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Report on mineral
exploration activities in Québec
2006
DISCLAIMER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The data compiled in this report come from several sources,
including questionnaires addressed to prospectors, to directors
of regional exploration funds, and to representatives of mining
and exploration companies, as well as from their press releases.
The accuracy and reliability of this information depend solely
on these sources. The authors disclaim all responsibility for
reproducing any errors originating from these sources.
The authors would like to thank the following people who
have contributed to this report:
Huguette Boucher
Manon Dufour
Sylvain Lacroix
Ginette Lapointe
Pauline Mercier
Mario Melançon
Sylvie Ouellette
Steve Ouellet
Lucie Pouliot
Monique Perreault
Patricia Somers
PUBLISHED BY THE “DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE DE GÉOLOGIE QUÉBEC”
Director General
Robert Marquis
Bureau de l’exploration géologique du Québec
Sylvain Lacroix
Direction de la géoinformation
Pierre Verpaelst
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE “SECTEUR DES OPÉRATIONS RÉGIONALES”
Associate deputy minister
Gilles Desaulniers
Coordination
James Moorhead
Editing
Jean Choinière
Graphic design
Charlotte Grenier
André Tremblay
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Cover page
Graphic design: André Tremblay
Photographs:
1 - Goldex mine infrastructures under construction (Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd)
(photograph from Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd)
2
3
2 - Kiena mine headframe (Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd), where commercial production began
once again in august 2006
(Photograph from James Moorhead)
3 - Ramp portal of the lac Herbin project (Alexis Mining Corporation)
(Photograph from James Moorhead)
Dépôt légal – Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
ISBN : 978-2-551-22989-5
© Gouvernement du Québec, 2007
II
ore zones at the Corner Bay deposit. A resource estimate was
also recently completed. Measured resources were established
at 671,400 t grading 5.13% Cu, indicated resources at 295,400 t
grading 5.53% Cu, and inferred resources at 792,900 t grading
6.60% Cu.
Highlights
Québec’s investment climate for mineral exploration has
been very favourable for many years. As of November 1st, 2006,
more than 175,000 active mining titles were recorded throughout
Québec, a record high for the past decade. Moreover, exploration and deposit appraisal expenditures in Québec broke the 200
million dollar mark in each of the last three years ($227M in
2004, $205M in 2005, and $234M in 2006 [based on company
spending intentions]).
Near Cadillac, Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. announced the
start-up of work to bring the LaRonde II mine into production, deep below existing infrastructure at the LaRonde mine.
An internal shaft will be used. Production is slated to begin in
2011, and probable reserves on the order of 3.6 million ounces
of gold should secure a mine life of at least ten years. On the
Lapa property, Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. reported shaft sinking would continue to a vertical depth of 1,370 metres. Gold
production is expected to begin in late 2008, at an annual rate of
125,000 ounces of gold. A few kilometres west of Lapa, on the
Wood-Pandora project, joint venture partners Globex Mining
Enterprises Inc. and Queenston Mining Inc. intersected in
drillhole W06-26 a gold-bearing pyrite zone, dubbed the “New
Gold Discovery”, with grades reaching 8.94 g/t Au over 19.06
metres (estimated true thickness). Further west, IAMGOLD
Corporation (formerly Cambior Inc.) continued eastward
development of an exploration drift from the 14th level at the
Doyon mine, to reach gold zones discovered on the Westwood
project. Exploration drilling testing below the drift hit a new
gold zone with grades reaching 10.7 g/t Au over 5.5 metres in
drillhole R 13677.
In 2005, exploration and deposit appraisal activities were
largely focussed on precious metals, primarily gold ($115.6M),
base metals ($53M), diamond ($22.8M), and uranium ($4.3M).
The breakdown by commodities should be fairly similar in
2006. Many gold and base metal exploration projects, some
of which are in the advanced stages, were carried out in the
Abitibi and Pontiac subprovinces.
