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METHOD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SYSTEMATIC SEPARATION OF THE <63 µm HEAVY MINERAL FRACTION FROM BULK TILL SAMPLES by Jessica A. Pickett A thesis submitted to the Department of Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering In conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada (January 2018) Copyright ©Jessica A. Pickett 2018 Abstract Undiscovered ore bodies have become increasingly more difficult to target, requiring new exploration techniques to pinpoint the undercover location. Sedimentary overburden in regions of intense glaciation have made exploration difficult, relying on dispersal-trains for evidence of mineralization. The focus of this study is on the silt-clay sized material as significant proportions of indicators of mineralization found in dispersal-trains could be contained within that fraction. This smaller size-fraction could improve spatial distances associated with ore body’s dispersal-trains and decrease exploration costs/time. This research examines the physical processes of mineral dispersal in the <63 µm size-fraction of till, analyzing individual fractions from 45-63, 20-45 and <20 µm. The laboratory research and field orientation case-study, was investigated by Queen’s University in collaboration with the GSC, to develop novel methods to examine and characterize the <63µm heavy mineral fraction of till. The research is broken down into 3 parts: 1) development of methods for separation of the <63µm size-fraction of HMC by experimenting with settings (mode/oscillation and flow- rate) using HydroseparatorTM technology based on different mineral densities and grain size 2) development of methods for the representative sampling of the <63 µm size- fraction of sperrylite in blank light-fraction till using controlled and real separation techniques; and 3) application of methods to real till samples collected from the southern Core Zone (Northern Québec, Labrador, Newfoundland). Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy used in conjunction with Mineral Liberation Analysis was used to characterize the modal mineralogy of each sample. A comparative study analyzed the difference between the <63µm fraction (Queen’s University) and the >63 µm fraction (ODM). Many indicator minerals in bedrock sources are <0.25 mm and are rarely ii characterized in glacial sediments because of our inability to separate, visualize, and chemically analyze these small mineral grains. Using the <63 µm size-fraction, along with glacial history, dispersal-trains can be detected from distal regions aiding in exploration targeting below surface deposits. Past studies have begun to examine grains of similar size however, the approach used in this study differs from techniques previously used and could expand the usefulness of HMC for exploring mineral deposits within glaciated terrain. iii Acknowledgments I am very thankful for my supervisors Daniel Layton-Matthews and Beth McClenaghan for the opportunity to work on such an interesting topic and their guidance and support over the last 4 years. A special thank you to Agatha Dobosz for her help with my ESEM-MLA and XRD work. Her constant support and optimism was truly appreciated. I owe thanks to Louise J. Cabri for the chance to work with the HS-11 software operated HydroseparatorTM and his guidance through the initial experimentation with the mineral processing. Thank you to Doug Archibald for successfully teaching me the fundamentals for a laboratory research based thesis. This project benefited from the work completed at Overburden Drilling Management Limited and their insight on mineral separation techniques. This work wouldn’t have been possible without the resources provided by the Geological Survey of Canada and the GEM2 project. Thank you to all the staff and students I have had the pleasure of working with in the Queen’s Geological and Geological Engineering program. I have made many valuable friendships along the way and your involvement in my time here at Queen’s has been valued. A special thank you to Laurie Dunbar for this excitement and encouragement he displayed towards this research project. Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to my parents, Ann and Michael Pickett, and sister, Lauren, for always being there for me and pushing me to succeed. I couldn’t have done it without their constant love and support over this journey. iv Co-Authorship This thesis and the manuscripts contain herein are the work of Jessica A. Pickett. Daniel Layton-Matthews and Beth McClenaghan (thesis supervisors) coauthored chapter 4 and 5 providing scientific and editorial support for this research. The Geological Survey of Canada carried out the till sampling required for the case study of this project. Overburden Drilling Management Limited carried out the initial till separation of light and heavy fractions for the case study as well as contributed to the initial Phase 2 sperrylite separation testing. v Statement of Originality I hereby clarify that all of the work described within this thesis is the original work of the author. Any published (or unpublished) ideas and/or techniques from the work of others are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practices. (Jessica A. Pickett) (July 2017) vi Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..ii Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………….....iv Co-Authorship…………………………………………………………………………....v Statement of Originality…………………………………………………………………v List of Figures…………………………………………………………………................xi List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………...xiv List of Equations………………………………………………………………………..xv Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………..xvi Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………1 1.1 General Introduction………………………………………………………..1 1.2 Structure of Thesis - Objectives………………………………………...