Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI000000001812
| Record Name(s) | Ardeen - 1933, Ardeen Vein No. 1 and 2 - 1933, Fisher Prospect - 1992, McKellar Prospect - 1871, Kerry - 1936, Huronian - 1882, Jackfish - 1984, Moss - 1933 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Past Producing Mine With Reserves or Resources |
| Date Created | 1984-Mar-31 |
| Date Last Modified | 2023-Oct-23 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Gold, Silver
Secondary Commodities: Copper, Zinc, Lead
Township or Area: Moss
Latitude: 48° 32' 23.77" Longitude: -90° 46' 21.79"
UTM Zone: 15 Easting: 664399 Northing: 5378710 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South
NTS Grid: 52B10SW
Point Location Description: Shaft 2 location
Location Method: Field Visit with GPS
Access Description: The old mine shafts are located at the approx. centre of Moss Twp. approx. 105-113 km to the West-Northwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario, along highway 11 west from Thunder Bay or East from Atikokan. At highway 802 head south 29 km.
1870: Vein discovered by 2 trappers. 1871: first surface work done by P. McKellar. 1882: Huronian Mining Company of Canada looked over the property, built a road and brought a stamp mill. Mining operations commenced. 1883-85: 10 ton amalgamation mill set up, Shaft #1 sunk to 48.2 metre depth. 1925: Shield Development Company Ltd. acquired the property. 1927-29: Moss Mines Ltd. was formed and sank shaft #2 to 12.9 metre depth. 1931-32: 200 ton cyanide-leach Mill constructed, Shaft #2 to 228.6 metre depth; 1933: Ardeen Gold Mines Ltd. took over the property and developed the mine to the 1,000 ft level. 1934-35: Shaft #2 to 389.3 metre depth. 1936: Ardeen went bankrupt and operations ceased in December. 1937: Erie Canadian Mines Ltd. evaluated surface and underground data. Kerry Gold Mines Ltd. was incorporated to operate the property, but the mine only produced for one more year, in 1942. 1957: Noranda Mines Ltd. geophysical, geological, 309.1 m D.D. (5 holes), 12 trenches. 1965: Noranda Exploration Ltd. electromagnetics, trenching, D.D. 686 m (7 holes). 1968-73: Belore Mines Ltd. electromagnetics and magnetics, D.D. 412.7 m (5 holes). 1971-72: Belore Mines Ltd. VLF electromagnetics, mag, D.D. 9 holes. 1969-74: Dome Exploration Ltd. geological, horizontal loop geophysical, D.D. 1697 m (17 holes). 1977: Rio Tinto Exploration, regional airborne mag. 1978: Camflo Mines optioned the property. 1980: Lacana Mining Corp. sampled mill tailings. 1985: Kennco Exploration Ltd. geophysical, magnetometer, VLF-EM, D.D. 1894 m (16 holes); 1986-88: Matt Berry Mines Ltd. 18 DDH totalling 14,508 ft. under mine workings: 1988: Noranda Exploration Ltd. airborne EM and mag; Induced polarization, trenching on the Waverley Loop area. 1988: Rainbow Lake Res. Ltd. Mag, VLF-EM, induced polarization, D.D. 1513 m (7 holes) on the Rainbow Lake area. 1990: Gold Fields Canadian Mining Ltd. airborne VLF-EM and mag surveys. 1990: Noranda Exploration Inc. airborne mag and EM, geological, till sampling, trenching, induced polarization. 1990: Landore Exploration Inc. optioned the property and drilled 5 DDH, 3 holes SW of the Shaft #3 and 2 holes east of Shaft #2. Landore dropped their option. 1991: Noranda Mines Ltd. D.D. 879 m (3 holes) over Waverley Loop. 1992: Akiko-Lori Gold Resources geological, 336 m D.D. (5 holes) over Fisher-McKellar Zones. 1994-95: Ovalbay Geological Services Inc. mapping, stripping, sampling, D.D. 222 m (5 holes) 1996: Pele Mountain Resources drilled 15 DDH totalling 1128.3 m. 1997-2003: Pele Mountain conducted an exploration program including geological mapping, prospecting, linecutting, till sampling, rock sampling, mechanical stripping, channel sampling, VLF surveys, magnetometer surveys, downhole pulse electromagnetics, IP surveys and drilled 153 DDH totalling 12,000 m. 2003: Pele Mountain drilled 4 DDH totalling 543 m. 2004: Goldcorp optioned the property and drilled 8 DDH totalling 2500 m. 2005: East-West and Mega Uranium optioned the property and drilled 13 shallow holes targeting EM and IP anomalies for VMS. 2009: Pele signed an option agreement with Coventry Resources Ltd. for Coventry to earn a 51% interest in the project. Coventry drilled 53 DDH totalling 6435 m, primarily targeting the Fisher Zone. 2010: Coventry drilled 17 DDH totalling 1383 m. 2013: Chalice Gold signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Coventry’s interest in several assets, including the Ardeen project. 2016: Kesselrun Resources Ltd. purchased the property from Chalice Gold Mines Limited. Field work consisted of mapping, prospecting and outcrop stripping.
