Database name: |
World Fe-oxide+/-Cu-Au-U (IOCG) deposits |
Compilers: |
Sunil S. Gandhi |
Release date: |
2015-03-04 |
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Deposit name(s): |
BBX Cu Prospect; Aristifats Lake Prospect; Taltheili Narrows |
Political location(s): |
Canada; Province or state: Northwest Territories; Nearest community: Yellowknife (145 km 085) |
NTS map data: |
075L12 (Taltheilei Narrows) |
Deposit clan (type): |
Olympic Dam-type |
Deposit (sub) types: |
volcanic vent breccia-hosted; Some hematite present, but no significant amount of iron oxide reported; the mineralization could represent a distal, near-surface manifestation of a larger hydrothermal system; Reference: Badham, J. P. N., 1978: Magnetite-Apatite-Amphibole-Uranium and Silver-Arsenide Mineralizations in Lower Proterozoic Igneous Rocks, East Arm, Great Slave Lake, Canada; Economic Geology, Volume 73, p. 1474 - 1491 |
Deposit status: |
prospect; Status comments: Known since 1931; drilled in 1956 and 1972; drilling indicated 5000 short tons averaging 6.13 % Cu and 2.6 oz/t Ag; veins 500 m to the north are also copper-bearing; U may be of supergene origin. |
Geologic province: |
Athapuscow Aulacogen / Wopmay Orogen |
Geologic subprovince: |
Eastern Extension of Great Bear Magmatic Zone |
Geologic district: |
Proterozoic Great Slave Lake Basin |
Deposit object located: |
trenches |
Commodities: |
Cu; Co; Ni; Au; Ag; Pb; U; Bi |
Mineralization styles: |
breccia pipes; carbonate veins |
Geological ages: |
Late Paleoproterozoic (country rocks) |
Tectonic setting: |
epicontinental graben; Formal name: Athapuskow Aulacogen (related igneous rocks) |
Coincident features: |
volcanic vent zone (Volcanic activity during deposition of Proterozoic platform sequence on the Slave craton); Coincident feature name: Seton volcanic rocks breccia |
Host rocks: |
(1) volcanic; bimodal volcanic rocks (mafic volcanic neck in platform sediments); Magma series/sedimentary package/metamorphic group: calc-alkaline; Depositional setting: breccia zone; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosedHost rock stratigraphy: | Seton formation |
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Related igneous rocks: |
(1) volcanic; bimodal volcanic rocks (volcanic centres in platfrom sequence); Initials: Seton volcanic rocks (or formation); Magma series: calc-alkaline; Depositional setting: continental |
Country rocks: |
(1) sandstone-shale; (flat-lying on Archean basement); Country rock name: Sosan and Kahochella Gps, Great Slave Supergroup; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosed (2) basaltic vent; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosed |
Metallogenic signatures: |
Cu-Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-Au-Pb-U |
Alteration signatures: |
chloritization: outer zone of breccia ; What was altered: host breccia fragments quartz-sericite: quartz and sericite; What was altered: breccia zone carbonatization: iron-rich carbonate in breccia matrix and in veins; What was altered: breccia zone and country rock albitization: rocks of basltic and rhyolitic volcanic centres al; What was altered: volcanic rocks |
Mineralogy: |
(alteration): chlorite, sericite, quartz (gangue): calcite, iron-rich (mineralization): chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite, hematite, skutterudite, galena, argentite, native silver, glaucodot |
Radiometric ages: |
Object dated: Related igneous rocks; Age - Ma: 1,872; +10; -10; Dating method: Rb-Sr; Concentrate: whole rock; Source rock: host volcanics and related intrusives; Formal name: Volcanic rocks of Seton Island; Event dated: host rock; Interpretive comment: rocks metasomatically altered, hence could be older; pre-date 1865 +/- 15 Ma monzonitic laccoliths; Reference: Badham, J. P. N., 1978: Magnetite-Apatite-Amphibole-Uranium and Silver-Arsenide Mineralizations in Lower Proterozoic Igneous Rocks, East Arm, Great Slave Lake, Canada; Economic Geology, Volume 73, p. 1474 - 1491 |
Qualified comments: |
