX, Work in the areas of the Seine River, Rainy Lake and Manitou Lake Part A sheets GSC Map No.6, 1897 1938 T.L. Tanton Geological Survey of Canada GSC Paper 38-13 Preliminary report, Ignace sheet, southwest Quarter, Kenora District, Ontario 1960 R.S. Woolverton Ontario Department of Mines Annual Report v.69, pt.5 Geology of the Lumby Lake area 1985 M.C. Jackson Ontario Geological Survey Open File Report 5534 Geology of the Lumby Lake area, western part, districts of Rainy Map P.2828 River and Kenora 1985 B.R. Schnieders Ontario Geological Survey Open File Report 5539 and R.J. Dutka Property visits and reports of the Atikokan economic geologist, 1979– 1983, Atikokan geological survey
26 M.A. Puumala et al.
Year Author Organization/Company/Individual, Assessment Work Reference 2009 D. Campbell, GIS compilation of geospatial data from the Atikokan area, Miscellaneous Release—Data 262 S. Siemieniuk, and northwestern Ontario J. Scott 2009 Ontario Geological Ontario Geological Survey Geophysical Data Set 1060a Survey Ontario airborne geophysical surveys, magnetic and electromagnetic data, grid and profile data (ASCII and Geosoft formats) and vector data, Lumby–Finlayson lakes area 2009 S. Buse, D. Lewis Ontario Geological Survey Open File Report 6240, p.15-1 to and S. Magnus Field investigations in the Lumby Lake greenstone belt, northwestern 15-15 Ontario: new insights into the geology, structure and economic potential 2010 S. Buse, D. Lewis Precambrian geology of the Lumby Lake greenstone belt Map P.3619 and S. Magnus 2010 D. Stone Precambrian geology of the central Wabigoon Subprovince area, Open File Report 5422 northwestern Ontario Map P.2229
GEOLOGY
Regional Geology
The Lumby Lake Zinc property is located in the Mesoarchean (ca. 3014 to 2830 Ma) Lumby Lake greenstone belt. The supracrustal rocks of this belt unconformably overlie the older tonalitic rocks of the Marmion batholith (Davis and Jackson 1988; Hollings and Wyman 1999; Tomlinson et al. 1999, 2003). The property is located immediately north of the Marmion batholith, within the Lumby South assemblage (Stone 2010). The north-facing Lumby South assemblage is dominated by mafic metavolcanic rocks that are interlayered with felsic pyroclastic rocks. This sequence is capped by a metasedimentary unit made up largely of quartz arenite (Buse, Lewis and Magnus 2009). The margin between the Marmion batholith and Lumby South assemblage has been intruded by gabbro and hornblende tonalite of the Diversion stock (Stone 2010). The Diversion stock has been interpreted by Buse, Lewis and Magnus (2009) to represent the intrusive equivalent of the overlying felsic pyroclastic rocks.
Property Geology
The geology of the Lumby Lake Zinc (formerly known as Anderson) property has been described previously by Woolverton (1960), Jackson (1985), Schnieders and Dutka (1985) and Buse, Lewis and Magnus (2009). Bedrock exposures on the property are typical of the Lumby South assemblage rocks which have been described by Buse, Lewis and Magnus (2009) as follows.
The Lumby South depositional sequence is dominated by massive mafic metavolcanic flows that conformably overlie the felsic tuffaceous units at the base of the greenstone belt. The mafic volcanic rocks make up repetitive successions of synvolcanic gabbros overlain by massive basalt, pillowed basalt, pillow and flow-top breccia with varying amounts of hyaloclastite in the pillow selvages and hyaloclastite breccia. Amygdules occur locally throughout the Lumby South depositional sequence and are often irregular and filled with plagioclase or quartz. Pillow selvages are 0.8 to 1.0 cm thick on average, whereas pillows are 20 to 50 cm wide with ovoid to bulbous shapes. Many of the pillows are “eyebrow-shaped” and drape over each other. In the Lumby and Spoon lakes area, felsic tuffs are interbedded with thin mafic metavolcanic flows that are commonly massive and may contain amygdules that are 1 to 2 cm in size. The felsic tuffs are generally 1 to 5 m thick and often concentrate the dextral shearing along the margin of the greenstone belt; furthermore, the felsic tuffs commonly contain copper-lead-zinc-silver mineralization.
Mineralization
Zinc-copper (±silver-gold) mineralization on the Lumby Lake Zinc property is known to occur within felsic metavolcanic horizons over an approximate east-trending strike length of 1.6 km. Mineralization has previously been separated into 2 zones known as the Lumby Lake Zone (Jackson 1985) and the A-Zone (Palmer 2006).
27 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
LUMBY LAKE ZONE
Surface occurrences within the Lumby Lake Zone include the Pit No. 1, Anderson (consisting of the main occurrence and west trenches), Beaver Dam and A-Zone occurrences, as illustrated on Figure 8. Significant diamond-drill intersections of base and precious metal mineralization have also been reported from the Lumby Lake Zone, with the zone having been delineated as far east as Premier Lake Resources Ltd. diamond-drill hole 88-2 (Wagg and Holmstead 1990).
Descriptions of the Anderson, Beaver Dam, Anderson West, and Pit No. 1 occurrences, excerpted from Jackson (1985), are provided below.
Anderson
Mapping and sampling of the original discovery trench, at the junction of the creek flowing north from Morris Lake and the creek flowing to Lumby Lake, revealed a 30 m wide zone of altered (chloritized?) quartz porphyry with 5-15% pyrite and up to 5% chalcopyrite. Three 2 meter chip samples were taken along the north-south trench each separated by about 10 m of less mineralized rock. These assayed 1210 ppm, 4820 ppm and 1.45% copper respectively from south to north (samples 83 MCJ 694A, B, C). The richest northern zone contains pods of massive chalcopyrite + pyrite up to 10 cm by 1 m in size. The disseminated to semi-massive sulphides are in foliation parallel stringers a few centimeters wide.
Beaver Dam
About 400 m east of the central discovery trench is an area of numerous pits and trenches near an old beaver dam about 200 m from the west end of Lumby Lake. The westernmost pit in this area, on the south bank of the creek, was sampled twice in 1983. Assays of these samples by the Geoscience Laboratory, Ontario Geological Survey, Toronto, gave anomalous gold, silver, copper, zinc and arsenic values. Sample 83 MCJ 663, a 2 m chip sample from the west wall of the pit, contained 200 ppb gold, 22 ppm silver, 6020 ppm copper, 200 ppm zinc and 100 ppm arsenic. Sample 83 MCJ 554, a grab sample from the same pit assayed 100 ppb gold. 13 ppm silver, 4180 ppm copper, 72 ppm zinc and 140 ppm arsenic.
Anderson West Trenches
Three hundred meters west of the central discovery trench, three trenches expose a 10 to 25 m wide mineralized zone consisting of disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite in massive quartz porphyry at the west end of the creek flowing to Lumby Lake. A 3 m chip sample from the westernmost of these workings was assayed by the Geoscience Laboratory, Ontario Geological Survey, Toronto, and gave 100 ppb gold, 12 ppm silver, 2800 ppm zinc and 2250 ppm copper and 50 ppm arsenic (sample 83 MCJ 667). These values agree well with previously reported assays of Noranda (0.25% copper, 0.22% zinc, 0.034 ounce gold per ton over 6m - Woolverton, 1960, p.46).
Pit No. 1
The Lumby Lake zone has been extended about 200 m west by the discovery of similar mineralization in felsic metavolcanics in the Pit No. 1 of Mining North Explorations Ltd. in 1980. A composite channel sample across the zone in this outcrop reportedly yielded an average grade of 0.25% zinc, 0.06% copper and trace amounts of lead and gold over a 9.6 m width.
In summary, samples from the Lumby Lake zone taken by a number of workers from four trench areas agree in defining an east-trending zone of sulphide mineralization at least 900 m long by 10 to 20 m thick. The zone contains variable proportions of pyrite (5-10%), chalcopyrite (0-5%), sphalerite (0-5%) and galena (0-1 %). Gold values are low but consistently anomalous (60 ppb to 0.03 oz. per ton).
Buse, Lewis and Magnus (2009) described the Anderson occurrence as follows.
The occurrence west of Lumby Lake is within a rusty weathered felsic tuffaceous unit, traced along strike for 300 m with a width of at least 20 m. It is a highly altered and foliated quartz-phyric unit consisting of fine-grained sericite, plagioclase, chlorite and biotite, and medium-grained arsenopyrite and pyrite. The sulphide minerals occur in foliation-parallel stringer veinlets and comprise 10 to 20% of the rock unit.
28 M.A. Puumala et al.
Diamond drilling carried out in 1988 by Premier Lake Resources Ltd. approximately 500 m to the east of the Anderson occurrence (DDH-88-2) intersected significant mineralization, including a 1 m section that returned 10 475 ppb Au, 44 ppm Ag, 22 560 ppm Cu and 5512 ppm Zn. Premier Lake Resources also obtained significant gold and base metal assay results from chip and grab samples collected from the pits and trenches located in the Anderson West area. Some of the most notable chip sample assay results included 4393 ppb Au and 43 ppm Ag over 2.1 m and 1.04% Cu and 1.88% Zn over 1.1 m (Wagg and Holmstead 1990).
A-ZONE
The A-Zone has been interpreted to represent a mineralized horizon that is distinct from the Lumby Lake Zone. Similar to the Lumby Lake Zone, the A-Zone is hosted in a felsic pyroclastic horizon(s) that has been sericitized and exhibits variable chlorite alteration. Mineralization consists of banded and disseminated pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite. Channel sampling of the surface occurrence returned assay values of up to 1.1% Cu, 7.7% Zn, 6.5% Pb, 36 g/t Ag and 0.5 g/t Au over 1 m (Palmer 2006).
The A-Zone was drilled by Probe Mines during a 14-hole, two-phase diamond-drilling program that was carried out during 2006–2007. This drilling delineated base and precious metal mineralization over a strike length of 250 m and to a depth of 125 m. Notable results included 5% Zn, 83.3 g/t Ag, 0.6 g/t Au, 0.2% Cu and 0.5% Pb over 2 m in DDH NL-3 and 6.3% Zn, 27.2 g/t Ag, 0.3 g/t Au, 0.1% Cu and 1.2% Pb over 2.1 m in DDH NL07-11. The mineralized zone remains open in all directions and coincides with an induced polarization anomaly that extends for a strike length of at least 500 m (Probe Mines Ltd., news releases, September 26, 2006, and May 1, 2007).
FIELD OBSERVATIONS
The Lumby Lake Zinc property was visited by Resident Geologist Program geologists D. Campbell and M. Puumala on October 2, 2014. Locations that were visited included exposures in the Pit No. 1 and Beaver Dam occurrence areas of the Lumby Lake Zone, and the discovery trench that is centred on the A-Zone.
Lumby Lake Zone
Stripped outcrops located at the Pit No. 1 area (UTM Zone 15, 620650E 5432767N) consist of gossanous exposures of felsic metavolcanic rocks. These rocks are strongly deformed, exhibiting zones of intense silicification and sulphide mineralization. Disseminated pyrite is found throughout the mineralized zone, while the silicified zones contain sphalerite-rich stringer zones and disseminated chalcopyrite. Foliation at this location strikes 290º and dips 65º to the north. Two samples were collected from the No. 1 Pit area and assay results are provided in Table 13.
Three grab samples were also collected from trail-side outcrops and a trench located in the Beaver Dam occurrence area. The rocks in this area consist of sheared felsic metavolcanic rocks that are mineralized with 3 to 5% disseminated sulphides.
A-Zone
The A-Zone trench exposes an approximately 15 m section across sheared, silicified and chloritic host rock that contains significant sulphide mineralization consisting of banded to disseminated sphalerite, pyrite, galena and chalcopyrite. A boulder that appeared to have been sourced from the water-filled southern end of the trench consisted of semi-massive sphalerite (Figure 9). Similar to the Pit No. 1 occurrence, foliation at this location strikes 290°, with moderate dip toward the north. Assay results for the 3 grab samples collected from the trench are tabulated in Table 13.
29 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Table 13. Assay results for grab samples collected by Resident Geologist Program on the Lumby Lake Zinc property (Resident Geologist’s Files, Thunder Bay South District, Thunder Bay).
Au Ag Pt Pd Cu Pb Zn Units ppb ppm ppb ppb % % % UTM UTM oz/ton oz/ton Zone Host Easting Northing (Zone 15) Detection 8 2 3 5 Limit 0.016 0.1 0.0006 0.0011 0.0004 MPLL1401 <0.016* <0.1* NA NA AP AP AP Pit No. 1 Felsic metavolcanic. 5-10% 620650 5432767 disseminated and stringer sp+py+cp MPLL1402 <0.016* <0.1* NA NA AP AP AP Beaver Felsic metavolcanic. 3-5% 621577 5432808 Dam disseminated sulphides Trail MPLL1403 <0.016* 0.4* NA NA AP AP AP A-Zone Altered metavolcanic. Stringer to 622151 5432537 semi-massive sulphides MPLL1404 <0.016* <0.1* NA NA AP AP AP A-Zone Altered metavolcanic. Stringer to 622151 5432537 semi-massive sulphides 14DCDS001 77 8 <3 <5 0.24 0.063 2.95 Pit No. 1 Felsic metavolcanic. 5-10% 620653 5432769 disseminated and stringer sp+py+cp 14DCDS002 756 51 <3 <5 0.10 2.75 18.19 Beaver Felsic metavolcanic, massive, 621552 5432833 Dam galena and sphalerite. Trail 14DCDS003 144 12 <3 <5 0.10 <0.0011 0.005 Beaver Felsic metavolcanic. strongly 621557 5432807 Dam foliated, blebbly pyrite 1% Trench 14DCDS004 770 >75 <3 <5 0.13 1.94 21.79 A-Zone Altered metavolcanic. Quartz 622152 5432537 stringers and stringer to semi- massive sulphides sp, py, cp Fire assay results for Au and Ag are reported in oz/ton and denoted with an asterisk (*) and italicized font. Abbreviations: py=pyrite, sp=sphalerite, cp=chalcopyrite, ser=sericite, NA=no analysis, AP=assays pending.
Figure 9. Photographs from Lumby Lake Zinc property. a) Sulphide-mineralized outcrop exposure in the Lumby Lake Zone No. 1 Pit area; b) Boulder of semi-massive sphalerite adjacent to the A-Zone trench.
