Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI42A10SW00046

Record: MDI42A10SW00046

General

Mineral Record Identification
Record Name(s) Clavos Mine - 2007, Clavos Deposit - 1948, Canamax Resources Inc./Bruneau J.V. - 1985, Bazinet Group 1 - 1939
Related Record Type Simple
Related Record(s)
Record Status Past Producing Mine With Reserves or Resources
Date Created 1985-Apr-16
Date Last Modified 2023-Aug-03
Created By
Revised By

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Gold

Secondary Commodities: Silver



Location

Township or Area: Stock, German, Clergue

Latitude: 48° 36' 52.43"    Longitude: -80° 48' 15.06"

UTM Zone: 17    Easting: 514432.72   Northing: 5384628.61    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Timmins

NTS Grid: 42A10SW

Point Location Description: Claim group shown on patented claims in T-0029

Location Method: Based on Assessment

Access Description: The property is accessible by driving north from highway 101 at Shillington along highway 577. A gravel road travels NW to west off of highway 577 just before the bridge crossing the Driftwood River and provides good access to the property.



Exploration History

1945-1948: Clavos Porcupine Mines Ltd. - ground geophysics, DD. 1974: Noranda Exploration Co. - ground geophysics, DD-9, marginal drill defined reserves were reported. 1983: Clavos Porcupine Mines and Bruneau Mining Corp JV- Drill defined reserves of 120,000 tons of material averaging 0.188 oz/t Au were reported. 1986-88: Canamax Resources and Bruneau Mining: DD-241-45874 m, feasibility study, seismic survey, ground geophysics. 1995-96 - United Tex-Sol Mines Inc. - DD- 23,585 m. 1999-2001: Kinross Gold Corporation - property optioned; DD-68-30,433 m), ground geophysics. 2002-06: St. Andrew Goldfields Ltd. - UG DD-62,582 m, surface DD-13-4180 m; ramp under development 7,822 m of underground development. 2005-2007: St Andrew Goldfields Ltd. - in production; mine closed in mid-2007. 2010-2012: Sage Gold Inc. - DD-31- 9,539 m. 2014-15: Sage Gold Inc. - granted an option to Abbey Gold Corp. to acquire Sage's 60% interest in the Clavos Project.


Assessment Work on File

Assessment Work on File
Office File Number Online Assessment File Identifier Online Assessment File Directory
T-1651/2.1583 42A10SW0133 42A10SW0133

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Abitibi

Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi

Belt: Abitibi

Geological Age: Archean  

Metamorphism Grade: Greenschist



Geology Comments

Nov 30, 2015 (C Salo) - Geological mapping indicates that the multiple discrete gold deposits delineated by Clavos Porcupine Mines/Canamax Resources/Bruneau Mining in northern German and Stock Twps are spatially associated with the Pipestone Fault Zone (PFZ). The PFZ occurs at or is closely associated with the contact between east striking, steeply dipping, and north facing weakly metamorphosed (greenschist or lower metamorphic facies) clastic sedimentary rocks and volumetrically minor intercalated volcanic rocks of the (Archean) Porcupine Group (to the south) and east striking, steeply dipping and north facing subaqueously deposited felsic to ultramafic volcanic rocks of the (Archean) Stoughton-Roquemaure Group (to the north). Intrusive rocks in the area include mafic to felsic bodies and dikes which intrude Stoughton-Roquemaure Group rocks north of the PFZ, and (ubiquitous), as revealed by exploration diamond drilling and a recent geophysical survey of the area narrow (tens of meters in width) north striking dikes of the (Proterozoic) Matachewan swarm. Glaciofluvial deposits in the area are thick, complex, and mantle virtually all bedrock.