| Office File Number | Online Assessment File Identifier | Online Assessment File Directory |
|---|---|---|
| 2.32373 | 20000001749 | 20000001749 |
| 2.14186 | 52B10SW8108 | 52B10SW8108 |
| OM91-047 | 52B10SE0051 | 52B10SE0051 |
| 2.18383 | 52B10SW2002 | 52B10SW2002 |
| 2.18952 | 52B10SW2004 | 52B10SW2004 |
| 2.18255 | 52B10SW2003 | 52B10SW2003 |
| 2.17827 | 52B10SW2001 | 52B10SW2001 |
| 2.14625 | 52B10SE0171 | 52B10SE0171 |
| 2.17383 | 52B10SE0075 | 52B10SE0075 |
| OM91-180 | 52B10SE0062 | 52B10SE0062 |
| W9640.00603 | 52B10SW0031 | 52B10SW0031 |
| 2.25954 | 52B10SW2014 | 52B10SW2014 |
| 2.16792 | 52B10SE0036 | 52B10SE0036 |
| 2.17861 | 52B10SW0037 | 52B10SW0037 |
| 2.17592 | 52B10SW0034 | 52B10SW0034 |
| 2.17830 | 52B10SW0035 | 52B10SW0035 |
| 2.47961 | 20000006762 | 20000006762 |
| 2.30344 | 20000000840 | 20000000840 |
| 44265 | 20000017914 | 20000017914 |
| 2.58323 | 20000015344 | 20000015344 |
Province: Superior
Subprovince: Wawa
Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi
Belt: Shebandowan
Geological Age: Archean
Feb 18, 2015 (Q Unknown) - The property lies within the Shebandowan section of the Wawa-Abitibi Greenstone belt. The property is underlain by a series of intercalated felsic to mafic metavolcanic rocks which trend in a northeasterly direction and abruptly change to an easterly trend in the northern section of the claim blocks. There ae also intercalated horizons of coarse grained flows or gabbro units. To the northwest section of the claim group is a metasedimentary unit of argillites and greywackes. The central portion of the claim block is bounded by the Moss Lake syenite intrusive Batholith.
