MINERAL
INVENTORY FILE NO.
326
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRODUCT
GOLD
NTS AREA
53E16SE
REF.
Au 1
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
NAME OF PROPERTY
Island Lake Mine
OWNER OF
OPERATOR ADDRESS
1987 - W. Bruce Dunlop Limited
N.P.L.
201 – 2639 Portage
Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
OBJECT LOCATED
Main Shaft
MINING
DIVISION
Winnipeg
Latitude
53° 47.0’
Longitude
94° 12.6’
Uncertainty
(m)
100 m
UTM Zone
_____
Easting
_______
Northing
_______
L.S./Quarter
Section
___
Section
___
Township
55
Range
22 EPM
DESCRIPTION OF
DEPOSIT
The deposit is situated in altered sedimentary and volcanic rocks of
the Precambrian Hayes River Group, which are locally intruded by granitic and
porphyritic bodies. McMurchy (1944) was the first to describe the mineralization
in the mine area; the underground workings were inaccessible and many of the
trenches had collapsed, limiting his mapping to outcrops. He observed several
sulphide-bearing quartz veins up to 1.5 m wide, an "area" with numerous lenses
and stringers of quartz, and two "large masses" of "sparsely mineralized"
quartz. More recently, Theyer (1981) mapped the surface geology and described
several zones of intense silicification, pyritization and
carbonatization.
Mineralization consists predominantly of pyrite and
pyrrhotite with lesser amounts of galena, arsenopyrite and locally sphalerite.
Muckpiles by the shaft contain some visible gold. According to Parsons et al.
(1934), the quartz contains pyrite, galena, freibergite, chalcopyrite, gold, and
silver, in order of deposition. "The spectrographic analyses detected.... the
silver occurs mainly in freibergite usually within the galena; that probably
most or all of the gold occurs in the native state in the sphalerite; and small
amounts of cadmium are present in the freibergite and sphalerite.".
The rocks
in the mine area are tightly folded and display a well developed axial planar
foliation. Godard (1963) reported that the deposit occurs "on the south limb of
the major east-trending syncline of the area and on the extension of a strong
northeast-trending anticlinal cross-fold. Numerous small drag-folds and faults
with displacement of a few inches were encountered in the mine workings
(McMurchy, 1944). Much of the rock was strongly fractured and sheared, a
condition which interfered with stoping efforts at the mine. One of the quartz
veins on Gold Island and on the island to the west appears to have been cut off
by faulting. On and between two small islands south of the mine site there are a
great many quartz stringers which follow the drag-folds in the sedimentary
rocks." Theyer (1981) suggested that the gold might have been concentrated in
quartz veins in the hinges of folds.
ASSOCIATED
MINERALS OR PRODUCTS OF VALUE
Silver, lead, zinc, copper, cadmium
HISTORY OF
EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The deposit is located on the east shore of Gold Island, about 1.6 km
west of Heart Island in Island Lake, about 241 km southeast of the Hudson Bay
railway line. This was the original discovery in the Island Lake area.
H.S.
Cowan and J.G. Reahill made the original discovery in 1931. I.H. Wass, J.S.
Reahil, and A.S. Bellingham staked the Jack of Diamonds (W 249-54), Lucky
Shamrock (W 264, 5) and Billy Boy (W 282-8) Groups of claims that year on a
group of islands near Sagawitchewan Bay. A vein was apparently traced over 1372
m (4500 ft) across three islands and was 1.8-3.6 m (6-12 ft) wide. Pilot samples
from this group of claims averaged $150 gold/ton. On the Billy Boy claims, two
grab samples of blue quartz ran $196 and $12.23 gold per ton (Newspaper clipping
December 24, 1931 in Island Lake Mines Limited, Corporation File). Several
claims were optioned to Ventures Limited which carried out a sampling program on
Gold Island in 1931. Results were as follows (Manitoba Mines Branch, 4th Annual
Report):
Vein Width Sampled Gold value per ton*
1 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
$12
2 1.5 m (5 ft) $26.40
3 1.4-4.6 m (4.5-15 ft) in 10 samples
$0.20-46.60
4 1-18 m (4-60 ft) in 3 samples $11.70-52.80
*calculated at
$20.67/oz.
Island Lake Mines Limited was incorporated on August 4, 1932,
under control of Ventures Limited, to explore this group of claims.
