Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI42C02NE00017

Record: MDI42C02NE00017

General

Mineral Record Identification
Record Name(s) Magpie Iron Range - 1909, Magpie Mine - 1909
Related Record Type Simple
Related Record(s)
Record Status Past Producing Mine With Reserves or Resources
Date Created 1980-Jul-29
Date Last Modified 2022-Oct-20
Created By
Revised By

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Iron



Location

Township or Area: Leclaire

Latitude: 48° 12' 46.14"    Longitude: -84° 42' 57.69"

UTM Zone: 16    Easting: 669667.4   Northing: 5342476.62    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Sault Ste. Marie

NTS Grid: 42C02NE

Point Location Description: Occurrence 3c map P.2636

Location Method: Conversion from MDI

Access Description: The Magpie Mine is accessible by boat from Steephill Falls power dam. The Magpie River Reservoir has flooded to the formerr railway level. From this point the mine is accessible by a 2.5 - 3 km traverse. Alternately, the mine site can be accessed by an old bush road (McCormick Lake road) east from its junction with Highway 17 for a distance of approximately 12 km.



Exploration History

1909-1910: Lake Superior Corporation Ltd. - property staked, trenched, stripped, diamond drilling (7224.2 ft). 1910: Lake Superior Corporation Ltd. - sinking of 4 compartment shaft; main production shaft eventually reached 611 feet. 1911: Lake Superior Corporation Ltd. - roasting plant constructed 1911-1914: mining of deposit, operations suspended in October 1914 due to low price of iron/steel; 1915 - 1921: mining resumes. Mine closed March 8 1921. 1951: Jalore Mining Company - detailed mapping. 1951-1953: Algoma Steel Corporation Ltd. - 4 ddh (5512 ft.).


Assessment Work on File

Assessment Work on File
Office File Number Online Assessment File Identifier Online Assessment File Directory
Leclaire-0012-A1 42C02NE0602 42C02NE0602
Leclaire-0013 42C02NE0609 42C02NE0609

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Wawa

Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi

Belt: Michipicoten

Tectonic Assemblage: Catfish

Geological Age: Neoarchean   Geochronological Age: 2750 MA   Geochron. Age Ref.: OFR 5888



Geology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - The Magpie Iron Range extends from Iron Knob, where it bends sharply and becomes the Alice Iron Range. The west end of the range extends to just west of the large diabase dike that cuts the Magpie Iron Range and other, short, faulted segments of the iron formation occur to the northwest. These segments have been offset by a series of right lateral faults. The Magpie Iron Range, along with the Alice Iron Range, may define a minor fold on the south side of the Centre Anticline of the greenstone belt.




Lithology

Lithology Data
Rock Type Rank Composition Texture Relationship
Carbonate Ironstone 1 Carbonate (Siderite) Facies Host
Intermediate lava flow-unsubdivided 2 Intermediate To Mafic Hanging Wall
Breccia-unsubdivided 3 Footwall
Lamprophyre-Unsubdivided 4 Near

Lithology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - The Magpie Iron Formation consists only of the lower siderite portion of the iron formation. The upper sulphide, chert, magnetite and graphite facies are absent. The iron formation becomes magnetite-rich to the east where it merges with the Alice Range and to the west. The central part contains the least amount of magnetite. The presence of magnetite diminishes the value of the ore. The rocks immediately overlying the iron formation are chloritic schists that grade into intermediate (dacitic) metavolcanics. These rocks are predominately massive although a few narrow tuffaceous units have also been observed. To the south of the iron formation the volcanic breccia is composed of up to 50% fragments within a siliceous matrix. A mica dike (lamprophyre? kimberlite?) was reported on the 3rd level of the mine. This mass reportedly increased in width with depth in the mine and significantly reduced the volume of the ore. Elliptical lense like masses of carbonate have been observed in samples of this material taken from the waste piles at the mine.