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Vein | 1 | Quartz | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnetite Ironstone | 2 | Magnetite-Chert | Massive To Banded | Near |
| Ironstone-unsubdivided | 3 | Clastic | Fragmental | Near |
| Mafic lava flow-unsubdivided | 4 | Metabasalt And Andesite | Massive And Pillowed | Near |
| Mafic flow breccia | 5 | Cobble-Boulder Basalt Clasts | Breccia | Near |
| Intermediate Tuff | 6 | Inter. Ash Flow Tuff | Pervasively Foliated | Near |
| Intermediate lava flow-unsubdivided | 7 | Rhyodacite | Breccia | Near |
| Feldspar Porphyry | 8 | Dacitic To Dioritic | Feldspar Porphyry | Near |
Feb 18, 2015 (Q Unknown) - The rocks in the vicinity of the mine are mafic metavolcanic flows intercalated with felsic metavolcanic flows of rhyolitic and tuffaceous origin. As the Moss Lake Syenite Intrusive is approached to the east the felsic metavolcaic unit (tuff and agglomerate pyroclastics) is ore prevalent and these units tend to wrap around the syenite complex. To the south are intercalated felsic volcanics (agglomerates) and mafic volcanics intruded by diorites, gabbro and syenite along the contacts. All of the units trend generally 70 to 80 degrees and are cut by a series of iron formation units up to 10 metres in width. Northeasterly to east-west trending iron formation units are associated with most of the mineralized (auriferous) zones on the property. Although gold values are directly associated with re-worked and silicified iron formation, most occur within silicified contact areas. The iron formations generally strike at 42 degrees to the east of the Ardeen Mine and 60 degrees to the west of the Ardeen Mine. Younger veins of lamprophyre, gabbro and syenite cut all of the other structures. These younger vein systems appear to be steeply dipping. Several units of feldspar porphyry, some with a syenitic phase, parallel and close to shear zones ad splays off of the shear zones.
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 2 | Chalcopyrite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 3 | Galena | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 4 | Pyrite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 5 | Sphalerite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 6 | Telluride | Economic | Ore |
Feb 18, 2015 (Therese Pettigrew) - Production was from a narrow, composite quartz vein ranging in width from a few inches to 8 feet, occurring in a wide shear zone. One of the holes drilled by Belore Mines in 1970-71 intersected three separate gold-bearing zones which assayed 1.12, 0.56, and 0.56 oz/t Au, all over separate 5 foot sections. A parallel hole drilled 60 ft to the west was essentially barren (0.08 oz/t Au over 5 ft) while a hole 50 ft to the east cut 0.66 oz Au per ton and 0.88 oz Ag per ton over a 2 ft section along with a section grading 0.18 oz/t Au over 5 ft (AFRI 52B10SW2003). Coventry’s drill program returned assays of up to 11.6 m at 27.0 g/t Au and 41.1 g/t Ag. The drill program results show that high-grade gold mineralization at the Fisher Zone extends over a strike length exceeding 300 m in a series of moderately-plunging shoots. Gold mineralization remains open at depth (http://www.pelemountain.com/ardeen_project.php). Geological mapping by Pele Mountain has outlined at least five quartz vein systems associated with shear zones offset from the Ardeen Fault. Four types of gold-bearing systems have been outlined which are: quartz veining parallel to shearing, gold within silicified / brecciated and reworked iron formation, thermal intrusive zones along gabbro or syenite complexes, and polymetallic base metal environments along the felsic-mafic metavolcanic contacts. The trenching program was run over five gold-bearing vein systems: Pele Zone, Pele North Zone, Trench #1 Zone, Trench #2 Zone, and the Fisher Zone. The most extensive of these is the Pele Zone which has been delineated for a distance of 1800 m and is still open-ended at both sides (AFRI 52B10SW0037). The Fisher East and DM Zone targets are iron formation-hosted gold targets. The iron formations are proximal to a major fault structure, the Ardeen Fault; a setting for structurally controlled, gold-bearing quartz-carbonate veins, from which past production occurred. Most of these carry disseminated pyrite and anomalous base metal sulphides (MacDonald, 2004). Most of the gold and base metal occurrences in the area are associated with felsic metavolcanics (rhyolite-feldspar porphyry), mafic metavolcanics (basalts), gabbro (coarse-grained flows), or ultramafic units. The gold-bearing systems are associated with the first three units. Gold-bearing systems are shear controlled and coincide with units of feldspar porphyry (altered rhyolite) and iron formation. Most of the gold-bearing systems have associated base-metal values (chalcopyrite with minor sphalerite). Within the mafic metavolcanic areas, the gold-bearing veins are also associated with contact areas with gabbro intrusives and coarse-grained flow units. The Ardeen Mine began production in 1932 and closed in 1936. The main orebody lies within a shear-controlled contact between gabbro intrusive units to the north and pillow basalt flows and breccias to the south. The gold-bearing quartz veins along the contact areas and within the Ardeen Fault, and mainly within the basalt units. The mineralized zone also lies along the contact with a feldspar porphyry or rhyolite volcanic unit. The mineralization occurs within a quartz vein system ranging from a few cm to 7.3 m in width. Within the main orebody, some 426 m in length, there are a series of en echelon veins up to 1.8 m wide and 61 m long. The veins averaged between 10.0 and 18.1 g/t Au (AFRI 52B10SW0037).