Lithology

Lithology Data
Rock Type Rank Composition Texture Relationship
Mafic lava flow-unsubdivided 1 Basalt Contains
Claystone 2 Argillite Contains
Sandstone 3 Greywacke Hanging Wall
Peridotite 4 Peridotite/Komatiite Serpentinized Footwall
Granitoid-Unsubdivided 5 Adjacent
Vein 6 Quartz-Carbonate Host

Lithology Comments

Nov 30, 2015 (A Wilson) - The mineralization at Clavos is located within an envelope of highly altered ultramafic flows and volcaniclastic fragmental rocks referred to as the DL zone. The DL zone, which lies approximately 10 m north of the sedimentary-volcanic contact, varies in thickness from 30 metres to 60 m, is cored by several semi-concordant, east-west trending, steeply dipping and shallow east-plunging feldspar porphyry bodies of up to 20 m in thickness. The shallow easterly plunge is regional in character and is overprinted by local structures. Three distinct types of intrusive rocks controlling the gold mineralization have been identified, consisting of feldspar porphyry, quartz-feldspar porphyry, and intermediate to mafic intrusive. They occur primarily within the DL alteration envelope, less commonly within the sedimentary and talc-chlorite ultramafic rocks. The feldspar porphyry type is generally grey-green, with vague one millimetre to five millimetre white feldspar phenocrysts in a fine-grained groundmass of feldspar and chlorite. These porphyries occur as narrow dikes or sills ranging from five centimetres up to six metres in core length, primarily within the hangingwall to central part of the DL zone and less commonly within the sediments. The feldspar porphyry is weakly to moderately foliated, typically has a grey tinge, with weak carbonate, and less commonly sericite or albite alteration. Hangingwall (HW) type veining is variably developed within the unit, ranging from 2% to 70%, and consists primarily of the quartz-ankerite type (less common quartz-albite), with styles varying from early grey, late white, extension, and stylolitic. The quartz-feldspar porphyry type varies dramatically in colour due to variable alteration. It ranges from apple green in sections of strong sericite to mottled grey-brown and pink-white in areas of strong silica and/or albite alteration. This type contains vague to well-defined one millimetre to three millimetre white feldspar phenocrysts and local one millimetre to three millimetre grey quartz phenocrysts in a very fine-grained intensely altered groundmass. It occurs as narrow dikes or sills ranging from 40 cm up to five metres in core length, primarily within the central to footwall part of the DL zone, less commonly within the sediments and talc-chlorite ultramafic rocks. The sericite alteration within the quartz-feldspar porphyry appears to be overprinted by variable moderate to strong silica and albite alteration, often with chlorite stringers. The Footwall (FW) Zone vein density ranges from 2% to 70%, and consists primarily of the quartz-albite type with the style dominated by late white extension veins or stockworks, with less common early grey and stylolitic vein styles. The intermediate to mafic type is generally grey-green, with wispy one millimetre to 20 mm mafic/chlorite clasts in a fine-grained groundmass of feldspar and chlorite. Locally it contains vague one millimetre to five millimetre feldspar phenocrysts. It occurs as narrow dikes or sills ranging from five centimetres up to three to four metres in core length, primarily within the footwall part of the DL zone. Veining is generally poorly developed within the unit, ranging from 2% to 5%, and consists primarily of the quartz-ankerite/calcite type, with the style dominated by the late white to grey extension veins. In general, the best veining within the DL alteration envelope occurs close to the contacts of all three intrusive types. Deformed early grey, ribbon or stylolitic veining, with pyrite and arsenopyrite in stylolites and near vein margins, appears to be related to the best gold values. The lens geometry of the HW and FW type mineralization in the 960 Zone appears to be controlled by a box fold hinge. The sediment/ultramafic contact reverses from north facing to south facing between the 1,150 m elevation and the 1,100 m elevation.


Dec 07, 2005 (C Salo) - The footwall rocks are ultramafic rocks of the Stoughton-Roquemaure Group, largely composed of dark green, medium-grained, talc-bearing serpentinized peridotite and/or komatiitic flows. The pseudo-fragmental units are strongly foliated and appear to be composed of buff brown and light grey, fine-grained, flattened angular fragments within a chlorite-rich matrix. Core samples resemble flattened lapilli or sedimentary clasts. Fragments are generally less than 2 or 3 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Thin section examination shows the fragments to be aggregates of fine-grained carbonate and few fine, irregular quartz and feldspar grains, with a smaller percentage of chlorite and minor sericite. The matrix consists of chlorite and minor sericite. Chlorite imparts a strong foliation throughout the rock, both in the fragments and matrix.




