Introduction to Prospecting
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Introduction – Prospecting Course
What can I expect in this course…? • The Mining Sequence
• Basics of prospecting
• Information on the Nunavut Prospectors Program.
• Basic geology
Mountains near Qikiqtarjuaq Nunavut Prospectors Program (NPP)
What is the Nunavut Prospectors Program?
• Encourage the discovery of Nunavut’s resources, and provide future opportunities for Nunavummiut.
• Funding (up to 8000$/year) for prospectors interested in pursuing a project of their own.
What to Look Forward to in this Course
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Saturday (optional) – Taking your skills outside!
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Saturday (optional) – Taking your skills outside!
What to Look Forward to in this Course
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Saturday (optional) – Taking your skills outside!
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Saturday (optional) – Taking your skills outside!
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Saturday (optional) – Taking your skills outside!
What to Look Forward to in this Course
Session One – Introduction to Prospecting
Session Two – Geology
Session Three – Minerals
Session Four – Ore Deposits
Session Five – Prospecting
Taking your skills outside!
Prospecting
Have Inuit prospectors discovered significant mineral deposits in Nunavut?
Mary River Mine – Baffinland (ArcelorMittal)
• The hill of iron (now Mary River Mine) was known to local Inuit, they showed it to Ron Sheardown and Murray E. Watts in 1962
• Now a fully operational mine as of 2014
Unloading rock truck in Arviat
Re-supply plane at Mary River Beluga Sapphire Project
• First high-quality transparent sapphire in Canada.
• Brothers Seemeega and Nowdluk Aqpik from Kimmirut discovered the gems on a hilltop southwest of town. Soapstone quarries throughout Nunavut • 77 soapstone deposits were confirmed.
John Tugak’s gold findings:
• Recently signed an option deal with Agnico Eagle 2017 Exploration & Deposit Appraisal Expenditures (Preliminary estimates; $ millions)
Base metals $4.6 Uranium Precious $0.5 Metals Iron $4.3 $152.0 Diamonds $8.1
Nunavut Total $169.5 million
19 Source: NRCan Mineral Statistics, as of February 2018 (unadjusted for inflation) Exploration & Deposit Appraisal Investment
600 Juniors Seniors 500
400
300
$ Millions $ 200
100
0
Over $4.1 billion investment in Nunavut since 1999 Source: NRCan Mineral Statistics, as of February 2018 (unadjusted for inflation) 20 Exploration in Nunavut
Nunavut Exploration Overview
• Currently, there approximately 35 active projects across the territory. • 27 Gold • 1 Base Metals • 1 Iron • 6 Diamonds
http://cngo.ca/exploration-overview/2017/ Massey Sound
Prince Hassel Sound Gustaf Adolf Amund Sea Ringnes Island Norwegian Bay Lougheed Cornwall I. Smith Bay Island Graham I. Hecla and ISLANDSGriper Bay Hazen Strait Belcher Channel Seymour Island 120°W PARRY 110°W Byam Martin Channel Cameron 100°WMBS 90°W 80°W 70°W 60°W 50°W Penny Strait Island Grise Fiord Nirjutiqavvik Northern NWA Bathurst Island Lady Ann Strait Jones Sound NUNAVUT (Proposed NP) Wellington Channel MELVILLE ISLAND BATHURST Bear Bay Polar Bear Pass 0 50 100 200 300 Devon NWA ISLAND Ice Cap BAFFIN BAY Kilometres Byam Martin I. Cornwallis DEVON ISLAND Polaris Mine Island BAIE DE BAFFIN 70°N 20 Kitikmeot Active Projects Resolute Sound 18 Kivalliq Active Projects Melville P A R R Y Lancaster Sound Viscount Barrow Strait C H A N N E L 9 Qikiqtani Active Projects Prince Leopold Island MBS Storm Bylot Island Projection: Stefansson . Sirmilik NP Bylot Island MBS
Peel Sound Canada Lambert Conformal Conic, NAD 83 Island AdmiraltyInlet Sound Nanisivik Mine
Hadley Bay Pond Inlet SOMERSET Arctic Bay Eclipse
