Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI42E03SW00026

Record: MDI42E03SW00026

General

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Gold, Silver

Secondary Commodities: Lead, Zinc, Copper

Location

Township or Area: Rope Lake Area

Latitude: 49° 0' 15.29"    Longitude: -87° 18' 39.74"

UTM Zone: 16    Easting: 477251.78   Northing: 5427974.65    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South

NTS Grid: 42E03SW

Point Location Description: Shaft

Location Method: Field Visit

Access Description: The occurrence is located about 1.6 km west of the northwest bay of Big Duck Lake and 1.6 km northeast of Little Duck Lake (claim map G-609, Rope Lake). The series of pits and trenches are located on lines 14W AND 15W at 5S on the Corporation Falconbridge grid. Easiest access is gained by aircraft from Thunder Bay or Pays Plat to Big Duck Lake, then overland to the showing about 1.6 km to the west. Big Duck Lake is also accessible by a drill trail from the Winston Lake Mine site.

Exploration History

1906: Occurrence discovered; Joe Fisher (a local trapper). 1913: Sampling; D. McQuaig. 1915: Shaft sunk (12 m deep) and bulk sample (2710 pounds) collected and assayed; D. McQuaig. The sample reportedly assayed 2.0 opt Au and 3.9 opt Ag. No further development work occurred. 1957: Diamond drilling (2 x-ray holes); Kinasco Exploration and Mining Limited. One hole intersected 0.89 opt Au and 0.53 opt Ag over 1.6 m. 1959: Diamond drilling (4 x-ray holes); KRNO Mines Limited. Drill results were reported to be low. 1981-82: Noranda conducted IP, magnetometer, and VLF-EM surveys. 1983: Geological, geophysical and geochemical surveys; Corporation Falconbridge Copper. Property examination and lithogeochemical sampling; OGS Resident Geologist staff. 1987: Diamond drilling (numerous holes) was conducted in the Big Duck Lake area; Corporation Falconbridge Copper and Minnova Inc. 2006-07: Tri Gold Resources carried out mapping, prospecting, trenching, and sampling. 2013: Clear Gold Resources Inc. carried out prospecting and sampling.

Assessment Work on File

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Wawa

Terrane: Wawa-Abitibi

Belt: Schreiber-Hemlo

Geological Age: Archean  

Geology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (D McKay) - Patterson et al. (1984) described the Beaver occurrence as follows: The mineralized zone occurs between a quartz porphyry sill and mafic metavolcanic flows. The hangingwall wall rocks consist of a schistose quartz porphyry (sericite schist) striking 106 degrees and dipping 32 degrees N. The porphyry unit appears silicified near the contact with the mineralized zone. The mineralized zone consists of a quartz-carbonate unit which parallels both the schistosity and the stratigraphy. Two carbonates (calcite and an iron-rich carbonate, ankerite) an quartz make up the major volume of the unit. However, inclusions or seams of actinolite, chlorite and amphibole are also present. Near the contacts with the porphyry, the carbonate unit displays a laminated or ribbon texture indicating a crack-seal or polyphase deformational history. In samples from the dump, mineralization consists of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena and possible molybdenite. The entire carbonate unit and contact zone rocks appear enriched in pyrite. A shaft (presently part of the creek drainage) and several pits and trenches were observed over a strike length of 75 m. Evidence of diamond drilling is present, with core boxes and core still intact.

Lithology

Mineralization

Mineralization Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (D McKay) - Pye (1964, p.23) describes the mineralization as follows: Along the footwall side, the vein is in rather abrupt contact with the host rock and made up entirely of calcite. Close to the hanging wall, however, it displays a prominent ribbon structure, and the calcite is interrupted at irregular intervals by thin strips of chlorite or actinolitic amphibole. Replacing the material of the ribbons, are a little pyrite, some sphalerite, and small amounts of chalcopyrite and galena. The presence of visible gold has been reported by Hopkins (1922, p.20). Patterson et al. (1984) provide the following comments: In samples from the dump, mineralization consists of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena and possible molybdenite. The entire carbonate unit and contact zone rocks appear enriched in pyrite. A 1011 kg bulk sample collected during the sinking of the shaft in 1915 reportedly assayed 2.0 opt Au and 3.9 opt Ag (Hopkins 1922, pp.19-20). Grab samples collected from the occurrence in 1983 by OGS Resident Geologist staff returned assay results which varied from 0.01 to 0.58 opt Au, 0.10 to 0.92 opt Ag, 37 to 980 ppm cu, 8700 ppm Pb, 1.10% Zn and 15 ppm Mo (SH Resident Geologist Mineral Deposit Files). Wells (1984, assessment files) reported: A grab sample (TBS 1556) of float material from one of these trenches which consists of a quartz carbonate-actinolite vein with 5-10% pyrite and traces of sphalerite and galena assayed 0.10% Cu, 0.94% Pb, 1.62% Zn, 142 g/T (4.54 oz./ton) Ag and 10.9 g/T (0.349 oz./ton) Au.

May 28, 2019 (Therese Pettigrew) - Sample 151512 collected by Tri Gold in 2006 returned assays of 0.598 ppm Au, 953 ppm Cu, 809 ppm Pb, and 4429 ppm Zn (Assessment file 20000002793).

Alteration Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (D McKay) - Patterson et al. (1984) describe the alteration as follows: The porphyry unit appears silicified near the contact with the mineralized zone. The mineralized zone consists of a quartz-carbonate unit which parallels both the schistosity and the stratigraphy. Two carbonates (calcite and an iron-rich carbonate, ankerite) an quartz make up the major volume of the unit.

Mineral Record Details

References

Map - Nipigon-Schreiber, geological compilation series, Thunder Bay District

Publication Number: M2232 Scale: 1:253,440    Date: 1973

Author: Carter M.W., McIlwaine W.H., Wisbey P.A.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:

MonoMap - Mineral deposits of the Big Duck Lake area, District of Thunder Bay

Publication Number: R027 Page: 23  Date: 1997

Author: Pye E.G.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Part - Schreiber-Duck Lake area

Publication Number: ARV30-04.001 Date: 1998

Author: Hopkins P.E.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

File - Schreiber-Hemlo Resident Geologist Mineral Deposit Files

Publication Number: Min Dep Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Thunder Bay RGP

Map - Big Duck Lake area, District of Thunder Bay

Publication Number: M2023 Scale: 1:15,840    Date: 1997

Author: Pye E.G.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Mono - Gold deposits of Ontario, part 1, districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay

Publication Number: MDC013 Page: 290  Date: 1971

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

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:

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

Publication Number: MP117 Page: 92  Date: 1984

Author: Kustra C.R.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

Mono - Mineral Occurrences in the Nipigon-Marathon Area, Volumes 1 and 2.

Publication Number: OFR5951 Page: 822-825  Date: 1996

Author: Schnieders B.R., Smyk M.C., Speed A.A., McKay D.B.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

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For detailed information regarding this mineral record please contact the Thunder Bay South Resident Geologist District Office