Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI32D12SW00007

Record: MDI32D12SW00007

General

Mineral Record Identification
Record Name(s) Bird Mine - 1987, Garrison Deposit - 1987, Canadian Johns-Manville Co. Ltd. - 1919, Bird-Ginn - 1987
Related Record Type Simple
Related Record(s)
Record Status Developed Prospect With Reported Reserves or Resources
Date Created 1987-Apr-06
Date Last Modified 2023-Aug-16
Created By
Revised By

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Asbestos



Location

Township or Area: Garrison

Latitude: 48° 32' .33"    Longitude: -79° 58' 16.49"

UTM Zone: 17    Easting: 575945.322   Northing: 5376101.78    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Kirkland Lake

NTS Grid: 32D12SW

Point Location Description: Outcrop

Location Method: Conversion from MDI

Access Description: The Canadian Johns-Manville Co. S.J. Bird Mine is located north of Highway 101 in northwest Garrison Township, about 40 km east of Matheson. The now capped shaft and exploration pits are near the no.1 post of patented claim no. 54626.



Exploration History

1919: Knight et al. (1919) reported that on the west side of a hill located about 2,150 m west and about 800 m south of the NW corner of Garrison Township (on or near what was to be known as the Canadian Johns-Manville Co. Ltd. S.J. Bird deposit), samples from a narrow (inches in width) quartz vein assayed 0.019 oz Au / ton. 1950: S.J. Bird: staked claims in NW Garrison Twp; 18 DDH's (1,207 ft) beneath an asbestos surface occurrence. 1951-1952: CANADIAN JOHNS-MANVILLE CO. LTD.: optioned 14 Bird claims; geophys. survey; 26 DDH's (14,923 ft); acq. he Bird Group and additiona; claims in area; compl.additional diamond drilling. [1968]:sank 3-comp. 314 ft deep expl. shaft, est. 632 level (294 ft beneath surface); drifting (1,390 ft), stockpiled bulk samples on surface. [1969]: 5,505 ft of drifting and 3,296 ft of x-cutting compl. on 632 level; 29 surf. DDH's (18,251 ft); surface stockpiles graded, and samples sent for assaying and pilot milling. [1970]: drifting (2,397 ft) , x-cutting (976 ft) compl. on 632 level; Prior to dismantling the headframe and installation of a reinforced concrete bulkhead on top of the shaft, aggregate development work on 632 level to about 9,292 feet of drifting and


Assessment Work on File

Assessment Work on File
Office File Number Online Assessment File Identifier Online Assessment File Directory
KL-0354 32D12SW0183 32D12SW0183

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Abitibi

Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi

Belt: Abitibi

Geological Age: Mesoarchean  

Metamorphism Grade: Greenschist



Geology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - The asbestos bodies occur within the basal cumulate dunitic portion of a 760 m thick layered komatiitic (Kretschmar and Kretschmar 1986, Jensen and Langford 1985) ultramafic to mafic sill (Satterly 1949, Jensen and Langford 1985) which Jensen and Langford interpreted to be part of the (Archean) Stoughton- Roquemaure Group. This sill is largely glacial drift covered (Vagners and Courtney 1985; McClenaghan et al. 1988, 1987; Steele 1988) and is poorly exposed. Exploration diamond drilling indicates that the lower, peridotitic part of the sill overlies mainly cherty tuff, tuff breccia, and intercalated jasper iron formation of the (Archean) Hunter Mine Group. The sill is overlain by about 200 m of Fe-tholeiitic basalt which is (at its top) in fault contact with calc alkalic volcanic rocks of the Hunter Mine Group. The sill (and enclosing stratigraphy) is east southeast striking, moderately (60-70 degrees) north dipping, north facing, and is spatially associated with the east striking Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone (Jensen and Langford 1985, Jensen and Baker 1986, Johnstone and Steele 1989). A recent geophysical survey of Garrison Township (OGS 1984) indicates that the serpentinite bodies hosting the asbestos mineralization are spatially associated with a prominent horizon of anomalously elevated magnetic values. Regional metamorphic grade in the area is greenschist or lower metamorphic facies.




