Ontario Mineral Inventory

Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record: MDI42E12NW00006

Record: MDI42E12NW00006

General

Commodities

Primary Commodities: Gold

Secondary Commodities: Silver, Zinc, Copper

Location

Township or Area: Irwin, Pifher, Walters, Elmhirst

Latitude: 49° 44' 59.55"    Longitude: -87° 46' 32.53"

UTM Zone: 16    Easting: 444120   Northing: 5511110    UTM Datum: NAD83

Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay North

NTS Grid: 42E12NE, 42E12NW, 42E13SE, 42E13SW

Point Location Description: Waste Pile from 2013 NI 43-101

Location Method: Data Compilation

Access Description: The property is situated at the common corner of Irwin, Walters, Pifher and Elmhirst Townships on the south side of the Namewaminikan (Sturgeon) River. The shaft lies 20.9 km northeast of the town of Beardmore. Access to the claim group is via Highway 801, which leads north from Highway 11, 9.6 km west of Jellicoe. Approximately 13 km along this road (Highway 801), turn west for 4.5 km on a Ministry of Natural Resources garbage disposal road.

Exploration History

1934: Initial claims staked by Wood Brown Prospecting; ground optioned to Coniagas Mines Ltd. Trenching, sampling and diamond-drilling were carried out to determine the dimensions of auriferous quartz vein #3. 1935: A 3 compartment shaft was sunk to 159.41 m. Levels and cross-cuts established. The #10 Vein was intersected. Trenching and stripping of the #3 Vein con't on surface. A 30 ton amalgamation mill was constructed. 1936: A two unit stamp mill was completed and found inefficient. It was closed until a 50-60 ton cyanide mill could be built. Underground dev't con't. 1937: First gold brick poured. Underground dev't con't. 1938: Geological survey conducted. Drifting encountered new ore south of the #3 vein. 1939-42: Underground dev't con't. New veins were encountered; old veins explored on different levels. 70 tons per day were going through the mill by 1941. 18 adjoining claims were purchased. Mine shut down in Oct. due to war-induced labor shortages. 1944-47: More adjoining ground staked, explored, and then allowed to lapse. 1955-56: The company changed its name to Sturgeon River Mines Ltd. The mill was dismantled late in the year. 1964: The company name was changed to Quebec-Sturgeon River Mines Ltd. 1967: Property was sold to Coniagas Mines Ltd. 1972-73: Trenching, EM and mag surveys, and geochemical work were carried out by Jupiter Minerals Inc. 1975: Jupiter Minerals changed its name to Phoenix Gold Mines Ltd. 1981: A 16,000 lb bulk sample was removed from the #3 Vein by Phoenix Gold Mines Ltd. 1983-87: Phoenix Gold Mines Ltd. conducted linecutting, mag, VLF, IP, geological mapping, basal till sampling, stripping, and trenching. Dump material was tested. Diamond drilling followed. Based on the results, a phase two program would involve a rehab. of the old underground workings for future production. 1988: Placer Dome Ltd. optioned the property and carried out re-evaluation, line cutting, and drilled 28 DDH totalling 4212.6 m. Placer Dome subsequently returned the property to Phoenix. 1990: St. Andrew Goldfields Ltd. acquired the property. 2001: Roxmark Mines Ltd. processed 5000 tons from an existing waste rock stock pile on the property. 2002: St. Andrew Goldfields completed an in-house valuation report on the property. 2007: Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc. acquired the property from St. Andrew Goldfields and completed an independent environmental due diligence report. 2008: Laurion carried out sampling and completed a NI 43-101 report. 2010: Laurion carried out mapping, sampling, drilled 6 DDH totalling 3511 m, and sampling of the mill tailings. 2011: Laurion carried out a mag and EM survey. 2013: Laurion released an NI 43-101 report on the waste pile and tailings.

Assessment Work on File

Geology

Province: Superior

Subprovince: Wabigoon

Terrane: Eastern Wabigoon

Belt: Onaman-Tashota

Geological Age: Archean  

Geology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (B Nelson) - +The area is underlain by intermediate to felsic metavolcanics that have been intruded by granodiorite, mafic dykes, quartz veins, and diabase dykes. Granodiorite and quartz diorite stocks lie to the north and east of the mine. Irregular tongues and porphyritic, hybrid zones of these bodies can be found in the vicinity of the minesite. The main tectonic feature noted is the dominant northeast-southwest shear pattern that seems to be particularly well developed in the northeast corner of the property. A few small faults have been found in the underground workings. One on the 625 foot level dips 45 degrees N. Others have dips of 45 degrees or less. All are post-ore, but none offsets the vein more than a few inches. The gold bearing quartz veins cut all rocks in the mine area with the single exception of a float dyke on the 343 m level. There are 2 or 3 sets of quartz veins. One set strikes NE and a second set (containing the #3 Vein) slightly east of N. The No. 3 Vein itself strikes N13E and dips 70 degrees west. As the No. 3 Vein changes to an easterly dip underground, Bruce (1936, p. 39) concludes that there may be a third set of fractures. In addition to the gold bearing quartz veins, there are lenses of barren quartz, most of which are only an inch or so in width and a few feet in length. The No. 1 Vein belongs to the first fracture system. It strikes nearly northeast-southwest and dips 70 degrees to 75 degrees NW. The No. 1 Vein is wider than the No. 3 Vein, although the quartz is similar. Work during the 1984-85 field season located 15 new veins, in addition to the 67 veins previously documented on the property. Vein 85-A-2 and 85-A-5 host good visible gold and a new extension of A-9 also contains V.G. Vein A-2 is composed of white quartz hosting clots and disseminations of cp, py and native gold. A-4 is a cherty. brecciated zone of interbanded sp, mag, il, cp, qtz and carb containing up to 15% total sulphides.

