Special Report 08 A Study of Potential Co-Product Trace Elements Within the Clear Hills Iron Deposits, Northwestern Alberta NTS 83M,N, 84C,D A STUDY OF POTENTIAL CO-PRODUCT TRACE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS, NORTHWESTERN ALBERTA Prepared for Research and Technology Branch, Alberta Energy Prepared by APEX Geoscience Ltd. (Project 97213) In cooperation with The Alberta Geological Survey, Energy and Utility Board And Marum Resources Ltd. February, 1999 R.A. Olson D. R. Eccles C.J. Collom A STUDY OF POTENTIAL CO-PRODUCT TRACE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS, NORTHWESTERN ALBERTA TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DISCLAIMER ....................................................... vi 1.0 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................1 2.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................3 2.1 Preamble....................................................................................................3 2.2 Location, Access, Physiography, Bedrock Exposure .................................4 2.3 Synopsis of Prior Scientific Studies of the Clear Hills Iron Deposits, and the Stratigraphically Correlative Bad Heart Formation ...............................4 2.4 Synopsis of Prior Exploration of the Clear Hills Iron Deposits....................6 3.0 GEOLOGY ........................................................................................................7 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................7 3.2 Regional Stratigraphic Relationships in the Peace River Region...............8 3.2.1 Peace River Group..........................................................................8 3.2.2 Shaftesbury Formation ....................................................................8 3.2.3 Dunvegan Formation.......................................................................8 3.2.4 Smoky Group ................................................................................10 3.2.4(a) Kaskapau Formation .....................................................10 3.2.4(b) Cardium Formation........................................................10 3.2.4(c) Muskiki Formation .........................................................11 3.2.4(d) Bad Heart Formation .....................................................11 3.2.5 (e) Puskwaskau Formation .................................................12 3.2.5 Wapiti Formation ...........................................................................12 3.2.6 Glacial Deposits ............................................................................12 3.3 Regional Structural Setting.......................................................................13 3.3.1 Introduction....................................................................................13 3.3.2 Peace River Arch...........................................................................13 3.4 Geology of the Bad Heart Formation........................................................14 3.4.1 Historical Background....................................................................14 3.4.2 Regional Geology, Stratigraphy and Paleontology ........................16 3.4.3 The Ferruginous Oolitic Ironstone .................................................18 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) SECTION PAGE 3.5 Geology of the Clear Hills Iron Deposits ..................................................19 3.5.1 Introduction....................................................................................19 3.5.2 Description of the Known Iron Deposits.........................................20 3.5.2(a) Southern Clear Hills, including Worsley Deposits..........22 3.5.2(b) Rambling River, Whitemud River and South Whitemud River Iron Deposits.......................................26 3.5.2(c) Smoky River Section .....................................................29 3.6 Possible Correlative Ferrous Deposits in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin ...................................................................................29 3.7 Correlative Iron Deposits Worldwide ........................................................30 4.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS .......................32 4.1 Ore Mineralogy, Petrology and Petrography of the Iron Deposits ............32 4.2 Physical Characteristics of the Iron Deposits ...........................................34 4.3 Chemical Characteristics of the Iron Deposits From Prior Studies...........36 5.0 SUMMARY OF SOME ECONOMIC AND BENEFICIATION ASPECTS FOR FUTURE EXPLOITATION OF THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS.......38 5.1 Estimated Ore Reserves and Grades ......................................................38 5.2 Synopsis of Prior Beneficiation Studies....................................................38 5.3 Availability of Fuel and Other Raw Materials Needed for Processing the Clear Hills Iron Deposits ..................................................42 5.4 Synopsis of Prior Marketing Studies ........................................................42 6.0 RESULTS FROM CURRENT STUDY OF POTENTIAL CO-PRODUCT TRACE ELEMENTS IN THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS..........................43 6.1 Summary of Samples and Their Locations...............................................43 6.2 Sample Preparation and Analytical Methodology.....................................43 6.3 Geochemical Results ...............................................................................49 6.3.1 Introduction....................................................................................49 6.3.2 Precious Metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum Group Elements) ............52 6.3.3 Base Metals and Selected ‘Pathfinder Elements’ ..........................54 6.3.4 Uranium Thorium, Rare Earth and Related Elements ...................61 6.3.5 Rock Forming and Related Elements............................................64 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) SECTION PAGE 7.0 DISCUSSION......................................................................................................67 7.1 Possible Sedimentological Depositional Setting of the Bad Heart Formation, and Genetic Origin of the Clear Hills Iron Deposits................67 7.2 Discussion of Results From the Current Study With Respect to Potential Economic Development of the Clear Hills Iron Deposits ...........69 8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................70 8.1 Conclusions With Respect to Potential Co-product Trace Elements in the Clear Hills Iron Deposits .................................................70 8.2 Recommendations for Future Studies......................................................72 9.0 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................74 10.0 CERTIFICATION FOR SENIOR AUTHOR OF REPORT ...................................87 TABLES TABLE PAGE I UPPER CRETACEOUS REGIONAL STRATIGRAPHIC COMPARISONS, NORTHWEST ALBERTA .....................................................................................9 II AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF TEXTURAL ELEMENTS IN OOLITIC IRON STONE AT RAMBLING RIVER.............................................34 III BULK CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS........................................................................37 IV SUMMARY OF CLEAR HILLS IRON ORE RESOURCES .................................40 V CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF THE ORE AFTER UPGRADING ...........................41 VI SUMMARY OF SAMPLES USED, CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSIT STUDY ......44 VII SUMMARY OF ANALYTICAL METHODS USED, CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSIT STUDY .....................................................................................50 VIII SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS AND DETECTION LIMITS, CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSIT STUDY ..........................................................................51 iv TABLES (Cont.) TABLE PAGE IX SUMMARY OF RESULTS FOR RARE EARTH AND RELATED OTHER ELEMENTS ......................................................................................................62 X GEOCHEMICAL RESULT HIGHLIGHTS FROM CURRENT STUDY ................71 APPENDICES APPENDIX PAGE I SYNOPSIS OF CHEMISTRY AND DESCRIPTION FOR MINERALS WITHIN THE CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS .........................................AT END II GEOCHEMICAL RESULTS FROM CURRENT STUDIES II.1 Certificates of Analysis from Activation Laboratories Ltd. ...............AT END II.2 Digital Copy of Results on CD-ROM Disk .......................................AT END III.3 Master Summary Table of Results ..................................................AT END III SYNOPTIC STATISTICAL ANALYSIS BY MAJOR SAMPLING AREA.....AT END IV COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF DUPLICATE SAMPLE PAIRS .................AT END V COMPARATIVE RESULTS BETWEEN THE INAA AND FIRE ASSAY OR ICP METHODS FOR GOLD (Au), SILVER (Ag), MOLYBDENUM (Mo), NICKEL (Ni), ZINC (Zn) AND CALCIUM (Ca)........AT END VI GEOCHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION HISTOGRAMS FOR SELECTED ELEMENTS, CLEAR HILLS IRON DEPOSITS..........................................AT END VI.1 Precious Metals and Platinum Group Elements.........................................AT END VI.2 Base Metals and Pathfinder Elements ............................................AT END VI.3 Uranium, Thorium, Rare Earths and Related Elements ..................AT END VI.4 Rock Forming and Related Trace Elements....................................AT END FIGURES