Mineralization

Mineralization and Alteration
Rank Mineral Name Class Economic Mineral Type Alteration Mineral Type Alteration Ranking Alteration Intensity Alteration Style
1PyriteEconomicOre
2PyrrhotiteEconomicOre
3GalenaEconomicOre
4GersdorffiteEconomicOre
5ChalcopyriteEconomicOre
6ArsenopyriteEconomicOre
SilicaAlterationSilicification1MediumStockwork
FuchsiteAlterationCarbonatization2StrongMassive

Mineralization Comments

Nov 30, 2015 (A Wilson) - Assays from diamond drilling completed by Clavos Porcupine returned values of $5.09 Au over 9.2 ft., $7.86 Au over 12.9 ft. The best intersections obtained from the 1984 Canamax drilling on the Discovery Zone were 9.9 g/t Au over 12.8 m and 6.9 g/t Au over 5 m. There are five gold-bearing zones for which mineral resources have been estimated. These are the Hangingwall Zone (HW Zone), the Footwall Zone (FW Zone), the Contact Zone, the Sediment Zone, and a group of miscellaneous intersections listed as Other Mineralization. Of these zones, the HW Zone has been the main target of past mining activities. The HW Zone and FW Zone represent the majority of the mineralization at Clavos and vary from 1.5 m to more than 3.0 m in horizontal thickness along the south and north contacts of the feldspar porphyry bodies respectively. These zones consist of quartz and quartz-carbonate veins and stringers hosted within a sulphide-rich package of fuchsite and sericite altered ultramafic volcanic rocks. Up to 10% sulphides consisting of pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, gersdorffite (nickel arsenide), and rarely chalcopyrite occur as disseminated grains inthe altered host rock and within narrow fractures/veinlets within the quartz veins. Gold occurs as coarse nuggets predominantly within the quartz veins but occasionally within the volcanic host, and also as inclusions within the sulphide grains.


Nov 30, 2015 (C Salo) - At the site of the original Clavos Porcupine Mines discovery (about 300 m east of the Discovery Zone, sign. anomalously elevated Au tenors were intersected several hundred feet south of a strong fault (the Pipestone Fault) within silicified, carbonatized, and sulfidic (pyrite and arsenopyrite-bearing) bands within both tuff and sediment. Here, the highest Au tenors were described to occur within tuff, but significant Au tenors are apparently also associated with fine grained disseminated acicular arsenopyrite within ...bleached replacement zones in the greywacke near the sediment/volcanic rock contact. The discrete auriferous deposits are spaced at 300-500 m intervals along strike within the pseudo fragmental horizon. Each auriferous shoot may be comprised of multiple discrete auriferous horizons within multiple geologically distinct environments. The auriferous. deposits are consistently described to be associated with a steeply dripping quartz-carbonate vein system which is best developed within and marginal to a linear stratigraphic and PFZ subparallel porphyritic body or composite felsic unit which is hosted by tuffaceous (pseudofragmental) rocks south of the PFZ. Quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veins may be developed in the Porcupine Group sediments south of the auriferous zones, and these are generally not auriferous gold mineralization which was subsequently delineated by Bruneau/Canamax along the PFZ. Diamond drilling indicates that the systems with which the best gold tenors are discontinuously developed and locally crosscut stratigraphically, although on a deposit scale, they are oriented subparallel to stratigraphy and the PFZ. These vein systems also may or may not have developed marginal to them various types of alteration. Gold tenors at the Clavos deposit are proportional to arsenopyrite content, with the highest gold concentration occurring when arsenopyrite content is much greater than that of pyrite. The porphyry or felsic dike lithology is often anomalously auriferous (in some core sections consistently averaging about 1,000 ppb of Au) but is generally potentially economically exploitable only where it hosts quartz-carbonate veins.