Lithology

Lithology Data
Rock Type Rank Composition Texture Relationship
Breccia-unsubdivided 1 Tuff Footwall
Ironstone-unsubdivided 2 Jasper If Footwall
Mafic lava flow-unsubdivided 3 Tholeiitic Basalt Hanging Wall
Felsic lava flow-unsubdivided 4 Calc-Alkalic Hanging Wall
Dunite 5 Srp Dunite; Asb, Mag, Tlc-C Contains

Lithology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - The asbestos bodies occur within the basal cumulate dunitic portion of a 760 m thick layered komatiitic (Kretschmar and Kretschmar 1986, Jensen and Langford 1985) ultramafic to mafic sill (Satterly 1949, Jensen and Langford 1985) which Jensen and Langford interpreted to be part of the (Archean) Stoughton- Roquemaure Group. This sill is largely glacial drift covered (Vagners and Courtney 1985; McClenaghan et al. 1988, 1987; Steele 1988) and is poorly exposed. Exploration diamond drilling indicates that the lower, peridotitic part of the sill overlies mainly cherty tuff, tuff breccia, and intercalated jasper iron formation of the (Archean) Hunter Mine Group. The sill is overlain by about 200 m of Fe-tholeiitic basalt which is (at its top) in fault contact with calc alkalic volcanic rocks of the Hunter Mine Group. The sill (and enclosing stratigraphy) is east southeast striking, moderately (60-70 degrees) north dipping, north facing, and is spatially associated with the east striking Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone (Jensen and Langford 1985, Jensen and Baker 1986, Johnstone and Steele 1989). A recent geophysical survey of Garrison Township (OGS 1984) indicates that the serpentinite bodies hosting the asbestos mineralization are spatially associated with a prominent horizon of anomalously elevated magnetic values. Regional metamorphic grade in the area is greenschist or lower metamorphic facies.




Mineralization

Mineralization and Alteration
Rank Mineral Name Class Economic Mineral Type Alteration Mineral Type Alteration Ranking Alteration Intensity Alteration Style
1SerpentineEconomicGangue
2TalcEconomicGangue
3ChromiteEconomicGangue
4MagnetiteEconomicGangue
5BruciteEconomicGangue
6AsbestosEconomicGangue
SerpentineAlterationSerpentinization1Medium
TalcAlterationSerpentinization2
CarbonateAlterationCarbonatization3
AsbestosAlterationSerpentinization4
BruciteAlterationSerpentinization5
MagnetiteAlterationSerpentinization6Medium

Mineralization Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - The asbestos bodies (according to Wicks et al. 1984, at least 5 distinct asbestos bodies occur near the shaft) are hosted by the thick (about 600 m thick) basal extensively serpentinized cumulate dunite portion of the sill which is in sheared contact with the much thinner (about 100 m in thickness) upper, gabbroic part of the sill (Jensen and Langford 1985). Petrography (as reported by Wicks et al. 1984) indicates that the dunitic portion of the sill has undergone two episodes of serpentinization: an earlier stage of retrograde serpentinization characterized by the development of lizardite IT mesh textures after olivine and bastites after pyroxenes; and a later prograde serpentinization event which is characterized by the development of chrysotile asbestos, brucite, and magnetite displaying non pseudomorphous textures. The serpentinization observed at the S.J. Bird Mine is noted by Wicks et al. (1986) to be similar in many respects to that observed at the Canadian Johns-Manville Co. Ltd. Munro (asbestos) Mine, in Munro Township, but that in Garrison Township, the serpentinization process was more widespread, extensive, and mineralogically varied. As at the Munro Mine, at the S.J. Bird Mine, Wicks et al. 1984 reported that zones of late talc-carbonate alteration occur and that these limit the size of the potentially economic asbestos bodies.



Alteration Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - Petrography (as reported by Wicks et al. 1984) indicates that the dunitic portion of the sill has undergone two episodes of serpentinization: an earlier stage of retrograde serpentinization characterized by the development of lizardite IT mesh textures after olivine and bastites after pyroxenes; and a later prograde serpentinization event which is characterized by the development of chrysotile asbestos, brucite, and magnetite displaying non pseudomorphous textures. The serpentinization observed at the S.J. Bird Mine is noted by Wicks et al. (1986) to be similar in many respects to that observed at the Canadian Johns-Manville Co. Ltd. Munro (asbestos) Mine, in Munro Township, but that in Garrison Township, the serpentinization process was more widespread, extensive, and mineralogically varied. As at the Munro Mine, at the S.J. Bird Mine, Wicks et al. 1984 reported that zones of late talc-carbonate alteration occur and that these limit the size of the potentially economic asbestos bodies.




