1E Grenville Province
Transcription
1E Grenville Province
1E Exploration Activities Grenville Province The Grenville Province is the youngest tectonic province of the Canadian Shield; it extends along a northeast trending axis for more than 2,000 km and averages 350 km in width. It is bounded to the northwest by the Grenville Front and to the southeast by the St. Lawrence River and the Paleozoic Appalachian orogens. SOUTHWESTERN GRENVILLE PROVINCE The Parautochthon and its boundary with the Allochthon attracted exploration companies searching for precious metals, base metals, and diamonds (projects 1-8). Among the latter, Aurizon Mines Ltd completed the first phase of a till sampling program on the Kipawa gold-uranium project (project 5). Samples with anomalous gold values are clustered within four distinct glacial dispersal trains along a northeast-trending axis some 30 km long. All four dispersal trains are closely associated with a quartzite unit within a Proterozoic paragneiss and migmatite complex. Southeast of the Front, Archean (Pontiac, Abitibi, Opatica, and Ashuanipi subprovinces) and Paleoproterozoic (Otish basin and Gagnon terrane) rocks form the Parautochthon. The latter consists of crust that initially formed the southeast margin of Laurentia and that was reworked, for the most part, during the Mesoproterozoic. The Allochthon, consisting of magmatic or accreted terrains, was later assembled onto the Parautochthon. The earliest terrains, recognized in the northeastern half of the Grenville Province, are Labradorian in age (1710-1600 Ma) followed by Pinwarian (1520-1460 Ma) rocks, extending over most of the province. The most recent terrains are represented by an episode of crustal formation restricted to the southwest part of the province. They correspond to a juvenile tonalitediorite assemblage assigned to the Lacoste, Mekinac, and La Bostonnais magmatic suite (ca. 1.38 Ga). In 2006, the number of exploration projects in the Mont-Laurier and Fort-Coulonge areas reached a 25-year peak. Uranium exploration is largely responsible for this upswing, as nearly a dozen exploration companies were active in the Central Metasedimentary Belt, in the Mont-Laurier terrane (projects 5, 16, 18-22 and 24-26). Nova Uranium Corporation completed more than 60 drillholes totalling 6,500 m on the Mont-Laurier property (project 22), following airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys, ground scintillometer surveys and channel sampling. Three out of 39 holes drilled in the first phase of exploration intersected a subvertical pegmatite dyke with grades ranging from 0.098% U3O8 over 23.38 m to 0.026% U3O8 over 7 m. Uranium mineralization occurs as uraninite disseminated in the pegmatites and to a lesser extent, in surrounding metasedimentary rocks and granites. Between accretionary episodes, extensional phases led to the formation of back-arc basins in the Mont-Laurier and Morin terranes, as well as the intra-arc basin filled by rocks of the Wakeham Group. Extensional phases are also associated with the emplacement of anorthositic and charnockitic complexes (AMCG). After the Shawinigan metamorphic event (11901140 Ma), during which the Mont-Laurier and Morin terranes were metamorphosed to amphibolite-granulite facies, the main collision of the Grenvillian phase took place during the Ottawan orogeny (1080-1020 Ma). A final phase of compression, at about 1.0 Ga, appears to be essentially restricted to the area near the Grenville Front, whereas inside the orogen, this episode is marked by the emplacement of late anorthosites and discrete granitic intrusions. In addition to uranium, copper attracted