Temporal and spatial distribution of magmatic Cr-(PGE), Ni-Cu-(PGE), and Fe-Ti-(V) deposits in the Bird River--Uchi--Oxford-Stull--La Grande Rivière--Eastmain domains: a new metallogenic province within the Superior Craton

Abstract

Chromium and Fe-Ti-(V) mineralization in ultramafic-mafic intrusions is known to occur in several areas of the Superior Province, but was considered to be of marginal significance until the discovery of world-class Cr deposits and potentially significant Fe-Ti-(V) mineralization in the McFaulds Lake greenstone belt ("Ring of Fire") of northern Ontario. Cr-(PGE), Ni-Cu-(PGE), and Fe-Ti-(V) deposits/occurrences in the northern part of the Superior Province occur predominantly within Meso to Neoarchean supracrustal successions along the margins and within the interiors of the Bird River-Uchi-Oxford-Stull-La Grande Rivièreastmain domains (i.e. BUOGE domains). These domains define a new metallogenic province within the Superior Province characterized by the presence of major Cr-(PGE) with Ni-Cu-(PGE) and Fe-Ti-(V) metal associations that appear to be fundamentally different from other parts of the Craton, such as the Abitibi greenstone belt or the apparently relatively unmineralized North Caribou core, Island Lake, and Goudalie domains. Despite the fact that only the Cr-(PGE) deposits and Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposits (Eagle's Nest) in the McFaulds Lake greenstone belt appear to be potentially economic, the presence of a significant amount of Cr-(PGE) mineralization across the BUOGE domains highlights the prospectivity of these regions of the Superior Province.