Mineral Record Details

Characteristics
Rank Characteristic            
1 Sheared

Mineral Zones - Size and Shape

Rank: 1       Structure Type: Contact

Zone Name: Detour Lake - Rank 1
Shape Length Thickness Depth Strike Dip Plunge Trend Age Reference
Unknown

Site Visit Information

Date: Feb 17, 1997

Geologist: R Degagne

Notes: N/A



Reserves or Resources Data
Zone Year Category Tonnes Reference Comments Commodities
Bird Mine 1971 Unclassified 299376000 NMI Card 323D/12 ASB1 Asbestos 9.75 %

References

Map - Township of Garrison, District of Cochrane, Ontario

Publication Number: M1949-01 Scale: 1:12,000    Date: 1997

Author: Satterly J., Hogg N.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Map - Geological series, Precambrian geology of the Magusi River area, Cochrane and Timiskaming districts

Publication Number: P2434 Scale: 1:63,360    Date: 1982

Author: Jensen L.S.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Map - Geological series, Precambrian geology of the Magusi River area, Cochrane and Timiskaming districts

Publication Number: P2434 Scale: 1:63,360    Date: 1982

Author: Jensen L.S.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Part - Geology of Garrison Township

Publication Number: ARV58-04 Page: 9-10  Date: 1997

Author: Satterly J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Map - Geophysical/geochemical series, Matheson-Black River area, Garrison Township, airborne electromagnetic survey, total intensity magnetic survey, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: M80598 Scale: 1:20,000    Date: 1984

Author: Questor Surveys Ltd.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Asbestos in Ontario

Publication Number: IMR036 Page: 44  Date: 1998

Author: Vos M.A.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:


Map - Geological series, Quaternary geology, Lightning River area, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: P2734 Scale: 1:50,000    Date: 1985

Author: Vagners U.J., Courtney S.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Industrial minerals of northern Ontario-supplement 2

Publication Number: OFR5439 Page: 20-21  Date: 1983

Author: Vos M.A., Smith V.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Talc, magnesite and asbestos deposits in the Timmins-Kirkland Lake area, districts of Timiskaming and Cochrane

Publication Number: S028 Page: 57-59  Date: 1986

Author: Kretschmar U.H., Kretschmar D.K.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Folio - Garrison Township, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: GDIF360 Date: 1997

Author: Kirkland Lake RGO

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Mineral occurrences, deposits, and mines of the Black River-Matheson area

Publication Number: OFR5735 Page: 708-713  Date: 1990

Author: Bath A.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


File - Res/Reg Property Visit Report #101

Publication Number: PV-101 Date: 1901

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Kirkland Lake RGP office


Mono - Asbestos in Ontario

Publication Number: IMR001 Date: 1997

Author: Hewitt D.F., Satterly J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Book - Geology and petrogenesis of the Archean Abitibi belt in the Kirkland Lake area, Ontario

Publication Number: MP123 Date: 1985

Author: Jensen L.S., Langford F.F.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Article - Quaternary geology and geochemical exploration in the Matheson area

Publication Number: MP140.294 Date: 1997

Author: McClenaghan M.B., Lavin O.P., Nichol I., Shaw J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Annual report on mining operations in Ontario during calendar year 1968

Publication Number: ARV78 Date: 1998

Author: Riddell G.S.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Mono - Annual report on mining operations in Ontario during calendar year 1969

Publication Number: ARV79 Date: 1998

Author: Riddell G.S.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:


Book - Mineralogy and geochemistry of the chrysotile asbestos deposits of Ontario: Munro Mine and Garrison deposit

Publication Number: MP121.138 Date: 1997

Author: Wicks F.J., Pu W., Hedjran K.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


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For detailed information regarding this mineral record please contact the Kirkland Lake Resident Geologist District Office