| Title | The role of mineralogical research in mine site characterization |
| |
| Author | Percival, J B ;
Desbarats, A B; Venance, K E; Parsons, M B |
| Source | AGU-GAC-MAC-CGU Joint Assembly 2015, abstracts listing/AGC-AGU-AMC-UGC Réunion conjointe 2015, abstracts listing; 2015 p. 116-117 |
| Links | Online, abstracts - En ligne,
résumés (pdf 10.7MB)
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| Image |  |
| Year | 2015 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20150002 |
| Publisher | Geological Association of Canada |
| Meeting | GAC-MAC-AGU Annual Meeting; Montréal; CA; May 3-7, 2015 |
| Document | book |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Lat/Long WENS | -141.0000 -50.0000 90.0000 41.7500 |
| Subjects | mineralogy; mines; mineralogical analyses; lithology; sillimanite; garnet; allanite; oxides; sulphides; Croft Mine |
| Program | Environmental Geoscience Tools for environmental impacts and adaptation for metal mining |
| Released | 2015 01 01 |
| Abstract | Over the last decade, the GSC, under the Environment and Health Programs, has conducted research into selected ore deposits as a means to: characterize mineralogical and geochemical signatures; provide
public geoscience knowledge for decision makers; and promote deeper understanding of mine sites to aid technical reviews of Environmental Impact Assessments for new mine sites. To date, studies have been completed on lode Au deposits in two different
geological and geographic environments (Nova Scotia and British Columbia). Currently, studies are near completion on U-REE granitic pegmatites in central (Bancroft) Ontario. U, Th and REEs have been mined in the Bancroft region since the early
fifties. Demand for these commodities is increasing and there is renewed interest in re-appraising the region for exploration and development. Several old mine sites were sampled (rock core, tailings, soils, stream/lake sediments, groundwater, radon)
for detailed characterization. This presentation will focus on mineralogy and hydrogeology of the Croft Mine that was explored in the early fifties and again in the early seventies. Representative core samples include pegmatite and gneisses
(amphibolite, metapelite, quartzofeldspathic). Samples consist of abundant plagioclase and K-feldspar with subordinate quartz, amphibole and biotite. The metapelite contains sillimanite, garnet and allanite. Minor to trace fluor-apatite was detected
in one sample and several of them contain minor to trace calcite or dolomite. A variety of oxides (magnetite, hematite, ilmenite) and sulphides (pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite) occur in minor to trace amounts. Sediment collected from the outlet of
the adit reflects the overall mineralogy of the sampled pegmatite and gneisses. Characterization of the mineralogical signature (ore, gangue, alteration) at this site helps to constrain the mass transfer of U and other species to mine drainage using
geochemical inverse modelling.
Although these studies are on abandoned mines, they have provided sites and samples to develop new methods for analytical, geostatistical, hydrogeological, mineralogical and geochemical characterization.
Identifying the factors that control geological processes will contribute to the development of models for environmental risk assessment. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
This paper presents mineralogical and petrographic data of selected samples from the abandoned Croft Mine site in Bancroft, Ontario. These data are
critical for enabling geochemical modelling of the transfer of uranium and other elements into mine drainage. The overall study is to develop a suitable geo-environmental ore deposit model for uranium and rare earth elements in granitic
environments. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 296292 |
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