Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI42C02SW00004
| Record Name(s) | George W. Macleod Mine - 1960, Helen Iron Range - 1899 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | Compound |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Past Producing Mine With Reserves or Resources |
| Date Created | 1982-Sep-30 |
| Date Last Modified | 2022-Oct-20 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Iron
Township or Area: McMurray
Latitude: 48° 0' 58.14" Longitude: -84° 45' 38.72"
UTM Zone: 16 Easting: 666980.96 Northing: 5320521.4 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Sault Ste. Marie
NTS Grid: 42C02SW
Point Location Description: Former head frame on patented claim DJ 62 M 778
Location Method: Conversion from MDI
Access Description: Access to the mine site is now by permission only. By prior arrangement with Algoma Steel Company the mine site is accessible via the old sintering plant site. Drive northeast from the sintering plant site for approximately 2.5 km to the top of Helen Mine hill. The fenced and reclaimed mine site is on the top of the hill overlooking the town of Wawa.
Multiple ore zones of the Helen Iron Range have operated at different times under a variety of names by the Algoma Steel Corporation and affiliated companies. 1953: Algoma Ore Properties - No. 5 shaft started and reaches 283 (eventually the Macleod production shaft), surface diamond drilling. 1954: Algoma Ore Properties - No. 5 shaft to 1895 feet, 1800 foot long inclined tramway driven and tied to aerial tramway. 1955: Algoma Ore Properties - No. 5 shaft to 2066 feet, tramway extended to 4410 feet. 1956: Algoma Ore Properties - construction of new sintering plant. 1957-59: Algoma Ore Properties - underground tramway extended to 4877 feet, surface diamond drilling. 1960: Algoma Ore Properties - production from old Helen ore body ceases, production from G. W. Macleod Mine begins. 1998: G. W. Macleod Mine closes and mine rehabilitation begins.
| Office File Number | Online Assessment File Identifier | Online Assessment File Directory |
|---|---|---|
| CHABANEL 23 | 42C02SE8874 | 42C02SE8874 |
| Lendrum-0017 | 42C02SE0070 | 42C02SE0070 |
| McMurray-0011-A1 | 42C02SW9030 | 42C02SW9030 |
Province: Superior
Subprovince: Wawa
Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi
Belt: Michipicoten
Tectonic Assemblage: Wawa
Geological Age: Neoarchean Geochronological Age: 2750 MA Geochron. Age Ref.: OFR 5888W
Metamorphism Type: Regional
Metamorphism Grade: Greenschist
Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - The Helen Iron Range is one of 32 separate iron ranges that make up the Michipicoten Iron Formation. This iron formation caps the 2750 Ma volcanic cycle in the Wawa area and represents a period of considerable chemical and clastic sedimentation. The iron range is terminated by the Talbot lake Fault at the west end and the Wallbank lake Fault at the east. The great thickness of the iron formation at its west end is due to tectonic activity along the Talbot Lake Fault which thickened the iron formation by drag folding.
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Carbonate Ironstone | 1 | Carbonate Facies | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felsic Tuff | 2 | Rhyolite To Andesite | Tuff | Footwall |
| Mafic lava flow-unsubdivided | 3 | Basalt | Pillowed, Massive | Hanging Wall |
Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - All five facies are developed in this iron formation, however, all mining at the Macleod Mine has taken place in the carbonate (siderite) facies. A chert horizon lies between the siderite and the footwall volcanic rocks. This unit is not observed in any of the other iron ranges. Some chert and argillite has also been reported at the base of the carbonate facies. Their presence may be due to tectonic activity along the Talbot Fault.
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Siderite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 1 | Pyrite | Economic | Gangue | ||||
| 2 | Pyrrhotite | Economic | Gangue | ||||
| 3 | Galena | Economic | Gangue |
Dec 07, 2005 (A Wilson) - Although iron has been the chief mineral of economic importance in the deposit, galena occurs as fracture fillings in pyrite-bearing siderite on the M3 level of the mine. A specimen of this material yielded 31.2% Pb and 144 ppm Ag.
| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sedimentary |
| Rank | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Massive |
| Shape | Length | Thickness | Depth | Strike | Dip | Plunge | Trend | Age | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular | 2500 | 150 | 60 | 60 | 2750 MA | OFR 5888 |
| Zone | Year | Category | Tonnes | Reference | Comments | Commodities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. W. MacLeod Mine | 1998 | Unclassified | 18700000 | OFR 5990 | Iron 31 NA |
| Year | Tonnes | Commodities | Reference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 59662710 |
Iron 31 |
File - Resident Geologist files Lendrum-0018-A1
Publication Number: Date:
Author:
Publisher Name:
Location: SSM RGP office
Map - Geological series, McMurray Township and parts of surrounding townships, formerly Township 29, Range 23, District of Algoma
Publication Number: P0828 Scale: 1:15,840 Date: 1973
Author: Rupert R.J.
Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines
Location:
Map - Geological series, Precambrian geology of McMurray Township, Wawa area, Algoma District
Publication Number: P2441 Scale: 1:15,840 Date: 1982
Author: Sage R.P., Sawitzky E., Turner J., Leeselleur P., Sagle E.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Map - Precambrian Geology, Michipicoten Greenstone Belt, Central Portion
Publication Number: P3303 Scale: 1:50,000 Date: 1994
Author: Sage R.P.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Part - Iron deposits in the District of Algoma
Publication Number: ARV55-04.001 Page: 87-118 Date: 1997
Author: Moore E.S., Armstrong H.S.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Mono - Iron deposits of Ontario
Publication Number: MDC011 Page: 65-66 Date: 1968
Author: Shklanka R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Mono - Wawa mineral deposits data base
Publication Number: OFR5775 Page: 277 Date: 1991
Author: Frey E.D., Stewart R.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of Chabanel, Esquega, Lastheels and McMurray Townships, District of Algoma
Publication Number: OFR5586 Page: 381-385 Date: 1993
Author: Sage R.P.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of Michipicoten Greenstone Belt
Publication Number: OFR5888 Page: 54-69 Date: 1994
Author: Sage R.P.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of McMurray Township and parts of surrounding townships, District of Algoma
Publication Number: OFR5283 Page: 56-62 Date: 1979
Author: Rupert R.J.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Book - McMurray Township - unpublished GDIF
Publication Number: GDIF Date: 1985
Author: Resident Geologist Staff
Publisher Name:
Location: Timmins RGP
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