bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil auger and slide-hammer core sampling
Authors: Wolfe S
Published: March 2017

After the shovel, hand auger probably represents the simplest of light-weight shallow coring methods available. GCS Northern has a T-handle soil auger, with 4-inch diameter auger heads applicable for loam soils, sand and clay, and extension rods for coring in
excess of 5 metres. Experience in a range of soils has shown that the open-faced clay auger head is the ideal all-purpose auger, which permits easy sampling and removal of soil from the auger. A soil auger is ideal in most moist soils (particularly sandy soils), where exposures are absent. The auger
can penetrate wet and even saturated silts and clays, permitting sampling several metres below the watertable in some circumstances. It is a good alternative where vibra-coring is not possible. The auger can be operated by one person, with quick-connect (used by GSC) or threaded options. It is very
portable, and typical coring depths reach 3 to 5 metres with excellent core recovery. Disadvantages include recovery of only disturbed samples, and difficulty in recovering very dry or very wet, non-cohesive samples. Most of these disadvantages may be overcome by utilizing a slide-hammer soil core
sampler. GSC Northern has experience with a 2-inch diameter, 12-inch long sampler. The short undisturbed samples are ideal for optical dating. The sampler can use an existing auger-hole to obtain a core sample, and uses a slide-hammer for coring, and T-handle for extraction. The ideal method is to
combine auger sampling and slide-hammer coring. A disadvantage is that it can be difficult to extract the sample from the corer. For this reason a split-tube sampler is available, but has not been tried by GSC personnel.
A universal percussion corer for sampling lake sediments
Authors: Bourgeois J C , Gajewski K , Demuth M N
Published: March 2017

Percussion coring systems rely on a moveable weight to push a core barrel into the sediment. The corer, attached to a cable, is lowered through the water column until it reaches the sediment. A second line is then used to raise then drop the weight on top of the
core barrel. Over the years, several types of lightweight, percussion coring systems have been developed for use in remote locations where the weight of the equipment is a major concern. We used a Universal percussion corer to obtain sediment from lakes near the Jorge Montt Glacier in the Chilean
Patagonia. Choosing a core sampling system was complicated by logistics: the remoteness of the field site and by the cumbersome nature of the equipment (including two small, inflatable boats) which had to be carried, on foot, over difficult terrain. We chose this particular corer as it is relatively
inexpensive, lightweight, and easily assembled. It consists of a Universal core head (69 mm diam.), gravity weights, clear polycarbonate core barrels (120 cm and 240 cm long) and a slide hammer. We worked on shallow lakes (less than 5 m depth) from an unstable platform. However, this corer can be
deployed in much deeper lakes. We could only recover short sediment cores because the lakes around Jorge Montt Glacier are very young. Nonetheless, we found this percussion core sampling system to perform well in the field but its full potential could not be assessed due to various particulars of
the expedition.
History and status of till geochemical and indicator mineral methods in mineral exploration
Authors: Thorleifson L H
Published: March 2017

Mineral exploration methods ranging from boulder tracing to elemental and indicator mineral methods utilize clastic debris transported from mineralized bedrock sources. An understanding of glacial process and history, combined with sound survey design and
interpretation, are essential to successful application of these methods in glacial terrain. In North America and Fennoscandia, mineral exploration and glacial geology advanced concurrently in the latter 20th century, coincident with a shift in exploration to verburdencovered
regions. During this time, an understanding of sediment transport history was followed by recognition of the textural and mineralogical tendencies of glacial sediments. Development of logistics such as reverse circulation and rotasonic drilling followed, and in the 1990s, the discovery of diamonds
in Canada resulted in much progress in application and awareness of drift prospecting methods. The discipline now centres on intricate indicator mineral and elemental methods based on concepts from glacial geology, mineral deposit geology, and mineral chemistry, in the search for a broad range of
commodities.
Volcanogenic massive sulphide exploration in glaciated terrain using till geochemistry and indicator minerals
Authors: McClenaghan M B
Published: March 2017

Volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits are a significant exploration target in Canada because they account for 27% of Canadian Cu, 49% of Zn, 20% of Pb, 40% of Ag, and 3% of Au production (http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/minerals-metals/home).
Over 97% of Canada's land mass was covered by glaciers during the Quaternary and as a result drift prospecting using till geochemistry and indicator minerals is an important exploration method for VMS deposits in Canada. The application of till geochemical methods to VMS exploration in Canada
has a 50+ year history (e.g., Drieimanis 1958, 1960; Fortescue and& Hornbrook 1969; Shilts 1975; Hoffman and Woods 1991; Kaszycki et al. 1996; Parkhill and& Doiron 2003). In the past 10 years, indicator mineral recovered from glacial sediments have also been used to explore for VMS
in the glaciated terrain of Canada. This abstract provides an overview of till geochemical and indicator mineral methods that can be used for VMS exploration. Topics addressed include appropriate size fractions of till to analyze, processing and analytical techniques, VMS pathfinder elements and
indicator minerals, as well as case histories from different regions across Canada. Much of the information about VMS till geochemical methods summarized here is from a detailed review of the application of till geochemical methods to VMS exploration by McClenaghan and Peter (in
press).
TGI-4 unconformity-related uranium deposits synthesis: tools to aid deep exploration and refine the genetic model
Authors: Potter E G , Wright D M
Published: March 2017

