Open AccessTill geochemical signatures of the Broken Hammer Cu-(Ni)-PGE occurrence, North range, Sudbury Structure, Ontario
Author(s) -
M B McClenaghan,
D E Ames,
J L Buckle,
AF Bajc
Publication year - 2014
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.4095/295196
Subject(s) - geology , stockwork , chalcopyrite , geochemistry , galena , mineralization (soil science) , breccia , schist , quartz , mineralogy , copper , pyrite , metamorphic rock , paleontology , sphalerite , metallurgy , materials science , soil science , soil water
The Geological Survey of Canada conducted detailed till sampling around the Broken Hammer Cu-(Ni)- PGE occurrence in the North Range of the Sudbury Structure, northeastern Ontario, to document the indicator mineral and multi-element geochemical signature in thetill. The Broken Hammer occurrence consists of a shallow surface zone of vein and vein stockwork-hosted Cu-PGE mineralization within Sudbury breccia developed in the NeoArchean quartz-monzonite Levack Gneiss Complex. It consists of a main 2 to 120 cm wide chalcopyrite vein dominated bychalcopyrite-magnetite-millerite with numerous trace and rare precious metal minerals, including tellurides, bismuthides, selenides, and stannides. The Laurentide Ice Sheet flowed southward across the Broken Hammer region depositing a sandy till. The main indicator minerals in till overlying andjust down-ice of the occurrence include sperrylite, chalcopyrite, and gold. The <0.063 mm size fraction of till overlying and just down-ice of the occurrence displays a strong geochemical signature of the mineralization, most notably for Pd, Pt, Au, and Cu, as well as Ni, Ag, Cd, Sb, Bi,Se, Te, Tl, and Sn.