Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI42D09NW00020
| Record Name(s) | Marathon Brown Granite - 1880, Peninsula Granite Quarries Ltd. - 1880 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | Simple |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Developed Prospect Without Reported Reserves or Resources |
| Date Created | 2002-May-08 |
| Date Last Modified | 2022-Feb-17 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Granite
Township or Area: McCoy
Latitude: 48° 44' 56.54" Longitude: -86° 23' 52.14"
UTM Zone: 16 Easting: 544266 Northing: 5399733 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South
NTS Grid: 42D09NW
Point Location Description: The quarries are located at various points along Carden Cove, ~5km north of the town of Marathon.
Location Method: Field Visit with GPS
Access Description: A C.P.R. access road follows the tracks, north out of Marathon. Park at the end of this road and walk north along the tracks. The Cold Spring Quarry is at approximately 1 km on the east side of the tracks while the Peninsula Quarry is approximately 4 km north. The two smaller quarries are located on the waterfront on the northern extension of the James River property.
A number of small quarries were operated to supply stone for the construction of railway trestles for the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s. Commercial operations were initiated by Peninsula Granite Quarries Ltd. on 17 claims (TB 7202-04, 7225-27, 9270-72, 9281, 9283, 9296-98 and 9546-48) located on the east shore of Carden Cove in 1927. The company opened four small quarries, two on TB 7204, one on 7202 and another on TB 9270. The company produced brown granite from claim TB 9270 and black granite from the other three quarries. At the end of 1931 the company sold its interest in all the quarries to the Cold Spring Granite Company of Cold Spring, Minnesota. All operations ceased due to lack of markets in 1932. The northern claims were staked by Lake Superior Stone Syndicate in 1960; no work was recorded. The northern claims were staked in 1984 by Noranda Inc. (Geco Division). Geological mapping and mechanical stripping were conducted. Claims restaked by D. Petrunka of Thunder Bay in 1986. Claims optioned to Cold Spring Granite Company of Cold Spring, Minnesota in 1988. Diamond drilling, ground probing radar survey and sampling were conducted. In 1990, Cold Spring Granite Company dropped their option on the claims. As of 1994, patented claims TB 7202-04 and TB 7226 were held by James River of Marathon Ltd.; D. Petrunka of Thunder Bay held claims TB 9270-72, TB 9281, TB 9283 and TB9296-98; and claims TB 9546-48 reverted to the Crown with the surface rights withdrawn from staking.
Province: Superior
Subprovince: Wawa
Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi
Belt: Schreiber-Hemlo
Geological Age: Mesoproterozoic
Dec 07, 2005 (Mark O'Brien) - The quarries are underlain by Fe-rich augite syenite and amphibole syenite (Walker et al. 1992) of the Proterozoic Coldwell alkalic complex. Geological mapping over the area was done by Puskas (1967) and recently by Walker et al. (1991, 1992, 1993). Walker et al. (1992) described the iron-rich augite and amphibole syenites as follows: The iron-rich augite syenite appears to be a low angle sheet-like intrusion, which dips approximately 15 degrees toward the centre of the complex. It intrudes the basaltic xenoliths of the roof pendant and the Eastern and Western Gabbro, and it has inclusions of recrystallized amphibole quartz syenite. A variation in mineralogy from the bottom to the top through the sheet is present and consists of: fayalite-iron-rich, augite-magnetite syenite; iron-rich augite syenite; fayalite-iron-rich augite syenite; and amphibole syenite. The feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite occurs west of the iron-rich augite syenite and east of the recrystallized amphibole quartz syenite. It hosts large blocks of basaltic xenoliths, up to 1 km in size, and is closely related to rare metal-bearing pegmatites. In most places, the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite occurs as an irregular-shaped intrusion below the basaltic xenoliths and is above the iron-rich augite syenite. The feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite has extensively assimilated the inclusions of basaltic xenoliths and monzodiorite. Pegmatites, which appear to have originated from the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite, occurs along fractures within the basaltic xenoliths and at the contact between the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite and iron-rich augite syenite.
