| Title | Spectral analysis of gossans on Victoria Island, NT, Canada: implications for remote predictive mapping |
| Author | Percival, J B; Williamson, M -C; Harris, J; Froome, J; Peterson, R |
| Source | 33rd Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, abstracts; by Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing; 1049, 2012 p. 49 |
| Links | Online - En ligne
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| Links | Abstracts (PDF, 1.22 MB)
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| Year | 2012 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20120324 |
| Meeting | 33rd Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing; Ottawa; CA; June 11-14, 2012 |
| Document | book |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
| NTS | 87; 97 |
| Area | Victoria Island |
| Lat/Long WENS | -116.0000 -104.0000 72.0000 69.0000 |
| Subjects | mineralogy; geochemistry; gossans; soil geochemistry; trace element geochemistry; permafrost geochemistry; infrared spectral analyses; gypsum; goethite; jarosite; sills; remote predictive
mapping |
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| Program | Tools for environmental impacts and adaptation for metal mining, Environmental Geoscience |
| Abstract | Gossans are highly weathered Fe-rich soils that overly sulphide-rich materials, and can be used as exploration targets for base metal deposits. A 3-year activity in the Environmental Geosciences Program
(Earth Sciences Sector) is investigating the stratigraphy, mineralogy and geochemistry of arctic gossans as analogues for mine waste in permafrost. The objective is to document the fate of toxic trace elements such as As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni and Pb in the
soils and permafrost surrounding gossans. Remote Predictive Mapping (RPM) has confirmed the presence of gossans in central Victoria Island, Northwest Territories. As a result, several sites were investigated during the 2011 field season. This paper
compares infrared spectral analyses taken in situ using a portable spectroradiometer (FieldSpec Pro® ASD, Inc.) with follow-up laboratory measurements for two stations. Station 1, Gossan Hill, is a 400-m topographic high capped by a
poorly-consolidated rust-coloured gossan overlying homogeneous pyrite-rich sands. Spectral analyses indicate abundant gypsum, goethite and jarosite minerals, and X-ray diffraction confirms them as well as minor amounts of quartz, mica, talc and
feldspar. Station 2, Gossan Sill, underlies a mineralized sill consisting of sulphide-rich veins and pods. Spectral analyses show gypsum and jarosite and XRD indicates variable amounts of goethite, hematite, pyrite, chlorite, calcite and feldspar.
The results from in situ surface spectral analyses are robust, and will improve the predictive map based on LANDSAT 7 images. Importantly, they will reduce existing gaps between mapping and exploration cycles and the environmental assessment process
critical for sustainable northern mineral development. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 292072 |
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