Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI42A09SE00011

Record: MDI42A09SE00011

General

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Asbestos

Location

Township or Area: Munro

Latitude: 48° 33' 34.09"    Longitude: -80° 14' 49.4"

UTM Zone: 17    Easting: 555556.178   Northing: 5378759.729    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Kirkland Lake

NTS Grid: 42A09SE

Point Location Description: A point 2.45 km north and 1.95 km east of the southwest corner of Munro Township.

Location Method: Conversion from MDI

Access Description: The Munro Mine is in lots 10 and 11, concession II, Munro Township, about 16 km east of Matheson. Access to the mine is provided by a 2.5 km long paved road accessible from highway 101 near the southwest corner of Munro Township, about 450 m east of the intersection of highways 572 (from Holtyre) and 101 (from Matheson).

Exploration History

1948: CANADIAN JOHNS-MANVILLE CO. LTD.: acquired block of 45 claims, 1 veteran lot in Beatty/Munro Twp. area. [1949]:56,369 ft DD; stripping (126,180 tons). [1950]:stripping (599,065 tons); 90 DDH's (55,061 ft); mill begins processing ore. [1951]: drifting (1,176 ft), x-cutting (2,972 ft), 17,405 ft DD on A-orebody; stripping (159,528 tons). [1953]: stripping (244,108 tons). [1954]: No.1 Main shaft sunk (to 30 ft) on A-orebody; stripping (360,696 tons). [1955]: No.1 Main shaft deepened to 822 ft; levels est. at 637 and 693; x-cutting (280 ft), raising (15 ft), 10 u/g and surf. DDH's (3,874 ft); steel headframe erected; mill enlarged. [1956]: No.1 service shaft sunk to 629 ft (levels est. at 80, 300, 430, 515, 560, 600, and 613); Main Shaft (drifting-1,208 ft; x-cutting-2,844 ft; raising-55 ft on 637 and 693 levels); Service Shaft (x-cutting-444 ft; 78 u/g and surf. DDH's-28,170 ft. [1957]:Main Shaft (drifting-1,960 ft, x-cutting-1,102 ft, raising-1,061 ft) on 637 level; Service Shaft:(drifting-7,097, x-cutting-1,882, raising-2,143 ft); 43 u/g and surf. DDH's (18,0135 ft); stripping- 77,480 tons. [1958]:drifting-6,613 ft; x-cutting-5,106 ft, raising-1,479 ft; 19 u/g DDH's (1,803 ft). [1959]: open pit operations cease; No.3 Shaft (winze) sunk 94 ft from 367 level; drifting-4,551 ft, x-cutting-2,053 ft; 105 u/g DDH's (14,257 ft). [1960]:No.3 Shafdt deepened another 71 ft ( 737 level est.); stripping-4,700 tons; drifting-3,905; x-cutting- 2,492 ft; raising-824 ft; 75 u/g DDH's (13,740 ft). [1961]:No.3 Shaft deepened to 949 ft (900 level est.); drifting-3,779 ft, raising-265 ft, x-cutting-1,943 ft; 110 u/g and surf. DDH's (28,119 ft). [1962] No.1 Main Shaft deepened to 1,204 ft (941 and 997 levels est.); drifting-2,415 ft, x-cutting-1,658 ft, raising-698 ft; 68 DDH's (13,502 ft). [1963]:No.1 Main Shaft (drifting- 600 ft, x-cutting-2,063 ft, raising-309 ft; 13 u/g DDH's (3,643 ft). [1964]: Operations ended July 31. [1966-88]: Mine idle; open pit flooded.