M'Clintock ISLAND Sirmilik . Milne Inlet NP PRINCE OF WALES Borden Davis Strait Prince Regent Inlet Clyde River Amundsen ISLAND Channel Mary River Mine Gulf BAFFIN Niginganiq NWA 70°N Détroit de Davis
VICTORIA ISLAND Gulf of BoothiaBernier Bay ÎLE Norway Bay Barnes Alexander Bay Franklin Strait Ice Cap Qikiqtani Steensby Inlet Tuktut Penny Bay Home Bay Nogait DE Dolphin and Union Strait Qaqulluit NWA NP Larsen Sound Murray Maxwell Qikiqtarjuaq Akpait NWA Bay ISLAND Kitikmeot Agu Bay Fury and Hecla Strait Simpson BAFFIN Igloolik Ikpik Bay Bay Rowley I. AuyuittuqPenny NP Exeter Sound Wellington Bay Ovayok Park TP Tuktu Foster Bay Ice Cap Taloyoak . Hall Beach Nauja Bay (Mt. Pelly) King Garry Bay Kugluktuk Dease Strait Cambridge Bay Victoria Strait William Rasmussen Air Force I. Pangnirtung Richardson Bay Prince Island Roche Bay . Parry Bay Pitsuktinu Tungavik TP Coronation Gulf Gjoa Haven Charles Hoare Bay . Kugluk TP Basin Kugaaruk Island Taverner Bay Queen Maud GulfStoris Passage Committee 1 . . CumberlandKekerten Sound TP High Lake Umingmaktok Wales I. Mel Nettilling Coppermine River . West Melville Lake . . . Bay . Hope Bay - Doris ARCTIC CIRCLE Great Bear Lake FOXE CERCLE ARCTIQUE Ulu Dewey Soper Grand lac de l'Ours . . MBS Queen Maud Gulf . BASIN Committee Bay Bowman Hood River MBS Bathurst Inlet Qilalugaq Bowman Bay Bay WS . Hackett River Chidliak 2 . Repulse Bay Amadjuak Jericho Mine . Lake River . . Izok Lake . . Qilaq Lupin Mine . IQALUIT . George Lake . Ukkusiksalik Finnie Bay River . (Proposed NP) Foxe Channel 6 Itchen Lake . . . Goose Lake Back Wager Bay Sylvia Grinnell and Frobisher Bay Andrew Gordon Mallikjuaq Qaummaarviit TP Coppermine Wishbone Gold Beverly CPMA Amaruq TP Bay . . Wishbone Nanuq Katannilik TP 5 Kiggavik North Meadowbank Mine Cape Dorset Markham Bay Kimmirut Turqavik Salisbury Aberdeen Lake Greyhound Lake SOUTHAMPTON Coral Harbour Hudson Strait Big Thelon WS . ISLAND Island . . Inuujaarvik TP Kivalliq 3, 8 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Aberdeen East Bay MBS Island ResolutionIsland . . Baker Lake South Bay . Harry Nottingham TERRITOIRES DU NORD-OUEST . Détroit d' Hudson Kiggavik South . Baker Lake Roes Welcome Sound River Gibbons Island Charles Inuit Owned Lands Luxx Daly Bay MBS Island River Kiggavik Agnico-Eagle Option . Chesterfield Inlet YELLOWKNIFE 4 Akpatok Dubawnt 60°N Thelon Coats Island River Iqalugaarjuup Lake Meliadine Mansel . Nunanga TP Island Qamanirjuaq Bay of Gods Mercy Island Great Slave Lake Angilak ATLAS CPMA Rankin Inlet . Ungava Bay Grand lac des Esclaves Yathkyed . . Pistol Bay Kazan Lake Baie d'Ungava Dubawnt Whale Cove
South Henik Lake 60°N Arviat Povungnituk Bay Thlewiaza River Kiyuk McConnell River MBS . 110°W 100°W 7 90°W 80°W 70°W ALBERTA Lake Athabasca Lac Athabasca HUDSON BAY SASKATCHEWAN BAIE D' HUDSON • Regulatory body in Nunavut. • Liaising body between industry, • Handles all permitting and fees for government and communities. work performed. • Promotion of mineral exploration for • Land tenure & Map staking initiative. the territory. • Assessment reporting. • Education of the mineral exploration • Mining Recorder’s Office. industry. • Contain all physical and digital • Several mine training initiatives in resources for future exploration. conjunction with industry. • Regulatory body in Nunavut. • Liaising body between industry, • Handles all permitting and fees for government and communities. work performed. • Promotion of mineral exploration for • Land tenure & Map staking initiative. the territory. • Assessment reporting. DEVOLUTION• Education of the mineral exploration • Mining Recorder’s Office. industry. • Contain all physical and digital • Several mine training initiatives in resources for future exploration. conjunction with industry. Prospecting
• Find a place to prospect. • Research for mineral showings, lapsed properties, mineral trends from adjacent properties. Read Assessment report. • Go out and take notes and samples.