At the Casa Berardi project north of La Sarre, Aurizon
Mines Ltd. continued shaft sinking, underground development as well as exploration and definition drilling. Commercial
production is slated to begin in early 2007, at an annual rate
of 185,000 ounces of gold. West of Matagami on the Estrades
property, Cogitore Resources Inc. intersected 3.90 metres
grading 29.83 g/t Au, 370 g/t Ag, 1.27% Cu, 28.76% Zn, and
3.9% Pb in drillhole H-165W. The company released a new
resource estimate for the Main Zone of 561,000 tonnes at an
average grade of 0.72% Cu, 10.25% Zn, 0.94% Pb, 5.22 g/t Au,
and 174.1 g/t Ag. On the Kistabiche property, Cancor Mines Inc.
and SOQUEM Inc. intersected 9.50 metres grading 0.34% Cu,
14.61% Zn, and 51.50 g/t Ag. A feasibility study is currently
underway on the deposit. In Matagami, Xstrata Zinc (formerly
Falconbridge Ltd.) announced the start-up of the Perseverance
mining project. Construction is expected to last two years, with
a projected mine life of five years at an annual output of 228,000
tonnes of zinc concentrate.
Near Malartic, Richmont Mines Inc. announced in January
the start-up of mining operations at the East Amphi gold mine,
where measured and indicated resources stand at 1.39 Mt grading 5.4 g/t Au. On the Canadian Malartic property, Osisko
Exploration Ltd. continued its definition drilling program,
the results of which were used to define inferred resources of
171 Mt grading 1.2 g/t Au, using a cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au.
East of Malartic on the Midway project, Northern Star Mining
Corporation erected a new headframe and began dewatering the
former Malartic Goldfields mine, which straddles the Cadillac
Tectonic Zone. A very deep drillhole below existing infrastructure intersected a number of gold-bearing zones (e.g. 9.61 g/t Au
over 5.3 metres in drillhole MGFD0601).
East of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Breakwater Resources Ltd.
commenced construction of an access ramp in order to extract
a 15,000-tonne bulk sample from the Grevet B deposit. Further
east on the Windfall Lake property, in the central part of the
Urban-Barry Belt, Noront Resources Ltd. intersected in
drillhole a gold-bearing PY-QZ stockwork in altered felsic
volcanic rocks (e.g. in drillhole NOT-06-83: 27.3 g/t Au over
14.4 metres). Murgor Resources Inc., on a contiguous property
to the north, also encountered high-grade gold mineralization in drillhole (e.g. 9.76 g/t Au over 5 metres in drillhole
WIN-06-90).
In the Val-d’Or area, Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. advanced
construction of surface installations, sinking of the production
shaft and underground development at the Goldex mining
project, which hosts reserves estimated at 21.77 Mt grading
2.4 g/t Au. Production is expected to begin in 2008, at an annual
rate of 170,000 ounces of gold. At the Kiena mine complex,
Wesdome Gold Mines Inc. commenced mining operations on
July 24, 2006, and expects to produce 50,000 ounces of gold in
2007. Exploration and definition drilling continued in the VC,
388, and Martin zones in 2006. Alexis Minerals Corporation
extracted a 15,000-tonne bulk sample within the scope of an
underground exploration program on the Lac Herbin project,
where resources total 1.07 Mt at a grade of 7.3 g/t Au. A production decision should be announced in early 2007.
In the Chibougamau area, Cogitore Resources Inc. reported
interesting drill results from the Scott Lake property. Drillhole
SC-06 intersected 2.53 metres grading 0.36% Cu, 9.08% Zn,
0.22 g/t Au, and 21.68 g/t Ag. In the same area, Campbell
Resources Inc. commenced construction of a ramp to access
III
In the Rouyn-Noranda area, First Metals Inc. obtained
the required approvals to dewater the ramp and open pit at the
Fabie Bay-Magusi River project. The company plans to extract
a 50,000 t bulk sample. Hole FMI-06-04 drilled on the property intersected 25 metres grading 2.9% Cu. Rocmec Mining
Corporation Inc. began underground drilling and development
on the Russian Kid gold project. Typhoon Exploration Inc.
completed a series of drillholes on the Fayolle property, some
of which intersected high-grade gold zones (e.g. 4.5 metres
grading 25.2 g/t Au in drillhole FA-06-19).
In Nunavik, Canadian Royalties Inc. continued exploration and development work on properties of the Raglan South
project in the Ungava Trough. The company completed a
drilling program totalling 24,380 metres, launched a feasibility study as well as an environmental and social impact study.