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SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Lumby Lake Zinc property hosts a number of base and precious metal occurrences that are associated with east- striking felsic metavolcanic horizons that cross-cut the property. The style of mineralization that has been outlined is consistent with the volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) model, and is interpreted to be related to the emplacement of the underlying synvolcanic Diversion stock (Buse, Lewis and Magnus 2009).
To date, exploration efforts in the Lumby Lake area have largely relied upon prospecting and geophysics to establish diamond-drilling targets. These efforts have been largely successful in the delineation of disseminated and stringer- type copper-zinc-lead-silver-gold mineralization. However, no major intersection of massive sulphide mineralization has yet been found. In order to improve the probability of discovering massive sulphide mineralization, it is recommended that future exploration efforts on the Lumby Lake Zinc property include systematic evaluations of bedrock geochemistry and structural geology.
Geochemical studies should focus on the identification of alteration signatures within and adjacent to the mineralized lithologic sequence in order to identify areas with the greatest potential for economic mineralization. By combining a careful analysis of structural geology with geochemical data, it may also be possible to identify the synvolcanic fault structures that acted as conduits for the mineralized hydrothermal fluids. The boundary between the Lumby Lake greenstone belt and the Diversion stock is cross-cut by a number of northeast-striking faults. These faults also occur approximately parallel to numerous mafic dikes (most likely synvolcanic in origin) that cross-cut the tonalite at the western end of the Diversion stock (Buse, Lewis and Magnus 2009, 2010; Buse et al. 2010). This observation suggests the possibility that the northeast-striking faults were present during volcanism. One of these faults occurs on the Lumby Lake Zinc property, approximately parallel to the western shore of Morris Lake (see Figure 8). Northeast-striking geophysical anomalies have also been noted in this area by Simoneau (2005). As a result, this structure should be investigated as a possible hydrothermal conduit.
Prairie Lake Niobium Occurrences
LOCATION AND ACCESS
The Prairie Lake Niobium occurrences are located approximately 45 km northwest of Marathon in the Killala Lake area. The occurrences are located on mining claim number 4256251 (2 claim units), which forms a portion of a much larger, 247 unit, claim block known as the Prairie Lake property, which is held by prospector R. Wahl (Figures 10 and 11). The Prairie Lake property was optioned to MDN Inc. in February 2015.
Access to the site is obtained by travelling north for 29 km along the Deadhorse Road from the junction with Highway 17 to the intersection with a secondary logging road. The secondary logging road is grown-in and can be travelled by an all-terrain vehicle for a distance of 1 km northward to the area of the surface showings.
EXPLORATION HISTORY
The R. Wahl Prairie Lake claim group encircles the Mesoproterozoic Prairie Lake carbonatite complex, an intrusion that hosts a number of niobium, uranium, phosphate and rare earth element occurrences. The Prairie Lake complex has seen considerable exploration activity since 1968, and a claim group covering the majority of the mapped extent of the intrusion (Sage 1987) is currently held by Nuinsco Resources Ltd.
The area immediately surrounding the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex has seen a limited amount of historic exploration activity. The earliest work recorded in the Thunder Bay South District assessment files, for the ground hosting the recently discovered niobium occurrence, was filed in 2006. Past and current exploration programs in this area have targeted a number of commodities, including diamonds, rare earth elements, niobium and phosphate. A summary of historic activity on the property is provided below.
31 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
2003–2006: Airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys, structural interpretation of remote sensing data, and soil sampling for kimberlite indicator minerals by Ripple Lake Diamonds Inc. 2011: Prospecting, bedrock sampling, radiometric surveys, soil sampling, trenching, channel sampling and assays by Canadian International Minerals Inc. 2012–Pres.: Prospecting, sampling, trenching and outcrop stripping, and assays by R. Wahl.
GEOLOGY
Regional Geology
The Prairie Lake property is located near the boundary between rocks of the Neoarchean Quetico and Wawa subprovinces (Williams 1991; Williams et al. 1991). The rocks of the Quetico Subprovince occur on the northwestern portion of the property and largely comprise metasedimentary rocks and migmatitic and anatectic derivatives (Williams 1991). Rocks of the Wawa Subprovince occur on the southeastern portion of the property and include migmatized metavolcanic rocks, granitic intrusive rocks and gabbro (Ontario Geological Survey 2011). These rocks were subsequently intruded during the earliest stages of the Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift event by the Prairie Lake carbonatite complexes (1163 ± 3.5 Ma: Rukhlov and Bell 2010). The Prairie Lake complex is located immediately to the southeast of the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrences. The general geology of the Prairie Lake area is shown on Figure 10.
Midcontinent Rift-related rocks in the Marathon area, including the Prairie Lake complex and the Coldwell and Killala Lake alkalic complexes, were emplaced within the approximately north-striking Trans-Superior Tectonic Zone (TSTZ). The Prairie Lake and Killala Lake complexes are also located near the intersection between TSTZ- related faults and the Killala Lake deformation zone (KLDZ) (Sage 1991). The KLDZ is an earlier structure that was active during the Neoarchean and defines the boundary between the Quetico and Wawa subprovinces (Williams 1989). Rocks of the Prairie Lake complex include ijolite, syenite, carbonatite (including sovite, ferruginous carbonatite and rauhaugite) and various dike rocks (Sage 1987).
Local Geology
Only regional-scale geological mapping information (i.e., at 1:250 000 scale) is available for the claim on which the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrences are located (see Figure 10). Map 2232 (Carter, McIlwaine and Wisbey 1973) indicates that the area is underlain by granitic rocks, while the most current digital geological map coverage (Ontario Geological Survey 2011) indicates that the rocks of this area are of metasedimentary origin. Sage (1987) mapped rocks immediately to the north of the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex as highly carbonatized, fine-grained (possibly metavolcanic) country rocks.
During 2014, R. Wahl discovered niobium- and phosphate-bearing carbonatite rocks on claim 4256251. The mineralized rocks were found following the manual excavation of pits at locations where anomalous readings were obtained during prospecting with a hand-held scintillometer. Grab sample assays of up to 1.63% Nb205 and 20.6% P2O5 have been reported for grab samples collected from the discovery site (Rudy Wahl Prospecting, Prairie Lake niobium – phosphate discovery Web page, January 9, 2015; http://users.renegadeisp.com/~rwahl/Prairie Lake area Properties Available for option.htm). These rocks also contain anomalous levels of uranium and thorium, accounting for the scintillometer response.
32 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 10. Location and geology (from Ontario Geological Survey 2011) of the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrences. Claims outlined in black form part of R. Wahl’s Prairie Lake property.
A petrographic analysis of samples collected from the new Prairie Lake Niobium occurrence was performed by Dr. R. Mitchell (Lakehead University) during 2014. This petrographic work identified the following minerals in the carbonatite intrusion: calcite, ferroan dolomite, calco-siderite, apatite, pyrochlore, barite, ancylite, synchisite, iron oxides and hydroxides, quartz, potassium feldspar, pyrite and fluorite. Pyrochlore is the niobium-bearing mineral in these rocks, while phosphate occurs in apatite. Unlike other niobium occurrences in the Prairie Lake area, the pyrochlore here is thorium-free and low in uranium. This is a desirable characteristic because low levels of radionuclides are less problematic when processing niobium-bearing ore. Additionally, Mitchell reported that the pyrochlores at this location are large (up to 1 mm), suggesting that their separation from apatite and carbonates should be straightforward (Rudy Wahl Prospecting, Prairie Lake niobium – phosphate discovery Web page, January 9, 2015).
The niobium occurrences occur within a prominent magnetic “low” that occurs on the northwestern flank of the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex (see Figure 11). Although the negative magnetic anomaly is most pronounced to the northwest, it wraps around the entire northern margin of the complex, merging with a north-trending anomaly. The north-trending anomaly has a close spatial association with a phosphate, niobium and rare earth element (REE) occurrence in float (Site #6) that was discovered by R. Wahl on claim 4246264, located north of Ruffle Lake.
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Figure 11. Total field magnetic map for the Prairie Lake area (from Ontario Geological Survey 2003) with claims of the Prairie Lake Property outlined in black. The red and pink shades represent positive magnetic anomalies, while green-shaded areas represent negative anomalies. The Prairie Lake carbonatite complex (PLCC) displays a strong positive magnetic signature near the centre of the map. By contrast, the niobium occurrences are associated with a prominent magnetic “low”, northwest of the PLCC.
FIELD OBSERVATIONS Exploration pits at R. Wahl’s Prairie Lake niobium discovery Sites #1 and #2 were visited by D. Campbell and M. Puumala of the Thunder Bay Resident Geologist Program office on October 9, 2014 (see locations on Figure 10).
The dominant lithology in all pits is a medium-grained carbonatite that has a rusty reddish brown or yellow-brown rind up to 3 cm thick on weathered surfaces. Sage (1987) described a similar rock type, classified as ferruginous carbonatite, that occurs along the western side of the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex. The fresh surface of the rocks from the pits at Site #1 and Site #2 reveal fenitized, brecciated and mottled carbonatite with a wide variety of colours including various shades of pink, red and purple (Figure 12). The rock is composed mostly of carbonate minerals with coarse green and/or black amphiboles, ± mica. Brecciated material includes angular to subrounded fragments cross-cut by buff-white carbonate stringers.
At Niobium Site #1 in Pit #2 (a 1 by 1.5 m excavation), the main carbonatite mass is cross-cut by a white to light pink, coarse-grained carbonatite phase that contains fine-grained disseminated sulphides. This pit also exposes mica-rich rock (possibly altered country rock) that is cross-cut by a narrow carbonate seam. The rocks display a well-developed layering fabric that strikes 240º, with a dip of 55º to the northwest.
The pit at Niobium Site #2 has dimensions of about 2 by 2 m, and is located approximately 200 m south-southwest of Niobium Site #1 The pink, niobium-bearing carbonatite here is similar to that observed at Niobium Site #1, with the exception that it contains disseminated pyrite. Country rocks near Niobium Site #2 strike 190º with a dip of 65º to the west. The structural measurements at both sites indicate that rock fabrics in this area dip moderately away from the Prairie Lake complex.
34 M.A. Puumala et al.
The Ruffle Lake phosphate occurrence (also known as Site #6, Pit #1), approximately 5 km northeast of Niobium Site #1 (see Figure 11), was also visited and sampled. At this site, the fresh surfaces of the rocks range from massive pink carbonatite with patchy chlorite alteration to fenitized country rock with alternating light buff and dark green-grey bands, cross-cut by pink carbonate stringers. The weathered surface is deeply oxidized with a rusty yellow-brown rind up to 3 cm thick (Figure 13).
Figure 12. Photographs from the Prairie Lake Niobium occurrence sites. a) Brecciated and mottled carbonatite at Site #1, Pit #1; b) Prospectors Rudy Wahl and Bobby Lowndes at Site #2, Pit#1.
Figure 13. Photographs from the Ruffle Lake Phosphate occurrence (Site #6). a). Alternating light buff and dark green-grey bands with patchy chlorite alteration and cross-cutting pink carbonate stringers in samples from Pit #1; b) Deeply oxidized light yellow-brown rind on the weathered surfaces of samples from Pit #1.
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Assay Results Several grab samples were collected during the site visit. Most assays were carried out by Actlabs, a private laboratory that has an accredited method for analysing samples with high niobium concentrations. Two additional samples that were suspected to contain low levels of niobium were submitted to the OGS Geo Labs laboratory for analysis. Assay results for Nb2O5, P2O5, Th, U and the 4 most abundant REEs (these elements are present in the minerals ancylite and/or synchisite) are provided below in Table 14.
Niobium assay results for samples of the medium-grained pink carbonatite that were collected from pits at both occurrence sites ranged from 0.047 to 1.432% Nb2O5, while phosphate results ranged from 0.15 to 10.49% P2O5. The most significant niobium assay result was obtained from a sample collected from Pit#1 at Niobium Site #1 (MPRWN1402). The best phosphate result was obtained from Niobium Site #1, Pit#2 (MPRWN1405). Interestingly, the sample with the lowest niobium concentration (14DCRW008) contained the highest concentrations of thorium and rare earth elements. The apparent inverse correlation between thorium and niobium levels is consistent with petrographic data, indicating that the niobium-bearing pyrochlore is thorium-free (i.e., thorium is present in another mineral phase).
Samples of the coarse-grained white carbonatite and the altered country rock collected from Niobium Site #1, Pit #2 both returned assays with very low niobium concentrations.
Table 14. Assay results for grab samples collected by the Resident Geologist Program on the Prairie Lake Niobium property (Resident Geologist’s Files, Thunder Bay South District, Thunder Bay).
Nb2O5 P2O5 U Th La Ce Nd Y Units % % ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm UTM Sample UTM ppm* Host Rock Easting Location Northing Detection 0.003 0.01 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 2 (Zone 16) limit 0.04* 0.011* 0.018* 0.1* 0.12* 0.06* 0.05* MPRWN1402 1.432 7.54 132 68.5 476 1090 570 256 Site #1, mottled pink, white and 519635 5432638 Pit #1 purple c.g. carbonatite, sinuous seam of black minerals a few mm wide MPRWN1403 3* AP 0.74* 0.71* 98.8* 210* 105* 30.7* Site #1, white to light pink, c.g. 519628 5432634 Pit #2 carbonatite MPRWN1404 45* AP 1.09* 6.13* 46.2* 96.7* 49.2* 18.8* Site #1, fenitized, mica-rich 519628 5432634 Pit #2 country rock with carbonate seam MPRWN1405 0.544 10.49 118 123 308 737 444 508 Site #1, mottled pink, white and 519628 5432634 Pit #2 purple m.g. carbonatite 14DCRW006 0.146 0.15 12.6 18.2 244 535 259 14 Site #1, brecciated carbonatite, 519635 5432636 Pit #1 mottled purple, red and white with large green crystals 14DCRW007 0.398 7.74 54.9 58.8 289 659 369 251 Site #1, brecciated carbonatite, 519598 5432657 Pit #3 mottled pink-white-purple with large black crystals 14DCRW008 0.047 1.02 46.4 5040 685 1580 902 208 Site #2 brecciated light and dark 519599 5432417 Pit #1 pink and purple buff carbonate-altered bands and stringers 14DCRW009 0.073 2.14 17.6 219 413 834 352 265 Ruffle deeply oxidized, light 522182 5436915 Lake yellow-brown rind, mottled pink carbonate- altered stringers cross cutting buff and dark green bands Samples assayed by Actlabs and Geo Labs. Geo Labs detection limits and sample results are denoted by an asterisk (*). Actlabs results reported as percentage values are indicated in bold type. Abbreviations: AP=assays pending, c.g.=coarse-grained, m.g.=medium-grained, mm=millimetres.