Research and planning
Bedrock geology maps and government reports - targets are volcanic belts, igneous rocks and economic geology sections.
Assessment reports - have targets that have already been sampled. These reports have known mineral occurrences.
The Mining Sequence
Staking • Putting up posts outlining your property, and submitting a staking form. • Initial ‘stake’ is valid for 2 years without work. • Work must be done each year to keep your claim. • Before staking: Check out Nunavut Map Viewer. • Once you have a staked claim, you must submit and assessment report each year.
Mary River: Red areas are active mineral claims and the green areas are active mineral exploration permits.
Geological Mapping & Sampling
• Mapping is a fundamental prospecting activity. • Take samples of rocks of interest. • Label rock types identified and your sample locations on a map.
GN image Trenching & Geochemical Sampling
• The overburden is stripped off to reveal the rock underneath.
• Reveals rock structure and mineralization .
Trenching and cutting in northern Ontario. Drilling • Drilling is the most common exploration activity.
• Diamond drilling is most common form.
• Results are most targeted by investors, and can generate future funding for a project. Drilling • A drill rig can range from a ‘backpack’ drill (drill down to ~30 m), to large diamond rigs that can drill to depths >2 km.
• Can be drilled vertically or angled to intersect assumed mineralization at the proper angle. The Mining Sequence
Drilling • A drill rig can range from a ‘backpack’ drill (drill down to ~30 m), to large diamond rigs that can drill to depths >2 km. Drill It Log It • Consists of a diesel engine, casing, rods, fuel and core materials. • Can be drilled vertically or angled to intersect assumed mineralization at the proper angle. • A diamond drill produces drill core.
Store It Universal Drill in the Atacama Desert, Chile
Introduction to Prospecting Drilling • Another common form of drilling is reverse circulation (RC) drilling.
• Involves hammering the rock into sand/dust, and collecting rock ‘chips’ instead of core.
RC Drill at Peregrine Diamonds The Mining Sequence
Drilling • With varying sizes of rigs come varying sizes of core. • Another common form of drilling is reverse circulation (RC) drilling. • Involves hammering the rock into sand/dust, and collecting rock ‘chips’ instead of core. • RC rigs can also range from small ‘backpack’ rigs to massive rigs with rod diameters >2 ft.
RC Drill at Peregrine Diamonds
Introduction to Prospecting Drilling • Drilling results are typically inputted into GIS Software.
• Generate a 3D model, showing interpretation of mineralization underground.
Geophysics • Geophysical surveys search for mineral deposits by measuring physical properties of near-surface rocks.
• Electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic and radioactive properties are measured. • All the data collected through the various tools of exploration increase the project’s confidence.
• A mine will not be created without the highest level of confidence – a proven resource and reserve.
• The engineering and construction of a mine are completely dependent on the high level of confidence of what will be encountered underground. Development • All the mine studies are done, all the reserves have been proven.
• A mine can take anywhere from 3-5 years, depending on the “size” of the mine, ore processing procedures, and the infrastructure.
Meadowbank Mine (Agnico Eagle) Ore Processing & Production • Ore processing is what this whole process is all about. Getting the commodity out of the ground and into the market.
• Processing the commodity at the highest rate of efficiency partially determines the Diavik Diamond Mine mine life.
Baffinland ore heading to Europe. Reclamation & Remediation • Mine reclamation is built into a mine plan (i.e. they can’t build a mine without having the plan and money for reclamation). • Reclamation processes can begin long before a mine shuts down.