….3 1.2.1 Phase 1: HMC in Quartz Experimentation……………………...…4 1.2.2 Phase 2: Sperrylite in Till Experimentation…………………....…..5 1.2.3 Phase 3: Case Study…………………………………………....…..8 1.3 Geological Setting……………………………………………………...…...13 1.4 Thesis Layout……………………………………………………………….17 Chapter 2: Indicator Mineral Separation Background……………………………...18 2.1 Indicator mineralogy……………………………………………………….18 2.2 Heavy Mineral Separation…………………………………………………21 2.1.1 Panning……………………………………………………….......25 2.1.2 Shaking Table………………………………………………...…..25 2.1.3 Heavy Liquid Separation……………………………………...….26 2.1.4 Magnetic Separation…………………………………………...…27 vii 2.3 Previous Work for the <63 µm fraction………………………………......27 2.4 Hydroseparation………………………………………………………...…30 2.5 GSC Till Samples………………………………………………………......36 Chapter 3: Phase 1, HMC in Quartz Experimentation………………………………38 3.1 Objectives………………………………………………………………...…38 3.2 Methods…………………………………………………………………......40 3.2.1 Initial Mineral Preparation……………………………………...…40 3.2.2 Sieving Methods…………………………………………………...41 3.2.3 Hydroseparator Methods…………………………………………..41 3.2.4 Spike Methods………………………………………………....…..43 3.2.5 ESEM-MLA Methods……………………………………………..44 3.3 Results…………………………………………………………………....….47 3.4 Discussion……………………………………………………………....…...50 3.5 Conclusions…………………………………………………………...…….52 Chapter 4: Phase 2, Recovery of Sperrylite from Almonte Till Experimentation....54 4.1 Objectives……………………………………………………………...……54 4.2 Methods………………………………………………………………...…...59 4.2.1 Initial Mineral Preparation…………………………………...……60 4.2.2 Micro Rotary Riffler Methods……………………………………..61 4.2.3 Sieving Methods…………………………………………………...62 4.2.4 Spike Methods……………………………………………………..63 4.2.5 Hydroseparator Methods…………………………………...……...64 4.2.6 ESEM-MLA Methods……………………………………...……...66 4.2.7 Overburden Drilling Management (ODM) Methods……...………67 4.3 Results……………………………………………………………....……....69 4.3.1 Sperrylite in Till Experimentation Results……………....………..69 4.3.2 Overburden Drilling Management (ODM) Results…...…………..73 viii 4.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………......76 4.4.1 Overview……………………………………………………….....76 4.4.1a Blank Data…………………………………………...…..76 4.4.1b Sperrylite Spiked Hydroseparations………………...…...78 4.4.1c Hydroseparation Tailings Data…………………………..80 4.4.2 Problems…………………………………………………………...81 4.4.3 Hydroseparator versus ODM Processing………………………….83 4.4.4 Mounting…………………………………………………………..87 4.5 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..88 Chapter 5: Phase 3, Case Study………………………………………………………..90 5.1 Objectives……………………………………………………………………90 5.2 Methods……………………………………………………………………...90 5.2.1 Micro Rotary Riffler Methods……………………………………..93 5.2.2 Sieving Methods…………………………………………………...94 5.2.3 Hydroseparator Methods…………………………………………...95 5.2.4 ESEM-MLA Methods……………………………………………...97 5.2.5 X-Ray Diffraction Methods………………………………………100 5.2.6 ODM Separation Processing……………………………………...101 5.3 Results……………………………………………………………………...103 5.3.1 ODM heavy mineral concentrate <125 µm recovery………….105 i Pebble Counts…………………………………………………105 ii Gold & Sulfide Mineral Data………………………………...106 iii Platinum Group Minerals (PGM)……………………………107 iv Kimberlite Data………………………………………………108 Metamorphosed/Magmatic Massive Sulphide Indicator Mineral Data……………………………………………………..............109 vi Grain Count……………………………………………..........110 5.3.2 X-Ray Diffraction Light Fraction………………………………112 5.3.3 X-Ray Diffraction Heavy Fraction……………………………..112 ix 5.3.4 Mineral Liberation Analysis……………………………………113 5.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………….133 5.4.1 Introduction.………………………………………………….….133 5.4.2 Comparison of Mineral Data Sets: ODM, MLA and XRD.…..133 5.4.3 Target Indicator Minerals………………………………………146 5.4.4 MLA versus ODM……………………………………………….159 5.5 Conclusions.………………………………………………………………..160
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  • Geology of the Eastman-Orford Lake Area I

    Geology of the Eastman-Orford Lake Area I

    DP 007 GEOLOGY OF THE EASTMAN-ORFORD LAKE AREA I MINISTERE DE L'ENERGIE ET DES RESSOURCES DIRECTION GENERALE DE L' EXPLORATION GÉOLOGIQUE ET MINERALE J Î I GAOL O G Y DF EASTMAN-ORFORD LAKE AREA H.S. de Römer 1960 DP-7 II GEOLOGY OP THE EASTMAN—ORFORD LAKE AREA, QUEBEC by Henry, S. de Römer Ministère des Richesses [a Hes, Québec na • • 9r ID. No GM: July 1960 III TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 General Statement 1 Location and Means of Access 2 Field Work and Methods of Study 2 Acknowledgments 3 Previous Work 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA 8 Settlement and Resources 8 Topography 8 Drainage 9 Glaciation 10 Depositional Features 10 Erosional Features 12 Ice Movement 12 Physiographic History 13 GENERAL GEOLOGY 15 General Statement 15 Bonsecours Group 16 General Statement 16 Distribution and Extent 17 Quartz-sericite-graphite Schist Division . 17 Table of Formations 18 Quartz-sericite-Schist Division 19 Quartz-sericite-albite-(chlorite) Schist . 20 Quartz-sericite-chlorite-(albite) Schist . 22 Chlorite Schist and Greenstone 23 Marble 27 Metamorphism 28 Bonsecours Quartzo-feldspathic Schists . 28 Bonsecours Chlorite Schist and Greenstone . 29 Quartz Veins 30 Thickness 31 Age and Correlation 32 Ottauquechee Formation 32 General Statement 32 Quartzite 33 Phyllite and Quartz-sericite-graphite Schist . 35 Thickness 36 Age and Correlation 36 N Page GENERAL GEOLOGY (Cont'd) Miller Pond Formation 37 General Statement 37 Greywacke-slate Division 39 Greywacke 39 Megascopic Description 39 Microscopic Features 40