Ontario Mineral Inventory

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Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI41I07NW00008

Record: MDI41I07NW00008

General

Mineral Record Identification
Record Name(s)	Northern Feldspar - 1924, Weisman Hill Feldspar Mine - 1980
Related Record Type	Simple
Related Record(s)
Record Status	Past Producing Mine Without Reserves or Resources
Date Created	1980-Mar-07
Date Last Modified	2022-Feb-23
Created By
Revised By

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Feldspar (Nonmetals)

Secondary Commodities: Mica, Garnet (Nonmetals)

Location

Township or Area: Dill

Latitude: 46° 22' 55.29" Longitude: -80° 50' 9.09"

UTM Zone: 17 Easting: 512622.185 Northing: 5136507.67 UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Sudbury

NTS Grid: 41I07NW

Point Location Description: Mineral occurrence at surface symbol (Map, GDIF068)

Location Method: Conversion from MDI

Access Description: This dike is located in the southern half of Lot 2 Concession II, Dill Township, and is mapped just northeast of an old dirt road cutoff between Highway 533 and 69. The property lies 2.5 kilometres southwest of Wanup which is on the CPR tracks. The dike can be reached by travelling 1.5 kilometres southwest of Wanup Station on Highway 537 to the Wanup General Store and a subsequent 0.8 kilometre distance west on a poorly maintained dirt mining road adjacent to the store. The relict tailings are visible from this road and the water filled trench on top of Weisman Hill identifies the mine site. (OFR5329, p.76)

Exploration History

Spence (1932, p. 59) reports the following history of operation: "Two small pits were opened at opposite ends of the outcrop in 1924-25 by Northern Feldspar Mines Limited, of Sudbury, and 800 tons of spar is reported to have been shipped. The property has since lain idle. "To date there has been no reported economic activity on the property. (OFR5329, p.77)

Geology

Province: Southern

Subprovince: Sudbury Structure

Supergroup: Sudbury Igneous Complex, Main Mass

Geological Age: Paleoproterozoic

Geology Comments

Jun 10, 2009 (D Scholtz) - Late Precambrian granite pegmatite dikes of the Sudbury area intrude clastic metasedimentary biotite gneiss of the Grenville Province. As Spence noted,these intrusions are of undetermined origin but uniformly display white albite feldspar towards the peripheral (contact) zone and pink microcline towards the interior. This suggests a possible albitization of the original microcline pegmatite. As accessory mineralization is varied and dependant on the host rock, the most functional economic classification is based on the nature of quartz-feldspar intergrowth, e.g. massive spar and quartz segregation, graphic intergrowth of spar and quartz and fluctuation of massive segregation and graphic intergrowth. Massive segregation of feldspar and quartz was noted in dikes located in Dill Township (Weisman Hill feldspar mine, Wanup Feldspar Mine Limited and Elizabeth feldspar mine). The developed properties were thoroughly mined in the 1920's and 1930's but rejuvenated interest has been expressed for this ore to be used as raw material for ceramics in electrical insulation. (OFR5329, p. 75)

Lithology

Lithology Data
Rock Type	Rank	Composition	Texture	Relationship
Pegmatite	1	White Albite Feldspar, Pink Microcline, Quartz		Host

Lithology Comments

Jun 10, 2009 (D Scholtz) - The granitic pegmatite dike of Late Precambrian age intrudes a dark migmatitic biotite gneiss of Middle Precambrian age. The dominant joint pattern of the biotite gneiss is consistent with the strike of the intruded pegmatite (N4°S). (OFR5329, p. 76) The dike which measures 24 metres wide and 34 meteres along strike is typically structurally controlled as the major vertical joint system in the migmatitic biotite gneiss has a consistent azimuth of 40° . The developed pegmatite is well zoned, with massive quartz appearing at the mouth of the workings and massive well cleaved pink feldspar crystals appearing at the head and walls of same. Similarly large books of muscovite mica are found wedged between crystals of quartz. A flooded trench 8 metres high at the south-westerly head and measuring 14 metres long by 10 metres wide is the major remnant of the mining operation. Neither the full lateral nor longitudinal extent of the dike was worked as the ore pinches to the southwest and eventually fingers into 1.5 metres wide stringers striking N85° E consistent with an alternate joint pattern. An 8 metre dike of pink spar, carrying a considerable amount of both black and white mica in large crystals, as well as soda spar and garnet in the wall zones, is exposed on this lot for a distance of 106 metres. The tailings pile supplies separated mica, quartz and quartz intergrown with feldspar. Separation of the ore at the mine site was necessary as only large mica sheets and clean quartz were shipped out.

Mineralization

Mineralization and Alteration
Rank	Mineral Name	Class	Economic Mineral Type
1	Feldspar	Economic	Ore
2	Mica	Economic	Ore
3	Garnet	Economic	Ore

Mineralization Comments

Jun 10, 2009 (D Scholtz) - Accessory to the well zoned pink feldspar and massive quartz, books of both biotite and muscovite occur. Garnets are present in the wall rock zones. The central zone of this well differentiated pegmatite vein has not been quarried. It is possible that the richest ore of this property has yet to be mined. However, the small size of the deposit may prevent future capital investment required to rejuvenate the operation. (OFR5329, p.76,76)

Mineral Record Details

References

Map - Burwash, Nipissing, Parry Sound, and Sudbury districts

Publication Number: M2271 Scale: 1:126,720 Date: 1974

Author: Lumbers S.B.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:

MonoMap - Geology of the Burwash area, districts of Nipissisng, Parry Sound, and Sudbury

Publication Number: R116 Scale: Date: 1975

Author: Lumbers S.B.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:

Map - Broder, Dill, Neelon and Dryden townships, District of Sudbury

Publication Number: M2017 Scale: 1:31,680 Date: 1997

Author: Phemister T.C., MacGregor I.D., Grant J.A., Pearson W.J., Thomson J.E., Bowie G.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Mono - Industrial minerals of the Sudbury area

Publication Number: OFR5329 Scale: Date: 1981

Author: Vos M.A., Smith B.A., Stevenato R.J.