This report summarizes the key activities completed under the uranium ore systems project of the Targeted Geoscience Initiative Four (TGI-4) program operated by the Geological Survey of Canada. This collaborative project between government, academia and industry
examined unconformity-related uranium systems in the Proterozoic Athabasca (Phoenix, Millennium and McArthur River deposits and Dufferin Lake zone), Thelon (Bong deposit) and Otish (Camie River deposit) basins in order to refine genetic models and exploration techniques for the deposits. Significant
to the Canadian economy, high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits remain prime exploration targets given their potential for large tonnage, high-grade ore. As the depths of discoveries increase in the established Athabasca Basin and geological settings hosting the ore diversify, a variety of
new exploration methods are required to allow for efficient target identification and successful discovery of deeply buried ore deposits. The results of the project clearly illustrate that deeply buried ore, ore-forming fluids, structural-fluid controls and precipitation mechanisms produce
diagnostic signatures that can be identified and modelled over the entire fluid pathway through fertile fault systems, including post-mineralization dispersal of elements into subsurface and surficial environments.
Geomathematical study of sandstones overlying the Phoenix Uranium Deposits and the REE-rich Maw Zone, Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan
Authors: Chen S , Hattori K , Grunsky E C , Liu Y
Published: March 2017

To evaluate the relationship between the enrichment of REEs and U mineralization, we carried out Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of sandstones above the Phoenix U deposits and in the REE-rich Maw Zone in the eastern Athabasca Basin. The Phoenix deposits, with
indicated resources of 70.2 M lbs U3O8, occur along the unconformity and a steeply dipping fault in the basement at ca. 400 m depth. The Maw Zone, a breccia pipe with surface exposure of 300 by 200 m, consists of highly silicified, hematitized, dravitic tourmaline-rich rocks with high REE
(<8.1 wt. % as total REE oxides). The Maw Zone is ca. 4 km southwest from the south end of Phoenix deposits and does not contain high U (< 7.8 ppm U) contents. PCA of sandstones above the Phoenix deposits shows that U is associated with Heavy REEs (HREE)+Y, Light REEs
(LREE) and Pb, and inversely correlated with Ti, Zr, Al, and Th. The Maw Zone displays different element groupings as revealed by PCA: U is strongly correlated with V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Cd, Na, Li and Ba, but very weakly correlated with HREEs+Y, and inversely with LREEs and P. Relative enrichment of
HREEs, Y, and P suggests xenotime is the predominant host of the HREEs. The grouping of LREEs+Sr+Th+P suggests the occurrence of monazite and/or aluminum phosphate-sulphate (APS) minerals. A mineralogical study confirmed xenotime and APS minerals as the major host of HREEs and LREEs, respectively.
These REE-bearing minerals precipitated from hydrothermal fluids during the brecciation of hematitized sandstones. The positive association between U and Fe in the PCA plot from the Maw Zone suggests that U was transported by oxidized fluids. The absence of U mineralization in the Maw Zone is
explained by low U in the oxidizing fluids, or a lack reducing fluids to precipitate U.
Surficial geochemical surveys over concealed uranium ore of the Phoenix and Millennium deposits in
the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan
Authors: Hattori K , Power M , Chen S , Krahenbil A , Dudek N , Sorba C , Kotzer T , Potter E
G
Published: March 2017

Geochemical surveys of surficial media (soil, water, and gas) have been conducted to evaluate and prioritize methods of detecting the presence of deeply-buried unconformity-related U deposits. The study selected two sites: the Phoenix and Millennium deposits in
the eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The Phoenix deposits lie at a depth of ca. 400 m along the unconformity between Athabasca sandstones and the basement rocks, and the Millennium deposit at a depth of ca. 750 m along a major shear deformation zone in the basement. Humus and B-horizon soil
samples show elevated metal contents including U directly above the ore bodies and WS Shear Zone at the Phoenix deposits, and broad areas over shear zones at the Millennium property. The elevated values of metals in the soil samples were reproduced in subsequent years of sampling in both properties.
Laboratory leach experiments on humus using a variety of acids indicate that the elevated contents of metals are tightly held in organics, not adsorbed on the surface of clays or organic matter. Examination of sandstone geochemistry over the Phoenix deposits shows a chimney-like distribution of
elevated metal contents from the deposits to the upper sandstones. The uppermost sandstones contain elevated metal contents, including U. Principal component analysis reveals high scores of elements associated with U, such as rare earth elements and Pb in the basal Read Formation and the uppermost
Dunlop Member of the Manitou Falls Formation. The evidence suggests that metals were dispersed in the sandstones during hydrothermal alteration related to ore-formation but were recently dispersed into the surface media. The proposed interpretation is consistent with low 206Pb and 207Pb in humus
samples and high contents of 222Rn in ground waters. With a half-life of 3.8 days, 222Rn cannot be transported from the deeply-seated ore to the surface in several days, and likely originated from U and/or 226Ra (direct parent of 222Rn) present in upper sandstones and soil. The concentrations of He
are extremely high in groundwater close to the surface projection of the Millennium ore body and higher at deeper levels. The data appears to suggest upward diffusion of He from the U ore, but the distribution of high He in two study sites suggests its dispersion both vertically and laterally with
groundwater flow. In summary, deeply-buried U deposits produce geochemical anomalies in surface media, but the expression of anomalies and media vary at different sites in response to local glacio-fluvial history, soil development and hydrological conditions.
Fe isotopic composition of alteration minerals from McArthur River Zone 4 Deposit, Athabasca Basin
Authors: Acevedo A , Kyser T K
Published: March 2017