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Abitibi

Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi

Belt: Abitibi

Tectonic Assemblage: Stoughton-Roquemaure

Geological Age: Mesoarchean  

Metamorphism Grade: Greenschist

Geology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - Geological mapping (Satterly 1952; Johnstone and Trowell 1985, 1984; Jensen and Baker 1986; Johnstone 1987; Johnstone and Steele 1989; Vagners 1984; McClenaghan et al. 1988, 1987; Steele 1988) indicates that serpentinized peridotite and dunite which host the asbestos mineralization are hosted by weakly metamorphosed (greenschist or lower metamorphic facies) volcanic rocks of the (Archean) Stoughton-Roquemaure Group. The Munro Mine asbestos bodies are hosted by a layered mafic to ultramafic sill-like body (or bodies) which is (are) southeast striking and vertical to steeply south dipping. This igneous mass has been traced along strike magnetically and by surface diamond drilling for at least 5.6 km. The host igneous body (or composite bodies) ranges from about 300 m in width in the east to about 350 m in width in the west and consists now of serpentinized peridotite and dunite, pyroxenite, gabbro, and diorite. The sill-like body which hosts the asbestos mineralization is bounded on both the north and south by southeast striking, steeply dipping and north facing felsic to mafic volcanic rocks of the Stoughton-Roquemaure Group. It is the serpentinized dunite/peridotite horizon which hosts the asbestos orebodies.

Lithology

Lithology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - Geological mapping (Satterly 1952; Johnstone and Trowell 1985, 1984; Jensen and Baker 1986; Johnstone 1987; Johnstone and Steele 1989; Vagners 1984; McClenaghan et al. 1988, 1987; Steele 1988) indicates that serpentinized peridotite and dunite which host the asbestos mineralization are hosted by weakly metamorphosed (greenschist or lower metamorphic facies) volcanic rocks of the (Archean) Stoughton-Roquemaure Group. The Munro Mine asbestos bodies are hosted by a layered mafic to ultramafic sill-like body (or bodies) which is (are) southeast striking and vertical to steeply south dipping. This igneous mass has been traced along strike magnetically and by surface diamond drilling for at least 5.6 km. The host igneous body (or composite bodies) ranges from about 300 m in width in the east to about 350 m in width in the west and consists now of serpentinized peridotite and dunite, pyroxenite, gabbro, and diorite. The sill-like body which hosts the asbestos mineralization is bounded on both the north and south by southeast striking, steeply dipping and north facing felsic to mafic volcanic rocks of the Stoughton-Roquemaure Group. It is the serpentinized dunite/peridotite horizon which hosts the asbestos orebodies. The gabbro is about 80 m thick near the A orebody and consists of coarse to medium grained diorite, quartz gabbro, and (minor) micropegmatite phases. The pyroxenite is a narrow, discontuously developed horizon in a fine grained groundmass of serpentine, chlorite, actinolite, and plagioclase. The cumulate peridotite/dunite portion of the igneous body in the A orebody area is about 150 m thick and widens to a thickness of about 275 m near the Beatty/Munro Township common boundary. Felsic to mafic dikes (including lamprophyre and north striking (Proterozoic) Matachewan swarm (Heaman 1989) diabase dikes) intrude the igneous body. At the east end of the A orebody, is a light grey colored, massive, and locally schistose domain of talc-carbonate schist.

Mineralization

Mineralization Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - The peridotite is pervasively serpentinized and consists of scattered grains of bastite (fractured pyroxene variably replaced by antigorite and zoisite) supported in a matrix of antigorite, serpophite, and magnetite and has a 5 m thick chilled carbonate- and talc-altered clinopyroxenitic base. Within these veins, the chrysotile asbestos occurs as single cross fibre veins (consisting of single strands of asbestos oriented approximately orthogonally to the vein walls and extending across the entire vein width) and as composite cross fibre veins (consisting of multiple sets of fibres oriented approximately orthogonally to vein walls which extend variable distances across the width of the vein). Group 4 and some Group 6 asbestos fibre were recovered from the A orebody. The fibre was described as being a harsh and fast filtering variety which was strong, flexible and teasable into soft, cottony masses. Abundant magnetite occurs within the asbestos veinlets and marginal to them as disseminations within the serpentinized host rock. Picrolite and slip serpentine also occur at the mine.