(Applies to: discovery and development) - Copper and cobalt mineralization was reported in the vicinity of Taltheilei Narrows as early as 1899. The showings were described in 1931 but the data of discovery of the BBX mineralization is unknown. G. Wonnacott staked the main surface showings in 1948. The McAvoy interests staked the BBX group of 2 claims along with the CC, Goodbye and Flo groups. Additional staking was done in 1949 for a total of 61 claims in 7 groups, including the BBX, Copper, Per, and Jet. Exploration work by James McAvoy included trenching at the south end of the breccia pipe (trenches 1 and 2) and diamond drilling of 1,146 feet in eight holes. - Preston East Dome Mines Ltd. optioned the property from C. McAvoy in 1956 and carried out 2,083 feet of diamond drilling in 13 holes before dropping the option. Rio Tinto Canada Exploration Ltd. took over the Preston East Dome exploration program in 1958; the drill core was re-assayed and the showings re-examined, but the property was not re-optioned. - In 1970 J.D. Larkin and J. McAvoy recorded the BBX 1-40 claims and in 1971 a preliminary geological survey and geochemical work for the BBX Syndicate was conducted over the claims. The copper showing exposed by precious trenching on BBX 2 claim was covered by an IP survey. The interpretation of previous drilling drill results and additional geological and geophysical field surveys suggested that the zone of mineralization was of limited extent; containing approximately 5,000 tons of 6.13% copper and 2.6 oz/T silver. - These copper and silver values appear to be based on a 21-foot channel sample from trench No. 1. - Five of the thirteen drill holes completed on the BBX 2 showing in 1956 showed intersections 10 to 26 feet wide of mineralized conglomerate at vertical depths of 30 to 192 feet from surface. Core samples assayed in 1971 returned 0.02% to 0.05% Cu and up to 0.111 oz/T Au. Five mineralized shear zones are located up to half a mile north of the main showing. -A channel sample from vein shear D3 assayed 0.06% Cu across eight feet of quartz and 0.18% Cu across nine feet of adjacent shattered wall rock.
(Applies to: discovery and development) - The area around the trenched copper-cobalt showing on BBX 2 was the subject of an IP survey. It revealed that the main mineralized zone on BBX 2 was limited in extent, but that vein/shears in the shale-sandstone sequence gave strong IP responses. In 1972, 1100 ft (335.37m) of diamond drilling was completed in 7 holes. One hole (72-4) averaged 0.49% Cu over 83 ft including intersections of 1.11% Cu over five feet and 1.63% Cu over ten feet. The rest failed to intersect mineralization. - Great Plains Development Company of Canada Ltd. and Rio Tinto optioned the property in 1973 from the McAvoy interests. Work during the 1973-74 period included geological mapping, IP and ground magnetic surveys in addition of 3,659 feet of diamond drilling in eight holes. The best assays from this drilling included: 2.02% Cu over 26 feet in hole 75-5 and 2.68% Cu over 27 feet in hole 76-1. Assays of random samples collected from trenches No.1 and No.2 ranged from 2.74% to 6.64% Cu, 0.06 to 2.12% Co, 0.04 to 1.23% Ni, 0.16 to 7.52 oz/T Ag, and trace to 0.02 oz/T Au. - In 1982 Petromet Resources Ltd. purchased leases #2448 and #3015 covering the former BBX 1, 2, 5, 9 and 10 claims from Norcen Energy Resources Ltd. and Riocanex Inc.
(Applies to: mineralization) The BBX prospect contains a small resource of 4535 tonnes grading 6.13% Cu and 89.14 g/t Ag that has been defined in a small strongly altered diatreme (brecciated mafic volcanic plug) (breccia pipe) in Seton Fm volcs near the contact between the Aphebian Sosan and Kahochella Groups of sedimentary rocks. Two prominent ridges rise up to 150 feet above the surrounding muskeg. The north ridge contains sedimentary rocks and a diabase plug. Copper mineralization is associated with a 1870+/-15 Ma basaltic diatreme that is expressed in the southern ridge, one of seven volcanic centres in the vicinity of Taltheilei Narrows that intrude sediments of the Great Slave Supergroup. The diatreme consists mainly of accidental fragments of mafic volcanics, and lesser sedimentary and granitic rocks set in a matrix of finely comminuted rock debris. Juvenile volcanic material is thought to represent less than 25% of the diatreme by volume. Mineralization at the BBX prospect is thought to be the result of several phases of activity. An early phase involved the deposition of Fe-Co-Ni sulphides and sulpharsenides such as gersdorffite, arsenopyrite and glaucodot. Later phases saw the deposition of chalcopyrite, galena, barite and specularite. These minerals occur as disseminations in the matrix of the diatreme, and in fractures and veinlets cutting both matrix and fragments. A last phase involved the development of quartz-carbonate veins. GSC Open File 1434: Traces of uranium are associated with copper sulphide rich zones at the outcrop of this deposit; this uranium could have been added later by supergene processes.