This study examines the Fe isotopic composition of alteration minerals from the McArthur River deposit Zone 4 and investigates the premise that Fe isotopic values can be used to indicate how and where uranium ore deposition occurred. Iron isotopic signatures can
be used to discriminate areas where significant redox reactions have occurred and thus, may indicate areas fertile for uranium mineralization. Iron plays an important role as a reducing agent during the formation of U deposits, particularly Fe2+ as it is involved in reducing U as follows:
U6+ (aq) + 2Fe2+ (aq) + 2H2O ? U4+O2(uraninite) + 2Fe3+ (chlorite or hematite) + 4H+ (aq)
Under equilibrium conditions, aqueous Fe3+ species or minerals that contain Fe3+ have higher 56Fe/54Fe ratios than those with Fe3+ and Fe2+ oxidation states. The d56FeIRMM-014 values in clay mineral separates from both sandstone and basement rocks near the McArthur River deposit have a range of
nearly 1.5perthousand. The d56Fe values of clay separates, however, do not correlate with distance from the mineralization nor do they correlate with Fe3+/Fetotal, other isotopic systems such as O or Pb, or any element other than Mg. Instead, d56Fe values are more complex than the single redox
reaction above and can be divided into three distinct populations: (1) values ranging from 0 to 0.5perthousand which represent background values for the McArthur River deposit, as reflected by early chlorite in basement rocks that occurs distal to faults and furthest from the system; (2) d56Fe
values < 0perthousand reflecting post-ore fluid events in samples that are located near lithologic boundaries or faults, which are susceptible to overprinting by the mineralizing system or later fluids; and (3) d56Fe values >0.5perthousand resulting from the oxidation of Fe
during reduction of U6+ as recorded in samples near the ore zone or in the sandstone directly above the extension of the P2 fault system. The ?56Fe values indicate that samples above the silicified zone and up to 300m from the ore zone were affected by the primary dispersion of the mineralizing
system and that Fe was a reductant of U in the mineralizing process. Based on these results, Fe isotopes reveal for the first time, processes associated with redox reactions in ore deposits. The redox population also provides an indication on the fertility of an alteration system, particularly along
ore-hosting faults.
Fluid composition, thermal conditions, fluid-structural relationships and graphite alteration of the Phoenix uranium deposit, Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan
Authors: Wang K , Chi G , Bethune K M , Card C
Published: March 2017

The Phoenix deposit is a high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposit located in the southeastern Athabasca Basin. Previous studies have revealed similar features to other well-known unconformity-related uranium deposits in the region, but the composition and
thermal conditions of the mineralization fluids, the hydrodynamic relationship between structures and fluid pressure, and the nature of graphite degradation near mineralization zones remain unclear. Field (drill core) investigations, petrographic studies of altered and mineralized host rocks, and
microthermometric and microstructural studies of fluid inclusions indicate that different structural regimes and fluid systems were developed in the pre-Athabasca stage versus the syn- to post-Athabasca, uranium mineralization stage. The pre-Athabasca stage was characterized by ductile deformation
and circulation of metamorphic fluids in a relatively high P-T environment, whereas the syn- to post-Athabasca mineralization stage was characterized by brittle deformation and circulation of basinal brines in a relatively low P-T environment (with fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures of 80
to 135 °C), in which the fluid may have experienced boiling, as indicated by the coexistence of vapour-only and biphase aqueous inclusions. Preliminary fluid inclusion plane (FIP) orientation studies reveal the dominance of subvertical microfractures in crosscutting quartz veins in the
basement, possibly indicating an extensional regime during certain periods of time in the synto post-Athabasca mineralization stage. Preliminary petrographic and Raman spectroscopic studies of graphite suggest that the crystal structure of the graphite tends to be more disordered toward the
mineralized zones, which may potentially be used as an indicator of mineralization.
The Otish Basin: basin evolution and formation of the Camie River deposit, Quebec
Authors: Milidragovic D , Lesbros-Piat-Desvial M , King J J , Beaudoin G , Hamilton M A , Creaser R A
Published: March 2017