In 1931,
31 holes were drilled with a total footage of 1755 m (5759 ft). These were
spaced at about 7.6 to 15 m (25 to 50 ft) and covered the length of the ore zone
for 518 m (1700 ft) along the strike. Trenching amounted to 306 m (1005 ft). In
1932, samples of ore sent to the Ore Dressing laboratory returned the following
assays (Parsons et al., 1934):
Lot Weight Au Ag Cu Pb Zn Fe As
kg
(lbs) g/t (oz/ton) g/t (oz/ton) % % % % %
1 299 (660) 49.0 (1.43) 101.8
(2.97) 0.18 3.35 2.75 3.55
2 190 (420) 47.9 (1.40) 135.7 (3.96) 0.28 3.63
2.95
3A 372 (820) 58.9 (1.72) 154.2 (4.50) 0.28 1.74 2.14 0.25
4 440 (970)
23.3 (0.68) 63.7 (1.86) 0.07 0.90 1.50 3.50
5 154 (340) 15.7 (0.46) 48.7
(1.42) 0.09 0.47 1.80
A two-compartment shaft had been sunk to 9.7 m (32
ft) by the end of 1932. "An additional 3,094 feet (943 m) of drilling was done
... on the West Island zone about 2,000 feet (610 m) northwest of Gold Island
and on the J.D. group of claims to the east. ... (In 1933) shaft sinking was
continued to a depth of 259 feet (79 m). Levels were established at 140 feet (43
m) and 240 feet (73 m).... By the end of December 1933, 3,195 feet (974 m) of
development work, 3,412 feet (1040 m) of surface diamond drilling and 3,552 feet
(1083 m) of underground diamond drilling had been completed." (Godard,
1963).
In 1934, at the first level 277 m (910 ft) of cross-cutting and
raising and at the second level 131 m (429 ft) of drifting and cross-cutting,
and 481 m (1577 ft) of diamond drilling was completed. A 45.4-tonne (50-ton)
cyanide mill began operating in April 1934 with an average rate of 31 tonnes
(34.25 tons) per day. A shipment of 500 bags of gold concentrate (up to 27.2
tonnes) was apparently lost through the ice on March 18, 1934 (Winnipeg Free
Press, August 22, 1980 and June 22, 1981; The Tribune, July 12, 1980).
During
1935, at the first level there were 41 m (135 ft) of raising and 122 m (399 ft)
of diamond drilling and at the second level 121 m (398 ft) of drifting and
cross-cutting and 248 m (813 ft) of diamond drilling completed. Surface work
consisted of 463 m (1518 ft) of diamond drilling on West Island and in the
vicinity of the mine (see Remarks). Some lead and silver were apparently
recovered from concentrates shipped to the smelter in 1935 (see Remarks and
History of Production).
"In March 1935, the company reported that it had
obtained no ore below the first level of the mine and that it had milled all
immediately available material. It was the intention of the company to suspend
operations in March 1935 but following this decision the company announced that
diamond drilling from a crosscut on the first level of the mine would be done as
a last resort." (Godard, 1963).
A 5-hole underground drill program was
carried out to locate more ore; the results were as follows:
Set Up Hole
No. Direction Width Assay g/t (oz/ton)
gold
1 1 +45°/N 1.07 m 104.57
(3.05)
2 +30°/N 0.09 m 68.57 (2.00)
0.52 m 3.43 (0.10)
0.79 m 1.71
(0.05)
0.15 m 335.99 (9.8)
0.18 m 4.11 (0.12)
3 0°/N 1.22 m 8.57
(0.25)
2.14 m 7.54 (0.22)
2 1 +45°/N 0.76 m 17.14 (0.5)
2 +30°/N 1.16 m
6.17 (0.18)
(Source: Manitoba Mines Branch Annual Report 1934-1935, p.
60-61)
"Following diamond drilling early in 1935 to the north of the
previous workings, operations were continued for a time on what appeared to be a
downward extension of the vein. Results were not conclusive and this together
with the financial position of the company resulted in suspension of operations
at June 13, 1935." (Godard, 1963).
Insert figure on page 4 and page
5
Oliver (1952) visited the property in 1951. The following sample assays
were reported:
Sample No. Au Ag
g/t (oz/ton) g/t (oz/ton)
036 18.51
(0.54) 92.57 (2.70)
037 trace 488.6 (14.25)
038 38.4 (1.12) 67.2
(1.96)
039 trace Nil
The following restakings have occurred:
Year
Claim Name Claim Number Staker
1959 Phil Nos. 1-12 W 31046-57 P.
Smerchanski
1960 Phil Nos. 1-12 W 32739-50 "
1961 Phil Nos. 1-12 W
34188-99 "
1963 Hammy Nos. 1-10 W 36349-58 T. Hamilton
On Hammy Nos.