North Rankin Nickel Mine (1957-1962) Reclamation & Remediation – Polaris Mine • Reclamation for Polaris began in 2000 – 2 years before the mine closed. • Most infrastructure was dismantled and shipped to disposal sites. Other infrastructure was buried. • Environmental monitoring continued to 2011.
Right: Barge headed for Polaris Mine (1981-2002) Left: Polaris Mine in 2002 Types of Deposits
What is an ore deposit?
Naturally occurring large body of economically valuable minerals, as measured by its grade (value) and tonnage (amount). Gold
• Gold occurrence is dependent on several geological factors, such as host rock type, tectonic setting, etc.
• Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits can yield gold.
• Meadowbank gold Mine hosted in Banded Iron Formation type rocks.
Gold
• Lode gold is a broad type of deposit, however typically refers to gold associated with geological fluid events, resulting in associated quartz and sulphides.
• Placer deposits are those found in streams and lakes.
Photo Courtesty of John Tugak Iron
• Typically mined out of large swaths of banded iron (BIFs) formations, which represents the largest source of iron in the world.
• Mary River is a special case for iron ore, as the quality of the ore is so high, it does not need additional processing onsite. Diamonds
• Diamonds deposits are very sought after in Nunavut.
• Deposits have been found in all 3 regions of the territory. Diamonds
• Found to be associated with deep, ancient volcanic eruptions called kimberlite.
• Kimberlites are often found in clusters, and are mainly found in Archean cratons (rocks older than 2.5 Billion Years old!)
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chidliak_Kimberlite.jpg Base Metals • Practical metals, such as copper, nickel and zinc.
• Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits are one of the primary deposit types for many base metals.
• They are typically created in ancient volcanic regions. Uranium
• Uranium-derived energy is considered to be the cleanest form of non- renewable energy.
• Radioactive uranium is found naturally across the globe, but concentrated deposits are considered rare
• The uraninite extracted from the ground must first be re-concentrated before being used for nuclear energy. Oil & Gas
• Oil & gas potential in Nunavut is very high.
• Oil is derived from a rock called shale (oil shale), a very fine- grained sedimentary rocks with high organic content.
• Over time, with specific heat and pressure conditions the organic mater in the rock turns into oil or gas.
The Environment Environmental Studies • Strict environmental regulations are at the forefront of prospecting, exploration and mining throughout Nunavut.
• Companies are required to perform environmental baseline studies and monitoring in order to measure the environmental impact created from their activities. Nunavut Impact Review Board
• The Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) handles environmental and socio- economic assessment for all projects in Nunavut.
• All projects in Nunavut are assessed by NIRB before any permits and/or licences are granted. Water Usage • Water usage throughout the territory is closely monitored.
• Exploration companies must apply for water use license before commencing any work.
• The Nunavut Water Board (NWB) regulates the use of water in the territory. Nunavut Planning Commission
• The Nunavut Planning Commission (NPC) handles a review of land use of projects in Nunavut.
• All projects in Nunavut are screened first via Approved Land Use Plans.
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20070818-0001-strolling_reindeer.jpg Permitting
• Prospecting license (INAC) : • Prospecting permit – This is an optional form, meant to hold a piece of ground that you wish to prospect:
• Land Use Permit – Required before bringing in equipment: • Application to Record Mineral Claims – Required to record any claims which have been staked. • Statement of Work – Required when you have performed work over your claims: You must perform at least $5/hectare/year. Land Tenure
Inuit Owned Land & Crown Land • Inuit Owned Land (IOL) or Crown Land. • IOL are surface or subsurface rights. • Surface rights belong to regional Inuit organizations. • Subsurface (mineral) rights are held by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI). Inuit Owned Land & Crown Land To prospect on Crown Land: • Require a Prospecting License from INAC Mining Recorder’s Office ($5).
To prospect on Inuit Owned Land (IOL): • Must obtain a Land Use Permit from the local regional Inuit association .
• There is no prospecting fee for beneficiaries working on IOL.
• There is a $250 fee for non- beneficiaries. Nunavut Prospectors Program Funding Application and Sample Description Sheet 2018 NPP Guide, for assistance.
GN Handout What Did We Learn?