The Otish Basin of central Quebec hosts over thirty uranium prospects, including the Camie River prospect that is located near the unconformable contact between the graphite-bearing, metamorphic basement of Archean age and the overlying basinal sedimentary rocks
of the Otish Supergroup. The maximum age of the basin, constrained by the age of the unconformably-underlying Mistassini dyke swarm, is 2515 } 3 Ma. Following the deposition of the Otish Supergroup, the basin was intruded by the Otish Gabbros, a suite of olivine-tholeiitic dykes and sills of
near-liquid compositions (Group 1) and cumulate rocks (Group 2). Uranium-lead zircon ages from the Otish Gabbros indicate the minimum age of the Otish Basin is ca. 2.17 Ga. The Otish Basin was also intruded by the Matoush dyke, interpreted to be younger than the Otish Gabbros. The least altered
samples of the Matoush dyke have mineralogy and trace element systematics, such as highly fractionated REE patterns, similar to lamprophyric rocks and are distinct from the tholeiitic to weakly trace element-enriched Otish Gabbros. This, therefore, indicates that the Otish Basin was affected by at
least two igneous events.
The uranium mineralization formed after the peak diagenetic alteration of the Otish Supergroup. During peak diagenetic conditions, early albitic sandstone cement was largely replaced by K-feldspar. The feldspathic cement was subsequently partially replaced by a green muscovite alteration. The
increase in Na2O concentrations of the feldpsathiccemented sandstones towards the base of the sedimentary sequence is noteworthy. Uraninite and brannerite are the principal uranium minerals at the Camie River prospect. Molybdenite grains, intergrown with uraninite, yield a Re-Os model age of 1724 }
4. 9 Ma that is indistinguishable from the previously published uraninite ages. The age of mineralization is significantly younger than the age of the Otish Gabbros, indicating that the uranium mineralization postdates sedimentation by ?450 m.y. The overlapping Sm-Nd isotopic ages from Otish Gabbros
suggest the main uranium mineralization was locally accompanied by resetting of the Sm-Nd system and LREE mobility in the gabbros. The age of mineralization in the Otish Basin is similar to the age of polymetallic mineralization of the Huronian Supergroup, suggesting the ca. 1.7 Ga hydrothermal
activity may have been a regional phenomenon affecting the southern Superior Province.
The Targeted Geoscience Initiative 4 contributions to the understanding of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit genesis and exploration methods development: introduction and preface
Authors: Peter J M , Mercier-Langevin P
Published: March 2017

Research on topical aspects of the genesis of, and exploration for, volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits was formulated and carried out under the auspices of the Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Ore System of the Targeted Geoscience Initiative 4 Program.
Research activities were focussed on addressing two main themes: 1) development of innovative, new, and unconventional detection and vectoring methodologies for VMS exploration; these studies were conducted at the Izok Lake deposit, Nunavut, and regionally throughout the Bathurst Mining Camp,
northern New Brunswick, as well as at numerous VMS deposits and prospects regionally throughout the Slave Province, Nunavut and Northwest Territories; and 2) understand the controls on precious metal (gold, silver) endowment or enrichment in VMS deposits. These studies were conducted at several
deposits: Lalor Mine, Manitoba; Lemarchant deposit, Newfoundland; Ming Mine, Newfoundland; and the Lemoine deposit, Quebec. Detection and development of vectoring methods focussed on the application of optical reflectance spectrometry (airborne, ground, laboratory), oxygen isotope geochemistry,
laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric analysis of volatile elements, multiple sulphur isotope geochemistry, till geochemistry and indicator minerals, and integration of rock properties and geophysics. Each of these research activities produced results that influence
exploration strategies for VMS deposits in Canada and elsewhere. Studies focussed on determining the controls on precious metal endowment or enrichment in VMS deposits employed geology, volcanology/volcanic architectural analysis, lithogeochemistry, chemostratigraphy, geodynamic setting analysis,
geochronology, hydrothermal alteration systematics, petrography, mineralogy and mineral chemistry (mineralization, alteration, host rock), oxygen isotope geochemistry, sulphur isotope geochemistry, lead isotope geochemistry, and metallogenic considerations. Collectively these studies demonstrate
that in all cases, gold enrichment was primary (not late/secondary; i.e., seafloor and aerial weathering, overprinted unrelated mineralizing systems) and was the result of one or more of the following processes: 1) magmatic input, as evidenced by the presence of complex mineral assemblages that
include sulphosalts and native elements, anomalous trace element signatures (e.g. epithermal suite: Au-As-Sb-Ag- Hg; felsic magma-associated: Bi-W-Te-In-Sn); and 2) boiling in a shallow-water setting. Only minimal remobilization of gold occurred in deposits in response to greenschist- and
amphibolite-facies metamorphism.
Geology and Au enrichment processes at the Paleoproterozoic Lalor auriferous volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit, Snow Lake, Manitoba
Authors: Caté A , Mercier-Langevin P , Ross P -S , Duff S , Hannington M D , Dubé B , Gagné S
Published: March 2017