Indicated resources for the Mesamax, Ivakkak, TK, Mequillon,
and Expo (in partnership with Ungava Minerals Corporation
on this property) deposits amount to an aggregate 11.09 Mt at
an average grade of 1% Ni, 1.2% Cu, and 3.1 g/t PGE. In the
Lac Gayot area, Strathmore Minerals Corporation prepared
a new resource estimate for the Dieter Lake deposit based on
1984 drilling data from Uranerz Exploration and Mining.
Strathmore Minerals estimated mineral resources at 21.4 Mt
grading 570 ppm U3O8, using a cut-off grade of 200 ppm.
Near Kangiqsuluajjuaq, Azimut Exploration Inc. and
Northwestern Mineral Ventures delineated a radiometric
anomaly extending for more than 3.3 km. Follow-up ground
prospecting led to the discovery of nearly a dozen uranium
occurrences, with grades as high as 0.59% U3O8 from grab
samples. In the Labrador Trough, the Nunavik Mineral
Exploration Fund and Virginia Mines Inc. reported grades
of 2.97 g/t Au over 2.90 metres from trenches on the Willbob
zone. Gold mineralization occurs in quartz veins (visible gold)
and arsenopyrite-bearing differentiated gabbros.
In the Témiscamingue region in the Pontiac Subprovince,
Fieldex Exploration Inc. and Aurora Platinum Corporation
intersected in drillhole MR-06-95 a 10.6-metre interval
grading 0.91% Cu, 0.62% Ni, 0.08 g/t Au, 0.28 g/t Pt, and
0.80 g/t Pd.
The James Bay region continues to garner attention for gold,
especially along the Eastmain River Greenstone Belt. Goldcorp Inc.
continued definition drilling program of the Roberto gold system
on the Eleonore property, northeast of Opinaca Reservoir, to
assess the potential of the deposit and collect additional data
for an upcoming technical and economic scoping study. The
Roberto system has now been traced over a strike length of
1.9 km and to a vertical depth of 900 metres. An initial mineral
resource estimate should be released during the first quarter
of 2007. Sirios Resources Inc. and Dios Exploration Inc.
announced the discovery of a polymetallic occurrence on the
PONTAX property. A surface channel sample collected in a
felsic pyroclastic unit yielded grades of 821 g/t Ag, 1.31 g/t Au,
0.56% Pb, and 0.18% Zn over 4.36 metres. Everton Resources
Inc. and joint venture partner Azimut Exploration Inc. carried
out follow-up exploration along a 1.7-km gold-bearing structure
that namely hosts the Inex Zone (3.03 g/t Au over 1.5 metre in
drillhole OP-06-03) on the Opinaca Block “A” property. The
two partners also discovered the Claude target (1.0 g/t Au over
21.5 metres in drillhole OP-06-07) and the Manuel showing
(12.01 g/t Au over 4.6 metres on surface) on the Opinaca B and
Wildcat 5 properties.
For the second consecutive year in the Grenville Province,
there was an increase in the number of exploration projects
for iron and uranium. In the Côte-Nord region, Quinto Technology
Inc. completed 21 drillholes totalling 2,538 metres on the
Peppler Lake iron project. The drilling program was designed
to delineate the extent of the deposit as per NI 43-101 guidelines and to conduct a feasibility study. North of Fermont,
Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Ltd. continued exploration and assessment work on the Bloom Lake deposit. The
company announced encouraging results, identified resource
categories and released a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate (measured resources of 488.5 Mt grading 29.91% total
Fe, indicated resources of 149.2 Mt grading 29.29% total Fe).
In the uranium sector, two companies were very active in the
Basse-Côte-Nord (Baie-Johan-Beetz area). Entourage Mining
Ltd. conducted extensive exploration work on its Doran uranium property. Several zones yielded grades up to 0.76% U3O8.
Overall, uranium appears to be associated with pegmatite dykes
and granitic intrusions. In the same area, Starfire Minerals
Inc. conducted fieldwork, namely geophysical radiometric and
magnetic surveys and sampling on its Cross Structure property.