36 M.A. Puumala et al.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Significant niobium and phosphate mineralization has been found in a newly discovered carbonatite intrusion on mining claim 4256251, northwest of the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex. Assay results for grab samples collected from a number of exploration pits greatly exceed the average niobium grades reported by Mitchell (2014) for the producing Niobec Mine at St. Honore, Quebec (0.41% Nb2O5) and the past-producing St. Lawrence deposit at Oka, Quebec (0.45% Nb2O5). The intrusion also contains phosphate and rare earth-bearing minerals. As a result, it is clear that the economic potential of this intrusion warrants further evaluation.
The next phase of exploration should focus on establishing the extent of the mineralized intrusion(s) through systematic geological mapping, trenching, stripping, radiometric and magnetic surveys, and soil and bedrock geochemical surveys. Data collected during this first phase of exploration can then be used to define targets for follow-up diamond drilling and prospecting. New Outcrop Exposures – Highway 11–17, MacGregor Township
Blasting and excavation operations carried out during the recent four-laning of the Trans-Canada Highway in MacGregor Township, immediately northeast of the city of Thunder Bay, have resulted in the exposure of numerous interesting bedrock features in, and immediately adjacent to, new vertical road-cut faces (Figure 14). These excellent new exposures are beginning to provide new insights into the geologic history of the Thunder Bay area. Features that are highlighted include an exposure of unusual Neoarchean supracrustal rocks, the unconformity between the Archean basement rocks and the Paleoproterozoic Gunflint Formation, and structures and mineralization related to the Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift.
When examining roadside exposures such as these it is important that appropriate safety precautions are taken to avoid injury (e.g., falls, falling rock, motor vehicle collisions), and to ensure that roadside viewing activities do not interfere with motor vehicle traffic or road construction.
GENERAL GEOLOGY
MacGregor Township is located in a geologically complex region that is underlain by rocks that formed during numerous Precambrian tectonic events spanning a period of approximately 1.7 billion years. The oldest rocks, located in the northern portion of the township, include Neoarchean supracrustal and plutonic rocks of the Wawa and Quetico subprovinces. These rocks are overlain unconformably in the southern portion of the township, near the Lake Superior shoreline, by Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Animikie Group. The Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift event resulted in the emplacement of diabase intrusions that cross-cut all other rock types (Scott 1990; Williams et al. 1991; Sutcliffe 1991; Stott 2011) and regional faulting. A regional scale geological map of MacGregor Township is provided as Figure 15.
The majority of the Neoarchean rocks in MacGregor Township occur within the Wawa Subprovince and are located near the eastern margin of the Shebandowan greenstone belt. The Shebandowan greenstone belt has been subdivided into 3 supracrustal assemblages, namily the Greenwater (ca. 2720 Ma), Kashabowie (ca. 2695 Ma) and Shebandowan (ca. 2685 to 2690 Ma). The supracrustal rocks that occur in MacGregor Township have been assigned to the Greenwater assemblage (Corfu and Stott 1998). These rocks include 2 cycles of metavolcanic rocks that range in composition from ultramafic to felsic and occur as flows and pyroclastic units. Metasedimentary rocks and subvolcanic intrusions are also associated with the metavolcanic rocks (Scott 1990).
Granitic intrusive rocks of the Penassen Lakes stock dominate the northernmost portion of the township, while the McKenzie granite is a significant late- to post-tectonic pluton that intrudes the supracrustal rocks in the central portion of the township. Recent chemical abrasion thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-TIMS) geochronology data (Friedman 2014) for a sample collected by Resident Geologist Program staff from the McKenzie granite indicate that the intrusion was emplaced at 2672.6 ± 1.5 Ma.
Additional metasedimentary supracrustal rocks and associated migmatites of the Quetico Subprovince occur in the northernmost portions of MacGregor Township (Scott 1990).
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The Animikie Group in MacGregor Township includes sedimentary rocks of the Gunflint and Rove formations. The Gunflint Formation unconformably overlies the Archean rocks and consists of a discontinuous basal conglomerate, tuffaceous shale, chert-carbonate and stromatolitic chert. The Rove Formation overlies the Gunflint and has limited outcrop exposure in MacGregor Township. Where present, it consists largely of dark-coloured fissile shale (Scott 1990). Addison et al. (2005) have also locally documented an ejecta layer associated with the 1850 Ma Sudbury meteorite impact event that occurs at the boundary between the Gunflint and Rove Formations.
The Midcontinent Rift–related diabase intrusions (ca. 1110 Ma: Heaman et al. 2007) that occur in MacGregor Township include both dikes and sills. A large sill is located in the southwestern portion of the township, while dikes are common at the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity (Scott 1990). Scott (1990) also reported a single outcrop of Midcontinent Rift-related volcanic rocks at Mount Baldy.
Figure 14. Map illustrating the locations of selected bedrock exposures along the Highway 11-17 corridor, east of the city of Thunder Bay.
38 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 15. Geology of MacGregor Township (from Ontario Geological Survey 2011). Heavy dark blue dashed line represents the unconformity between the Neoarchean and overlying Paleoproterozoic Animikie Group sedimentary rocks.
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BEDROCK EXPOSURES
Archean Maar Deposit
A large exposure of Archean supracrustal rocks, displaying a range of pyroclastic, sedimentary and intrusive features, occurs on the north side of the new westbound lanes, approximately 3 km west of the current Lakeshore Drive intersection with Highway 11-17. This outcrop first came to the attention of Resident Geologist Program geologists during the summer of 2012 and became the focus of a Lakehead University Geology Department HBSc thesis project (Bjorkman 2014).
The rocks in the outcrop area, located at UTM Zone 16, 360506E 5379915N, consist of a bedded sequence of clastic rocks of volcanic origin with complex bedding relationships and internal structures. The sequence consists of interbedded decimetre-scale beds of conglomerate and sandstone that are cross-cut by a number of narrow dikes. Anastamosing masses of mafic intrusive material (hornblendite) also commonly inundate the matrix of the clastic beds. Typical clasts in the conglomerate horizons are grey in colour with amphibole phenocrysts. Clasts are rounded to angular and occur within a chloritic matrix. Conglomerate beds may grade into sandstone or occur as separate, discrete layers. Sandy layers exhibit a variety of sedimentary features including parallel lamination, graded beds and cross-bedding. The matrix of the sandy layers is also chloritic. Figure 16 illustrates many of the features observed in this outcrop.
39 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
Figure 16. Photographs from Maar deposit outcrop. a) Sandstone and conglomerate beds; b) Amphibole-phyric clasts in conglomerate; c) Illustration of complex layering patterns observed between sandstone and conglomerate beds; d) Mafic dike cross-cutting sandstone.
The pyroclastic and sedimentary features are interpreted as indicating deposition proximal to a maar volcano (Bjorkman 2014). The craters of maar volcanoes are commonly water-filled, resulting in the development of sedimentary features similar to those observed here.
As noted previously, the Neoarchean supracrustal rocks in this area have all been assigned to the Greenwater assemblage. However, it is interesting to note that the clasts in the pyroclastic rocks at this location are hornblende- phyric. Hornblende-phyric metavolcanic rocks are a characteristic feature of the younger Shebandowan assemblage rocks (Williams et al. 1991) that are found throughout the Shebandowan greenstone belt. Scott (1990) also mapped outcrops of sedimentary rocks in this area that were noted to have characteristics consistent with “Timiskaming- type” conglomerate. Sedimentary rocks that have been assigned to the Shebandowan assemblage also occur nearby, to the west of the McKenzie granite (unit 9a on Figure 15). As a result of these observations, additional geochemical and geochronological investigations will be required to better establish the stratigraphic relationships between the Neoarchean rocks found near the eastern end of the Shebandowan greenstone belt.
Crystal Beach Area Unconformity
An excellent exposure of the unconformity between the Neoarchean McKenzie granite and the Paleoproterozoic Gunflint Formation can be found on the north side of Highway 11-17 in the area immediately north of Crystal Beach. The exposure is located 5.1 km west of the intersection with Lakeshore Drive and 1 km east of the McKenzie River Bridge, at UTM Zone 16, 358665E 5378889N.
40 M.A. Puumala et al.
The McKenzie granite immediately below the unconformity exhibits excellent examples of spheroidal weathering (Figure 17a) that occurred prior to and/or during deposition of the overlying sedimentary rocks. The spheroidally weathered regolith material at this location is typically overlain by a thin layer (a few centimetres to greater than 1 m thick) of conglomerate and/or sandstone that is, in turn, overlain by chert-carbonate grainstone (Figures 17c, d). The conglomerate contains abundant quartz pebbles within a dark green, chloritic matrix. In places, the conglomerate appears to be nothing more than deeply weathered regolith material, while elsewhere, it has clearly been re-worked and transported (although most likely locally derived). In places, the conglomerate occupies fractures within the underlying granite (Figure 17b).
Geochemical analyses of samples collected across the weathering profile by Yip and Fralick (2014) indicate strong iron, manganese and magnesium enrichment, and depletion of rare earth elements. This geochemical signature is interpreted to represent interaction with Gunflint Formation-derived fluids that overprinted the effects of earlier chemical weathering.
Road cuts in the vicinity of the Crystal Beach unconformity also contain numerous veins of amethystine quartz that cross-cut both the Gunflint Formation and the McKenzie granite. The historic 7Z amethyst occurrence is exposed nearby, immediately to the north of the highway right-of-way. This occurrence is located on Mining Claim No. 1195734, which is registered to S. Gurney (50%) and B. Clemons (50%). The occurrence was visited by M. Puumala of the Resident Geologist Program on September 12, 2014 and is described below.
Figure 17. Photographs from Crystal Beach area unconformity exposure. a) Spheroidal weathering in McKenzie granite immediately below the unconformity; b) Basal conglomerate filling a wide fracture in granite; c) Basal conglomerate grading upward into sandstone and overlain by chert-carbonate grainstone; d) contact between basal clastic unit of Gunflint Formation and chert-carbonate grainstone.
41 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
7Z Amethyst Occurrence
EXPLORATION HISTORY
1890: Trenching and sinking of exploration shafts by Goddard and Chamberlain. 1983: Outcrop stripping and trenching by A. Karkkainen. 2014-Pres.: Amethyst exploration in area of historic trenches by S. Gurney and B. Clemons.
GEOLOGY
The 7Z amethyst occurrence is hosted in a vein system and/or breccia zone that strikes 050º and is located approximately at the unconformity between sedimentary rocks of the Paleoproterozoic Gunflint Formation and Neoarchean intrusive rocks of the McKenzie granite stock. The amethyst-bearing vein system has been exposed in a series of 3 historic trenches over a strike length of 180 m.
The portion of the vein system exposed in the southwestern and central trenches is hosted by rocks of the Gunflint Formation, while the veins exposed in the northeastern trench occur at the unconformity and are hosted by both Gunflint and granitic rocks. Gunflint rocks are strongly silicified adjacent to the veins. The exposed width of the vein system is approximately 10 m.
The majority of the amethyst-bearing veins strike 050º (i.e., parallel to the breccia zone) with near-vertical dips. The vein widths are variable, ranging from centimetre- to metre-scale. In the Gunflint Formation rocks, a near- horizontal set of narrow veins also occurs along bedding plane fractures. A third set of narrow, approximately north-striking veins, was also observed immediately to the south of the main breccia zone in road cuts along the north side of Highway 11-17.
The amethystine quartz in this vein system shows a wide variation in colour, ranging from light pink (i.e., rose quartz) through to deep purple. Colourless to white quartz and smoky quartz are also abundant. Veins hosted by granite tend to contain lighter coloured amethyst, while deep purple amethyst and smoky quartz are most likely to be found in the southwestern trench, which is hosted by Gunflint Formation rocks. Most amethyst crystal points are on the order of 1 cm wide (Figure 18). However, much larger crystals were observed in some vugs. Crystals hosted in the Gunflint Formation rocks commonly have a surface coating of hematite.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Significant amethyst mineralization has been identified in a series of trenches at the 7Z amethyst occurrence. The vein system yields well-formed crystals that display a wide range of colouration. As a result, the economic potential of this occurrence as a source of decorative and semi-precious stone warrants further evaluation. Because the vein system is associated with a significant fault structure, prospecting for additional occurrences along strike to the northeast and southwest is also recommended.
Historically, the majority of amethyst exploration in the Thunder Bay area has been focussed on northeast-striking Midcontinent Rift-related fault zones located farther to the northeast (in McTavish Township), near the unconformity between the Sibley Group and Archean (Garland 1994). However, as demonstrated by this occurrence, the amethyst potential of northeast-striking fault zones near the unconformity between the Gunflint Formation and the Archean should not be overlooked.
42 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 18. Amethyst vein hosted in Gunflint Formation rocks at the 7Z occurrence.
KOA Hill Unconformity and Faults
New road cuts located on the north side of Highway 11-17 and immediately to the east of the intersection with Highway 527 (UTM Zone 16, 343026E 5374415N) provide excellent exposures of Gunflint Formation rocks and the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity. The rocks in this area have also been affected by Midcontinent Rift-related faulting. Interesting features observed in the exposures along a 1 km transect that begins approximately 750 m northeast of the intersection with Highway 527 and ends near the top of what is locally termed “KOA Hill” (see Figure 14) are described briefly below.
Rocks of the Gunflint Formation are exposed at the southwestern end of the transect, near the bottom of KOA Hill. The lowermost rock unit exposed here is shale of the lower Gunflint Formation’s argillite tuff unit (Moorhouse 1960). The shale is overlain by laminated chert that contains occasional thin interbeds (a few centimentres thick) of shale and hematite (Figure 19a). This thinly laminated material is in turn overlain by thicker bedded chert-carbonate grainstone.
Approximately 1.1 km northeast of Highway 527, the Gunflint Formation rocks are in fault-bounded contact with the Neoarchean basement rocks (Figure 19b). This structure, known as the Thunder Bay–Loon Lake fault (Scott 1990), strikes approximately 070º and has caused significant deformation and alteration in all rock types. The Gunflint Formation rocks immediately adjacent to the contact have been altered to a black, carbonaceous rock in which the primary bedding features are no longer readily visible. Immediately to the southwest of the contact, a wide, near-vertical 065º -striking quartz-carbonate vein occurs in the fault-related deformation zone. Archean basement rocks to the northeast of the fault contact are brecciated and strongly silicified.