The Paleoproterozoic Lalor auriferous volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit, located in the Snow Lake mining camp, Manitoba, is hosted in a complex volcanic package referred to as the Lalor volcanic succession. The deposit consists of stratigraphically and
structurally stacked Zn-rich, Au-rich, and Cu-Au-rich ore lenses. The host volcanic succession comprises mafic to felsic tholeiitic to calc-alkaline extrusive to intrusive volcanic rocks of the ca. 1.89 Ga Lower Chisel subsequence, and the ore is hosted in both mafic and felsic rocks. Atypical of
the other Zn-rich deposits of the Snow Lake district, the Lalor deposit is not situated at the top of the Lower Chisel subsequence, but is at a slightly lower stratigraphic position. The volcanic rocks that host the deposit were affected by intense and laterally extensive ore-related hydrothermal
alteration. These altered rocks were subsequently subjected to syndeformational amphibolitegrade metamorphism that resulted in the development of distinct minerals and metamorphic mineral assemblages of varying composition from variably altered precursor lithologies. Five distinct alteration- and
metasomatism- related chemical associations (K, K-Mg-Fe, Mg-Fe, Mg-Ca, and Ca) are recognized based on mineralogical (mineral assemblages) and bulk geochemical compositions. Mapping of the host volcanic rocks and ore-related mineral assemblages and chemical associations at Lalor indicates the
following: 1) the Zn-rich massive sulphide lenses are preferentially associated with the low- to high-temperature K and Mg- Ca alteration zones; 2) the Cu-Au-rich zones, which occur at depth, stratigraphically below the Zn-rich mineralization, are hosted in transposed, presumably originally
discordant high-temperature Mg-Fe altered rocks; and 3) Au has been in part locally remobilized into low-strain sites that are not now spatially associated with any particular chemical association. The Lalor volcanic succession is affected by polyphase deformation that has strongly influenced the
geometry of the Lalor deposit. Pre-D2 (synvolcanic?) deformation is evidenced by the abrupt termination of the intensely altered Lalor volcanic succession to the southwest and the presence of chemically distinctive and unaltered volcanic rocks of the Western succession. The present geometry of the
deposit is largely controlled by D2 deformational structures with important stretching (L2), flattening (S2), and structural staking (F2 folding and syn- to late-D2 transposition and shearing). The D2 deformation and associated peak metamorphic conditions are thought to be responsible for the local
remobilization of Au sulphosalts and some sulphides.
Synorogenic gold mineralization in granite-greenstone terranes: the deep connection between extension, major faults, synorogenic clastic basins, magmatism, thrust inversion, and long-term preservation
Authors: Bleeker W
Published: March 2017

Structurally controlled "lode gold" systems within or in proximity to major fault zones (colloquially known as "breaks") represent a dominant deposit type in Canada, particularly in Archean cratons of the Canadian Shield. This paper describes some of the critical
characteristics of these deposits, specifically their relationship to the major faults and the complicated kinematic history of these faults, and to the panels of synorogenic clastic (±volcanic) rocks that occur along these faults. The synthesis that emerges is mainly based on the Timmins area,
Canada's most prolific gold camp, but critical elements apply equally to and have been ground-truthed in other gold camps, i.e., Kirkland Lake, the Abitibi more generally, the Rice Lake belt, Yellowknife, and the Agnew camp of the Yilgarn craton. In all of these areas, the key faults cut early
foldand- thrust structures and were likely initiated as crustal-scale, synorogenic extensional faults in association with a flare-up in synorogenic, typically more alkaline magmatism. Extension, the associated mantlederived magmatism, and the resulting thermal pulse into the lower crust were likely
the ultimate drivers of the gold mineralizing events. Synorogenic extension also minimized post-orogenic uplift, thus playing an important indirect role in preservation of the upper crustal depositional environments. Following synorogenic extension and the initiation of the magmatic and hydrothermal
processes that produced the gold systems, the crustal-scale faults were invariably inverted as thick-skinned thrusts, burying synorogenic basin remnants and gold deposits in their structural footwall, while deposits were removed or largely eroded from the structural hanging wall of these thrusts.
This thrust inversion thus plays a critical role in the preservation of the gold endowment and explains the fundamental asymmetry across most of these camps. Gold mineralization appears to have peaked during the thrust-inversion stage and subsequent shortening, but had waned prior to final
strike-slip overprinting of the fault zones. The integrated model provides a coherent guide for identifying and analyzing similar settings in more remote settings of northern Canada.
Structural and lithological controls on gold mineralization at the Cheminis mine: implications for the formation of gold deposits along the Larder Lake - Cadillac deformation zone, Ontario
Authors: Lafrance B
Published: March 2017

The Larder Lake-Cadillac deformation zone (LLCDZ) is a major deformation zone within the southern Abitibi subprovince of the Archean Superior Province. It hosts several gold deposits, including the Cheminis and the giant Kerr Addison - Chesterville deposits in
Ontario. The two deposits occur along a strongly deformed band of Fe-rich tholeiitic basalt and komatiite of the Larder Lake Group (ca. 2705 Ma), bounded on both sides by younger, less deformed, Timiskaming turbidite (2680-2670 Ma). Gold was emplaced during D2 closure of an extensional Timiskaming
basin, following the formation of early F1 folds. D2 deformation was a progressive compressive deformation event that began with regional F2 folding and the formation of a regional S2 cleavage, and ended with the localization of the deformation along the band of older volcanic rocks, the formation
of the LLCDZ, and the introduction of gold during south-side-up reverse-slip faulting along the LLCDZ. The presence of weakly deformed syenite dykes suggests a minor magmatic contribution to the gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. Thus, gold was deposited as hydrothermal fluids flowed upward along the
LLCDZ during D2 south-side-up shearing.
Depositional setting of Algoma-type banded iron formation from the Meadowbank, Meliadine, and Musselwhite gold deposits
Authors: Gourcerol B , Thurston P C , Kontak D J , Côté-Mantha O , Biczok J
Published: March 2017