(Applies to: property geology) The BBX prospect occurs in Aphebian Great Slave Supergroup rocks within the Great Slave Basin or Fold Belt near the contact between the Aphebian Sosan and Kahochella Groups of sedimentary rocks. Two prominent ridges rise up to 150 feet above the surrounding muskeg. The north ridge contains sedimentary rocks and a diabase plug. Copper mineralization is associated with a 1870+/-15 Ma basaltic diatreme that is expressed in the southern ridge, one of seven volcanic centres in the vicinity of Taltheilei Narrows that intrude sediments of the Great Slave Supergroup. The diatreme consists mainly of accidental fragments of mafic volcanics, and lesser sedimentary and granitic rocks set in a matrix of finely comminuted rock debris. Juvenile volcanic material is thought to represent less than 25% of the diatreme by volume. - Mineralization at the BBX prospect is thought to be the result of several phases of activity. An early phase involved the deposition of Fe-Co-Ni sulphides and sulpharsenides such as gersdorffite, arsenopyrite and glaucodot. Later phases saw the deposition of chalcopyrite, galena, barite and specularite. These minerals occur as disseminations in the matrix of the diatreme, and in fractures and veinlets cutting both matrix and fragments. A last phase involved the development of quartz-carbonate veins. - Sulphide mineralization in the breccia pipe occurs as coating on fragments, dissemination in the matrix, and as veins, veinlets and stringers. - In general, the diatreme exhibits pervasive chloritic and carbonate alteration, both probably related to deuteric processes. Hematitic alteration took place at the time of emplacement. Potassic alteration involving the development of K-feldspar and sericite is intimately associated with metallic mineralization. (NORMIN, September 28, 2007) |
Links to other databases: |
NORMIN; Key value: 075LNW0002 NMI; Key value: 75 L/12 CU 1 |
References: |
Argy, G. H.; Siega, L. J., 1971 |
Report on Regional Geology and Property History on BBX Mineral Claims, Aristifats Lake Area (019633) |
Mineral Assessment Report, BBX Syndicate, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Publication code 019633 |
Badham, J. P. N., 1978 |
Magnetite-Apatite-Amphibole-Uranium and Silver-Arsenide Mineralizations in Lower Proterozoic Igneous Rocks, East Arm, Great Slave Lake, Canada |
Economic Geology, Volume 73, p. 1474 - 1491 |
Badham, J. P. N., 1979 |
Geology and Petrochemistry of Lower Aphebian (2.4 to 2.0 Ga) Alkaline Plutonic and Hypabyssal Rocks in the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories |
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Volume 16, p. 60 - 72 |
Badham, J. P. N.; Muda, M. M., 1980 |
Mineralogy and Paragenesis of Hydrothermal Mineralizations in the East Arm of Great Slave Lake |
Economic Geology, Volume 75, p. 1220 - 1225 |
Lloyd, J., 1971 |
A Report on a Time Domain Induced Polarization Survey on the BBX Claims, Aristifats Lake Area (019634) |
Mineral Assessment Report, Milner Resources Ltd, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Publication code 019634 |
Nickerson, D., 1972 |
Report on a Diamond Drill Project, Taltheilei Narrows, Great Slave Lake (015127) |
Mineral Assessment Report, Bruce Rome, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Publication code 015127 |
Nutter, D. E., 1975 |
1974 Geological Report on the Per 1-29 Mineral Claims (080165) |
Mineral Assessment Report, Great Plains Development Company of Canada Ltd, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Publication code 080165 |
Nutter, D. E., 1975 |
Diamond Drill Logs for the BBX Property, Aristifats Lake Area (080148) |
Mineral Assessment Report, Great Plains Development Company of Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Publication code 080148 |
Roscoe, S. M.; Gandhi, S. S.; Charbonneau, B. W.; Maurice, Y. T., 1987 |
Mineral Resource Assessment of the Area in the East Arm (Great Slave Lake) and Artillery Lake Region, N.W.T., Proposed As a National Park (NTS 75 J, K, L, N, O) |
Open File , Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Publication code 1434, 92 p., 4 maps. |
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