| Title | Geochemistry of U±Cu±Mo±V mineralization, Central Mineral Belt, Labrador: differentiating between mineralization styles using a principal component analysis approach |
| Download | Download (whole publication) |
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| Licence | Please note the adoption of the Open Government Licence - Canada
supersedes any previous licences. |
| Author | Acosta-Góngora, P; Potter, E G ; Corriveau, L; Lawley, C J M; Sparkes, G W |
| Source | Targeted Geoscience Initiative: 2018 report of activities; by Rogers, N (ed.); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8549, 2019 p. 381-391, https://doi.org/10.4095/313673  Open Access |
| Year | 2019 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Document | open file |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is contained in Targeted Geoscience
Initiative: 2018 report of activities |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| NTS | 13J/02; 13J/03; 13J/04; 13J/05; 13J/06; 13J/07; 13J/10; 13J/11; 13J/12; 13J/13; 13J/14; 13J/15; 13K; 13L/01; 13L/02; 13L/07; 13L/08; 13L/09; 13L/10; 13L/15; 13L/16; 13M/01; 13M/02; 13N/01; 13N/02; 13N/03;
13N/04; 13O/02; 13O/03; 13O/04 |
| Area | Labrador; Jacques Lake; Moran Lake; Anna Lake; Snegamook Lake; Kanairiktok River |
| Lat/Long WENS | -62.7000 -58.9500 55.3833 54.0500 |
| Subjects | economic geology; geochemistry; mathematical and computational geology; mineral deposits; mineral occurrences; uranium; copper; molybdenum; vanadium; arsenic; mineral exploration; ore mineral genesis;
mineralization; mineral enrichment; hydrothermal alteration; metasomatism; statistical analyses; host rocks; bedrock geology; lithology; metamorphic rocks; tectonic history; Archean; Central Mineral Belt; Central Mineral Belt Uranium Geochemistry
Database (CMBUG); Jacques Lake Deposit; Michelin Deposit; Two Time Zone-Snegamook Deposit; Moran Lake C Zone Deposit; Anna Lake Deposit; Kanairiktok Deposit; Moran Lake Group; Post Hill Group; Nain Craton; Bruce River Group; Seal Lake Group;
Mesoproterozoic; Paleoproterozoic; Databases; Classification; Precambrian; Proterozoic |
| Illustrations | location maps; geoscientific sketch maps; stratigraphic charts; pie charts; plots; graphs |
| Program | Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI-5) Knowledge Management Coordination |
| Program | Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI-5) Uranium ore systems - deep metasomatic processes |
| Released | 2019 03 01 |
| Abstract | The Central Mineral Belt, Labrador, has experienced intermittent uranium exploration since the late 1950s. It hosts multiple U±Cu±Mo±V showings, prospects and deposits in Neoarchean to Mesoproterozoic
meta-igneous and -sedimentary rocks. Uranium mineralization occurs in metasomatic (albitite-hosted), magmatic- and magmatic hydrothermal-related (e.g. iron-oxide-carbonate-rich veins and breccias) and sedimentary-hosted (e.g. unconformity-related)
systems.
In this contribution, we use the IOCG discrimination-alteration diagram and apply principal component analysis (PCA) to characterize hydrothermal alteration and ore element signatures at uranium occurrences included within the Central
Mineral Belt Uranium Geochemistry database. Our results indicate that sodium and Na-Ca-Fe-(Mg) metasomatism is more pervasive and regionally widespread than previously reported, and commonly hosts uranium mineralization; albitization itself may not
be directly associated with uranium mineralization. Other second-order factors (e.g. proximity to structures) are more likely to control uranium enrichment.
In the Jacques Lake and Michelin deposits and Two Time-Snegamook trend,
uranium-mineralized samples yield positive PC2 scores and occur with Na- and Na-Ca-Fe-(Mg)-altered rocks. Our analysis also documents that PC3 represents a proxy for a second style of U-As-Mo mineralization that is better defined in
basalt-argillite-hosted systems (e.g. Moran Lake Upper C zone and Anna Lake deposits). The unusual U-As-Mo hydrothermal fingerprint may indicate: i) a synsedimentary origin of uranium (i.e. U-rich black shales) that was remobilized to upper
stratigraphic levels; and/or ii) argillitic and basaltic packages within the Moran Lake and Post Hill groups served as redox traps for oxidizing uranium-rich fluids that equilibrated with these rocks. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
The Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI) is directed towards providing next generation knowledge and methods to facilitate more effective targeting of
buried mineral deposits. The program aims to enhance the effectiveness of exploration for Canada's major mineral systems by resolving foundational geoscience problems that constrain the geological processes responsible for the liberation metals from
their source region, transportation of these ore metals and control their eventual deposition. TGI supports projects on gold, Ni-Cr-PGE, porphyry-style mineralization, uranium and volcanic- and sedimentary-hosted base metal mineralization ore
systems, with each project divided into subprojects focused on resolving specific knowledge gaps by integrating data and studies from multiple sites across Canada. Herein, we present interim results and interpretations from a selection of the
research activities currently being conducted under the auspices of TGI. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 313673 |
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