Algoma-type banded iron formations (BIFs) are chemical sedimentary rocks in Archean greenstone belts that comprise alternating layers of iron-rich minerals and chert and are generally interstratified with bimodal submarine volcanic rocks. However, the geological
setting for Algoma-type BIF deposition remains equivocal due to the overprinting effects of post-depositional deformation and metamorphism, and the absence of modern analogues for comparative studies. Recent studies suggest the abundance of rare earth elements and yttrium (REE+Y) in chert bands may
reflect the primary BIF geochemical signature and therefore may constrain geological settings favourable for BIF deposition.
In this study, the results of LA-ICP-MS analysis of chert at three BIF-hosted gold deposits are presented to assess whether epigenetic gold mineralization is preferentially developed within a particular geochemical type of BIF. Three deposits were studied: 1) the Meadowbank deposit (Churchill
Province); 2) the Meliadine gold district (Churchill Province); and 3) the Musselwhite deposit (Superior Province). The results of this study, which explores REE and yttrium as tracers of depositional processes for Algoma-type BIF, suggest that chert bands record either (1) interaction of seawater
with Fe-oxyhydroxides, as suggested by heavy REE enrichment coupled with La and Y enrichment; (2) high-temperature (>250oC) hydrothermal fluids, as suggested by positive Eu excursions; and/or (3) hydrogeneous contamination, which is suggested by relatively consistent REE concentrations
and a chondritic Y/Ho ratio. Moreover, the pH conditions of the water column at the time of BIF deposition are evaluated using Ce/Ce* as a pH proxy, with acidic conditions associated with positive Ce/Ce* anomalies. This data set does not suggest there is a chemical preference of the studied
BIF for epigenetic gold mineralization.
Geological setting of the world-class Musselwhite gold mine, Superior Province, northwestern Ontario: implications for exploration
Authors: Oswald W , Castonguay S , Dubé B , McNicoll V J , Biczok J , Malo M , Mercier-Langevin P
Published: March 2017

The Musselwhite world-class Au deposit is hosted in polydeformed amphibolite-facies banded iron formation of the Opapimiskan-Markop metavolcanic assemblage, part of the Mesoarchean North Caribou greenstone belt (northwestern Superior Province). The deposit is
located approximately 2 km west of the tectonic boundary with the gneissic Island Lake Domain. Major and trace element geochemical data show that the South Rim and Opapimiskan-Markop metavolcanic assemblages have variable magmatic affinities and diverse normalized rare earth element patterns. The
bulk of the Au at Musselwhite is hosted in silicate-rich banded iron formation and occurs in association with stratabound pyrrhotite replacements and associated silica flooding, with local discordant quartz}pyrrhotite veins. The ore zones are associated with D2 high-strain zones that are
preferentially developed along hinges and strongly attenuated fold limbs of tight F2 folds. The layered anisotropy induced by the presence of competent banded iron formation layers in mafic and ultramafic volcanic rocks has clearly influenced the rheological response to deformation at all scales,
and hence played an important role in Au-bearing fluid flow and ore formation and distribution. A new U-Pb preliminary age of 2666 Ma on late-M2 monazite provides a minimum age constraint for the regional D2 metamorphic/ deformation event to which most of the Au mineralization at Musselwhite is
associated. Reappraisal of stratigraphic relationships, supported by U-Pb geochronology, indicates that the mine stratigraphy is inverted and is part of the overturned limb of a kilometre-scale F1 syncline, which is in agreement with multiple occurrences of mesoscopic refolded F1 folds. Previously
unrecognized regional F1 folding, which is strongly overprinted by the dominant D2 deformation, has influenced the distribution and geometry of the banded iron formation, which hosts the bulk of the Au at Musselwhite, and provides new vectors for regional exploration. Future work will focus on
additional documentation of mineral chemistry and microscopic textural relationships, as well as further analyses of lithogeochemical data in order to ultimately define key exploration vectors for iron formation-hosted Au deposits in other Precambrian terranes.
Setting, age, and hydrothermal footprint of the emerging Meliadine gold district, Nunavut
Authors: Lawley C J M , Dubé B , Mercier-Langevin P , McNicoll V
J , Creaser R A , Pehrsson S J , Castonguay S , Blais J -C , Simard M , Davis W J , Jackson S E
Published: March 2017

