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Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI52A10NE00007
| Record Name(s) | Thunder Bay Amethyst Panorama - 1980, Thunder Bay Amethyst - 1967, Elbow Lake - 1935 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | Compound |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Producing Mine |
| Date Created | 1984-Nov-02 |
| Date Last Modified | 2022-Feb-24 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Amethyst
Township or Area: McTavish
Latitude: 48° 41' 28.19" Longitude: -88° 43' 34.14"
UTM Zone: 16 Easting: 372968.76 Northing: 5394562.37 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South
NTS Grid: 52A10NE
Point Location Description: Just east of Elboy Lake, Conc. IV, Lots 6 and 7, and Conc. V, Lots 6 and 7, McTavish Twp.
Location Method: Conversion from MDI
Access Description: Hwy. 11/17 to the East Loon Lake Road, about 5 km. east of the Pass Lake highway. Follow the East Loon road north, staying to the right at the first Y intersection. The mine is about 10km. from the highway.
1935: fishermen, hobbyists and rock collectors in the area unearthed the original amethyst crystals and cluster groups. 1959: claims acquired by A. Hartvisksen and partners. 1962: A. Hartviksen carried out trenching, drilling, and blasting. 1965: Thunder Bay Amethyst Company Limited was incorporated to acquire the two original patented claims. 1967: mine officially opened. 1973-74: Thunder Bay Amethyst Mining Co. Ltd drilled 8 DDH totalling 791.9 m. 1975-76: Thunder Bay Amethyst Mining drilled 5 DDH totalling 372.5 m. 1980: Precious Purple Gemstones Ltd. purchased the mine and changed the name to Thunder Bay Amethyst Mine Panorama.
| Office File Number | Online Assessment File Identifier | Online Assessment File Directory |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 52A10NE0034 | 52A10NE0034 |
| 13 | 52A10NE0032 | 52A10NE0032 |
| 63.2930 | 52A10NE0033 | 52A10NE0033 |
Province: Superior
Subprovince: Quetico
Geological Age: Archean
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Pegmatite | 1 | Quartz Monzonite to Pegmatite | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vein | 2 | Amethystine Quartz | Is |
Jun 01, 2018 (Therese Pettigrew) - The bedrock in the vicinity of the mine is a pink, coarse-grained monzonite. The main fault zone strikes and dips at 110/65S and is contained entirely within the monzonite. The fault is occupied by a breccia zone consisting of fragments of Proterozoic mudstone and monzonite. The fragments tend to all be of similar size, about 15-20 cm cemented by white quartz. Angular space in the breccia are lined with medium-purple amethyst points, all well-formed and free of deleterious coatings. A second fracture system, trending at 010 degrees, has caused dilation where the 2 zones intersect, resulting in very large vugs and open spaces. Amethyst points up to 15 cm in diameter have been recovered from these vugs (Garland, 1994).
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amethyst | Economic | Ore |
Jun 01, 2018 (Therese Pettigrew) - A major east-west fault dipping 70-75 degrees south forms the north wall of the mine opening. North of this fault, a NE-striking quartz vein with amethyst can be seen in the outcrop, with a total width of mineralized rock in the mine area of well over 24 m. Amethyst occurs throughout the east-west fracture and shear zone as crystals, from tiny to 9 inches in diameter, crystal clusters from small to 2 feet and weighing up to 750 pounds, breccia with amethyst seams of any orientation. Vugs lined with amethyst crystals is estimated to be 5% by volume with vug size ranging up to feet by 6 feet by 4 feet wide. Total amethyst content within the fault zone is estimated to represent 20% of the whole (AFRI 52A10NE0033).
| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vein |
| Rank | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vein |
| Year | Tonnes | Commodities | Reference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 233147 | Garland, 1994, p. 167 | 257,000 tons |
Map - Geological series, McTavish Township (west part of north half), District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: P0720 Scale: 1:15,840 Date: 1997
Author: McIlwaine W.H.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs
Location:
Mono - Amethyst deposits of Ontario
Publication Number: GB05 Scale: Date: 1998
Author: Vos M.A.
Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines
Location:
Article - 1975 report of the North Central Regional Geologist
Publication Number: MP064.004 Scale: Date: 1997
Author: Fenwick K.G., Scott J.F.
Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines
Location:
Mono - Amethyst in the Thunder Bay Area
Publication Number: OFR5891 Scale: Date: 1994
Author: Garland M.I.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Mono - Report of Activities 2014, Resident Geologist Program, Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay South District
Publication Number: OFR6303 Scale: Date: 2015
Author: Puumala M.A., Campbell D.A., Tims A., Debicki R.L., Pettigrew T.K., Brunelle M.R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
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For detailed information regarding this mineral record please contact the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist District Office