The LaRonde Penna Au-Rich Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit

Mercier-Langevin, P; Dubé, B; Blanchet, François; Pitre, D; Laberge, Annie

doi:10.5382/rev.19.07

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The study presented here aims to constrain the reason for mineralogical zoning within the alteration halo of the LaRonde-Penna deposit. Differences in metamorphic mineral assemblages are hypothesized to be related to variations in bulk-rock composition and related to variations in the degree of hydrothermal alteration (waterrock interaction) prior to the regional metamorphism 11,12 . The research on LaRonde-Penna will have significant implications for mineral exploration for VMS deposits in medium-to high-grade metamorphic terrains, providing a blueprint for HSI and XRF deployment for exploration drill core interpretation.…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the HySpex hyperspectral drill core scanner: case study on exploration core from the Au-rich LaRonde-Penna volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Quebec, Canada

Körting

Hernandez²,

Koirala³

et al. 2023

Hyperspectral Imaging and Applications II

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HySpex is presenting an integrated solution for hyperspectral drill core imaging. The system's mineral mapping capabilities are presented in close cooperation with renowned academic and industrial partners through the Center to Advance the Science of Exploration to Reclamation in Mining (CASERM) led by the Colorado School of Mines and Virginia Tech. Utilizing HySpex cameras covering the spectral range between 400 and 2500 nm, the system is capable of scanning full core boxes in seconds. Using Prediktera's new Breeze-GEO Software, real-time mineral mapping of the highest quality is achieved. Apart from different interactive qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools offered by Breeze, the platform includes the publicly available USGS Material Identification and Classification Algorithm (MICA) for mineral identification, as well as the minimum wavelength mapping (MWL) algorithm. The scanner's capabilities are demonstrated using drill cores from the LaRonde-Penna deposit. The deposit is located within the Archean Abitibi greenstone belt of Ontario and Quebec, Canada, which is home to numerous volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. LaRonde-Penna contains an endowment of 71 Mt of ore grading on average 3.9 g/t Au and economic grades of Zn, Cu and Pd. Because the deposits has been studied extensively over the past decades, cores from the deposit open up a unique opportunity for research and development.

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Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the HySpex hyperspectral drill core scanner: case study on exploration core from the Au-rich LaRonde-Penna volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Quebec, Canada

Körting

Hernandez²,

Koirala³

et al. 2023

Hyperspectral Imaging and Applications II

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“…9). The sulfide clasts are relatively small (≤5 cm across) compared to sulfide-rich debris flows overlying other VMS deposits (e.g., Bousquet-Laronde; Dubé et al, 2007b, Mercier-Langevin et al, 2007, and one could argue that with permissive dynamic properties of the host mass flow, small-size fragments, including the sulfide clasts, can travel substantial distances (i.e., kilometers; McPhie et al, 1993). However, the sulfide-rich breccia is restricted to the 1806 and 1807 zones of the deposit; hence, supporting proximal deposition rather than distal.…”

Section: Genetic Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving the Relative Timing of Au Enrichment in Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits Using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Mineral Liberation Analyzer: Empirical Evidence from the Ming Deposit, Newfoundland, Canada

Pilote¹,

Piercey²,

Brueckner³

et al. 2016

Economic Geology

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The metamorphosed Cambro-Ordovician Ming volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in northern Newfoundland, Canada, is locally overlain by a unit consisting of mafic to intermediate medium-to coarse-grained volcaniclastic breccia with up to 10 vol % sulfide clasts. Analysis via mineral liberation analyzer of two sulfide clasts, completed using scanning electron microscope observations, allowed the identification of a number of microscopic and submicroscopic electrum grains. These electrum grains occur in three types of textural settings: (1) free electrum grains with tellurides within gangue minerals, (2) inclusions of electrum with tellurides in pyrrhotite grains, and (3) free electrum grains with base metals and tellurides interstitial between base metals and along cataclastic fractures in pyrite. These three textural settings are similar to those in the underlying massive sulfide orebodies that represent very likely sources to the sulfide clasts. The polylithic nature and angularity of the volcaniclastic fragments in the breccia suggest a postmineralization gravity-controlled debris flow proximal to its source. The mineral assemblage and textures of electrum in the sulfide clasts implies evidence in support of syngenetic and predeformation Au introduction in the volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, and argues against an orogenic overprint as the cause for Au enrichment. † Corresponding

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“…Available data suggest the OB is most prospective for hosting Au-rich VMS deposits (Mercier-Langevin et al 2007a;Mercier-Langevin et al 2007b;Mercier-Langevin et al 2011).…”

Section: R a F Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic and chemical data from the Oaks Belt, Wabigoon subprovince, Minnesota: implications for Au-rich VMS deposit exploration

Hendrickson

2016

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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The Oaks Belt (OB) is a Neoarchean volcanic complex located in northwestern Minnesota, USA. It is part of the Wabigoon granite–greenstone terrane that hosts the world-class Rainy River gold deposit in nearby Ontario, Canada. Rocks in the OB form a north-dipping homocline in the fault-bounded pressure shadow of a sigma-shaped volcano-plutonic wedge that spans east–west for 220 km across the Minnesota, USA – Ontario, Canada border. Exploration drilling in the area delineated pyrrhotite–pyrite massive sulfide deposits, iron formation, chert, and semi-massive sphalerite mineralized zones. High-resolution aeromagnetic data indicate a large (∼60 km2) composite subvolcanic intrusion underlies these iron-rich strata in the OB. The position of this inferred intrusion elucidates the low base metal content of known massive sulfide deposits, as they were too far away (6–10 km) from a heat source to have been favorable sites for base metal deposition. The relative abundance of Au and Zn in the OB, alongside correlation coefficients between metals in massive sulfide deposits, iron formation, and chert, indicates the rocks were affected by a low-temperature hydrothermal system under relatively shallow water conditions (<1000 m). Negative correlation between Na2O and CaO in basalt, and their mutual moderate positive correlation with immobile corundum (Al2O3), implies alteration in the upper part of the volcanic pile did not result in substantial element mobility in most samples. Geochemical data from mafic and felsic volcanic rocks plot mainly in the calc-alkaline field. Thus, the OB is most prospective for hosting Au-rich VMS deposits and future exploration should focus on paleo-thermal corridors and favorable stratigraphic horizons near the newly inferred composite subvolcanic intrusion.

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The LaRonde Penna Au-Rich Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit

Cited by 6 publications

References 27 publications

Development of the HySpex hyperspectral drill core scanner: case study on exploration core from the Au-rich LaRonde-Penna volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Quebec, Canada

Development of the HySpex hyperspectral drill core scanner: case study on exploration core from the Au-rich LaRonde-Penna volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Quebec, Canada

Resolving the Relative Timing of Au Enrichment in Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits Using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Mineral Liberation Analyzer: Empirical Evidence from the Ming Deposit, Newfoundland, Canada

Geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic and chemical data from the Oaks Belt, Wabigoon subprovince, Minnesota: implications for Au-rich VMS deposit exploration

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