Feb 18, 2015 (Q Unknown) - Within the main Ardeen shear, it is reported that the quartz vein contains chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, pyrite, telluride and possibly small amounts of native gold. The quartz lenses are 0.6 to 60 m long and 0.3 to 1.8 m thick. The lenses are at an acute angle to the shearing and are 'en echelon' with a rake of 35 to 40 degrees to the NE. 2 distinct varieties of quartz are present in the mine. The older quartz is milky white, with a glassy appearance, and contains only pyrite. The second variety cuts the older quartz and contains gold along with accessory sulphides. Northeasterly to east-west trending iron formation units are associated with most of the mineralized zones on the property. Although gold values are directly associated with re-worked and silicified iron formation, most occur within silicified contact areas. All the gold-bearing veins are associated with shear zones or fault zones.
| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| 1 | Metamorphic |
| Rank | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fault |
| 2 | Sheared |
| 3 | Vein |
| Shape | Length | Thickness | Depth | Strike | Dip | Plunge | Trend | Age | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2 | 90 | 225 |
| Shape | Length | Thickness | Depth | Strike | Dip | Plunge | Trend | Age | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2000 | 10 | 85 | 225 |
| Zone | Year | Category | Tonnes | Reference | Comments | Commodities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher Zone | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 23270 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 13.0 g/t |
| Fisher South Zone | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 5439 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 6.6 g/t |
| Ardeen Mine | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 1082939 | The Ontario Prospector, v.1, no.3, p35 (1998), CMH 2002-03 p.335 | 1,082,939 T @ 14.4g/T Au(uncut) [991,739 T @11.2 g/T Au, assays cut to 2 oz Au/T]. Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 11.2 g/t |
| Ardeen Mine | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 90650 | The Ontario Prospector, v.1, no.3, p35 (1998), CMH 2002-03 p.335 | 90,650 T @ 15.3 g/T Au (uncut) [84,904T @11.6 g/T Au, assays cut to 2oz Au/t]. Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 15.3 g/t |
| Fisher North Zone | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 90500 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 6.9 g/t |
| Fisher North Zone | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 11161 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 6.9 g/t |
| Trench 2 | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 19700 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 36.2 g/t |
| Fisher South Zone | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 5439 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 6.6 g/t |
| Fisher Zone | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 605200 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 13.0 g/t |
| Pele Zone | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 145000 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 8.3 g/t |
| Pele Zone | 1998 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 31050 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 8.3 g/t |
| Trench 2 | 1998 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 141100 | Minescape Exploration Resource Estimation, 1998 | Not NI 43-101 compliant. | Gold 36.2 g/t |
| Ardeen Mine | 1936 | Unclassified | 26000 | N.O. Lawton (taken from Pele Mtn. Report by C. Larouche) | average value of gold and silver | Gold 13.4 g/t |
| Year | Tonnes | Commodities | Reference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | 130384 |
Silver 172376 Ounces Gold 29948 Ounces |
R085 p. 35 | Operated intermittently from 1875-1942; 143,724 tons for 29,948 oz Au & 172,376 oz Ag. |
| 1942 | 1 |
Gold 372 Ounces |
ARV52 Table 5 | $13,017 production (372 oz Au equivalent based on $35 price Au). No tonnage reported |
