| Title | A novel approach using detrital apatite and till geochemistry to identify covered mineralization in the TREK area of the Nechako Plateau, British Columbia |
| |
| Author | Mao, M; Rukhlov, A S; Rowins, S M; Hickin, A S; Ferbey, T; Bustard, A; Spence, J; Coogan, L A |
| Source | Indicator minerals in till and stream sediments of the Canadian Cordillera; by Ferbey, T (ed.); Plouffe, A (ed.); Hickin, A S (ed.); Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper vol. 50, 2017 p. 191-243 |
| Year | 2017 |
| Alt Series | Mineralogical Association of Canada, Topics in Mineral Sciences 47 |
| Publisher | Geological Association of Canada |
| Publisher | Mineralogical Association of Canada |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper |
| Related | This publication is contained in Indicator minerals in till
and stream sediments of the Canadian Cordillera |
| Province | British Columbia |
| NTS | 93B/12; 93B/13; 93C/05; 93C/06; 93C/07; 93C/09; 93C/10; 93C/11; 93C/12; 93C/13; 93C/14; 93C/15; 93C/16; 93F/01; 93F/02; 93F/03; 93F/04; 93F/06; 93F/07; 93F/08; 93F/09; 93F/10; 93F/11; 93F/14; 93F/15; 93F/16;
93G/04; 93G/05; 93G/12; 93G/13 |
| Area | Nechako Plateau |
| Lat/Long WENS | -125.8333 -123.5000 54.0000 52.2500 |
| Subjects | economic geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; geochemistry; mineral deposits; mineral exploration; prospecting techniques; drift prospecting; porphyry deposits; copper; gold; molybdenum; breccia
deposits; skarn deposits; tungsten; nickel; iron oxides; source areas; source rocks; glacial deposits; tills; till samples; till geochemistry; detrital minerals; apatite; chalcopyrite; gold; glacial history; glaciation; deglaciation; sediment
transport; sediment dispersal; electron probe analyses; mass spectrometer analysis; discriminant analyses; scanning electron microscope analyses; mineral occurrences; bedrock geology; lithology; igneous rocks; intrusive rocks; diorites; intrusions;
plutons; batholiths; volcanic rocks; sedimentary rocks; metamorphic rocks; structural features; faults; Canadian Cordillera; Anahim Volcanics; Chilcotin Group; Nechako Plateau Group; Ootsa Lake Formation; Endako Formation; Kasalka Group; Skeena
Group; Bowser Lake Group; Hazelton Group; Takla Group; Cache Creek Complex; Frank Lake Pluton; Chutanli Lake Pluton; Quanchus Assemblage; Holy Cross Pluton; Cabin Lake Pluton; Capoose Pluton; Endako Batholith; Laidman Batholith; Brooks Diorite; Dean
River Metamorphic Belt; Vanderhoof Metamorphic Complex; ice-flow directions; Methodology; Phanerozoic; Cenozoic; Quaternary; Tertiary; Mesozoic; Cretaceous; Jurassic; Triassic; Paleozoic; Permian |
| Illustrations | geoscientific sketch maps; tables; ternary diagrams; flow diagrams; diagrams |
| Program | Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI-5) Porphyry systems |
| Released | 2017 01 01 |
| Abstract | Resistant indicator minerals (RIM) have been used in mineral exploration in recent years to help identify and locate buried deposits because their compositions reflect their source rocks and, in some
cases, specific types of mineral deposits. Apatite is a potential RIM because, in addition to its resistance to physical and chemical weathering, it is widespread in most rocks and mineral deposits. Our previous work discriminated the major types of
mainly magmatic-hydrothermal mineral deposits in terms of linear discriminant functions using the Mg, V, Mn, Sr, Y, La, Ce, Eu, Dy, Tb, Pb, Th and U contents of apatites. Step-wise discrimination diagrams permit subdividing apatites by origin. We
have analyzed detrital apatite grains recovered from till in ten study areas from the glaciated and underexplored Nechako Plateau of central British Columbia by electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry. To aid interpreting these apatite data, we also used till geochemistry, and detrital chalcopyrite and gold grain counts. A total of 342 apatite grains (344 analyses) were classified as associated with mineralization, whereas 41 apatite
grains were classified as derived from barren rocks, and two grains were classified as 'unknown'. Mineralization-related apatite grains were classified as alkalic porphyry Cu-Au (80), porphyry Cu-Mo-Au (28), porphyry Mo (72), porphyry-related Cu-Au
breccia (16), W skarn (112), orogenic Au (26), orogenic Ni-Cu (7), and Kiruna-type IOA (3) deposit-types. Detrital apatite grains in till down-ice from developed mineral prospects in brownfield areas were correctly identified by the discriminant
method. Detrital apatites also helped to generate many new exploration targets in greenfield areas lacking known mineralization or hosting only minor mineral occurrences. These findings validate the apatite discriminant method and demonstrate its
usefulness as a practical exploration tool in grassroots programs. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 308177 |
|
|