Mineralization

Mineralization and Alteration
Rank Mineral Name Class Economic Mineral Type Alteration Mineral Type Alteration Ranking Alteration Intensity Alteration Style
1SideriteEconomicOre
1MagnetiteEconomicGangue
2PyriteEconomicGangue

Mineralization Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - The ore was described as being very fine-grained, dense, buff grey to pale yellow carbonate sprinkled with pyrite. Analysis of diamond drill core from a hole drilled beneath the workings in 1951-53 assayed 43.37% Fe, 9.66% S and 16.05% Si over 15 feet. Roasting of the ore produced a sintered product grading 50.10% Fe, 9.14% Si and 2.74% Mn.



Mineral Record Details

Classification
RankClassification            
1 Sedimentary
Characteristics
Rank Characteristic            
2 Massive
1 Stratiform

Mineral Zones - Size and Shape

Rank: 1       Structure Type: Fold

Zone Name: Detour Lake - Rank 1
Shape Length Thickness Depth Strike Dip Plunge Trend Age Reference
Unknown 640 15 270 90 2750 MA OFR 5888
Reserves or Resources Data
Zone Year Category Tonnes Reference Comments Commodities
Magpie Mine 1921 Unclassified 332400 OFR5587 Reserve figures from Lake Superior Company at time of mine closure Iron 36 NA
Production Data
Year Tonnes Commodities Reference Comment
1921 64708 Iron
TONNAGE IS SIDERITE PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1920 117715 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1919 210479 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1918 187148 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1917 218897 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1916 233258 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1915 143732 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED NOT ORE
1914 112836 Iron
TONNAGE IS SINTER PRODUCED - NOT ORE
1913 24738 TONNAGE IS OF SINTER PRODUCED, NOT ORE

References

File - Resident Geologist files Leclaire-0015-A1, WP Esquega.33

Publication Number: Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: SSM RGP


Map - Michipicoten area, Algoma District, Ontario

Publication Number: Map 1972 Scale: 1:63,360    Date: 1923

Author: Collins, W H; Thomson, E

Publisher Name: Geological Survey of Canada

Location: https://doi.org/10.4095/107947


Map - Michipicoten area, compilation sheet, District of Algoma

Publication Number: P0184 Scale: 1:126,720    Date: 1997

Author: Goodwin A.M.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Book - Leclaire Township - unpublished GDIF

Publication Number: GDIF Date: 1987

Author: Resident Geologist Staff

Publisher Name:

Location: Timmins RGP


Map - Manitouwadge-Wawa sheet, geological compilation series, Algoma, Cochrane, Sudbury and Thunder Bay districts

Publication Number: M2220 Scale: 1:253,440    Date: 1972

Author: Milne V.G., Giblin P.E., Bennett G., Thurston P.C., Wolfe W.J., Giguere J.F., Leahy E.J., Rupert R.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:


Map - Geological series, Precambrian geology, Leclaire Township, District of Algoma

Publication Number: P2636 Scale: 1:15,840    Date: 1985

Author: Sage R.P.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Publication - Michipicoten Iron Ranges; Geological Survey of Canada, Memoir 147

Publication Number: GSC Memoir 147 Page: 95-97  Date: 1926

Author: Collins, W H; Quirke, T T; Thomson, E

Publisher Name: Geological Survey of Canada

Location: https://doi.org/10.4095/100849


Mono - Iron deposits of Ontario

Publication Number: MDC011 Page: 72  Date: 1968

Author: Shklanka R.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Mono - Wawa mineral deposits data base

Publication Number: OFR5775 Page: 242  Date: 1991

Author: Frey E.D., Stewart R.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


MonoMap - Geology of Abotossaway, Corbiere, Leclaire and Musquash Townships and Part of Dunphy Township, District of Algoma

Publication Number: OFR5587 Page: 291-297  Date: 1993

Author: Sage R.P.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


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For detailed information regarding this mineral record please contact the Sault Ste. Marie Resident Geologist District Office