Mineral Record Details

Classification
RankClassification            
1 Vein
Characteristics
Rank Characteristic            
1 Vein

Mineral Zones - Size and Shape

Zone Name: Detour Lake - Rank 1
Shape Length Thickness Depth Strike Dip Plunge Trend Age Reference
Unknown 1400
Reserves or Resources Data
Zone Year Category Tonnes Reference Comments Commodities
Probable 2017 Probable Mineral Reserve 1258400 OFR6339, p.8 194600 oz Au (probable) Gold 4.81 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Project 2012 Inferred Mineral Resource 796000 NI 43-101 report, p. 1-2 120,000 ounces Gold 4.7 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Mine 2012 Indicated Mineral Resource 1258400 NI 43-101 report, p. 1-2 194,600 oz Au Gold 4.81 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Mine 2006 Inferred Mineral Resource 529000 Sage Gold website 7-Nov-11 110,300 ounces cut; 114,000 ounces uncut Gold 6.5 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Mine 2006 Measured + Indicated Resource 143000 Sage Gold website 7-Nov-11 37,100 ounces cut; 47,200 ounces uncut Gold 8.1 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Property 2003 Unclassified 753000 St Andrews Press Release, Nov 26, 2003 indicated g/t Gold 7.3 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Property 2003 Inferred Mineral Resource 452000 St Andrews Press Release, Nov 26, 2003 inferred g/t Gold 8.9 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Property 1999 Unclassified 1750000 OFR 6006 P. 33 Gold 6.4 Grams per Tonne
Clavos Deposit 1997 Unclassified 6131410 United Tex-Sol Mines 1997 Annual Report Gold 5.2 Grams per Tonne
Discovery Zone 1989 Unclassified 1635775 Drill Indicated; 1160000 tons @ 0.15 oz/ton Au, 643500 tons @ 0.22 oz/ ton Au
Clavos/Discovery/Extension 1988 Unclassified 1125200 Canamax Resources Inc. 1987 Annual Report Gold 5.14 Grams per Tonne
Discovery Zone 1984 Unclassified 426290 Canamax 1985 Annual Report, p. 11 Gold 7.6 Grams per Tonne
Clavos 1948 Unclassified 30838 Timmins Daily Press 18/01/84 Gold 6.44 Grams per Tonne
Production Data
Year Tonnes Commodities Reference Comment
2018 19960 Gold 1374 Ounces
OFR6354, p.9 Grade: 2.14 g/t gold
2017 18272 Gold 1031 Ounces
OFR6339 Grade of 1.76 g/t gold
2007 70594 Gold 10343 Ounces
press clippings, St Andrew Goldfields Ltd., May 15 and August 14, 2007 10,343 ounces
2006 106143 Gold 18948 Ounces
OFR 6203 p.17 18,948 ounces; production from 2005 to mid 2006

References

File - Resident Geologist files T-0029, T-3089, T-4630

Publication Number: Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Timmins RGP office


Publication - Press releases

Publication Number: Date: 2007

Author: St Andrew Goldfields Ltd.

Publisher Name:

Location: Timmins RGO clippings files


Article - Timmins Resident Geologist area, Northern Region

Publication Number: MP122.005 Date: 1997

Author: Luhta L.E., Sangster P.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Article - Timmins Resident Geologist area, Northern Region

Publication Number: MP128.006 Date: 1997

Author: Luhta L.E., Sangster P.J., Ireland J.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Article - Report on the St. Andrew goldfields deposit, the Clavos gold deposit, and the Montclerg gold prospect, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: MP132.082 Page: 409-410  Date: 1997

Author: Malczak J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Map - Stock Township

Publication Number: P0038 Scale: 1:15,840    Date: 1997

Author: Satterly J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Map - Geology of Stock Township

Publication Number: P3347 Scale: 1:20,000    Date: 1995

Author: Muir T.L.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Map - Geological Compilation of the Lake Abitibi Area, Abitibi Greenstone Belt