Alteration Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (R Degagne) - The peridotite is pervasively serpentinized and consists of scattered grains of bastite (fractured pyroxene variably replaced by antigorite and zoisite) supported in a matrix of antigorite, serpophite, and magnetite and has a 5 m thick chilled carbonate- and talc-altered clinopyroxenitic base. At the east end of the A orebody, a light grey colored, massive, and locally schistose domain of talc-carbonate schist envelopes the serpentinized ultramafic mass. This zone of alteration consists of fine grained aggregates of talc, magnesium carbonate, and minor amounts of magnetite and chlorite. The talc-carbonate alteration is post serpentinization and replaces both the serpentinized dunite and peridotite and the chrysotile asbestos veins (as fibrous carbonate replacing the asbestos).

Assay Samples

Mineral Record Details

Mineral Zones - Size and Shape

Site Visit Information

Date: Feb 04, 1997

Geologist: R Degagne

Notes: Chemically, the layered igneous mass which hosts the asbestos bodies is komatiitic (Wicks et al. 1984, Kretschmar and Kretschmar 1986) and textures in the basal chilled clinopyroxenite also suggest a komatiitic composition (Johnstone 1987). Early workers interpreted this igneous body to be a differentiated sill, but more recent work (Johnstone 1987, Wicks et al. 1984) cite evidence which suggests that the mass is complex, being perhaps both intrusive and extrusive at different places along its strike, and that it may be intruded by at least one and possibly by multiple semi-discordant peridotite/dunite bodies. ( A. C. Bath, OFR 5735, V.1, p.326)

Date: Dec 19, 2000

Geologist: D Guidon

Notes: Property visited June 27, 2000 with Rob Glover. Looked at general geology of the deposit and looked for sulphide mineralization for the potential of PGE host. Samples: 00308 - serpentinized dunite with about 1% vfg py - assays reported - no PGE's. Photos: 730111 - view of waste pile from north side of pit; 730112 - view looking east from north side of pit; 730113 - view looking east from west side of pit - shaft location on point on right side of photo; 730114 - view looking to waste pile from west end of pit. On October 25, 2000, Noranda Magnesium announced that it has produced its first magnesium metal at its new 63,000-tonnes-per-year facility in Danville, Quebec. The largest production facility in the world, the Magnola plant is also the first using proprietary technology developed by Noranda to extract magnesium from serpentine mine tailings. With this development, the tailings pile could be a new resources for future processing.

References

File - Resident Geologist file KL-0376

Publication Number: Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Kirkland Lake RGP office

Map - Township of Munro, District of Cochrane, Ontario

Publication Number: M1951-05 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:

Part - Geology of Munro Township

Publication Number: ARV60-08 Page: 36-40  Date: 1997

Author: Satterly J.

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:

Mono - Asbestos in Ontario

Publication Number: IMR036 Page: 33-41  Date: 1998

Author: Vos M.A.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:

Map - Black River-Matheson Area

Publication Number: OFM0013 Scale: 1:15,840    Date: 1985

Author: Johnstone R.M., Trowell N.F.

Publisher Name:

Location:

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

Publication Number: S028 Page: 8, 60-69  Date: 1986

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

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

Folio - Munro Township, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: GDIF361 Date: 1997

Author: Kirkland Lake RGO

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

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

Publication Number: M80586 Scale: 1:20,000    Date: 1984

Author: Questor Surveys Ltd.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

Map - Quaternary geology of Matheson area, Cochrane District

Publication Number: P2735 Scale: 1:50,000    Date: 1985

Author: Vagners U.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

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

Publication Number: OFR5735 Page: 317-382  Date: 1990

Author: Bath A.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

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:

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:

Article - Precambrian geology of the Black River-Matheson (BRIM) area, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: MP126.056S Date: 1997

Author: Johnstone R.M., Trowell N.F.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

Mono - Asbestos in Ontario

Publication Number: IMR001 Date: 1997

Author: Hewitt D.F., Satterly J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Journal - Chrysotile Asbestos in Munro and Beatty Townships, Ontario; Transactions of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, volume 54

Publication Number: CIMM V54 Page: 28-35  Date: 1951

Author: Hendry, N.W.

Publisher Name: Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Location: Kirkland Lake RGP

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:

Book - Press release, Noranda Produces First Magnesium Metal

Publication Number: Noranda PR Date: 2000

Author: Noranda Magnesium

Publisher Name:

Location:

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