joint venture partners Quinto Technology Inc. and Appalaches Resources Inc. in the Mont-Laurier area. The two companies completed 450 m of drilling on one of six geophysical anomalies defined on the Bornite Hill property (project 17). Here, skarn-type copper occurrences generally consist of disseminated or massive pyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite in diopside-rich calc-silicate rocks. Drillholes encountered significant copper mineralization, namely 0.57% over 22.8 m, and 1.27% over 3.83 m, as well as gold, platinum and palladium-bearing intervals in some drillholes, including 1.1 g/t Au over 1.2 m, and 0.8 ppm Pt over 1.06 m. Suzie Nantel, Abdelali Moukhsil Introduction NORTHEASTERN GRENVILLE PROVINCE For the second consecutive year, the northeastern Grenville Province saw an increase in the number of exploration projects for iron and uranium. Géologie Québec continued its mapping program, this year covering an area north of the town of Baie-Comeau (1:125,000 scale, NTS sheets 22F/07, 22F/08, 22F/09, 22F/15, and 22F/16). From an economic standpoint, the Grenville Province is known for its architectural stone and industrial stone quarries as well as its industrial mineral operations (see Chapter 2). It also hosts the Mont-Wright iron mine and the Lac Tio titanium mine in the Côte-Nord region, as well as the Niobec niobium mine in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. Manicouagan Minerals Inc. reported encouraging results from the Mouchalagane property (project 39). Channel samples from the Bob showing on the property yielded assays reaching 3.21% Ni, 2.33% Cu, 3.7 g/t Pt, and 25.90 g/t Pd over 0.5 m (channel sample no.8). Other occurrences also yielded In 2006, most of the 61 exploration projects brought to our attention were located in the southwestern part of the Parautochthon, in the Mont-Laurier terrane, in the northeastern part of the Allochthon and in the Gagnon terrane (Figure 1E, Table 1E). A few major projects are briefly described below. 37 1E interesting grades, namely 1.04% Ni, 1.76% Cu, 0.3 g/t Pt, 1.5 g/t Pd, and 0.13% Co in a grab sample from the Dernière Chance showing. ore is identical to that at Peppler Lake; it consists of layers of massive hematite and magnetite and layers of disseminated iron oxides in a Lake Superior-type iron formation. Québec Cartier Mining Company, also in the Fermont area, is considering reopening the past-producing Fire Lake iron ore mine (project 43) as a satellite operation. Proven and probable reserves were estimated in 1985 at 341 Mt grading 33.35% Fe. The Fermont area is characterized by the presence of abundant iron ore deposits, among which the Mont-Wright deposit, mined since 1974 by the Québec Cartier Mining Company (QCMC). Not far from the mine, on the Peppler Lake iron property (project 42), Quinto Technology Inc. completed a drilling campaign (21 drillholes totalling 2,538 m) in order to delineate the extent of the deposit and conduct a feasibility study. Preliminary data released by the company indicates the presence of 250,000 tonnes of reserves at a grade of 28.2% Fe. Also near the town of Fermont, Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Ltd continued exploration and assessment work on the Bloom Lake property (project 44). The company released a new resource estimate, whereby measured resources are established at 488.5 Mt grading 29.91% total Fe, and indicated resources at 149.2 Mt grading 29.29% total Fe. According to the feasibility study, commercial production could begin in 2008, at an annual capacity of 5 Mt of iron concentrate grading 65% Fe. The iron In the Basse-Côte-Nord region, near