Geology of the Sand Creek porphyry molybdenum prospect /

The Sand Creek Prospect is located within the eastern exposed margin of the Coast Plutonic Complex. The occurrence is a plug and dyke porphyry molybdenum deposit. The rock types, listed in decreasing age: 1) metamorphlc schists and gneisses; 2) diorite suite rocks - diorite, quartz diorite, tonalite; 3) rocks of andesitic composition; 4) granodiorites, coarse porphyritic granodiorite, quartzfeldspar porphyry, feldspar porphyry; and 5) lamprophyre. Hydrothermal alteration is known to have resulted from emplacement of the hornblende-feldspar porphyry through to the quartz-feldspar porphyry. Molybdenum mineralization is chiefly associated with the quartz-feldspar porphyry. Ore mineralogy is dominated by pyrite with subordinate molybdenite, chalcopyrite, covelline, sphalerite, galena, scheelite, cassiterite and wolframite. Molybdenite exhibits a textural gradation outward from the quartz-feldspar porphyry. That is, disseminated rosettes and rosettes in quartz veins to fine-grained molybdenite in quartz veins and potassic altered fractures to fine-grained molybdenite paint or 6mears in the peripheral zones. The quartz-feldspar porphyry dykes were emplaced in an inhomogeneous stress field. The trend of dykes, faults and shear zones is 0^1° to 063° and dips between 58° NW and 86* SE. Joint Pole distribution reflects this fault orientation. These late deformatior maxima are probably superimposed upon annuli representing diapiric emplacement of the plutons. A model of emplacement involving two magmatic pulses is given in the following sequence: Diorite pulse (i) dioritequartz diorite, (ii) tonalites; granodiorite pulse (iii) hornblende-fildspar microporphyry, hornblende/biotite porphyry, (iv) coarse grained granodiorite, (v) quartz-feldspar porphyry, (vi) feldspar porphyry, and (vii) lamprophyre. The combination of plutonic and coarse porphyritic textures, extensive propylitic overprinting of potassic alteration assemblages suggests that the. prospect represents the lower reaches of a porphyry system.

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the McElroy and Larder Lake assemblages, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Northeastern Ontario

The McElroy and Larder Lake assemblages, located in the southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt are two late Archean metavolcanic sequences having markedly contrasting physical characteristics arid are separated from one another by a regional fault. An assemblage is an informal term which describes stratified volcanic and/or sedimentary rock units built during a specific time period in a similar depositional or volcanic setting and are commonly bounded by faults, unconformities or intrusions. The petrology and petrogenesis of these assemblages have been investigated to determine if a genetic link exists between the two adjacent assemblages. The McElroy assemblage is homoclinal sequence of evolved massive and pillowed fl.ows, which except for the basal unit represents a progressively fractionated volcanic pile. From the base to the top of the assemblage the lithologies include Fe-tholeiitic, dendritic flows; komatiite basaltic, ultramafic flows; Mg-tholeiitic, leucogabbro; Mg-tholeiitic, massive flows and Fe-tholeiitic, pillowed flows. Massive flows range from coarse grained to aphanitic and are commonly plagioclase glomerophyric. The Larder Lake assemblage consists of komatiitic, Mg-rich and Fe-rich tholeiitic basalts, structurally disrupted by folds and faults. Tholeiitic rocks in the Larder Lake assemblage range from aphanitic to coarse grained massive and pillowed flows. Komatiitic flows contain both spinifex and massive textures. Geochemical variability within both assemblages is attributed to different petrogenetic histories. The lithologies of the McElroy assemblage were derived by partial melting of a primitive mantle source followed by various degrees of crystal fractionation. Partial melting of a primitive mantle source generated the ultramafic flows and possibly other flows in the assemblage. Fractionation of ultramafic flows may have also produced the more evolved McElroy lithologies. The highly evolved, basal, dendritic flow may represent the upper unit 3 of a missing volcanic pile in which continued magmatism generated the remaining McElroy lithologies. Alternatively, the dendritic flows may represent a primary lava derived from a low degree (10-15%) partial melt of a primitive mantle source which was followed by continued partial melting to generate the ultramafic flows. The Larder Lake lithologies were derived by partial melting of a komatiitic source followed by gabbroic fractionation. The tectonic environment for both assemblages is interpreted to be an oceanic arc setting. The McElroy assemblage lavas were generated in a mature back arc setting whereas the Larder Lake lithologies were produced during the early stages of komatiitc crust subduction. This setting is consistent with previous models involving plate tectonic processes for the generation of other metavolcanic assemblages in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E-1

Coarse grained sediment with a few fine grained matrices. Brown sediment with small to medium sized clasts. Clasts range from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Organic material present.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E-2

Coarse grained sediment with small patches of a fine grained domain. The domain may contain organic material. Lineations and minor grain stack present throughout the section.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E-4

Fine grained domain within a coarse grained domain. Lineations throughout the section. A few small patches of a clay domain seen towards the top left.

HG 186.15-186.25-1

Coarse grained section with two different fine grained domains. Towards the left hand side the domain is dark and has no inclusions of coarse grains. The right hand side has some coarser materials.

HG 186.15-186.25-2

Major grains crushing towards the top left with two fine grained domains in coarse grained sediment.

HG 186.55-186.75-1

Domain boundaries observed between the fine grained and coarse grained sediment. The coarse grained sediment contains lineations.

HG 186.15-186.25 Thin Section

Coarse grained sample with multiple fine grained domains. Clasts range from small to medium and sub-angular to sub-rounded. Mainly contains grain crushing (with grains crushed into one another) and short distance lineations. A few rotation structures are seen and fine grained sand domains can also be seen.

HG 186.80-186.85 Thin section

A coarse grained sample with clay rich domains. Grains range from small to medium and are sub-angular. Rotation structures can be seen around sub-rounded clasts. Lineations can be seen throughout the image, mainly short distance lineations. Small comet structures can also be seen throughout the images.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E.

Coarse grained sediment with a few fine grained matrices. Brown sediment with small to medium sized clasts. Clasts range from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Organic material present. It contains rotation structures throughout as well as edge-to-edge grain crushing. Fine grained clay domains are present and lineations can also be seen. Minor amounts of grain stacking can also be seen.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E. Thin Section

Coarse grained sample with grains varying from small to medium in size. They range from sub-angular to sub-rounded in shape. The sample is abundant in lineations and comet structures. Minor amounts of grain stacking are present. Inclusions of a clay rich, fine grained domain.

HG 187.45-187.65 Thin Section

Coarse grained sediment with fine grained domains throughout. The clasts in the coarse grained domain range from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Short distance lineations are present throughout the sample. Organic rich domains (darker) are prevalent alongside fractured grains.

HG 195.45-195.55 Thin Section

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large. The grains are sub-angular. Two main domains can be seen. Both are coarse grained, but one contains larger grains and potentially more clay material. Lineations are present throughout the sample in multiple directions. Minor rotation around a few larger clasts can be seen, as well as comet structures.

HG 196.20-196.30 Thin Section

Brown, coarse grained sediment , with clay material. Clasts range from small to large, and sub-angular to sub-rounded. Organic material can be seen. Lineations are abundant. Grain stacking edge-to-edge grain crushing can also be seen. Organic material can be seen. Edge-to-edge grain crushing is seen throughout the image. Contains the inclusion of a finer domain.