1, 6 and 7, between 1964 and 1969, 140 m3 (4960 cu ft) of rock was trenched on
Gold Island.
1970 McKenzie Nos. 1, 2 W 43059, 60 R. McKenzie
1972 CB 5283
C.E. Wass
-assigned P.D. Holden in 1973.
-cancelled in 1974.
The
area was examined by the Manitoba Government in 1976 (Chastko and Gibson, 1976).
In 1978 Walter A. Miller staked CB 8486. The claim was held by Wambel Gold Ltd.
in 1980. CB 8486 was cancelled in 1981.
In the summer and fall of 1980, a
recovery scheme to dredge up 500 bags of gold concentrate that had been lost
through the ice in 1934, was started by Don McIvor, Bruce Kondratuk, Wayne
Wamboldt and Abraham McPherson (the only person who knew where the concentrate
was). Nine tonnes of concentrate were recovered from a depth of 21 m during four
months of dredging (Winnipeg Free Press, June 22, 1981). In October 1980, 140
bags of concentrate were flown to Thompson. This shipment was sent to Hudson Bay
Mining and Smelting Company, Limited in Flin Flon in November 1981 for
processing (Winnipeg Free Press, January 4, 1982).
In 1981, W.B. Dunlop
staked the former mine area as CB 13189 (Pet 1) and optioned it to BP Minerals
Limited. BP, in joint venture with St. Joe Canada Inc., carried out diamond
drilling in 1982, 1983 and 1984. The option was dropped in 1985.
HISTORY OF
PRODUCTION
Year Ore milled Grade Production kg (oz) gold
tonnes (tons) g/t
(oz/ton)
1934 6338 (6984) 20.92 (0.61) 133.36 (4287.6)
1935 1483
(1635) *52.84 (1699)
Total 7821 (8619) 186.2 (5986.6)
*estimate based on
bullion and concentrate receipts of $59 483 (Manitoba Mines Branch, Annual
Report, 1935).
According to previous Mineral Inventory card 53E/16 AU 1
(circa 1974): 955 oz gold and 460 oz. silver were produced in 1935 from 1483
tonnes (1635 tons) of ore milled. It was also reported that 1898 oz of gold were
produced in the first six months of 1935 from an unknown amount and grade of ore
(Northern Miner, September 12, 1935 in Island Lake, Corporation File). According
to another report dated March 27, 1935 (in Island Lake Mines Limited, Mining
Engineering File): in 1935, 1251 tons (1135 tonnes) were milled and 536.7 oz
were recovered in bullion, 254.8 oz in concentrate (average recovery was 0.63
oz/ton (21.59 g/t)).
Some lead may have been produced (see Remarks).
REFERENCES
Chastko, L.C. and Gibson, J.C., 1976: Precious metals exploration; in
Manitoba Mines, Resources and Environmental Management; Mineral Resources
Division, Mineral Evaluation & Administration Branch, Exploration Operations
Branch, Report of Field Activities, 1976, p. 74-75.
Cole, G.E., 1938: (June),
The Mineral Resources of Manitoba; Province of Manitoba, Economic Survey Board,
p. 166.
Davies, J.F., Bannatyne, B.B., Barry, G.S., and McCabe, H.R., 1962:
Geology and Mineral Resources of Manitoba; Manitoba Mines Branch Publication, p.
53.
Gilbert, H.P., 1984: Island Lake project; in Manitoba Energy and Mines,
Mineral Resources, Report of Field Activities, 1984, p. 120-125.
Godard,
J.D., 1963: Island Lake-York Lake area; Manitoba Mines Branch, Publication 59-3,
p. 38-40.
Manitoba Mines Branch:
a. Annual Report on Mines and Minerals;
4th, p. 10, 46-47; 5th, p. 36-39; 6th, p. 41-43; 7th, p. 59-62; 8th, p. 2,
80.
b. Mining Recording Files; Hammy Nos. 1-10, File Nos. 61810-18; Jack of
Diamonds M.C., Nos. 1-5, Files Nos. 8272-77; Lucky Shamrock M.C. and No. 1, File
Nos. 8305, 06; Billy Boy M.C., Nos. 1-3, File Nos. 8320-22, 26.
c.
Corporation Files; Island Lake Mines Limited; Island Lake "concentrate";
Ventures Limited (Third Annual Company Report, 1931).
d. Mining Engineering
Files; Island Lake Gold Mines Limited; Island Lake Mines Limited.
e.