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At the northeastern end of the KOA Hill transect (near the top of the hill – Figure 19c), the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity is exposed. In contrast to the Crystal Beach unconformity exposure, the Archean basement rocks at the KOA Hill unconformity consist of felsic metavolcanic rocks. The Gunflint Formation basal conglomerate immediately overlies the unconformity, and is in turn overlain by chert-carbonate grainstone. The cross-section shown in Figure 19c includes approximately 50 cm of conglomerate and 50 cm of grainstone. At this location, the outcrop is capped by a 10 cm thick horizon of massive magnetite. The felsic metavolcanic rocks immediately below the unconformity display a “weathered” zone to a depth of approximately 1 m, where a horizontal fracture surface separates this material from less altered underlying felsic metavolcanic rocks. Other interesting features observed in this exposure include numerous narrow, near-vertical quartz-carbonate veinlets that are mineralized with sulphides and anthraxolite (Figure 19d). These veinlets cross-cut the unconformity and are present in both the Proterozoic and Archean rocks.
Figure 19. Photographs from KOA Hill. a) Contact (above rock hammer) between argillite tuff unit and overlying laminated chert; b) Fault contact between Gunflint Formation to the left and Archean felsic metavolcanic rocks to the right; c) Exposure of Proterozoic–Archean unconformity; d) Veinlet mineralized with sulphides and anthraxolite.
44 M.A. Puumala et al.
Hodder Avenue Veins
Construction of the interchange at the intersection of Highway 11-17 and Hodder Avenue/Copenhagen Road (UTM Zone 16, 338800E 5372325N) resulted in the exposure of numerous interesting features near the contact between the Gunflint Formation and an overlying Mesoproterozoic Nipigon diabase sill. These features are likely to have been formed during the latter stages of the Midcontinent Rift event and include vugs containing amethyst, calcite and sulphide crystals, agate veins, a normal fault and quartz-carbonate veins (Figure 20a, b, c).
Collectors obtained some museum-quality mineral specimens from vugs that were exposed at this locality in 2012, shortly after the completion of road construction activities. However, during 2014, the rock face on the south side of the highway experienced a significant rock fall (Figure 20d). As a result, the further removal of specimens from this location is not advised, and extreme caution should be exercised when viewing the vertical outcrop exposures.
Figure 20. Photographs from Hodder Avenue interchange area outcrops. a) Agate vein; b) Amethystine quartz on fracture face; c) Septarian fractures filled with quartz and iron carbonate in chert-carbonate grainstone; d) 2014 rock fall on south side of Highway 11-17.
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SUMMARY
The on-going four-laning of Highway 11-17 east of the city of Thunder Bay is providing numerous excellent new bedrock exposures in an area with a complex geological history. These new exposures are proving to be a source of geological research interest and are opening up exciting new exploration opportunities for semi-precious minerals such as amethyst and agate.
Just one example of a new research opportunity can be found in the new exposure of the Thunder Bay–Loon Lake fault zone on the KOA Hill. This fault was active during the Midcontinent Rift event and directly juxtaposes Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Animikie Group against Neoarchean rocks of the Wawa Subprovince. The fault has also caused significant deformation, alteration and mineralization in all rock types. Detailed structural and lithologic mapping should be completed in the vicinity of the fault in order to obtain a better understanding of its tectonic and economic significance.
Undoubtedly, as the four-laning of Highway 11-17 continues to move eastward, many more exciting new bedrock exposures will emerge, providing opportunities to improve our understanding of the geological history of the Thunder Bay area. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPLORATION Exploration Potential of the Garden Lake Area The Garden Lake greenstone belt has seen sporadic mineral exploration activity since the initial discovery of gold on the eastern shore of Conick Lake in the late 1930s (Milne 1964). During the 1940s, Little Long Lac Gold Mines discovered additional gold showings along the shore of Garden Lake (Phelan 1947), and the majority of subsequent exploration activity in the belt (mostly between 1983 and 2000) has been focussed on gold in the immediate vicinity of Garden Lake (Hart 2000).
The Garden Lake belt has also seen periodic exploration for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-type zinc-copper deposits. VMS exploration commenced in the early 1960s, when Ruffo Lake Mines and Inco carried out geophysical surveys and diamond-drilling programs (Hart 2000). Subsequent exploration programs were carried out by Weaver Lake Resources in the early 1990s (Pitman 1991) and in 2007 by Benton Resources Ltd. (Byrnes 2008).
Historic exploration programs and government surveys have resulted in the identification of 8 significant mineral occurrences in the Garden Lake greenstone belt. The locations of these occurrences are shown on Figure 21. Note that 3 of the historic occurrences are now located within a provincial park. However, as of February 4, 2015, the Kearns Road, Bumbu, Conick Lake and Ruffo Lake occurrences were available for staking.
GOLD POTENTIAL
The primary commodity of interest that has been identified at 6 of the historic occurrences in the Garden Lake greenstone belt is gold. Most of these gold occurrences are located in close proximity to the Garden Lake deformation zone (see Figure 21), which was previously identified as a favourable gold exploration target by Hart (2000). The Kearns Road gold occurrence is one example of a location where mineralization is believed to be associated with the Garden Lake deformation zone. Hart (2000) reported a grab sample assay of 0.69 ounce gold per ton from the Kearns Road occurrence. The gold mineralization was hosted in sheared mafic metavolcanic rocks mineralized with 2 to 3% very fine-grained pyrite. No significant exploration work is known to have occurred in the area of the Kearns Road occurrence since its discovery. As a result, this area is recommended for further exploration to follow-up upon the previously reported gold potential.
VMS-TYPE ZINC-COPPER POTENTIAL
Zinc and copper occurrences with characteristics consistent with the VMS-type mineralization model have been reported in the northern portions of the Garden Lake greenstone belt. These occurrences, known as the Bumbu and Gem, were discovered in extensively altered metavolcanic rocks that have a close spatial association with iron formation horizons (Pitman 1991; Hart 2000; Byrnes 2008).
46 M.A. Puumala et al.
Copper mineralization at the Bumbu showing was interpreted to be associated with a chloritized and brecciated VMS-type stringer sulphide zone at the contact between mafic and felsic metavolcanic rocks (Pitman 1991).
A felsic intrusion located to the northwest of Garden Lake was reported by Hart (2000) to have a trace element and rare earth element (REE) geochemical signature similar to intermediate and felsic metavolcanic rocks found in the central part of the greenstone belt. This geochemical similarity suggests the possibility that it is a subvolcanic intrusion that is genetically related to the VMS-type mineralization at the Bumbu and Gem occurrences, reinforcing the prospectivity of the Garden Lake greenstone belt for VMS-type zinc-copper deposits.
Based on these observations, further exploration for VMS-type zinc-copper mineralization is recommended in the northern portions of the Garden Lake belt where iron formations have been mapped and extensive hydrothermal alteration has been documented.
Figure 21. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Garden lake greenstone belt (geology from Ontario Geological Survey 2011).
47 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014
COPPER-NICKEL-PLATINUM GROUP ELEMENT POTENTIAL Although significant mafic intrusion-hosted copper-nickel-platinum group element (PGE) occurrences have yet to be documented in the Garden Lake greenstone belt, the possibility of locating such a deposit should not be overlooked. As noted by Hart (2000), the late gabbroic intrusions located along the Mooseland River in the eastern portion of the belt, and the pyroxenite intrusion west of Garden Lake require additional prospecting and sampling to properly establish their copper-nickel-PGE potential.
Additionally, the Garden Lake greenstone belt is located near the western margin of the Mesoproterozoic Nipigon Embayment, which forms part of the Midcontinent Rift igneous province. Recent copper-nickel-PGE exploration in the Thunder Bay area has resulted in the discovery of a number of PGE-mineralized mafic-ultramafic intrusive complexes (e.g., Thunder Bay North, Steepledge Lake and Sunday Lake igneous complexes) that formed during the development of the Midcontinent Rift. These and other mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Nipigon Embayment typically occur at or near the intersections of major deep-seated fault structures (Hart and MacDonald 2007), with pre-existing Archean faults playing a major role in their emplacement (Hollings et al. 2010; Heggie et al. 2012). The area in the vicinity of the intersection between the Garden Lake Deformation Zone and a northwest-striking fault immediately east of Garden Lake is considered to be an especially favourable location to prospect for copper- nickel-PGE-mineralized, Midcontinent Rift-related, mafic-ultramafic intrusions (Puumala et al. 2012).
Copper, Nickel and Platinum Group Element Potential in the Atikokan – Quetico Area
Copper-nickel sulphide mineralization and platinum group elements (PGE) are known to occur within a series of mafic-ultramafic igneous rocks known as the Quetico Intrusions. The Quetico Intrusions are located in the vicinity of Atikokan, approximately 200 km west of Thunder Bay. These intrusions occur near the northern boundary of the Quetico Subprovince and/or near the margins of the Quetico Batholithic Complex (MacTavish 1999). Pettigrew and Hattori (2006) proposed that the late Archean Quetico Intrusions display many similarities with Alaskan/Ural-type, zoned, mafic-ultramafic intrusions and likely formed in a similar tectonic setting – along major sutures of orogenic belts. The intrusions are related to an east-trending, deep-seated, linear feature referred to as the Quetico Fault, marking the boundary between the Wabigoon and Quetico subprovinces. This right-lateral, transcurrent fault zone is traceable for over 400 km and ranges in width from 10 to 300 m, with several associated splay faults (MacTavish 1999). The intrusions are easily traced by their “high” magnetic signatures and extend over a distance of 125 km (Figure 22).
Almost all of the known Quetico mafic-ultramafic intrusions are available for option from local Thunder Bay- and Atikokan-area prospectors and one is open for staking as of February 4, 2015. Table 15 highlights copper-nickel- PGE results from previous exploration on the Quetico Intrusions.
48 M.A. Puumala et al.
. ) Ontario Geological Survey 1999 Survey Geological Ontario
from signature of the Quetico Intrusions (geophysics (geophysics Intrusions Quetico the of signature
” bulls eye bulls “ Map illustrating “high” magnetic
Figure 22.
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Table 15. Quetico mafic-ultramafic intrusions with associated claim holder(s), assay highlights and rock types.
Name Claim Holder(s) Highlights and Rock Types Reference for Assay Chief Peter K. Fenwick DDH CP13-01: Minfocus Exploration Corp., news K. Bjorkman 1.06 g/t Pt, 1.27 g/t Pd, 0.22% Ni and release, March 26, 2013). 0.55% Cu over 4 m
DDH CP13-02: 1.2 g/t Pt, 1.08 g/t Pd, 0.14% Ni and 0.61% Cu over 5 m (Gabbro/peridotite) Elbow Lake DLK Minerals Ltd. Grab - JR Showing: 1349563 Ontario Limited/ P. Gagne (North and South) 5.0 g/t Pt, 1.1 g/t Pd, 2001 Assessment Report AFRO# 3.73% Cu, 0.61% Ni. 2.20942 AFRI# 52B14SE2008 25 Grab samples over an area of 25 by 25 m, returning an average grade of 1.61 g/t Pt+Pd. (Hornblende gabbro, hornblendite, gabbro, pyroxenite, leucogabbro, hornblende- pyroxenite and diorite3) Mud Lake North W. Moorehouse Grab Samples ranging from MacTavish (1999); OFR 5997 0.21 to 5.12% Cu, 0.07% Ni, 33 to 3430 ppb Pt, 50 to 525 ppb Pd, 8 g/t Ag (Clinopyroxenite, feldspathic hornblendite, hornblendite, and clinopyroxene hornblendite2 ) Mud Lake South M. Frymire No known results J. Brown Abiwin M. Frymire Grab samples Donnybrook Resources Inc. J. Brown 387 to 7946 ppm Cu, 51 to 1940 ppm Ni, Starcore Resources Ltd. ≤298 ppb Pt, ≤198 ppb Pd, ≤ 28 ppb Au 1999 Assessment Report AFRO# (Pyroxenite, hornblendite, werhlite and 2.19850 monzodiorite/diorite3) AFRI # 52B14SE2004 Heward Lake Open (Feb. 4, 2015) Trench samples Fleck Resources Ltd. 1988 487 ppm Cu, 90 ppm Ni Assessment Report AFRO# 2.10726 222 ppm Cu, 233 ppm Ni AFRI# 52B14SE0007 (Hornblendite/gabbro) Kawene Lake K. Fenwick DDH KW08-05: Canadian Arrow Mines Ltd., news K. Bjorkman 0.10% Ni, 0.25% Cu, 0.45g/t Pt and release, November 12, 2008) 0.51g/t Pd over 11.7 m (Hornblende gabbro, hornblendite, hornblende clinopyroxenite and hornblende, werhlite3) Eva Lake K. Fenwick DDH EL-08-09: Canadian Arrow Mines Ltd. news K. Bjorkman 0.19% Ni, 0.46% Cu, release, November 12, 2008) 0.24 g/t Pt, 0.31 g/t Pd and 0.26 g/t Au over 12 m (Hornblende peridotite, olivine clinopyroxenite, hornblendite3) Nym Lake B. Kuzmich DDH NL-99-1: Band Ore Resources Ltd., 2001 (Bergman Intrusion) 609 ppb Pt +Pd (321 ppb Pd + 288 ppb Pt) Assessment Report AFRO# 2.20985 over l.l m AFRI# 52B11NW2003 DDH NL-99-2: 655 ppb Pt +Pd (355 ppb Pd + 300 ppb Pt) over l.3 m (Hornblendite, feldspathic hornblendite3) Nickelby Patented claims 6 DDH E. Corrigan 1957 Assessment Report Ownership unknown No assays reported MEI# (Sheared gabbro*) 52B11NW003* Plateau Lake M. Frymire DDH-1 Sample yielded >2% Cu, OPAP 1992 Report by C. Hicks, 7688 ppm Ni Project# OP92-481 (Pyroxenite**) AFRO# 52B14SE0019**
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Name Claim Holder(s) Highlights and Rock Types Reference for Assay Stawson A. Onchulenko Grab samples East West Resources Ltd. (Bill Lake, McQuat P. Gehrels 2.0 g/t Pt + Pd 2001Assessment Report Lake) AFRO# 2.22321 (Clinopyroxenite3) AFRI# 52B12NW2003 Samuels Lake Pro Am Explorations Corp. DDH SL-08-13: 0.39% Ni, 0.85% Cu Teck Cominco Limited 2008 over 14.3 m Assessment Report AFRO# 2.40694 DDH SL-08-14 : 0.21% Ni, 0.30% Cu AFRI# 20000003942 over 33.5 m DDH SL-08-15: 0.23% Ni, 0.52% Cu over 15.2 m (Gabbro, clinopyroxenite, hornblendite, werhlite and monzodiorite/diorite2) Marr Lake A. Onchulenko 3 Grab Samples W.C. Hood 2005 Assessment Report B. Kuzmich Averaging 1.2% Cu, 0.2% Ni, 1.3 g/t Pt, AFRO# 2.35117 P. Gehrels 1.3 g/t Pd, 6 g/t Ag, 0.4g/t Au AFRI# 20000002182 (Pyroxenite) 1MacTavish (1999). 2Pettigrew et al. (2006). 3Vaillancourt et al. (2003). * , ** Indicates related items in the “Highlights and Rock Types” and “Reference for Assay” columns: i.e., shows the reference for the rock type.
