this is a research program conducted while the author worked for Canadian Royalties , this program studied regional structural features and their structural control on massive sulphide Ni-Cu-PGE in both regional and mine scale. the author proposed that massive Ni-Cu-PGE ore is hydrothermal genetic and structurally controlled by NE striking down-deep fault system, structural exploration model in proposed at the end.
GEOCHEMICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL CHRACTERISTICS OF THE SWARTMODDER CU-AU DEPOSITS ...Victoria Haukongo
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Structural control on massive sulfide Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization and exploration application in Nunavik Nickel Mine, Nunavik, Quebec, canada
1. Geological Control on Massive Sulfide Ni-
Cu-PGE Mineralization at Nunavik Nickel
Mines and Their Applications in
Exploration, Nunavik, Quebec, Canada
John Guo (P.Geo, Ph D)
Canadian Royalties Inc.
August 2015
2. A Few Questions about Massive
Sulfide Mineralization in Nunavik Mine
• How important the M$ resources are for CRI?
• Where are the M$ ores located?
• How are the M$ ores formed?
• Where and how to find M$ ores and their
geological indicators?
(M$: Massive Sulfides; N$: Net-texture sulfides; D$: Disseminated Sulfides)
5. Observations of M$ Mineralization Features in
Nunavik Mine and Adjacent Area
• M$ in basalt /sediment rocks;
• M$ in N$/D$/UM rocks;
• M$ in faults / shear zones;
• Bi-model distribution of Ni contents in M$ and N$/D$ sulfides;
• Direct association of M$ with hydrothermal fluid process.
14. Summary one
• Classic UM gravity segregation model is unable to
explain spatial relation between M$ and N$
mineralization in Nunavik Nickel Mine;
• Classic UM gravity segregation model can’t explain the
relative volume of M$ sulfides and its adjacent UM
rock volume either(V_M$> V_UM) ;
• DDH core photos and OP surfaces indicate that M$
ores can exist in sediments, basalt and UM in Nunavik
Nickel mine;
• Surface contact features suggest that M$ is emplaced
later than N$(D$) and fill in faults or fractures that
cutting various hosting rocks.
15. Ni, Cu Content Distribution Pattern
Features in Nunavik Nickel Mine
28. Classic UM
Segregation
related Ni (Cu)
Mineralization
Massive Ni (Cu)
Mineralization related to
another geological
process
(diluted) M$
emplaced in
faults,
fractures. The
materials are
essentially the
same class as
M$.
29. Summary two
• N$(D$) minerlaization has low Cu contents (<1% Cu), and Ni
grade mostly <2%.
• High Cu contents materials are strictly associated with M$,
not N$ materials.
• Cu mineralization shows normal distribution feature, which
suggests that Cu mineralization was derived from one
geological process.
• Ni contents show clear bi-modal distribution feature and it
indicates that M$ sulfides and N$ (D$) sulfides are two
separate geological processes.
• In Nunavik Nickel Mine, High Ni and Cu content materials
are related to M$ minerlaization, which is formed later
than N$ minerlaization.
43. Conceptual Sectional View of Hydrothermal
Related M$ Mineralization
Alteration
zone
Qz V
Po+Pn+Cpy
Cpy
dominant at
feeding vent
hydrothermal
channel
44. Summary Three
• Observed geological evidences and mineral assemblages from both OP surfaces and DDH core
photos at Nunavik Nickel Mine together suggest that M$ is associated with hydrothermal process,
not the result of UM segregation process.
• Mineralogical assemblages of massive sulfides suggest that M$ is formed in an intermediate - low
temperature environment.
• Hydrothermal alteration usually well developed close to quartz veins and along the bottom
contacts (footwall) between massive ores and host rock, alteration on hanging wall is weak or none.
• Mineralogical zonation developed along contact boundary. chalcopyrite dominant sulfides and
Palladium bearing minerals are formed along the contact and followed by Pentlandite , Pyrrhotite
and Chalcopyrite inward to the massive ore.
• Metasomatic replacement, a process of simultaneous solution and deposition whereby one
mineral replaces another, occurs in the direct contact host rock surface. metasomatic genetic
sulfides formed under the chalcopyrite dominant sulfides of the massive ores and characterized by
high Pd and calcite carbonates.
• High Chalcopyrite (together with Palladium bearing minerals) usually distribute on contact
boundary between M$ materials and host rock.
• Quartz vein usually located at the footwall of massive ore body and represents the ending of
hydrothermal process.
61. Summary Four
• Massive sulfide mineralization is structurally controlled
by reactivated E-W striking fault system.
• In Mesamax deposit, M$ is constrained by an Eastward
fan-out near North dipping fault system.
• Hydrothermal fluid transportation channel is possibly
located at the location where two sets of folds are
superposed. It seems this structural location applies to
the emplacement of M$ materials in both Mesamax
and Expo deposits
• M$ ores are post-UM crystallization process and with
hydrothermal genesis.
63. Early Rift stage formed the basalt and Sediments and
later on UM dykes along the NW striking faults
64. Late Stage near N-S Directional Stress Closed the Rift and
Formed the near E-W Striking Folds and Shear Zone
E
The contact between UM and host rock is the favorite geology boundary for Shear zone
formation
65. E-W Compression Strain formed superposed folding and localized E-W
Directional extension which induced upward transportation of Ni-Cu-PGE
Hydrothermal fluid along reactivated faults
67. Where to Find Massive Ore Deposit?
• On regional scale: the superposed structure
of E-W striking regional folds and N-S striking
deformation system
TMI Map
71. Expo-Mesamax Area High Potential
Exploration Targets
UM
Fold
Thematic AeroTEM
Map showing
deformed folds
(yellow color and
UM (Blue color)
Mesa
Expo
74. How to Find Massive Ores in Nunavik
Nickel Mine Area?
• Continue mapping UM dykes but put more emphasis on their
geological contacts with host rocks and pay attention of:
– Quartz veins nearby
– Shear zones along the extension of UM dykes
– Gossan nearby UM or in Shear zone
– Alteration near UM or in the extension of
• Identify superposed folds to identify possible buried massive ore
deposit.
• Apply thematic hyper-spectral remote sensing image to identify M$
mineralization related hydrothermal induced alteration zone.
• SQUID survey on selected areas to test the targets
75. Exposed Qz Vein is a direct indicator of hydrothermal
activity underneath
76.
77.
78.
79. Conclusions
• Volume (tonnage) of M$ materials are small compared with UM segregation produced
N$/D$ materials, but M$ materials have much higher Ni, Cu grades than the N$/D$
materials and are essential for a profitable operation in Nunavik Mine;
• Massive ore mineralization is post ultra-mafic intrusive event and is genetically related
to post-UM hydrothermal process, with intermediate- low temperature environment;
• Reactivated faults which maybe the transportation channel for UM emplacement are
the favorable structures for the upward migration of Ni-Cu-PGE bearing hydrothermal
fluid process and the participation of massive sulfides in proper structure locations;
• Host rocks of massive sulfides varies from UM to basalt and sediments and is
controlled by fault not petrology. This will change our exploration of M$ from focus on
the bottom of UM contact to the surrounding geology environment of UM dykes,
especially to fault /fold structures.
• Exposed quartz vein to surface, shear zone close to UM dyke and goassen associated
with UM dyke are all good indicators for Massive sulfide exploration