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Syenite | 1 | Augite Rich, Syenitic | Medium Grained | Host |
|---|
Dec 07, 2005 (Mark O'Brien) - The quarries are underlain by Fe-rich augite syenite and amphibole syenite (Walker et al. 1992) of the Proterozoic Coldwell alkalic complex. Geological mapping over the area was done by Puskas (1967) and recently by Walker et al. (1991, 1992, 1993). Walker et al. (1992) described the iron-rich augite and amphibole syenites as follows: The iron-rich augite syenite appears to be a low angle sheet-like intrusion, which dips approximately 15 degrees toward the centre of the complex. It intrudes the basaltic xenoliths of the roof pendant and the Eastern and Western Gabbro, and it has inclusions of recrystallized amphibole quartz syenite. A variation in mineralogy from the bottom to the top through the sheet is present and consists of: fayalite-iron-rich, augite-magnetite syenite; iron-rich augite syenite; fayalite-iron-rich augite syenite; and amphibole syenite. The feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite occurs west of the iron-rich augite syenite and east of the recrystallized amphibole quartz syenite. It hosts large blocks of basaltic xenoliths, up to 1 km in size, and is closely related to rare metal-bearing pegmatites. In most places, the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite occurs as an irregular-shaped intrusion below the basaltic xenoliths and is above the iron-rich augite syenite. The feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite has extensively assimilated the inclusions of basaltic xenoliths and monzodiorite. Pegmatites, which appear to have originated from the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite, occurs along fractures within the basaltic xenoliths and at the contact between the feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite and iron-rich augite syenite.
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Augite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 2 | Feldspar | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 3 | Fayalite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 4 | Amphibole | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 1 | Hematite | Economic | Gangue |
Dec 07, 2005 (Mark O'Brien) - Walker et al. (1992) described the mineralogy of the iron-rich augite and amphibole syenite: Iron-rich augite syenite, which forms the majority of the intrusion, typically contains iridescent tabular to lath-shaped feldspars with cryptoperthitic intergrowths and up to 30% interstitial, iron-rich augite. Variable amounts of fayalite, amphibole, aenigmatite and rare quartz occur in the subunit. The rock is generally black to olive-brown, coarse grained and massive. The feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite characteristically contains 2 textural variants: 1) a feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenite with an aphanitic to medium-grained groundmass and interstitial amphibole 2) a later intrusion of medium-grained amphibole syenite with columnar feldspar and interstitial amphibole. COLOUR: The stone from the quarry located on the shoreline is dark brown-black in fresh cut surfaces. Thomson (1931) described the colour of the red granite from claim TB 9270: The sawn surface of the red granite exhibits a light-pink matrix mottled with fine, irregular anhedra of blue-green hornblende. The rock takes a good polish and exhibits a uniform granular pattern. TEXTURE: Both the black and red granites are medium grained. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS: Sample No. Black: 57.36 SiO2, 15.18 Al2O3, 1.51 Fe2O3, 0.21 MnO, 0.40 MgO, 4.16 CaO, 4.59 Na2O, 4.90 K2O, 0.96 TiO2, 0.15 P2O5. Sample No. Red : 57.58 SiO2, 14.91 Al2O3, 2.47 Fe2O3, 0.23 MnO, 1.14 MgO, 3.21 CaO, 4.45 Na2O, 4.75 K2O, 0.81 TiO2, 0.16 P2O5. Analyses conducted by Geoscience Laboratories, Ontario Geological Survey, Toronto.
| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dimension Stone |
| Rank | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Intrusive |
Date: May 08, 2002
Geologist: Mark O'Brien
Notes: According to Hinz et al (1994): Although these quarry sites are not amenable to quarrying due to their small size, there are numerous sites in the immediate vicinity which may have potential. Since the iron-rich augite and feldspar porphyritic amphibole syenites outcrop over a very large area within the Coldwell Complex, there may be some suitable sites yet to be found.
Date: Sep 04, 2015
Geologist: Therese Pettigrew
Notes: Visited the site with M. Smyk, M. Puumala, D. Campbell, R. Cundari, and M. Brunelle. Lots of old machinery can still be seen on the site.
| Year | Tonnes | Commodities | Reference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 100 | Thompson, 1931 | Shipped 2 carloads of red granite |
Map - Precambrian Geology, Port Coldwell Complex, East Half
Publication Number: P3233 Scale: 1:20,000 Date: 1993
Author: Walker E.C., Sutcliffe R.H., Shaw C.S.J., Shore G.T., Penczak R.S.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Mono - Dimensional Stone Occurrences and Deposits in Northwest Ontario
Publication Number: OFR5890 Date: 1994
Author: Hinz P., Landry R.M., Gerow M.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
MonoMap - Precambrian Geology of the Coldwell Alkalic Complex
Publication Number: OFR5868 Date: 1993
Author: Walker E.C., Sutcliffe R.H., Shaw C.S.J., Shore G.T., Penczak R.S.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of the Port Coldwell area, District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: OFR5014 Page: 86-87 Date: 1997
Author: Puskas F.P.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Part - Geology of the Heron Bay area, District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: ARV40-02.002 Page: 35-37 Date: 1998
Author: Thomson J.E.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
We are continuously updating our assessment file / technical report information. If you notice errors in the data, please contact us.
Please review our Terms of Use agreement for this data product.
For detailed information regarding this mineral record please contact the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist District Office