Amethyst Potential near the North Shore of Lake Superior
The Thunder Bay area has long been known for its amethyst deposits. Currently, there are a number of small-scale amethyst quarries operating immediately east of the city of Thunder Bay in the Tartan Lake area and in McTavish Township. These quarries are largely focused on the supply of mineral specimens and ornamental stone, with much of this material marketed to tourists. Although current production is occurring in a relatively small area covering only 2 geographic townships, amethyst is known to occur across a much wider area, extending from the international border, southwest of Thunder Bay and across the northern shore of Lake Superior almost to Marathon. The locations of known amethyst occurrences in the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist District, including the current producing quarries, are shown on Figure 23.
Amethyst in the Thunder Bay area most commonly occurs in veins and/or breccia zones that occur within northeast- striking fault zones that were active during the Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1100 Ma) Midcontinent Rift event. The most significant amethyst deposits tend to occur where 2 fault systems intersect. This is due to the interaction between multiple faults allowing for the development of more open spaces (i.e., vugs) for amethyst crystals to grow (Garland 1994).
Amethyst veins are hosted by a variety of rock types. However, all deposits are located in close proximity to the unconformity between Archean granitic rocks and Proterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Animikie and Sibley groups. The location of the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity is shown on Figure 24. Note that major northeast-striking fault zones have also been mapped in close proximity to the unconformity. Therefore, it is recommended that prospecting for amethyst be focused on areas that are in close proximity to both the unconformity and northeast- striking fault zones.
Figure 24 also shows the locations of a number of known amethyst occurrences that were open for staking as of February 4, 2015. Table 16 provides a listing of Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) information sources for these occurrences, including Mineral Deposit Inventory records (MDI), mineral exploration Assessment Files (AFRI), and the Resident Geologist’s files. The MDI and Abandoned Mine Information System (AMIS) records can be accessed on-line through GeologyOntario, while the Resident Geologist’s files are available only in hard copy form at the Thunder Bay Office. Geological descriptions of the Mount Baldy, Little Bear Quarry and Walkinshaw occurrences are also provided in Garland (1994).
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Figure 23. Amethyst occurrences (gold triangles) and quarries (purple stars) near the north shore of Lake Superior (geology from Ontario Geological Survey 2011).
52 M.A. Puumala et al.
Figure 24. Map illustrating the Archean–Proterozoic unconformity, major faults and the locations of amethyst occurrences (gold triangles) open for staking as of February 4, 2015 (geology from Ontario Geological Survey 2011).
Table 16. Amethyst occurrences open for staking as of October 1, 2014. Occurrence Name MDI File No. AFRI File Nos. Resident Geologist’s File Holzem NA NA 52B07SE, Holzem occurrence Marks Township NA 52A05SW2003 NA Silver Valley MDI52A05SW00009 NA 52A05SW, Silver Valley occurrence Mount Baldy NA 52A11SE2002 52A11SE, Mount Baldy occurrence 52A11SE2005 52A11SE0001 Walkinshaw 02 MDI000000001234 52A11NE0004 NA 20002132 Belletini MDI000000001238 52A10NW2003 NA Stenlund MDI52H01SE00008 NA 52H01SE, Stenlund occurrence Little Bear Amethyst Quarry MDI42E04NE00003 42E04NE0009 42E04NE, Little Bear Amethyst Quarry 42E04NE0008 Vos MDI42E04NE00008 NA NA Kilometre 23 MDI42D15NE00005 NA 42D15NE, Km 23 occurrence Bayco MDI52A15SE00023 52A15SE0019 NA Abbreviation: NA, not available.
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Mineral Potential of Conmee and Sackville Townships
During the 2014 field season, 1:20 000 scale bedrock mapping was carried out by the Ontario Geological Survey in Conmee and Sackville Townships (Figure 25). Observations made during this mapping program resulted in the following recommendations for exploration, which are excerpted from Lodge, Ratcliffe and Walker (2014).
The syenitic intrusion and its margin in the Tower Mountain property remains the marquee gold exploration property in Conmee Township based on the mapping results of this project. The south and western part of the pluton has been reasonably well explored but still warrants additional drilling to continue to define the extent of the known gold mineralization. There is still potential for other, less explored regions of the margin of the pluton to host a similar style of mineralization, although it should be noted that alteration intensity is less extensive along the western and northern margins.
The komatiites and ultramafic intrusions of Conmee Township have demonstrated prospectivity for nickel-copper- PGE mineralization at the Bateman property with the likely assimilation of silica from adjacent siliceous argillites. Based on the potential for mineralization observed in the field, and based on past-producing nickel-copper-PGE mines elsewhere in the Shebandowan greenstone belt (Morton 1982; Farrow 1993), the ultramafic assemblages of Conmee Township warrant significantly more exploration to properly assess mineral potential for base and precious metals.
The discovery of gold mineralization in the conglomerate at the Bateman property is a largely unexplored target anywhere else in the township. Conglomerate units in this region consist of large, map-scale units that are characterized by a diverse clast provenance. These units are extremely well exposed and would be relatively easy to map in greater detail and sample for anomalous gold.
Quartz vein-hosted copper-gold-molybdenum mineralization at the Younge–Walsh occurrence is interpreted to be associated with metasomatism during the intrusion of granodiorite that hosts the vein. While there is limited knowledge of the extent of the vein network and mineralization at the time of preparing this report, there is sufficient outcrop exposure in the area to accurately map the extent of the intrusion and prospect its contact region for additional copper-gold-molybdenum quartz vein-hosted mineralization.
Work done by Lodge (2013) identified several exploration targets in the Greenwater assemblage which should also have significance for the stratigraphy in Sackville Township. The felsic metavolcanic rocks associated with the Calvert–Stares occurrence should have additional prospecting and detailed geologic mapping for zinc-copper-gold mineralization and associated alteration particularly stratigraphically below iron formation. Additionally the gabbro sills in the Greenwater assemblage can contain disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite which may have some potential for magmatic sulphide mineralization.
The above recommendation pertaining to the nickel-copper-PGE potential of ultramafic rocks in Conmee Township is especially notable in that evidence was seen to indicate the assimilation of argillite into the ultramafic flows located on Denarii Resources Inc.’s Bateman property (Lodge, Ratcliffe and Walker 2014). Assimilation of argillite is consistent with the interpretation of northward-facing stratigraphy (Lodge, Ratcliffe and Walker 2014) and the presence of an argillite horizon immediately to the southeast of (i.e., below) the ultramafic flows in one of the areas trenched by Linear Metals Corp. in 2008 (MacLean and Rees 2008). During a 2013 site visit, Resident Geologist Program staff noted that the argillite on the Bateman property contains abundant nodular, diagenetic pyrite (Figure 26).
The presence of sulphur-bearing rocks (i.e., a potential source of sulphur contamination for the ultramafic magma) immediately below the ultramafic volcanic flows on the Bateman property, as well as evidence of their assimilation by the ultramafic flows, indicates that this area has considerable potential for a copper-nickel-PGE deposit, perhaps analogous to that at the nearby, past-producing Shebandowan Mine.
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Figure 25. Simplified geology of Conmee Township from Lodge, Ratcliffe and Walker (2014). Mineral occurrences mentioned above include 1. Bateman; 2. Tower Mountain; 7. Younge-Walsh.
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Figure 26. Nodular pyrite in argillite on Bateman property.
OGS ACTIVITIES AND RESEARCH BY OTHERS D.E. Ames (Geological Survey of Canada) led a Targeted Geoscience Initiative 4 (TGI-4) nickel-copper-PGE- chromium project studying hydrothermal-magmatic copper-PGE-rich systems. This was part of a five-year (2010– 2015) collaborative federal–provincial geoscience program involving contributions from federal and provincial government agencies, research institutions and the mineral exploration and mining sector (Ames et al. 2012). Three of these projects, focused on Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift-related mafic intrusions, are located in the Thunder Bay South District and are highlighted below.
• M. Brzozowski (University of Windsor) is working on a PhD project titled Genesis of the Pd-Cu mineralization at the Marathon deposit, Ontario: Insights from sulfide and oxide chemistry. • I. Meghji (Western University) is continuing with an MSc study of the origin of platinum group mineralization in the Geordie Lake deposit, located in the Coldwell Alkalic Complex near Marathon. Preliminary investigations indicate that, as with the Main Zone at Marathon, the Geordie Lake copper- palladium mineralization is spatially associated with moderate to intense alteration within a heterogeneous gabbro. • B. Trevisan (Lakehead University) completed an MSc project studying the PGE-mineralized Thunder intrusion, located immediately north of Thunder Bay. The main objective of this study was to characterize the petrology, mineralization and alteration footprint of the Thunder intrusion, within the context of the Midcontinent Rift as a whole, in order to identify criteria for targeting buried mineralization. A summary of the results of geological mapping and whole-rock geochemical analyses is provided in the 2013 OGS Summary of Field Work (Trevisan, Hollings and Ames 2013).
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K.E. Bjorkman (University of Western Australia) continued with a PhD thesis project studying the four- dimensional crust-mantle evolution and mineral system distribution of the Marmion Terrane. The project is based within the Centre for Exploration Targeting at the University of Western Australia in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Mining and Exploration (CESME), Lakehead University and the Ontario Geological Survey. A summary of the preliminary results of U/Pb geochronology and whole-rock geochemistry is provided in the 2014 OGS Summary of Field Work (Bjorkman et al. 2014).
R.M. Cundari (OGS Resident Geologist Program) and P. Hollings (Lakehead University, Thunder Bay) continue to be involved in research into the refinement of the geochemistry and geochronology of Midcontinent Rift–related intrusions.
R.W.D. Lodge , L.M. Ratcliffe (Earth Resources and Geoscience Mapping Section, Ontario Geological Survey, Sudbury) and J.A.Walker (Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury) remapped the Precambrian geology of Sackville and Conmee townships, located about 25 km west, and 2 km north of Kakabeka Falls, respectively, at a scale of 1:20 000 (Lodge, Ratcliffe and Walker 2014).
Y.J. Lu (Centre for Exploration Targeting, School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia) is working on a geochemical and geochronological study to better define terrane boundaries within the Wabigoon Subprovince of northwestern Ontario. Many mineral deposit types tend to occur near terrane boundaries and knowledge of their locations can help to focus mineral exploration programs.
E. Kulakov A. Smirnov, J. Diehl, (Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technical University, Houghton, Michigan) completed research on the Coldwell Complex, summarizing their findings in a paper titled Paleomagnetism of ~1.1 Ga Coldwell Complex (Ontario): Implications for Proterozoic geomagnetic field morphology and plate velocities (Kulakov et al. 2014).
The Ontario Geological Survey contracted CGG Canada Services Ltd. and Goldak Airborne Surveys to carry out airborne geophysical surveys over 3 areas covering large portions of the Quetico Subprovince and Animike Basin between Mine Centre and Manitouwadge. The survey covered approximately 158 000 line-kilometres and included the collection of horizontal magnetic gradiometer and gamma-ray spectrometer data. Surveys for the Flatrock Lake and Mahon Lake areas were published in January 2015 as GDS 1077 (Ontario Geological Survey 2015), while the remainder of the survey data are expected to be released in April 2015.
Faculty and students at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, have recently completed, or currently are involved in, a number of research projects in the Thunder Bay South District, as shown in Table 17. Publications received in the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist office in 2014 are shown in Table 18.