Baie-Johan-Beetz, Entourage Mining Ltd carried out an extensive exploration program on the Doran uranium property (project 57). Samples from many different zones yielded anomalous grades up to 0.76% U3O8. Overall, uranium appears to be associated with pegmatite dykes and granitic intrusions. In the same area, Starfire Minerals Inc. conducted radiometric and magnetic geophysical surveys and a sampling program on the CrossStructure property (project 59). The best assay results from grab samples were 0.09% U3O8. Uranium concentrations are primarily associated with pegmatite dykes cross-cutting rocks of the gneissic Aguanish Complex. 38 1E 78° 70° 74° 66° 58° 62° 54° 54° FG 44 39 43 or ad c br e La éb u Q 41 42 38 1 50° 34 47-48 46 35 50 ll Sept-Îles initive) 61 52-53 54 56 49 36 uncil (non def the Privy Co 55 51 40 37 ry by 1927 bounda ll 60 57 58 59 50° Havre-Saint-Pierre 45 32 31 Baie-Comeau FG P Chicoutimi 6-7-8 3 4 5 46° 11 12 13 l 2 25 26 28 27 15 24 23 14 20-21-22 16 Mont Laurier 17 19 9 10 18 29 33 30 Québec Montréal Hull 74° 78° LITHOLOGIC LEGEND 66° 70° 0 LITHOTECTONIC LEGEND Sept-Îles Layered Igneous Complex 58° 62° : Grenville Front Parautochthon and External Allochthon Charnockite, mangerite, monzonite and granite Allochthon : Tectonic Boundary (Ductile shear zone) Anorthositic suites Lelukuau and Tshenukutish Terranes : Tectonic Boundary (Thrust fault) Eclogitic AMGC suites Gagnon Terrane : Normal Fault Metamorphosed mafic igneous complexes Mont-Laurier Terrane : Mines Morin Terrane Supracrustal rock belts Wakeham Group Figure 1E. Exploration projects in the Grenville Province for 2006. 39 50 100 km TOWNSHIPS - Mazenod Mazenod Atwater, Booth, Gaulin, McLachlin, Villedieu Booth, McLachlin, Senezergues Blondeau, La Noue, Gaboury, Guay Blondeau Guillet, Blondeau, Bellefeuille, La Noue Pontefract Grand-Calumet Grand-Calumet Aldfield, Masham Aldfield, Masham Hainaut Décarie, Pérodeau Fontbrune, Major Major Sicotte Brunet, Moreau, Pérodeau Leman Leman Pérodeau, Leman, Franchère Chopin Chopin, Leman - - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 40 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 31 O/06 31 O/06 31 O/03-06 31 O/03 31 J/14-15 31 J/14 31 J/14 31 J/11-14 31 J/12 31 J/11-12-13-14 31 J/13 31 J/14 31 K/15 31 F/09 31 F/09 31 F/10 31 F/15 31 F/15 31 M/07 31 M/07 31 M/07 31 L/15-16, 31 M/01-02 31 L/15 31 M/03 31 M/03 22 L/15 NTS Ressources Maxima inc. Ressources Maxima inc. Uranor inc. Ressources Maxima inc. Nova Uranium Corporation Ressources Antoro inc. Consolidated Pacific Bay Minerals Ltd Golden Dragon Explorations Inc. Starfire Minerals Inc. / F. Yacoub Quinto Technology Inc. / Ressources Appalaches inc. Azimut Exploration inc. Ressources Strateco inc. Matamec Exploration inc. Aldershot Resources Ltd Aldershot Resources Ltd Golden Calumet Exploration ltée Geotest Corp. Aldershot Resources Ltd Ressources Covedex inc. Ressources Covedex inc. Géotech Exploration ltée Mines Aurizon ltée Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. / Noront Resources Ltd Ressources d’Arianne inc. Kinbauri Gold Corp. Bitterroot Resources Ltd COMPANIES / PROSPECTORS TABLE 1E- Exploration projects in the Grenville for 2006 (see figure 1E). Nos. Lesueur / Boisvert Lesueur Menjo Grenville Mountain River Mont-Laurier Andy Lake Mont-Laurier La Corne Capri Bornite Hill Baskatong Mont-Laurier Vulcain Shawville Kert Calumet Mine Grand Calumet Rive Lac Diamant Lac Pleau Lac des Moufettes Kipawa Hunters Point Mazenod Laniel Twins PROJECTS Cu-Au-Ag-U Cu-Au-U U Cu-Zn U U U U U Cu-Ni-Co-Ag Cu-U U Cu-Ni-Co-PGE U U Zn-Pb-Au-Ag U U Zn-Pb-Cu-Ni-Cr-CoRRE-U-Th-Au-Ag Diamond-Zn-CuCr-Co-Fe-Ti-U-REE