|
Mineralization | | | Gold mineralization on the Property is associated with two principal styles of mineralization: - Narrow, high-grade gold-bearing quartz-carbonate veins hosted in metamorphosed mafic lavas (greenstone) and porphyry, which were the main source of gold produced at the Pickle Crow Mine from 1935 to 1966; and
- Iron formation hosted gold mineralization adjacent to vein structures. The iron formation contains stringers and discontinuous lenses of quartz and the iron-bearing minerals have been replaced by sulphides. Both quartz and sulphides are gold mineralized. Only a limited amount of this type of material was processed at the Pickle Crow Mine. However, iron formation hosted gold was the main ore type at the adjacent Central Patricia Mine.
There is also some indication from recent research carried out by MPH when preparing the NI 43-101 Technical Report, that there may be a new style of mineralization, pyritic tuff with quartz stockwork or stringers, below the No. 7 vein in the No. 3 Shaft area. Three holes into this tuffaceous mineralization, 3-28-45, 3-28-54 and 3-28-55A, indicate that wider zones similar to those in the iron formation hosted auriferous zones might be found there. | | |
|
| | 1. Quartz Vein Hosted Gold | | | | The gold-bearing veins at Pickle Crow fill faults, shears and fractures in the various host rocks. Auriferous sulphide zones that are stratabound and contained within iron formation occur adjacent to shear zones in some areas. The gold is contained in quartz veins that are generally banded with tiny streaks of tourmaline, chlorite or sericite, and fracture fillings. Quartz is by far the main vein mineral along with lesser carbonates including siderite, ferruginous dolomite, and calcite. Minor albite, chlorite and sericite, and local traces of tourmaline and scheelite have been noted. Gold occurs principally in its native form at Pickle Crow. The main sulphide minerals are pyrrhotite and pyrite which combined are usually <2% of the auriferous material, along with trace arsenopyrite, magnetite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite. Visible gold occurs locally in small quantities but generally cannot be identified macroscopically except in the mineralization from No. 2 vein which contains spectacular amounts of free gold. Gold has been deposited as a late mineral accompanied by galena and the late carbonate. Gold is molded upon or fills fractures in quartz, pyrite and arsenopyrite and it replaces pyrrhotite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite. | | |
|
| | 2. Iron Formation Hosted Gold | | | | The second style of mineralization is the gold-bearing iron formation type. As previously noted, this type of mineralization was the main source of mill feed for the Central Patricia Mine on the adjoining property to the west. Iron formation (quartz-sulphide) zones on the Pickle Crow Property comprise stringers and discontinuous lenses of quartz within iron formation. The iron bearing minerals of the iron formation have been replaced by sulphides adjacent to the veins and gold is present in the veins and the associated sulphides. When the gold mineralization is contained in iron formation it is hosted by a network of quartz veins and mineralized fractures. In these areas the iron oxide and iron carbonate minerals have been replaced by sulphides, primarily pyrrhotite, along the iron rich layers. | | |
|
|
| |