Table 17. Lakehead University BSc (Hons) and MSc thesis research projects. Student Research Topic (Faculty Supervisor) BSc Theses: Matt Arges Mineralogy and petrology of the spodumene-rich pegmatites and associated veinlets from the Rock Tech (in progress) Lithium Project, Georgia Lake area, Quetico Subprovince, Ontario (Dr. Shannon Zurevinski) Jordan Baird Deformation of the Gunflint Formation (in progress) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Ruth Bjorkman The mapping and petrography of an Archean Maar deposit (2014) (completed) (Dr. Philip Fralick and Dr. Peter Hollings) Kara Cox Monitoring stream remediation of Kama Creek to determine if more work is needed to prevent damage to (in progress) current stream structure by rock movement or loss of water to lower groundwater table (Dr. Philip Fralick and Dr. Robert Stewart) Simon Dolega Strain analysis on the Max Lake polymictic conglomerates in the Wabigoon Subprovince, Ontario, Canada (completed) (2014) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Sadie Fischer Biological mats in siliciclastic sediments of the Gunflint and Rove formations (in progress) (Dr. Philip Fralick)
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Student Research Topic (Faculty Supervisor) Matthew Goetz Heating experiments of amethyst from Thunder Bay Amethyst Mine (2014) (completed) (Dr. Stephen Kissin) George Kemper Sedimentology of the Outan Island Formation (2014) (completed) (Dr. Philip Fralick) Jared Liimu The role of brittle-ductile deformation and competency contrast in gold mineralization in the C-Zone, Hemlo (completed) Gold Camp, Ontario (2014) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Michael McLeod Petrology and geochemistry of the mafic dikes at Hemlo Au mine (in progress) (Dr. Peter Hollings) Doug Nikkila Mineralogy and petrology of a newly-discovered REE occurrence within the Coldwell complex near Marathon, (in progress) Ontario (Dr. Shannon Zurevinski) Ainslee Nolan Metamorphism and deformation at the Wabigoon Quetico Subprovince Boundary in the Decourcey Lake area (completed) (2014) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Alex Pucci Microstructure of Steep Rock carbonate precipitates (completed) (Dr. Phillip Fralick) Kayla Scheffler The effects of whole-tree harvesting and fire disturbances on carbon and nitrogen stores in a dystric brunisol (completed) (2014) (Dr. Amanda Diochon) Robin Super The mineralogy and beneficiation of PGM-Cu-Ni ores (in progress) (Shannon Zurevinski) Allen Wywrot Mineralogy and petrology of a newly discovered Paralamproite occurrence near Marathon, Ontario (in progress) (Dr. Shannon Zurevinski) Natalie Zwanenburg Effects of sulfur emissions affecting soil pH of Mt McKay and Fort William region (in progress) (Dr. Amanda Diochon and Dr. Kamil Zaniewski) MSc Theses: Adrian Arts Microstructure of modern and ancient iron-rich stromatolites (in progress) (Dr. Philip Fralick) Patrick Belshaw A geologic study of rock quality and rock mass behaviour in shear zone-hosted gold deposits, Ontario, Canada (in progress) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Simon Dolega Deformation of Timiskaming-type conglomerate (in progress) (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Monica Karman Sedimentology of the interval adjacent to the Sudbury Impact Layer in the Lake Superior Basin (in progress) (Dr. Philip Fralick) Ben Kowalczyk Alteration of the “C” Zone of the Hemlo Gold deposit, Ontario (completed) (Dr. Andrew Conly)
Lindsay Moore Melt-volatile partitioning of Co and Ni in the haplogranite-NaCl-KCl-H2O system (in progress) (Dr. Andrew Conly and Dr. Steve Kissin) Sean O’Brien Petrology and geochemistry of the Crystal Lake Gabbro, northwestern Ontario (in progress) (Dr. Peter Hollings) Mercedes Rich Mineralogy of the Prairie Lake Carbonatite, northwestern Ontario (in progress) (Dr. Roger Mitchell) Skylar Schmidt Lac des Iles Mine: evidence for high-temperature deformation and implications for structural control on (in progress) mineralization (Dr. Mary Louise Hill) Bret Timmis Design and testing of a permeable reactive barrier system for the treatment of sulphate-rich mine waters (in progress) (Dr. Andrew Conly) Brent Trevisan Geology and geochemistry of the Mid Continent Rift-related Thunder intrusion (completed) (Dr. Peter Hollings) Christopher Yip Sedimentology and geochemistry of regressive and transgressive surfaces in the Gunflint Formation, (in progress) northwestern Ontario (Dr. Philip Fralick)
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Table 18. Publications received by the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s Office in 2014. Title Author(s) Type and Year of Publication Institute on Lake Superior Geology 2014, Hibbing, Minnesota; Edited by J.D. Miller Institute on Lake Superior Geology Proceedings, v.60 (2014) Part 1: Programs and Abstracts
Specific abstracts of interest: Petrology of the Layered North Lac des Iles Intrusion, M.L. Djon, G.R. Olivo, p.29 Ontario; Part 1. Stratigraphy and Mineral-Chemical J.D. Miller and R.D. Evidence for Multiple Magma Injection Stewart Rethinking the Midcontinent Rift – Puncturing the “Plume P. Hollings and G. Heggie p.57 Paradigm” Sedimentology and Paleogeographic Reconstruction of the M.M. Karman and P.W. p.65 Layers in and Adjacent to the Sudbury Impact Layer in the Fralick Lake Superior Basin Impact Ejecta Features in the Lake Superior Basin from the M.M. Karman and P.W. p.67 1850 Ma Sudbury Impact Event Fralick PDFs in Sudbury Ejecta in the Gunflint Formation, S.A. Kissin and G.R. p.69 Ontario: A Comparison of Methods Brumpton The Role of Brittle-Ductile Deformation and Competency J. Liimu and M.L. Hill p.79 Contrast in Gold Mineralization in the C-Zone at Hemlo Metamorphism and Deformation at the Wabigoon-Quetico A.E. Nolan and M.L. Hill p.93 Subprovince Boundary in the Decourcey Lake Area Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift Intrusives in the E.J. Piispa, A.V. Smirnov p.99 Thunder Bay Area (Ontario, Canada): A Paleomagnetic and L.J.P. Pesonen Review Structural control of Mineralization at Lac des Iles Mine S. Schmidt and M.L. Hill p.109 The Evolution of the Atmosphere-Hydrosphere: A C. Yip and P. Fralick p.129 Geochemical Comparison of Two Paleoproterozoic Gunflint Weathering Profiles Part 2: Field Trip Guidebook Index to Maps, Bedrock Geology, 1991–2013 Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Set of 4 maps, scale 1:1 000 000 (2014) Index to Maps, Surficial Geology, 1991–2013 Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Set of 4 maps, scale 1:1 000 000 (2014) Miscellaneous Paper (MP) 177 (Supplement 2011-2014): Index to Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Published Reports, Maps and Digital Data, 2011-2014 Paper 177 (Supplement 2011-2014), 2014 MP177 (Supplement 2011-2014) (PDF, 53p) Miscellaneous Paper (MP) 178 (Supplement 2011-2014): Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Geographic Index to Published Reports, Maps and Digital Data, Paper 178 (Supplement 2011–2014), 2014 2011-2014 MP178 (Supplement 2011-2014) PDF, 56p) Report of Activities 2013, Resident Geologist Program, Thunder M.A. Puumala, D.A. Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South Campbell, R.D. Tuomi, Report 6293, 71p. (2014); District R.L. Debicki, A.C. Wilson, OFR6293 (PDF, 23.1Mb) P. Moses and M.R. Brunelle Summary of Field Work and Other Activities, 2014 Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6300, 430p. (2014) OFR6300 (PDF, 176.1Mb) Specific articles of interest: Project Unit 13-007. Geology and Mineral Potential of R.W.D. Lodge, L.M. p.9-1 Sackville and Conmee Townships, Wawa Subprovince Radcliffe and J.A. Walker
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Title Author(s) Type and Year of Publication Project Unit 13-030. The Marmion Terrane Four-Dimensional K.E. Bjorkman, T.C. p.12-1 Crust-Mantle Evolution and Mineral Systems: An Update McCuaig, Y.L. Lu, G.P. Beakhouse, P. Hollings and M.C. Smyk Summary of Geophysical Projects and Activities D.R.B. Rainsford and S. p.18-1 Biswas Mineral Deposit Inventory—2014 Resident Geologist Ontario Geological Survey, Mineral Program Deposit Inventory—2014 (2014) MDI (PDF, 0.3Mb; ZIP, 26.8Mb) Ontario Mineral and Exploration Statistics 2013 B. Greenwell and S. Ontario Geological Survey, Annual Jessome Statistical Report (ASR) 9, 64p. (2014) Ontario Airborne Geophysical Surveys, Magnetic and Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Geophysical Electromagnetic Data, Grid and Profile Data (ASCII and Geosoft Data Set 1241 (2014) Formats) and Vector Data, Burchell Lake Area—Purchased Data GDS1241 (PDF, 0.3Mb; ZIP, 515.5Mb) Airborne Magnetic and Electromagnetic Surveys, Colour-filled Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Map 60 401 to Contours of the Residual Magnetic Field and Electromagnetic 60 404, scale 1:20.000 (2014) Anomalies, Burchell Lake Area—Purchased Data Airborne Magnetic and Electromagnetic Surveys, Shaded Colour Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Map 60 405 to Image of the Second Vertical Derivative of the Residual Magnetic 60 408, scale 1:20.000 (2014) Field and Keating Coefficients, Burchell Lake Area—Purchased Data Airborne Magnetic and Electromagnetic Surveys, Colour-filled Ontario Geological Survey Ontario Geological Survey, Map 60 409 to Contours of the EM Decay Constant and Electromagnetic 60 412, scale 1:20.000 (2014) Anomalies, Burchell Lake Area—Purchased Data Precambrian Geology of Aldina Township R.W.D. Lodge Ontario Geological Survey, Map P.3776, scale 1:20.000 (2014) P3776 (PDF, 0.8Mb; ZIP, 0.8MB)
Table 19. Mineral deposits not being mined in the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist’s District in 2014. Abbreviations AF ...... Assessment Files MLS ...... Mining Lands, Sudbury AFRO ...... Assessment File # MR ...... Mining Recorder CMH...... Canadian Mines Handbook MP ...... Miscellaneous Publication GR ...... Geological Report NM ...... The Northern Miner MDC...... Mineral Deposit Circular OFR ...... Open File Report MDIR ...... Mineral Deposit Inventory record PC ...... Personal Communication
Deposit Name and Commodity Tonnage-Grade Estimates Ownership Reserve Status NTS and/or Dimensions References Anderson Lake Mo 1 346 000 T A. Onchulenko, W.N. Ingham Active 52A/10NE (grade not stated) P. Gehrels (June 16, 1959) in Lindsay Explorations Ltd., prospectus (June 19, 1959) Ardeen Mine Au Inferred Resource of Coventry Resources The Ontario Prospector, Inactive 52B/10SE,SW 1 082 939 t @ 14.4 g/t Au (uncut) Inc. and Pele v.1, no.3, p.35 (1998); Mountain Resources CMH 2002–2003, p.335 Inc. Atikokan Iron Mine Fe, Cu 12 000 000 T @ 35% Fe, K. Bjorkman NM (October 26, 1972) Inactive 52B/14 0.040% Cu (Resident Geologist’s files)
Aumacho (Brink) Li 759 475 T @ 1.65% Li2O, Rock Tech Resources GR 31, p.64 Active 42E/05SW plus 96 000 T @ 1.5% Li2O Inc. Chrome Lake Mine Cr "E Zone": 25,000 tons @ 12% Pavey Ark Minerals OFR 5889, 1994, Active 52H/14NW Cr2O3, "A Zone": 1 MT @ 7% Inc. p 41-42 Cr2O3, "G Zone": 1.5 MT @ 2.3% Cr2O3
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Deposit Name and Commodity Tonnage-Grade Estimates Ownership Reserve Status NTS and/or Dimensions References Coco–Estelle Au 53 700 t @ 10.7 g/t Au B. Fowler, W. AF Active 42E/03SW Roberts, P. Kelly, C. Chartier Dead Horse Creek Pb, Zn, Ag 14 000 T @ 1.45% Pb, 7.28% Zn, None AF Inactive North 8.27 ounces Ag per ton 42D/15SE Dead Horse Creek Pb, Zn, Ag 35 000 T and 36 000 T (Zones 1 J. McCabe (Resident AF Inactive South and 2) @ 19.87% Pb, 9.08% Zn, Geologist’s files) 42D/15SE 27.65 ounces Ag per ton Dorion Mine Pb, Zn Maximum of 35 000 T @ 10% Pb K. Haskell Andowan Mines Ltd., Inactive 52A/15 prospectus, March 30, 1957 Fern Elizabeth Au 250 000 T @ 4.57 g/t Au Redpine Exploration CMH 1998–1999, p.309 Inactive Mine Inc. / R. Moffat joint 52B/13SE venture Geordie Lake Pd, Au, Ag, 32.42 Mt @ 0.61 g/t Pd, Stillwater Mining Marathon PGM Active 42D/16SW Cu 0.04 g/t Pt, 0.05 g/t Au, Company Corporation, news 2.93 g/t Ag, 0.37% Cu release, May 4, 2010 for 641 000 ounces Pd, 39 510 ounces Pt, 49 700 ounces Au, 3 057 800 ounces Ag, 263 670 000 lbs Cu (Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource) NI 43-101 compliant Great Lakes Nickel Cu, Ni, PGE Historical indicated resource: Rio Tinto Exploration CMH 2002–2003, p.197 Active 52A/4SE 45.6 MT @ 0.344% Cu, Canada Inc. / Great 0.183% Ni, 0.0043 opt Pt, Lakes Nickel Limited 0.021 opt Pd Hammond Reef Au NI 43-101 compliant In Pit Yamana Gold Inc., Osisko Mining Active 52B/14NW Resource with cut-off grade Agnico Eagle Mines Corporation, News 0.32 g/t. Ltd. Release, January 31, Measured: 175.3 Mt @ 0.75 g/t Au 2013 for a total of 4.25 M Oz. Indicated: 54.1 Mt @ 0.61 g/t Au for a total of 1.06 M Oz Jack Lake Au Possible: 75 000 T Yamana Gold Inc., OFR 5332, p.J-7; Inactive 52B/14SW @ 0.35 ounce Au per ton and Agnico Eagle Mines Annual Report, 3000 T @ 0.30 ounce Au per ton; Ltd. Asamera Inc. (1981) or 100 000 T @ 0.45 ounce Au per ton Kaministikwia Fe 190 MT that could produce Inland Steel MDC 11, p.374 Inactive prospect 47.5 MT of concentrate 62.85% Fe Company 52A/12
Lac La Croix Li 1.525 MT @ 1.27% Li2O Within Quetico AF Not available for 52B/05SW Provincial Park exploration or development M.N.W. Li 40 000 T “high-grade Li” Rock Tech Resources GSC Economic Geology Active 52H/04NE Inc. Report 21, p.61; Golden Nugget Exploration Inc. (CMH 2002–2003, p.190; Resident Geologist’s files)
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Deposit Name and Commodity Tonnage-Grade Estimates Ownership Reserve Status NTS and/or Dimensions References Marathon Cu-PGE Cu, Ni, PGE Proven and Probable: 91.45 Mt Stillwater Mining Marathon PGM Active Project grading 0.832 g/t Pd, 0.237 g/t Pt, Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, news 42D/16SW 0.085 g/t Au, 0.247% Cu and Corporation release, January 11, 1.44 g/t Ag, containing 2010 2.44 million ounces palladium, 696 000 ounces platinum, 251 000 ounces gold, 497 million pounds copper and 4.23 million ounces silver NI 43-101 compliant Matawin Iron Fe 120 MT @ 29.56% Fe Canadian MDC 11, p.376 Inactive Range (Monpre), International Duckworth, Laurie Minerals Inc. and Horne townships 52B/09 and 52A/12 Moss Lake Au Indicated resource: 39 795 000 t Wesdome Gold Moss Lake Gold Mines Inactive (Snodgrass Lake) grading 1.1 g/t for a total of Mines Ltd. Ltd., news release, 1 377 300 oz; February 20, 2013 Inferred Resource: 50 364 000 t grading 1.1 g/t for a total of 1 751 600 oz Mt. Edna prospect Fe 270 MT @ 26.9% Fe 1401385 Ontario Inc. MDC 11, p.386 Inactive (Gunflint property) 52B/08 and 52B/01 Nicopor Ni, Cu 185 000 T @ 0.48% Ni, B. Fowler Zenmac Metal Mines Inactive 42D/14NW 0.26% Cu (0-90 m); Ltd., Annual Report plus (1970) 190 000 T @ 0.40% Ni, 0.12% Cu (90-180 m) North Shore Au Afric Zone: Balmoral Resources GTA Resources and Active 42D/14SW Indicated: 12 360 000 t grading Inc., GTA Resources Mining Inc., news and Mining Inc. release, June 10, 2014 0.99 g/t Au for 391 000 oz Au Inferred: 29 580 000 t grading 0.87 g/t Au for 824 000 oz Au (cut- off grade of 0.50 g/t Au)
Ontario Lithium Li 1.18 MT @ 1.084% Li2O J. Forbes, J. Rapski CMH 1997–1998, p.250 Inactive (Jackpot) and S. Forbes. 42E/05SW OG deposit Au NI 43-101 compliant Resource with Birch Hill Gold Corp. Foundation Resources Active (formerly East cutoff grade of 0.4 g/t. Inc., news release, Coldstream) Indicated: 3.5 Mt @ 0.85 g/t Au for September 20, 2011 a total of 96 400 oz Au. Inferred: 30.5 Mt @ 0.78 g/t Au for a total of 763 276 oz Au Pick Lake Cu, Zn Upper and Middle Zone: 0.26 Mt Orebot Inc., optioned AFRO # 2.45096 Inactive 42D/14NW @11.21% Zn and 0.77% Cu; to Golden Share Lower Zone: 1.2 Mt @ 15.9% Zn Mining Corporation and 0.86% Cu Pistol Lake Au Pistol Lake JF’s West zone: Golden Share Mining Golden Share Mining Active 52B/09NW Inferred Resource: Corporation Corporation, news 2 857 200 t @ 1.64 g/t Au release, October 4, 2011 for a total of 150 699 ounces Au (at 1.00 g/t Au cut off); or Inferred Resource: 851 000 t @ 2.62 g/t Au for a total of 71 700 ounces Au (at 2.00 g/t Au cut off) NI 43-101 compliant Powell Au 250 000 T @ 0.25 opt Au Benton Resources NM (January 22, 1990) Inactive 52B/07SW Corp.