Lithology

Lithology Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (B Nelson) - The metavolcanics are medium grey to dark green and vary from massive to foliated. Fine-grained 'quartz-eve' porphyry is present in the vicinity of the mine and may be the result of silicification related to the intrusion of the granodiorite stock to the east. The lamprophyre dyke is equigranular and contains pyroxene, magnetite, quartz and an untwinned feldspar.

Mineralization

Mineralization Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (B Nelson) - Metallic minerals form a very small part of the vein filling. Gold is relatively abundant in some parts of the No. 3 Vein. Most of it is in very fine particles and is very pale in color. Hence, it is not always easily recognizable in hand specimens, especially where it is along highly sericitic slip planes. Very high assays have been obtained from some sections of the vein. The avg. gold content over a width of 9 inches for the total length exposed was said to be more than an ounce per ton. Vein 85-M-1 (a new gold occurrence 480 m north of the shaft area) has an average grade of 0.825 oz/ton Au over an average width of 47.2 cm for a length of 150 m. Assays up to 1.235 oz/ton Au were returned from vein A-6, a 60 m long vitreous quartz vein hosting py, cp and sp.

Alteration Comments

Dec 07, 2005 (B Nelson) - Silicification is the main form of alteration in the felsic metavolcanic rocks. Vein 85-M-1 is hosted in an 'altered granodiorite'. Small veinlets of calcite intersected by the quartz veins form reticulating patterns in the wall rocks. The veins have a roughly banded structure due to the presence of zones, parallel to the walls, containing considerable chlorite and sericite. Tourmalinized metavolcanics were found on claim TB16730.

Mineral Record Details

Site Visit Information

Date: Jan 16, 1997

Geologist: B Nelson

Notes: The Beardmore-Geraldton Economic Geologist visited the minesite May 6, 1981, August of 1981, August 19, 1981, May 9, 1984, June 5, 1984, June 12, 1984, August 7, 1984, August 28, 1984, november 7, 1984, July 3, 1985, July 19, 1985, and October 22, 1985.

References

Map - Dorothea, Sandra and Irwin townships, Thunder Bay District

Publication Number: M2294 Scale: 1:31,680    Date: 1974

Author: Mackasey W.O.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:

Mono - Gold occurrences, prospects, and deposits of the Beardmore-Geraldton area, districts of Thunder Bay and Cochrane

Publication Number: OFR5630 Page: 484-496  Date: 1986

Author: Mason J.K., White G.D.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

File - Resident Geologist Mineral Deposit Files

Publication Number: Min Dep Date:

Author:

Publisher Name:

Location: Thunder Bay RGP

Map - Precambrian Geology of the Paint Lake Fault Area, Beardmore Area, Northwestern Ontario

Publication Number: P3515 Scale: 1:10,000    Date: 2002

Author: DeWolfe J.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

Publication - Technical Report on the Resource Estimate on the Sturgeon River Mine Waste Pile and Tailings, Ishkoday Property

Publication Number: 2013 NI 43-101 Date: 2013

Author: Armitage, A., Studd, D.

Publisher Name: GeoVector Management Inc. for Laurion Mineral Exploration

Location: SEDAR

Map - Sturgeon River gold area, District of Thunder Bay, Ontario

Publication Number: ARM45A Scale: 1:63,360    Date: 1998

Author: Bruce E.L., Laird H.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

MonoMap - Geology of Dorothea, Sandra, and Irwin townships, District of Thunder Bay

Publication Number: R122 Date: 1975

Author: Mackasey W.O.

Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines

Location:

Part - The western part of the Sturgeon River area (Sturgeon R.-Beardmore section)

Publication Number: ARV45-02.002 Date: 1998

Author: Laird H.C.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Map - Compilation series, Lake Nipigon sheet, District of Thunder Bay

Publication Number: P0257 Scale: 1:126,720    Date: 1984

Author: Stott G.M., McConnell C.D., Mason J.K.

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: 277-278  Date: 1971

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

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs

Location:

Map - Tashota-Geraldton sheet, geological compilation series, Thunder Bay and Cochrane districts

Publication Number: M2102 Date: 1997

Author: Pye E.G., Harris F.R., Fenwick K.G., Baillie J.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Map - Irwin Township, District of Thunder Bay

Publication Number: P0481 Scale: 1:15,840    Date: 1997

Author: Mackasey W.O.

Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines

Location:

Map - Mineral deposits series, Ontario mineral potential, Longlac sheet, districts of Thunder Bay and Cochrane

Publication Number: P1527 Scale: 1:250,000    Date: 1978

Author: Springer J.S.

Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey

Location:

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