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Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI52A04SE00026
| Record Name(s) | Crystal Lake Project - 2011, Great Lakes Nickel - 1965, J.S. Brodie & T.W. Page - 1987, Falconbridge Trench - 1952 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | Simple |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Developed Prospect With Reported Reserves or Resources |
| Date Created | 1987-Apr-06 |
| Date Last Modified | 2023-Apr-06 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Copper, Nickel, Palladium, Platinum, Chromium
Secondary Commodities: Rhodium, Gold, Silver, Cobalt
Township or Area: Pardee
Latitude: 48° 4' 42.57" Longitude: -89° 37' 25.86"
UTM Zone: 16 Easting: 304577 Northing: 5328355 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South
NTS Grid: 52A04SE
Point Location Description: AMIS
Location Method: Conversion from MDI
Access Description: Via Hwy 61 South from Thunder Bay to Hwy 593, then Westerly on 593 for 8.7 kms to a fork in the highway. Turn right and stay on 593 For another 1.8 kms to the North to Pardee Road. Turn left (West) andcontinue 6.2 kms to an access road leading to the site. The mine workings may be reached following the site roads to adit #2 on the side of the hill, a distance of ~1km from the gate on Pardee Road.
1936: United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company conducted exploration, looking for the source of copper- and nickel-mineralized float boulders. 1952: J.S. Brodie and T.W. Page conducted prospecting and staked the property for Mattawin Gold Mines, who optioned the property to Falconbridge Nickel Mines. 1952-1953: Surface work by Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd, including trenching. 1954: 6 DDH aggregating 3471 ft by Mattawin Gold Mines Ltd. 1957: Mogul Mining Corp Ltd. optioned the property, drilled 7 DDH totalling 5556 ft and undertook mill testing. 1964-1970: Great Lakes Nickel Corporation Ltd. acquired the option for the property and conducted surface exploration including 47,803 m of drilling, and started a 100-ft (37 m) adit. 19 underground holes totalling 392 m were drilled. 1972: Great Lakes Nickel excavated and drove a 522 m development portal and drift and conducted more than 12,00 m of surface and underground drilling. Plant-site surveys, bulk sampling, metallurgical, and feasibility tests were conducted, financed largely by a Swedish company, Boliden Aktiebolag. 1974: mine development was suspended in October due to escalating costs, high interest rates, and uncertain metal prices. 1986-87: Fleck Resources Ltd. completed geological mapping and sampling, relogged and assayed more than 9144 m of historic drill core, and drilled 6 DDH. 2000: Great Lakes Nickel carried out sampling of historical cores, and block modelling to develop a resource estimate. 2007: Staked by Kennecott Canada Exploration Inc., airborne electromagnetic survey, airborne magnetic survey. 2011: Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. optioned the property from Great Lakes Nickel in November. 2014: Rio Tinto reassayed historic drill holes, drilled 5 DDH totalling 3170.3 m and conducted downhole geophysics. 2015: Rio Tinto completed 2 of 3 reported holes along the Great Lakes Nickel plunge trend.
| Office File Number | Online Assessment File Identifier | Online Assessment File Directory |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 52A04SW0125 | 52A04SW0125 |
| 14 | 52A04SW0115 | 52A04SW0115 |
| 2.55904 | 20000014459 | 20000014459 |
Province: Southern
Geological Age: Mesoproterozoic
May 29, 2013 (Shannon Zurevinski) - The area is underlain by flat-lying argillite and greywacke of the Rove formation, intruded by a discordant, sill-like mass of gabbro and anorthosite gabbro. The central part is occupied by an E-trendig, U-shaped mesa, open toward the west. The N arm of the mesa is trough-like in N-S section, about 1500 ft wide and at least 7000 feet long. It plunges at approximately 20 degrees toward the E end and remains open at the down-dip end. The trough contains an upper anorthositic gabbro, a middle zone of medium- to coarse-grained anorthositic olivine gabbro pegmatite that contains the bulk of the sulphide mineralization, and a basal, fine-grained chill zone with disseminated sulphides and massive pyrrhotite stringers. Chromian spinel is disseminated throughout the sulphide zone and particularly concentrated as a thin, conformable layer of chromitite above the sulphide zone. Syngenetic sulphide mineralization (pentlandite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, with an average thickness of over 100 feet, occurs in and bears a Cu-Ni ratio of 2:1.
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Gabbro | 1 | Anorthositic Olivine | Medium- To Coarse-Grained Pegmatite | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrigenous-Clastic-Unsubdivided | 2 | Near |
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pyrrhotite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 2 | Chalcopyrite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 3 | Pentlandite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 4 | Cubanite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 5 | Pyrite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 6 | Mackinawite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 7 | Marcasite | Economic | Ore | ||||
| 8 | Niccolite | Economic | Ore |
May 29, 2013 (Shannon Zurevinski) - Historical accounts state that diamond drilling has proven in excess of 40,000,000 tons of ore grading 0.40% Cu and 0.20% Ni, with precious metal values (Northern Miner May 30, 1968 p13).