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Deposit Name and Commodity Tonnage-Grade Estimates Ownership Reserve Status NTS and/or Dimensions References Prairie Lake U, Nb, REE, Non-NI 43-101-compliant 515 to Nuinsco Resources Nuinsco Resources Active 42E/02SE wollastonite 630 Mt grading 0.09-0.11% Limited Limited, news release; niobium (0.9-1.1 kg/t) and 3.0- April 11, 2014 4.0% phosphorus (1.2-1.4 kg P/t) Sapawe Mine Au 528 614 T @ 0.31 opt Au 1648893 Ontario Ltd. Sapawe Gold Mines Inactive 52B/14SW Ltd., news release, March 10, 1995 Schreiber–Pyramid Au 107 T @ 0.71 opt Au Strike Minerals Inc. Resident Geologist’s Inactive 42D/14SE files Shebandowan West Ni, Cu, PGE Measured and Indicated reserves: North American North American Inactive 2.58 Mt grading 0.91% Ni, 0.62% Palladium and joint Palladium, news release, Cu, 1.09 g/t Pd, 0.34 g/t Pt and venture partner Vale October 25, 2007. 0.23 g/t Au Inco Limited Inferred resources: 340 000 t grading 1.11% Ni, 0.61% Cu, 0.97 g/t Pd, 0.27 g/t Pt and 0.18 g/t Au Silver Islet Ag 115 000 T @ 40 ounces Ag per ton Cross Estate MP 71, p.44; Inactive 52A/07SW in dump, plus MDC 10, p.74; 300 000 ounces Ag in roof pillar; NM (October 18, 1979); or 1 050 000 ounces Ag NM (February 10, 1983) plus 750 000 ounces Ag in pillars and stopes
Silver Mountain Ag 60 000 T @ 5.0 opt Ag, 12% CaF2 Lakehead University NM (October 28, 1954) Inactive 52A/04NW Stewart–Fire Tower Au 4.5 Mt Inferred ValGold Resources Caracle Creek Inactive 52A/12SE @ 0.069 g/t Au for calculated Ltd. International Consulting reserve of 3 130 820 g Au Inc., news release, or 100 658 ounces Au January 30, 2006 NI 43-101 compliant Sunbeam Au 4410 T @ 0.42 opt Au Unknown OFR 5332, p.J-2 Inactive 52B/14 Swamp River Au Band Ore deposit: historical Golden Share Mining CMH 2002–2003, p.52 Active (Band Ore) resources of 251 271 ounces Au Corporation Golden Share Mining 52B/09SE within 2 principal zones: Corp., news release, Main Zone: October 4, 2011 706 000 t @ 6.86 g/t Au; # 4 Zone: 616 000 t @ 4.83 g/t Au) Thunder Bay North Pt, Pd, Cu, Ni Open pit Indicated resource of Panoramic Resources Magma Metals Ltd., Active 8.64 Mt @ 1.04 g/t Pt, 0.98 g/t Pd, Ltd. news release, February 0.25% Cu, 0.18% Ni 23, 2012 Underground Indicated resource of 1.369 Mt @ 1.65 g/t Pt, 1.54 g/t Pd, 0.43% Cu, 0.24% Ni Vanguard Cu, Zn, Au, East Vanguard: 100 000 T Trillium North Allegheny Mines Inactive 52B/09NW Ag @ 1.8% Cu, 3.4% Zn, Minerals Ltd. Corporation, news 0.22 opt Ag, 0.06 to 0.19 opt Au release, November 4, 1997 Vanguard Cu, Zn, Au, West Vanguard: ~200 000 T Trillium North Allegheny Mines Inactive 52B/09NW Ag @ 1.3% Cu, 1% to 2% Zn, Minerals Ltd. Corporation, news 0.28 opt Ag release, November 4, 1997
Vegan-Newkirk Li 750 000 T@ 1.38% Li2O Canadian Orebodies GR31 (1965) Inactive 42E/05SW Inc. Willecho and Cu, Zn, Ag 759 448 T @ 4.42% Zn, Xstrata Canada Willroy Mines Ltd., Inactive; Willroy 0.28% Cu, 1.47 opt Ag (combined) Corporation Annual Report (1976) rehabilitation 42F/04NW
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Deposit Name and Commodity Tonnage-Grade Estimates Ownership Reserve Status NTS and/or Dimensions References Winston Lake Cu, Zn 598 000 t @ 1.0% Cu, 21.2% Zn First Quantum Inmet Mining Inactive; 42D/14NW (incl. 33% dilution) Minerals Ltd. Corporation, personal rehabilitation communication, 1999
Wisa Lake Li 330 000 T @ 1.15% Li2O Dan Patrie Lexindin Gold Mines Inactive 52C/08NE Exploration Ltd., Manager’s Report (1958) Note: This table contains tonnage and grade estimates referred to as reserves (indicated, measured, possible, probable), which were determined at various times by methods largely unreported. None of these estimates, unless otherwise stated, are known to conform to the standards required for National Instrument (NI) 43-101. All should be considered Inferred Mineral Resources not reserves. Unit abbreviations used: lbs = pounds; Mt = million tonnes; MT = million tons; opt = ounces per ton; oz = ounce(s); t = tonnes, T = tons.
REGIONAL LAND USE GEOLOGIST ACTIVITIES—NORTHWEST REGION
Land Use Planning Activities
The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist, based in Thunder Bay, co-ordinates input into land use planning activities in the Thunder Bay South, Thunder Bay North and Red Lake–Kenora Resident Geologist districts. Ryan Tuomi, P.Geo., Hugh Lockwood, P.Geo. and Andrew Tims, P.Geo., filled this position throughout 2014.
The objectives of the position are to • effectively represent mineral-related values in the context of competing interests for land use; • optimize the land base available for mineral exploration and development; • raise awareness within the mineral sector of the implications of legislation and regulations other than the Mining Act on their activities; and • promote awareness of how geoscience serves the public good, including by • establishing base-line environmental values; • identifying sources of minerals, energy and groundwater to support sustainable economic activity; and • highlighting areas where natural geological hazards and mining-related hazards pose a threat to people and property, whether on Crown land or on private land.
The competing interests for land use vary from place to place across the province, but most have the potential to restrict the availability of land, access to it and/or the activities on it. In 2014, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist dealt with a variety of land use planning issues throughout the Northwest Region and the Far North area. The following sections summarize the work that was done.
CROWN LANDS The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) engages with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) when Crown land use planning activities have the potential to impact provincial mineral interests, or to expose those using Crown land to natural geological or mining-related hazards. These activities include Forest Management Planning; energy and other major infrastructure projects; Far North land use planning; proposals to modify existing parks or create new ones; and various other initiatives related to Crown land use.
Crown Land Use Policy Atlas During the year, MNRF proposed an amendment to the Crown Land Use Atlas in the Thunder Bay District. This amendment was to add an Enhanced Management Area in the Loon Lake area of McTavish Township. The Regional Land Use Geologist reviewed the proposed Enhanced Management Area to ensure that mineral potential, mineral industry activity, and mining related hazards are identified and considered in the process.
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Forest Management Planning
The forest management planning process involves consideration of a wide range of values including mineral values in the context of forestry activities, and the relevance of legislation other than the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, including the Mining Act. The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist normally provides input into the development of forest management plans, including • maps showing the areas of high mineral potential, so that forestry planners are aware of where there may be pressures from the mineral sector for access for exploration; • the locations of existing mining claims and leases, so that exploration workings such as grid lines are not inadvertently damaged or destroyed by forestry activities; • information regarding current exploration and development activities in the area; • the locations of natural geological hazards and mining-related hazards, so that forestry workers are not put at risk; and • the socio-economic impact of mineral exploration and mining in the forest management unit, so that its importance can be considered in the context of other sectors such as tourism that may be active within the forest management unit.
During 2014, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist provided input into the Ogoki Forest 2008–2018 plan; the Sapawa Forest 2010–2020 plan; the Trout Lake Forest 2009–20019 plan; and the Wabigoon Forest 2008–2018 plan.
Approved Forest Management Plans, with detailed information about annual operations including plans for creating new access routes or decommissioning existing routes, and maps showing forest access roads are posted on the MNRF web site (www.efmp.lrc.gov.on.ca/eFMP/home.do).
Far North Land Use Planning
Providing geoscience advice in support of the community-based land use planning initiatives of First Nation communities in the Far North remains a priority in the Northwest Region. In 2014, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist, together with Resident Geologist Program and Ring of Fire Secretariat staff (www.mndm.gov.on.ca/en/ring- fire-secretariat), continued to work with MNRF staff on Far North land use planning initiatives.
In 2013, staff of the Resident Geologist Program, led by the northwest and northeast Regional Land Use Geologists, began to compile a suite of geoscience atlases, including a comprehensive set of geoscience themes, for all communities engaged in Far North community-based land use planning. Each atlas includes a comprehensive set of geoscience themes, with more than 20 themes in each atlas. The atlases are intended to make relevant geoscience information available for use during the planning process.
This work continued in 2014. It is intended make relevant geoscience information available for use during the planning process. A first draft atlas has been completed for the all First Nation communities in and around the “Ring of Fire” (McFaulds Lake) area. Atlases for the remaining communities in the westernmost part of the Far North will be completed in early 2015.
In 2014, new mineral values mapping and mineral industry activity information was provided for several communities currently engaged in land use planning, including the Matawa First Nations, Deer Lake First Nation, Mishkeegogamang First Nation, and Eabametoong First Nation. A presentation on MNDM’s role in community- based land use planning was also given to the Webequie First Nation land use planning committee.
Following discussions with representatives of First Nation communities that had received the atlases, and feedback from MNRF colleagues engaged in Far North land use planning, MNDM made 2 major changes to the atlases that will be implemented in 2015.
The boundaries of the atlases will be standardized to align with the map co-ordinates used by National Topographic System (NTS) maps. This will allow maps to be prepared before communities finalize their planning area boundaries. It will also allow the adoption of a standard scale for the maps, so that maps from one atlas can be
65 THUNDER BAY SOUTH DISTRICT—2014 aligned with maps from another atlas. The scales of earlier versions of the atlas were dependent upon the size of the planning area. A suite of atlases that covers the entire Far North, at the same scale, will be completed in 2015.
The atlases will also be enhanced by simple explanatory notes for each of the themes in the atlas. The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist contributed to these explanatory notes.
In addition to the geoscience and other information provided in support of active planning processes, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist also provided comments on the Terms of Reference for the Marten Falls First Nation and Wawakapewin First Nation Far North Planning initiatives. These communities are now moving ahead with their land use planning processes.
Withdrawal Orders Other work related to Crown land use in the Northwest Region included reviews of 5 applications for withdrawal of lands from staking under Section 35 of the Mining Act. All applications were for surface both surface and mining rights. The requests were made for a wide range of reasons, including • creating private hunting and forestry lands; • creating private nature reserves; • facilitating access to 3 sites where aggregate extraction is proposed; • supporting First Nation land claims and treaty entitlement negotiations; and • the federal Nuclear Waste Management Organization review of candidate sites in the Ignace, Schreiber and Manitouwadge areas for underground storage of spent nuclear fuel.
Reviews by the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist ensured that mineral potential, mineral industry activity, and mining related hazards are identified and considered before decisions were made.
Forfeited Mining Lands The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist reviewed a list of 23 properties that were scheduled to be forfeited and re-opened for staking for non-payment of taxes. Comments were provided with regard to nearby mining-related hazards and the mineral potential of the mining lands being considered for forfeiture.
MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE LANDS The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines supports municipal and private land use planning through the One-Window Planning Service led by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH). When requested, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist provides input into, and reviews, draft Official Plans, Official Plan Amendments, draft plans of subdivision and consent (severance) applications to ensure that provincial mineral interests, and natural geological hazards and mining-related hazards are appropriately considered in the planning process. Input from MNDM includes • providing data with regard to mineral potential, mining claims and leases, exploration and mining activity, and mining-related hazards to planning authorities, planning consultants and MMAH in support of the new municipal Official Plans, Official Plan Amendments, zoning by-laws and consents (lot severances); • reviewing land use policies proposed in municipal planning documents and providing comments on those policies to MMAH “One-Window” planners for consolidation with feedback from other ministries; and • supporting the development of municipal policies and guidelines, and working to enhance the availability of data to support wise planning decisions.