Diamond-Zn-CrNi-U-Th-Au-EGP U-Au U-Au U EGP- Diamond Ni-Cu-PGE SUBSTANCES G, S G, S G, Pr, GpRa(G) D (5:200) D (60:6500), T, Pr, GpMa(A), GpRa(A)(G), Gs(r), S, G GpRa, GpMa, S, T Pr, S, Gs(sl) GpRa GpRa(A) T, S, D (6:451) Gs(l), Pr G, GpRa(A), GpMa, S, Pr, T G, S S, GpRa(G) Pr, S, G, GpRa(G) GpMa, S GpMa(G), Gs S, Pr, GpRa G, Pr, Pg, TE, S G, Pr, TE, Pg G, Pr, TE GpRa(A), GpMa(A), GpEm(A), Gs(t) GpRa(A), GpMa(A) GpRa Gs(sl), G TE WORKS (1) 1E Beauvais, Flèche - - - - - Parker Parker 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 - 39 46 Bernard 38 Fafard, Franquelin, Godbout - 37 45 - 36 Lislois, Normanville - 35 44 - 34 Bergeron Saguenay 33 43 - 32 Faber, Malapart, Thury La Trappe 31 Boucault, Thury Bickerdike, Gendron 30 42 Bourgeoys, Langelier, Tourouve 29 41 Payment 28 Berthelet, Brien Galifet, La Poterie 27 40 TOWNSHIPS 41 12 L/11 12 L/11 22 P/06 22 I/13, 22 P/02-0305-06-11 22 J/15 22 J/10 22 J/02-10 22 J/07 22 G/05-12 23 B/14 23 B/06 23 B/05-06 23 B/05, 23 C/08 22 N/09 23 C/04 23 C/04 22 N/07 22 K/14, 22 N/03 22 K/04 22 F/13 22 C/04 22 E/10 32 H/01 31 P/09 31 P/10 31 P/11 31 O/01-08, 31 P/04-05 NTS QIT Fer et Titane inc. QIT Fer et Titane inc. M. Morissette Azimut Exploration inc. / Kennecott Exploration Compagny R. Landry / J. C. Rochette R. Landry / J. C. Rochette M. Richard / S. Landry R. Landry / J. C. Rochette Ressources Appalaches inc. Consolidated ThompsonLundmark Gold Mines Ltd Compagnie minière Québec Cartier Quinto Technology Inc. Azimut Exploration inc. Groupe de prospecteurs et FREM Manicouagan Minerals Inc. Robert Côté Manicouagan Minerals Inc. Quinto Technology Inc. Fancamp Exploration Ltd Exploration Esbec inc. Galaxy Resources Inc. Rio Tinto Fer et Titane inc. 9144-6883 Québec inc. Société d’exploration minière Vior inc. Normand et Denis Fortin Réjean Frigon Soquem inc. COMPANIES / PROSPECTORS TABLE 1E- Exploration projects in the Grenville for 2006 (see figure 1E). Nos. - Forage Grader-Sud 2006 Forage Puyjalon 2006 Lac Vital Manitou Tomo Graupe SM 12-13 Miali Ashini Lac Bloom Fire Lake Lac Peppler Mont Merry Caniapiscau 2006 Mouchalagane Victoria Manicouagan Lac Guéret La Blache B-100 Lac Fafard Zec Varin Lac Yenevac Édouard Bourgeoys, Langelier, Tourouve Vermillon PROJECTS Fe-Ti Fe-Ti Cu-Ni Cu-U U-Nb REE, Zn REE, Zn REE, Zn U Fe Fe Fe Cu-U Ni-Cu-PGE Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd Diamond Ni-Cu Graphite Fe-Ti Cu-Ni-Co-Pt-Pd U Fe-Ti Ni Cu-Ni Pt-Cu-Ni-Pd Au-Cu Cu-Ni-Au SUBSTANCES D (3:457) D (3:362) Gp, GpRa Gs(l), Pr, Gs(sl), Pr S, Pr S, Pr S, Pr S, Pr Pr, G, T, GpRa, S, Gs(r) FM D (42:6946) D (27:3230), FM Gs(l), Pr Pr, Gs(s) S, T, Pr, GpEm, GpMa, G, Gs(r), Gs(sl) Gp, S D (9:4321) D (34:2400) Met GpMa, T GpRa, GpMa, S, G, Pr GpEm, GpMa Gp(G) Pr T, G T Pr, GpEm(A), GpMa(A) WORKS (1) 1E - - - Costebelle - - - - 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 12 O/06-10-11 12 K/16, 12 N/01 12 L/08 12 L/06-07-08 12 L/08 12 M/01 12 M/08-09 12 L/15 NTS Azimut Exploration inc. Azimut Exploration inc. Starfire Minerals Inc. / F.Yacoub Uracan Resources Ltd Entourage Mining Ltd / F.Yacoub Azimut Exploration inc. Azimut Exploration inc. Azimut Exploration inc. COMPANIES / PROSPECTORS 1 = See the legend of abbreviations and the signification of bold type in the appendix II. TOWNSHIPS TABLE 1E- Exploration projects in the Grenville for 2006 (see figure 1E). Nos. Augustin (NE2-NE3) Chevery (SE2-SE3) Cross Structure Johan-Beetz Doran Aguanish Havre (NW2-NW4) Havre (SW2-SW3) PROJECTS U U U-Th U-Th U Cu-U U U SUBSTANCES Gs(l), Pr Gs(l), Pr S, GpRa, GpMa, G, S, GpRa, GpMa(A), GpEm(A), GpRa(A) D (16:1200), Pr, S GS(l), Pr Gs(l), Pr Gs(l), Pr WORKS (1) 1E 42