The Meliadine gold district comprises a combination of orogenic greenstone- and BIF-hosted gold mineralization. The largest gold deposits (Tiriganiaq, Wesmeg, Normeg, F Zone, Pump, Discovery, and Wolf) are cospatial with the northwest-trending Pyke Fault and its
inferred east-trending splays, which cut amphibolite- to greenschist-facies rocks within the Rankin Inlet greenstone belt. New U-Pb detrital zircon ages suggest that turbiditic and mafic volcanic host rocks at Tiriganiaq were deposited ?2.66 Ga. In contrast, a polymictic conglomerate south of the
Pyke Fault, which is not known to host gold, yielded Paleoproterozoic U-Pb detrital zircons and was deposited at ?2.50 Ga. These new ages confirm that the Rankin Inlet greenstone belt comprises intercalated Archean to Paleoproterozoic supracrustal successions. Deformed Paleoproterozoic conglomerates
suggest that the Archean to Proterozoic Rankin Inlet stratigraphy was reworked during the Trans-Hudson Orogeny (1.9-1.8 Ga).
Gold in the district is associated with hydrothermally altered and sulphidized BIF and fault-fill quartz (} ankerite) veins. Hydrothermal alteration and pathfinder element enrichment (As-Te-Bi-Sb) can be mapped following a multivariate and probabilistic approach for 10s to 100s of meters beyond
BIF-hosted replacement- style mineralization. Coarse-grained and idioblastic arsenopyrite crystals occur within and at the margins of folded quartz (} ankerite) veins and are also a good visual gold indicator. Gold is paragenetically late and occurs at arsenopyrite grain boundaries and/or as
fracture fills. Clusters of gold inclusions coincide with recrystallized and sieve-textured arsenopyrite domains. These microtextures suggest that sulphide recrystallization liberated gold that was redistributed, at least locally, into low-strain microtextural sites along with other precious- and
base-metals during a late fluid-assisted and deformation/metamorphic-driven remobilization. We propose that remobilization was concurrent with the growth of xenotime at ca. 1.86 Ga (new U-Pb ages), which postdates arsenopyrite and occurs together with gold in low-strain micro textural sites. New
Re-Os arsenopyrite model ages range from 2.3 to 1.8 Ga and document a hitherto unrecognized pre-1.86 Ga hydrothermal and sulphide history. The range of Re-Os model ages tends to support partial open-system behaviour and/or mixing of disparate arsenopyrite generations that are evident from
microtextures and in situ element mapping. Replicate analyses of the two most Re-rich and homogeneous arsenopyrite samples yield Re-Os model ages at ca. 2.27 and 1.90 Ga. We speculate that gold at the Meliadine gold district was initially introduced at 2.27 Ga and/or 1.90 Ga along with arsenopyrite
and was subsequently remobilized, coupled with arsenopyrite recrystallization, during the Trans-Hudson Orogeny at 1.86-1.85 Ga.
The Rainy River "atypical" Archean Au deposit, western Wabigoon Subprovince, Ontario
Authors: Pelletier M , Mercier-Langevin P , Dubé B , Crick D , Tolman J , McNicoll V J , Jackson S E , Beakhouse G P
Published: March 2017

The Rainy River project, located in the western Wabigoon Subprovince in western Ontario, is an advanced Au exploration project with an estimated 6.2 Moz Au and 14.6 Moz Ag in reserves and resources (New Gold Inc). The bulk of the Au and Ag mineralization occurs
with pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite in disseminated } stockwork form, and part of the ore is within quartz-sulphide-tourmaline-carbonate veinlets that are subparallel to the main east-trending, south-dipping penetrative foliation (S2). Folded and transposed veins of quartz, Fe-carbonate, and
tourmaline contain higher Au values, with Au in its native form or as electrum. At deposit-scale, there is a relatively good correlation between Au and Ag values, and between Au and Zn contents. Mineralization is concentrated in six zones that are elongated parallel to the main foliation. Higher
grade zones are aligned within the main foliation plane along a stretching lineation (L2) plunging to the southwest.
The deposit is hosted mainly within dacitic to rhyodacitic calc-alkaline volcanic domes, flows, and associated flow breccia. The rocks were regionally metamorphosed to greenschist facies. The proximal to immediate alteration consists of a sericite }Fe-carbonate overprinted to various degrees by
chlorite. Manganiferous garnet, chloritoid, and kyanite are present locally, in proximity to, or within, mineralized zones.
There is a strong correlation between the spatial distribution of the mineralization and the sericite-dominated alteration. Moreover, there is a direct correlation of stronger alteration intensity, higher-grade and/or more extensive mineralization, and host rocks of higher initial porosity (i.e.
fragmental units), suggesting an early Au-Ag mineralization controlled by volcanism-related hydrothermal activity. Cross-cutting field relationships, preliminary laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analyses (LA-ICP-MS) of pyrite grains, and U/Pb ID-TIMS zircon geochronology
further support the hypothesis of a synvolcanic origin for at least part of the Au mineralization. Subsequent deformation and metamorphism are responsible for transposition of the mineralized zones and metals within the main foliation plane and the associated stretching lineation, and for the
modification of the primary alteration mineralogy to its greenschist-facies metamorphic equivalent.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) studies at the Aquistore CO2 storage site
Authors: Craven J , White D
Published: March 2017