Municipal Planning The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), which guides municipal planning in Ontario, is issued under the provisions of the Planning Act. The PPS was last modified in 2005. A compulsory five-year review of the PPS was begun in
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2010 to ensure that it is up to date and meets current environmental standards, ensures human health and safety, and protects Ontario’s cultural and natural heritage.
The revised PPS, released on February 24, 2014, includes enhanced provisions to help ensure the recognition of mining operations and areas with significant mineral potential in municipal Official Plans, so that they can be protected from incompatible land uses (www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10679.aspx). Along with colleagues in the southern and northeast regions and the Land Use Policy and Planning Co-ordinator, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist provided facilitation support at regional training sessions for municipal staff to highlight main areas of policy changes in the PPS 2014.
As a participant in MMAH’s one-portal service for Official Plans and their amendments, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist provided comments, mineral values mapping and other input as required for Official Plans and Official Plan Amendments for the municipalities of Dorian, Gorham and Ware, Greenstone, Kenora, Oliver– Paipoonge, Red Lake, Shuniah, Terrace Bay and Thunder Bay.
In addition, information was provided, and reviews were done, in conjunction with 24 subdivision and consent applications, as listed in Table 20. Although such decisions are normally made by municipal governments, most of the area of the Northwest Region is outside of towns and cities. In the absence of a municipal government to manage planning decisions related to private land in those areas, decisions are made by the MMAH with the support of partner ministries including MNDM.
Table 20. Municipal planning initiatives with MNDM input, northwestern Ontario, 2014.
Consent (Severance) and Official Plans Land Use Planning Subdivision Applications (Completed and Amended) (Unorganized Areas) Big Stone Bay, Area of (5) Dorian Clearwater Bay, Area of Clearwater Bay, Area of (2) Gorham and Ware Red Rock, Township of Docker, Township of Greenstone Upsala, Township of Gundy, Township of Kenora Watten, Township of Kirkup, Township of Oliver–Paipoonge Lahontan, Township of ( 2) Red Lake Rudd, Township of Shuniah Sand Lake, Area of Terrace Bay Sandy Lake, Area of Thunder Bay Senn, Township of Sibley, Township of (2) Snowshoe Bay, Area of Stirling, Township of Umbach, Township of Upsala, Township of Watten, Township of Yellowgirl Bay, Area of
The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist undertook a review and revision of MNDM Implementation Guidelines for PPS 2.4 (mineral resources) and 3.2 (mining-related hazards) to reflect the changes in the 2014 version of the PPS. In addition, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist worked with MMAH and other partner ministries to present 2 training sessions in Thunder Bay: the 2014 MMAH interministerial training session; and the half-day Ontario Professional Planners Institute PPS training session.
Exemptions from Mining Tax Section 189 (1) of the Mining Act allows for owners of patented land to apply for exemption from paying mining tax. Key factors that are considered when applications are reviewed are whether or not the lands are being used for mining-related purposes, and whether or not there would be third-party interest in using the lands for mining-related
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purposes (e.g., the surrounding lands are staked and being explored or the sites in question have provincially significant mineral potential).
During 2014, 13 such applications were reviewed for the Northwest Region. Comments were provided to MNDM’s Mining Lands Section to be consolidated with other information for the Minister’s consideration and decision.
FIRST NATIONS In addition to doing work related to Far North land use planning, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist participated in the following: Mining Week at Ginoogaming First Nation; a Community Based Land Use Planning Workshop for Matawa communities; Lac Seul First Nation Career Day and Mining Week; and career fairs at Webequie First Nation and Nibinamik First Nation.
Other Activities The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist also undertook other related work in 2014, as outlined below.
CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS Class Environmental Assessments (“Class EAs”) are documents that set out streamlined environmental assessment processes. They apply to routine projects that have predictable and manageable environmental effects. There are currently 11 Class Environmental Assessments in effect in Ontario, with regard to initiatives including the development of new infrastructure such as dams, transmission lines, pipelines, highway corridors, commuter rail stations and bus terminals, and sewer and water facilities; the establishment of new parks and conservation reserves; forest management plans; and Crown land dispositions.
The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist worked with staff from MNRF and other ministries to ensure that mineral values and mineral industry interests were identified and accommodated early in the planning process of projects subject to Class Environmental Assessments. Proponents seeking to develop infrastructure commonly require assistance in understanding the various mineral sector interests that might be affected by their projects, and how mining land tenure may restrict their development plans.
Claimholder’s interests, exploration activity, mining activity, mineral potential and mining-related hazards were evaluated for the following 5 Class Environmental Assessment reviews and 1 amended Environmental Assessment for the following projects within northwestern Ontario in 2014: • clean-up of Mid-Canada Line radar sites near Fort Severn; • Cat–Slate Forest Management Plan; • the Nextbridge transmission line; • land transfer to Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (Rocky Bay) First Nation; • the amended Terms of Reference for the new transmission line to Pickle Lake; and • Highway 102 Bridge rehabilitation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REGISTRY The Environmental Registry is an online resource that contains public notices about environmental matters being proposed by all Ontario government ministries covered by the Environmental Bill of Rights. The public notices contain information about proposals including new acts, regulations, policies and programs; plans to change or eliminate existing ones; and plans to issue permits for a wide range of activities across Ontario.
The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist monitored the Environmental Registry and compiled and distributed a monthly summary of postings of interest to MNDM staff.
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OTHER In addition to the work outlined above with regard to land use planning, and other related work, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist completed the following in 2014.
Conferences The northwest Regional Land Use Geologist engaged with mineral sector clients at the annual Kenora District Exploration Information Session in Dryden and the Ontario Prospector’s Association’s Northwestern Ontario Mines and Minerals Symposium in Thunder Bay. He also engaged with delegates from across Canada at the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association’s annual conference in Toronto.
General Client Service In addition to the work outlined above, the northwest Regional Land Use Geologist provided day-to-day services to a range of clients. This work included • being available to provide geoscience information at an MNRF-sponsored stakeholders meeting in Gore and Ware township regarding aggregate operations; • assisting with a proponent’s acquisition of a property owned by Ontario Realty Corporation; • meeting with MNRF to discuss aggregate potential in an Enhanced Management Area on behalf of a proponent; and • advising private land owners with regard to their mineral rights and the mineral potential of their property. MINERAL DEPOSIT COMPILATION GEOLOGIST—NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
The Mineral Deposit Compilation geologists (MDCG) investigate and document mineral deposits and occurrences across the province. Through field visits, comprehensive literature research and personal research, they work with regional and district Resident Geologist Program staff to ensure that the Mineral Deposit Inventory (MDI) database is regularly updated. Regular updates are required to ensure that the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is using the most up-to-date information in making land-use planning and policy decisions. S. Ali was the contract northwestern MDCG from January through June 2014. T.K. Pettigrew is the current northwestern Ontario MDCG.
Throughout the year, emphasis was placed on updating annual production figures for producing mines in the Red Lake, Thunder Bay North and Thunder Bay South Districts as well as updating MDI records for the Far North Land Use Planning Geoscience Atlases initiative. Records were updated for the Webequie First Nations area of interest. In addition, corrections and updates were also made to MDI records in the Thunder Bay North and South Resident Geologist areas of responsibility in support of the Far North Geoscience Atlas initiative. For the latter half of the year, focus was placed on updating MDI records of developed deposits with reserves that are not yet in production.
Total changes, by the northwestern Ontario MDCG, to the provincial MDI database in 2014 included 168 updated records, 7 records deleted and 38 new records. A breakdown, by office, of the provincial records revised is provided in Table 21.
Table 21. Mineral Deposit Inventory records revisions in 2014. Resident or District Office Updates Deletions New Kenora 18 0 0 Red Lake 67 4 7 Thunder Bay North 53 0 14 Thunder Bay South 30 3 17 Total 168 7 38
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The MDI database is a dynamic compilation of over 19 000 records describing most of the known mineral occurrences in Ontario. It is an important reference tool for explorationists interested in exploring and acquiring mining properties in Ontario. When used in conjunction with other spatial databases generated by the Ontario Geological Survey, it provides additional tools for making mineral discoveries in Ontario.
A searchable version of Mineral Deposit Inventory is available from the OGS online data warehouse— GeologyOntario (www.ontario.ca/geology). Users of this interface can specify a variety of deposit characteristics (e.g., commodity, deposit status, deposit classification, location) in order to discover properties of interest to stake or research. The Mineral Deposit Inventory can also be viewed geographically, and searched, using the OGSEarth application (www.ontario.ca/ogsearth), which helps users with data discovery through a graphical interface (keyhole mark-up language (.kml) files for use with applications such as Google Earth™ mapping service).
It is planned that the current version of the MDI database (Ontario Geological Survey 2014) will be updated in April 2015 and will be included in both GeologyOntario and OGS Earth. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Numerous prospectors, geologists and other individuals from the exploration and mining sector provided valuable information and discussions during the year and many are referred to throughout the text. A manuscript edit by Mark Smyk is appreciated, as is the editing provided by the editors of the Publication Services Unit of the GeoServices Section.
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Tomlinson, K.Y., Hughes, D.J., Thurston, P.C. and Hall, R.P. 1999. Plume magmatism and crustal growth at 2.9 to 3.0 Ga in the Steep Rock and Lumby Lake area, western Superior Province; Lithos, v.46, p.103-136. Trevisan, B., Hollings, P. and Ames, D.E. 2013. Geology and geochemistry of the Thunder Intrusion, Midcontinent Rift, Thunder Bay, Ontario; in Summary of Field Work and Other Activities 2013, Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6290, p.57-1 to 57-7. Vaillancourt, C., Sproule, R.A., MacDonald, C.A. and Lesher, C.M. 2003. Investigation of mafic-ultramafic intrusions in Ontario and implications for platinum group element mineralization: Operation treasure Hunt; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6102, 335p. Wagg, C.A. and Holmstead, W.E. 1990. 1989 exploration programme on the Lumby Lake property, District of Kenora, Ontario; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRI report number 52G03SW0004, 15p. Wahl, R. 2014a. Prospecting report on the geological mapping and lithogeochemical sampling, Kilala Lake North property; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRO report number 2.55505, 20p. ——— 2014b. Prospecting report on geological mapping and lithogeochemical sampling, Sandspit Lake property; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRO report number 2.55616, 9p. ——— 2014c. Prospecting report on geological mapping and lithogeochemical sampling, White River property; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRO report number 2.55520, 21p. Whaley, D. 2014. Prospecting logs and assay certificate; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRO report number 2.55213, 5p. Williams, H.R. 1991. Quetico Subprovince; in Geology of Ontario, Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 4, Part 1, p.383-403. ——— 1989. Geological studies in the Wabigoon, Quetico and Abitibi–Wawa Subprovinces, Superior Province of Ontario, with emphasis on the structural development of the Beardmore–Geraldton belt; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 5724, 189p. Williams, H.R., Stott, G.M., Heather, K.B., Muir, T.L. and Sage, R.P. 1991. Wawa Subprovince; in Geology of Ontario, Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 4, Part 1, p.485-541. Woolverton, R.S. 1960. Geology of the Lumby Lake area; Ontario Department of Mines, Annual Report, 1960, v.69, pt.5, 52p. Yahn, T. 2014. Report on 2014 exploration for Gold Cache Inc.; Thunder Bay South District, Assessment Files, AFRO report number 2.55228, 20p. Yip, C. and Fralick, P. 2014. The evolution of the atmosphere–hydrosphere: A geochemical comparison of two Paleoproterozoic Gunflint weathering profiles; in Proceedings of the 60th Annual Meeting of the Institute on Lake Superior Geology, Hibbing, Minnesota, May 14–17, 2014, p.129-130.
74 Metric Conversion Table
Conversion from SI to Imperial Conversion from Imperial to Sl
SI Unit Multiplied by Gives Imperial Unit Multiplied by Gives LENGTH 1 mm 0.039 37 inches 1 inch 25.4 mm 1 cm 0.393 70 inches 1 inch 2.54 cm 1 m 3.280 84 feet 1 foot 0.304 8 m 1 m 0.049 709 chains 1 chain 20.116 8 m 1 km 0.621 371 miles (statute) 1 mile (statute) 1.609 344 km AREA 1 cm2 0.155 0 square inches 1 square inch 6.451 6 cm2 1 m2 10.763 9 square feet 1 square foot 0.092 903 04 m2 1 km2 0.386 10 square miles 1 square mile 2.589 988 km2 1 ha 2.471 054 acres 1 acre 0.404 685 6 ha VOLUME 1 cm3 0.061 023 cubic inches 1 cubic inch 16.387 064 cm3 1 m3 35.314 7 cubic feet 1 cubic foot 0.028 316 85 m3 1 m3 1.307 951 cubic yards 1 cubic yard 0.764 554 86 m3 CAPACITY 1 L 1.759 755 pints 1 pint 0.568 261 L 1 L 0.879 877 quarts 1 quart 1.136 522 L 1 L 0.219 969 gallons 1 gallon 4.546 090 L MASS 1 g 0.035 273 962 ounces (avdp) 1 ounce (avdp) 28.349 523 g 1 g 0.032 150 747 ounces (troy) 1 ounce (troy) 31.103 476 8 g 1 kg 2.204 622 6 pounds (avdp) 1 pound (avdp) 0.453 592 37 kg 1 kg 0.001 102 3 tons (short) 1 ton(short) 907.184 74 kg 1 t 1.102 311 3 tons (short) 1 ton (short) 0.907 184 74 t 1 kg 0.000 984 21 tons (long) 1 ton (long) 1016.046 908 8 kg 1 t 0.984 206 5 tons (long) 1 ton (long) 1.016 046 9 t CONCENTRATION 1 g/t 0.029 166 6 ounce (troy) / 1 ounce (troy) / 34.285 714 2 g/t ton (short) ton (short) 1 g/t 0.583 333 33 pennyweights / 1 pennyweight / 1.714 285 7 g/t ton (short) ton (short) OTHER USEFUL CONVERSION FACTORS Multiplied by 1 ounce (troy) per ton (short) 31.103 477 grams per ton (short) 1 gram per ton (short) 0.032 151 ounces (troy) per ton (short) 1 ounce (troy) per ton (short) 20.0 pennyweights per ton (short) 1 pennyweight per ton (short) 0.05 ounces (troy) per ton (short)
Note: Conversion factors in bold type are exact. The conversion factors have been taken from or have been derived from factors given in the Metric Practice Guide for the Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Industries, published by the Mining Association of Canada in co-operation with the Coal Association of Canada.
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