Publication Number: P3398 Scale: 1:100,000    Date: 1999

Author: Ayer J.A., Berger B.R., Trowell N.F.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Map - Iroquois Falls-Lake Abitibi sheet, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: P0140 Scale: 1:126,720    Date: 1997

Author: Savage W.S., Thomson R., Fenwick K.G.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


Article - Gold metallogenesis along the Pipestone and Destor-Porcupine deformation zones and associated structures

Publication Number: MP132.081 Page: 404-407  Date: 1997

Author: Whittaker P.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Map - Matheson-Black sheet, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: P0119 Scale: 1:63,360    Date: 1997

Author: Ginn R.M., Savage W.S., Leahy E.J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:


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

Publication Number: OFR5735 Date: 1990

Author: Bath A.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Folio - Stock Township, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: GDIF403 Date: 1997

Author: Kirkland Lake RGO

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location: Timmins RGO


Article - Timmins Resident Geologist's area, Northern Region

Publication Number: MP134.006 Page: 149  Date: 1997

Author: Luhta L.E., Draper D.M., Ireland J.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Article - Porcupine North and Porcupine South Resident Geologists' area - 1987

Publication Number: MP138.010 Page: 224-225  Date: 1997

Author: Luhta L.E., Sangster P.J., Draper D.M., Ireland J.C., Bradshaw M.P., Hamblin C.D.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Article - Timmins Resident Geologist's District - 1988

Publication Number: MP142.012 Date: 1997

Author: Luhta L.E., Sangster P.J., Draper D.M., Ireland J.C., Bradshaw M.P., Hamblin C.D.

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: 136  Date: 1971

Author: Ferguson S.A., Groen H.A., Haynes R.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:


Book - Northern Miner, Canamax ,p. A1,2

Publication Number: NMINER Date: 1984

Author:

Publisher Name: Northern Miner

Location: Timmins RGO


Compend - Report of activities, 1983, Regional and Resident Geologists

Publication Number: MP117 Page: 131  Date: 1984

Author: Kustra C.R.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Book - Sudbury Timmins Algoma Mineral Program, Project 1: mineral inventory of the Sudbury-Timmins-Sault Ste. Marie region, Ontario

Publication Number: GSC OF 1087 Page: 228  Date: 1985

Author: Rose, D.G.

Publisher Name: Geological Survey of Canada

Location: https://doi.org/10.4095/129999


MonoMap - The geology of the northwestern Black River-Matheson area, District of Cochrane

Publication Number: OFR5785 Page: 249  Date: 1991

Author: Johnstone R.M.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Publication - Sage Gold Inc. - news releases

Publication Number: clippings Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Timmins RGO


Mono - Report of Activities 1999, Resident Geologist Program, Timmins Regional Resident Geologist Report: Timmins-Sault Ste. Marie Districts

Publication Number: OFR6006 Page: 33  Date: 2000

Author: Atkinson B.T., Hailstone M.H., Ravnaas C., Wilson A.C., Draper D.M., Hope P., Morra P.M., Beauchamp S.A.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Mono - Report of Activities 2017, Resident Geologist Program, Timmins Regional Resident Geologist Report: Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie Districts

Publication Number: OFR6339 Date: 2018

Author: van Hees E., Pace A., Bustard A., Gomwe T.S., Bousquet P., Daniels C.M., Wilson A.C., Streit L., Sword P., Patterson C., Fudge S.P.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


Publication - Technical Report on the Clavos Project in the Timmins Area, Northeastern Ontario, 104p.

Publication Number: NI 43-101 rpt Date: 2012

Author: C.M. Moore and D. A. Ross

Publisher Name:

Location: Timmins RGO


Mono - Report of Activities 2018, Resident Geologist Program, Timmins Regional Resident Geologist Report: Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie Districts

Publication Number: OFR6354 Date: 2019

Author: van Hees E., Bousquet P., Bustard A., Pressacco R.E., Daniels C.M., Fudge S.P., Walker J., Streit L., Wang L., Sword P., Patterson C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:


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