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been identified as a priority issue within the context of the North American climate change and energy collaboration. An important aspect of CCS is the need to improve public confidence in long-term geological storage of CO2.
A key to developing confidence for the longer term is a demonstration of safe and expected storage behaviour in the short term. Two primary concerns of the public and government regulatory bodies are the potential for induced seismicity and for CO2 leakage. To alleviate these concerns, storage
monitoring is critical in demonstrating that the subsurface CO2 plume is behaving as expected, and that induced microseismic or seismic activity is being closely monitored. The Aquistore CO2 Storage Project is a multi-year research and monitoring project to demonstrate that storing CO2 deep
underground is a safe and workable solution to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. The Geological Survey of Canada's studies within the project are focused on the development of improved monitoring methodologies and a better understanding of the relationship between CO2 injection
and induced seismicity.
A total of 60 ktonnes of CO2 were injected at the Aquistore site in the first year following initial injection in April-2015. Injection is occurring within a saline formation at a depth of 3150-3350m. In the first 4 months of 2016, CO2 was injected at an average rate of ~400 tonnes/day. Passive
seismic monitoring at the site which began in 2012 has not identified any seismicity associated with the injection process. The first time-lapse 3D seismic surveys were completed in February of 2016 and will provide images of the CO2 plume in the subsurface.
Sources: source determination using isotope ratio characterization of environmental samples - airborne and waterborne contaminations in the Northern Athabasca Oil Sands Region (NAOSR)
Authors: Savard M M
Published: March 2017

All research activities of SOURCES relate to the development of new methodologies to allow distinguishing natural and anthropogenic contaminants that are naturally released to water and terrestrial ecosystems from those produced by oil sands (OS) extraction
activities.
Development of groundwater vulnerability guideline in thin-drift and Paleozoic bedrock terrains, Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, southeastern Ontario
Authors: Evans H , Brunton F R , Heagle D
Published: March 2017

Numerous groundwater studies, including technical work completed under the Clean Water Act to support the Cataraqui Source Protection Plan, have identified the majority of the Cataraqui Source Protection Area (CSPA) in Eastern Ontario as having highly vulnerable
aquifers (HVAs). The prevalence of HVAs is due to thin or absent soils, fractured bedrock and a relatively high water table. In addition, bedrock formations in the central and western part of the CSPA are susceptible to the development of karst.
Locally applicable guidance for land use planning authorities to account for aquifer vulnerability and the presence of karst was not available; therefore, the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) recently developed a Groundwater Vulnerability Guideline. Its intent is to help proponents of
development, consultants, planning approval authorities and the CRCA to: a) identify the presence, extent and impact on groundwater vulnerability of karst on or adjacent to a property; and b) assess the vulnerability of the bedrock groundwater in a local area (i.e. property parcel or small group of
contiguous parcels) based upon available desktop and field data. Geofirma Engineering Ltd. was retained through an RFP process by CRCA to produce the guideline document. Funding was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
The guideline is presented in two parts, an aquifer vulnerability assessment and a karst assessment. Results of the aquifer vulnerability assessment are used to determine whether or not a karst assessment is required. An initial desk-top survey is conducted to see if a field-based investigation is
warranted. A flow chart was established with checklists to ensure proponents obtain all required information to identify groundwater vulnerability. A supporting document was also prepared, with a glossary and karst field photos, to provide supplementary information about the guideline submissions.
The guideline should be read together with the Appendices and Supporting Document.
A geochemical characterization of southwestern Ontario's breathing well region
Authors: Freckelton C N , Hamilton S M , Longstaffe F J
Published: March 2017

A physical and geochemical characterization has been completed for a 1400 km2 breathing well zone in a Middle Devonian, karstic carbonate aquifer system in southwestern Ontario. Breathing wells are unusual because they draw in or emit large volumes of air, in
response to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure. This behavior causes gas exchange between the atmosphere and the subsurface and quite commonly the expelled gases are depleted in oxygen and enriched in carbon dioxide. To better understand this unique atmosphere-geosphere connection, geochemical,
hydraulic, and barometric data were used to investigate the interconnectivity within the breathing well zone. Regionally, 102 sites were sampled for groundwater chemistry characterization, and 10 wells located within the breathing well zone were monitored monthly over one year. Spatial and time
series analyses reveal that most wells affected by the breathing well phenomena are drilled through the Dundee Formation and finished in the underlying Lucas Formation. The results suggest that a significant amount of unsaturated void space exists within the Lucas Formation, and that hypoxic, high
CO2 gases are generated by several processes and emitted during low atmospheric pressure periods. Locally, groundwater shows remarkable chemical and isotopic stability over the 1 year monitoring period, which suggests a very large degree of storage in the aquifer. Regional distributions of
groundwater facies types are strongly influenced by local hydrogeological conditions and consist dominantly of Na-Ca-HCO3, Ca-Mg-HCO3, Ca-Sr-HCO3, and Ca-Mg-SO4-types. The groundwater composition includes detectable levels of dissolved oxygen and elevated concentrations of sulphate. Sulphur isotopic
data indicate that the sulphate results from two endmember processes: evaporite dissolution and oxidation of metallic sulphides. Evidence for the latter process also includes elevated concentrations of iron and trace metals including Zn, Pb, Cu and Ag. Very high strontium up to 80 mg/L comes from
the dissolution of celestite (or celestine; SrSO4) in the absence of gypsum. This provides insight on the solution-karstification process that appears to have formed the breathing well system and may provide a tool for mapping the system in areas to the north where void space is saturated and air
exchange is prevented.