| 1936 | 33258 |
Silver 30992 Ounces Gold 5883 Ounces |
ARV46 part 1 p. 96 | Produced 5883.16 oz Au and 30,992.13 oz Ag from 36,660 tons of ore |
| 1935 | 5338 |
Gold 929 Ounces |
ARV45 part 1 p. 19 | $32,531 production (929 oz Au equivalent based on $35 price Au) from 5,884 tons |
| 1934 | 34603 |
Gold 6174 Ounces |
ARV45 part 1 p. 19 | $216,094 production (6,174 oz Au equivalent based on $35 price Au) from 38,143 tons |
| 1933 | 31560 |
Gold 13066 Ounces |
ARV45 part 1 p. 19 | $270,077 production (13,066 oz Au equivalent based on $20.67 price Au) from 34,798 tons |
| 1932 | 23009 |
Gold 9505 Ounces |
ARV45 part 1 p. 19 | $196,473 production (9505 oz Au equivalent based on $20.67 price Au) from 25,363 tons |
| 1882 | 700 |
Gold 217 Ounces |
Larouche, C. assessment report 1996 (AFRO 2.18255) | Recovery of $11 per ton in gold and silver (0.31 opt Au equivalent) |
Mono - Property visits and reports of the Atikokan economic geologist, 1979-1983, Atikokan geological survey
Publication Number: OFR5539 Page: 67-74 Date: 1985
Author: Schnieders B.R., Dutka R.J.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Mono - Gold deposits of Ontario, part 1, districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay
Publication Number: MDC013 Page: 280-281 Date: 1971
Author: Ferguson S.A., Groen H.A., Haynes R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of the Moss Lake area, District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: R085 Page: 42-48 Date: 1970
Author: Harris F.R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Part - Huronian Gold Mine, Moss Township, District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: ARV37-04.004 Page: 109-127 Date: 1998
Author: Watson R.J.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
MonoMap - Geology and Mineral Potential, Greenwater Lake Area, West-Central Shebandowan Greenstone Belt
Publication Number: R296 Date: 1997
Author: Osmani I.A.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Publication - Compilation of Exploration Data on the Moss Lake Area Properties of Pele Mountain Resources Ltd.
Publication Number: Tech Rep Date: 2004
Author: MacDonald, C.J.D.
Publisher Name: Pele Mountain Resources
Location: http://www.pelemountain.com
Publication - Resource Estimation of the Ardeen Mine Property, Thunder Bay Mining Division, Ontario
Publication Number: Res Est Date: 1998
Author: Murphy, R.P., Hunter, A.D.
Publisher Name: Minescape Exploration Inc. for Pele Mountain Resources
Location: Company files
Map - Precambrian Geology Compilation Series - Quetico Sheet
Publication Number: M2663 Scale: 1:250,000 Date: 2001
Author: Santaguida F.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Part - Statistical review of the mineral industry of Ontario for 1935
Publication Number: ARV45-01.001 Page: 15, 19 Date: 1997
Author: Young A.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Map - Powell Lake sheet, Thunder Bay District
Publication Number: M2204 Scale: 1:31,680 Date: 1970
Author: Harris F.R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs
Location:
Mono - Report of Activities 1997, Resident Geologists Program, Thunder Bay South Regional Resident Geologist's Report: Thunder Bay South District
Publication Number: OFR5971 Page: 32-33 Date: 1998
Author: Schnieders B.R., Scott J.F., Smyk M.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Map - Precambrian Geology, Moss Township
Publication Number: M2624 Scale: 1:20,000 Date: 1997
Author: Osmani I.A.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Map - Moss Lake area (north part), District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: P0451 Scale: 1:31,680 Date: 1997
Author: Harris F.R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Map - Geological compilation series, Quetico sheet, districts of Thunder Bay and Rainy River
Publication Number: P0188 Scale: 1:126,720 Date: 1997
Author: Pye E.G., Fenwick K.G.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
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