The best assay results from grab samples reach 0.09% U3O8.
Uranium occurrences are primarily associated with pegmatite
dykes cross-cutting rocks of the Aguanish Gneissic Complex.
In the Hautes-Laurentides, Nova Uranium Corporation drilltested uranium-bearing pegmatites; best results include 0.098% U3O8
over 23.38 metres. Drilling on the Bornite Hill property held
by Quinto Technology Inc. and Ressources Appalaches Inc.
encountered significant copper mineralization, namely 0.57%
over 22.8 metres, and 1.27% over 3.8 metres, as well as gold-
In the sedimentary Otish Basin, Strateco Resources Inc.
reported several uraniferous drill intercepts, including 1.12% U3O8
over 10.5 metres (drillhole MT-06-10). Uranium concentrations
occur within a vertical fault that has been traced over a strike
length of about 7 km. North of the Monts Otish, Ashton Mining
of Canada Inc. and SOQUEM Inc. commenced extraction of
a bulk sample of at least 10,000 tonnes of kimberlitic material from surface trenches at Renard 4 and from underground
excavation via a ramp at Renard 2 and 3 on the Foxtrot property.
During the fall, the joint venture partners built a dense media
separation facility on site to begin processing ore extracted in
late 2006. The joint venture expects to recover at least 6,000
carats of diamonds from the bulk sample. Exploration work on
the property also led to the discovery of a new diamond-bearing
kimberlite dyke within the Southeast Anomaly.
IV
bearing (1.1 g/t over 1.2 metre) and platinum-bearing (0.8 ppm
over 1.06 metre) intervals.
In the industrial minerals field, Junex Inc. finished drilling
a new brine well in Bécancour. The brine output capacity of
the well is currently being tested in a production run. Near
the Daniel-Johnson dam in the Côte-Nord region, drilling by
Quinto Technology Inc. on the Lac Guéret property intersected
a series of high-grade graphite zones. The results confirm the
continuity of the high-grade graphite horizon defined in previous exploration campaigns. Northeast of Murdochville in the
Gaspésie region, Exploration Orbite VSPA began characterization studies on red aluminous clay samples from the GrandeVallée property. An exploration program is currently underway
to determine the volume and tonnage of the deposit.
In the architectural stone industry, the number of exploration
projects was fairly low relative to previous years. Granicor Inc.
conducted exploration and development work on a series of
limestone exposures of the Deschambault Formation, near the
renowned Saint-Marc-des-Carrières quarries. Maurice Houle
commenced operations at a past-producing quarry of green slate
north of Kingsbury. The green slate will be used to produce floor
tiles, cobblestone and curbstone. A. Lacroix et Fils Granit
ltée acquired the mining rights for three of the six quarries
held by Granit Aurélien Tremblay Inc. who permanently ceased
exploration and extraction operations in 2006.
V
Figure 1. Geological subdivisions and contact persons.
VI
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Base and precious metals............................................................................................... 1
1A - Northern Superior Province (including the eastern part
of the Opatica Subprovince)
Serge Perreault ............................................................................................................................... 3
1B - James Bay Region, Central Superior Province (Opatica, Opinaca, Nemiscau,
and La Grande Subprovinces)
Patrick Houle ................................................................................................................................. 7
1C - Southern Superior Province (Abitibi and Pontiac Subprovinces)
Pierre Doucet, James Moorhead, Suzanne Côté ........................................................................... 15
1D - New Québec and Torngat Orogens, Southeast Churchill Province (Core Zone),
and Ungava Orogen
Serge Perreault, Abdelali Moukhsil ............................................................................................... 31
1E - Grenville Province
Suzie Nantel, Abdelali Moukhsil ................................................................................................... 37
1F - St. Lawrence Platform and Appalachians
Suzie Nantel ................................................................................................................................ 43
Chapter 2: Architectural Stone, Industrial Minerals, Industrial Stone and Peat
Yves Bellemare, N’golo Togola, Charles Gosselin, Pierre Buteau ....................................................... 47
Appendix I: Location of producing mines and architectural stone quarries in Québec ................ 55
Appendix II: Legend of abbreviations ............................................................................................ 71
Appendix III: References ................................................................................................................ 75
VII