Feb 11, 2020 (Therese Pettigrew) - A report found in the Thunder Bay office Resident Geologist Program mineral deposit files indicates that the deposit is a plunging trough-like deposit over 10,700 feet (3261 m) long, 1000 ft (305 m) wide, and varies from 300 ft (91 m) thick in the central keel to 140 ft (42.7 m) thick on the limbs. The trough plunges at 22 degrees to the east, and mineralization consists of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, and cubanite. The best PGE values occur in the lower portion of the deposit along with higher sulphide concentrations. Drilling has shown the gabbro intrusion to have a trough shape in cross-section. The sides of the trough dip inwards with angles of about 35 to 50 degrees and appear to be discordant in relation to the bedding of the underlying Rove Formation sedimentary rocks. The Crystal Lake intrusion is essentially made up of olivine gabbro, ranging from anorthositic olivine gabbro to troctolite. Banding and igneous lamination are locally present. The intrusion can be subdivided into 3 zones: an upper zone, consisting of relatively uniform olivine gabbro, attaining a thickness of up to 200 ft, at the western end of the hill, and up to about 1300 ft, about 4000 ft to the east; a lower “pegmatitc” zone, containing chromite bands at the top followed downwards by medium- to coarse-grained gabbro with irregular patches and layers of coarse- to very coarse-grained mineralized anorthositic material; and a basal zone, typified by a gradually decreasing grain size and by an aphanitic chill subzone, commonly 5 to 20 ft in thickness. The “pegmatitc” middle zone is of prime importance because it contains the major part of, and generally better grade of, sulphide mineralization and because its upper limit is marked by chromitite seams overlapping the top of the sulphide mineralization by about 50 ft. The basal zone also contains disseminated sulphide minerals, in addition to near-massive stringers, chiefly pyrrhotite. Principal sulphide constituents are nickeliferous pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite constituting 2 to 5 percent of the rock. Their mode of occurrence is as fine-grained disseminations to near-massive blebs, molded upon the silicates, with chalcopyrite commonly rimming pyrrhotite. Also present are pentlandite, cubanite, niccolite, mackinawite, pyrite and marcasite. Pentlandite characteristically occurs as “exosolution flames” in pyrrhotite cyrstals and also as small broken grains formed around larger pyrrhotite crystals. Chalcopyrite replaces pyrrhotite along cracks, but also as small exsolved droplets in pyrrhotite. A 2:1 copper to nickel ratio is typical for the deposit. Chemical analyses of grab samples, taken by J.J.C. Geul from the Falconbridge trench, were found to contain up to 0.25% Cu and up to 0.20% Ni, with up to 0.01 opt Pd (Geul, 1970). Samples collected by Whittaker assayed up to 7.6% Cr from the main chromite zone in the anorthositic gabbro (Whittaker, 1986) Sample F-5-77 collected by J. Scott of the OGS in 1977 returned an assay of 7.0% Cr, 0.005 oz/t At and 0.003 oz/t Pd (Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files). DDH 14-CL-0001 assayed up to 5.6% Cu, 1.55% Ni, 0.041% Co, 0.81 ppm Au 0.82 ppm Pt, and 5.44 ppm Pd over 0.5 m and 3.84% Cu, 4.1 % Ni, 0.148% Co, 0.84 ppm Au, 2.52 ppm Pt, and 8.65 ppm Pt over 0.77 m. The main zone in DDH 14-CL-0001 extends from 429.5-510 m. DDH 14-CL-0002 assayed up to 1.455% Cu, 0.535% Ni, 1.8 ppm Pt, and 2.85 ppm Pd over 1.5 m. The main zone in DDH 14-CL-0002 extends from 215-250.5 m (Assessment report 20000014459). A sample taken by an OGS staff member in 2001 from the lower adit returned an assay of 116 ppb Au, 1.3494% Cu, 0.4756% Ni, 0.6881 ppm Pd, 0.014 ppm Pt, and 255 ppm Zn (Thunder Bay RGP office mineral deposit files).
| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| 1 | Magmatic |
| Rank | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Intrusive |
| 1 | Layered |
| 1 | Stratiform |
| Shape | Length | Thickness | Depth | Strike | Dip | Plunge | Trend | Age | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabular | 2135 | 27 | 20 |
| Zone | Year | Category | Tonnes | Reference | Comments | Commodities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes Nickel Block A | 2002 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 6622414 | Great Lakes Nickel March 14, 2002 press release (SEDAR) | 7.3 Mtons @ 0.38% Cu, 0.20% Ni, 0.013% Co, 83 ppb Au, 171 ppb Pt, and 812 ppb Pd | Cobalt 0.013 Percent, Copper 0.38 Percent, Gold 83 Parts Per Billion, Nickel 0.2 Percent, Palladium 812 Parts Per Billion, Platinum 171 Parts Per Billion |
| Great Lakes Nickel Keel | 2002 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 207744 | Great Lakes Nickel March 14, 2002 press release (SEDAR) | 0.229 Mtons @ 0.95% Cu, 0.34% Ni, 0.013% Co, 143 ppb Au, 231 ppb Pt, and 1316 ppb Pd | Cobalt 0.013 Percent, Copper 0.95 Percent, Gold 143 Parts Per Billion, Nickel 0.34 Percent, Palladium 1316 Parts Per Billion, Platinum 231 Parts Per Billion |
| Great Lakes Nickel Keel | 2001 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 207744 | 2001 resource estimation report in Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files | 0.229 Mtons @ 0.95% Cu, 0.34% Ni, 0.013% Co, 3.26 ppm Ag, 143 ppb Au, 231 ppb Pt, 1316 ppb Pd | Cobalt 0.013 Percent, Copper 0.95 Percent, Gold 143 Parts Per Billion, Nickel 0.34 Percent, Palladium 1316 Parts Per Billion, Platinum 231 Parts Per Billion, Silver 3.26 Parts Per Million |
| Great Lakes Nickel Block A | 2001 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 5443080 | 2001 resource estimation report in Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files | 6.0 Mtons @ 0.41% Cu, 0.22% Ni, 0.013% Co, 1.18 ppm Ag, 92 ppb Au, 188 ppb Pt, 893 ppb Pd | Cobalt 0.013 Percent, Copper 0.41 Percent, Gold 92 Parts Per Billion, Nickel 0.22 Percent, Palladium 893 Parts Per Billion, Platinum 188 Parts Per Billion, Silver 1.18 Parts Per Million |
| Great Lakes Nickel Block A | 1987 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 8747029 | Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files | 9.642 Mtons @ 0.38% Cu, 0.198% Ni, 0.013% Co, 0.04 ppm Ag, 78 ppb Au 144 ppb Pt, 714 ppb Pd | Cobalt 0.013 Percent, Copper 0.38 Percent, Gold 78 Parts Per Billion, Nickel 0.198 Percent, Palladium 714 Parts Per Billion, Platinum 144 Parts Per Billion, Silver 0.04 Parts Per Million |
| Great Lakes Nickel Blocks A, B, C | 1974 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 41367408 | CMH 1977-78 p. 135 and Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files | 45.6 Mtons @ 0.344% Cu, 0.183% Ni, 0.0043 opt Pt, 0.021 opt Pd, 0.0007 opt Rh, 0.003 opt Au, 0.096 opt Ag | Copper 0.344 Percent, Gold 0.003 Ounce per Ton, Nickel 0.183 Percent, Palladium 0.021 Ounce per Ton, Platinum 0.0043 Ounce per Ton, Rhodium 0.0007 Ounce per Ton, Silver 0.096 Ounce per Ton |
| Great Lakes Nickel Block D | 1974 | Inferred Mineral Resource | 3216767 | Thunder Bay office RGP mineral deposit files | 35.469 Mtons @ 0.43% Cu, 0.23% Ni | Copper 0.43 Percent, Nickel 0.23 Percent |
| Great Lakes Nickel Block B | 1974 | Indicated Mineral Resource | 14333444 | Great Lakes Nickel March 14, 2002 press release (SEDAR) | 15.8 Mtons @ 0.364% Cu, 0.198% Ni (note that Block B is also included in the overall A, B, C Block resource listed here) | Copper 0.364 Percent, Nickel 0.198 Percent |
Mono - Chromite deposits in Ontario
Publication Number: S055 Page: 62-79 Date: 1986
Author: Whittaker P.J.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Mono - Copper, nickel, lead and zinc deposits of Ontario
Publication Number: MDC012 Page: 297-298 Date: 1969
Author: Shklanka R.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
MonoMap - Geology of Devon and Pardee townships and the Stuart Location, District of Thunder Bay
Publication Number: R087 Page: 31-36, 46 Date: 1970
Author: Geul J.J.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Map - Devon and Pardee townships and Stuart Location, Thunder Bay District
Publication Number: M2207 Scale: 1:31,680 Date: 1970
Author: Geul J.J.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines and Northern Affairs
Location:
Publication - A Mineral Resource Estimation & Assessment of the Platinum Group Element Potential for the Great Lakes Cu/Ni/PGE Deposit (Block A)
Publication Number: 2001 Res Est Date: 2001
Author: Hubacheck, P.C., Owen, D.L., Jamieson, D.R.
Publisher Name: W.A. Hubacheck Consultants for Great Lakes Nickel Ltd.
Location: Thunder Bay RGP Mineral Deposit files
Map - Precambrian Geology Compilation Series - Thunder Bay Sheet
Publication Number: M2664 Scale: 1:250,000 Date: 2001
Author: Santaguida F.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Map - Geological series, Precambrian geology, Keweenawan intrusive rocks in the Crystal Lake-Pigeon River area
Publication Number: P3139 Scale: 1:50,000 Date: 1990
Author: Smith A.R., Sutcliffe R.H.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
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