Non-confidential Assessment Files; File Nos. 91159, 91162,
91550.
f.Unpublished Information Files; 53E/15; 53E/16.
McMurchy, R.C.,
1944: Geology of the Island Lake area; The Precambrian, v. 17, No. 9, p. 4-9,
17.
Neale, K.L. and Weber, W., 1981: Island Lake (parts of 53E/15 and 16); in
Manitoba Energy and Mines, Mineral Resources Division, Report of Field
Activities, 1981, p. 42.
Oliver, T.A., 1952: Island Lake area (field notes
and report); in Manitoba Mines Branch, Unpublished Information Files
(53E/16).
Parsons, C.S., Anderson, A.K., Johnston, J.D., and Jenkins, W.S.,
1934: The recovery of gold from the ore of Ventures Limited, Island Lake
property, Manitoba; Reports of Investigations 1932; Metallic Ores Section;
Report No. 454, p. 144-156; in Investigations in Ore Dressing and Metallurgy,
No. 736; Mines Branch, Ottawa.
Phillips, K.A., 1978: Minerals of Manitoba,
Volume II: Metallic Minerals; Manitoba Mines, Natural Resources and Environment,
Mineral Resources Division, MRD Educational Series 78/2, p. 57-58.
Quinn,
H.A., 1960: Island Lake, Manitoba - Ontario (Descriptive Notes); Geological
Survey of Canada, Map 26-1960.
Quinn, H.A. and Meinert, R.S., 1959: The
Island Lake Series; The Precambrian, v. 32, No. 4, p. 16-25, 34.
Richardson,
D.J. and Ostry, G., 1987: Gold deposits of Manitoba; Manitoba Energy and Mines,
Economic Geology Report ER86-1, p. 31-35.
Robinson, A.H.A., 1935: Gold in
Canada; Mines Branch, Ottawa, Report 769, p. 61-62.
Theyer, P., 1978:
Stratigraphic position of ultramafic lenses in the Island lake area; in Manitoba
Mines, Resources and Environmental Management, Mineral Resources Division,
Report of Field Activities, 1978, Report MEA-2, p. 106-108.
Theyer, P., 1980:
Stratigraphic setting of selected ultramafic bodies in the Superior and
Churchill Provinces and certain aspects of nickel copper deposits in the
Thompson Nickel Belt; Manitoba Energy and Mines, Mineral Resources Division,
Economic Geology Report ER79-2, p. 50.
Theyer, P., 1980: Stratigraphic
investigations of the Island, Stevenson, Ponask, Bigstone and Knight Lakes areas
and of the Island Lake gold mine; in Manitoba Energy and Mines, Mineral
Resources Division, Report of Field Activities, 1980, p. 38-42.
Theyer, P.,
1981: Mineral deposit studies-Superior Province: a) Island Lake, and b) Bird
River sill; in Manitoba Energy and Mines, Mineral Resources Division, Report of
Field Activities, 1981, Report GS-16, p. 74-77.
Theyer, P., 1982: Mineral
deposit investigations-Superior Province, I) Island Lake area, II) Bird River
Sill (southeastern Manitoba); in Manitoba Energy and Mines, Manitoba Mineral
Resources Division, Report of Field Activities, 1982, Report GS-9, p.
55-57.
Theyer, P., 1985: Ultramafic rocks of the Island Lake area; Manitoba
Energy and Mines, Geological Services, Geological Paper GP84-1, 29p.
Wright,
J.F., 1928: Island Lake area, Manitoba; Geological Survey of Canada, Summary
Report 1927, Part B, p. 54-80.
Wright, J.F., 1932: Geology and gold prospects
of the areas about Island, Gods, and Oxford Lakes; C.I.M.M. Bulletin, v. 35, No.
8, p. 440-454.
MAP REFERENCES
Map 53E/16, York Lake, (Topography), Scale 1:50 000, Mines and
Technical Surveys, Canada.
Map 4023G, York Lake, (Aeromagnetic), Scale 1:63
360, Manitoba Mines Branch and Geological Survey of Canada.
Map 94-1986,
East-Central Manitoba, (Lake sediment and water geochemical survey), Scale 1:250
000; GSC Open File 1358, Geological Survey of Canada (1986).
Map 35553G,
Island Lake, (Airborne Gamma Ray Spectrometry), Scale 1:250 000, Province of
Manitoba, Province of Ontario, Geological Survey of Canada (1978).
Map 211A,
Island Lake, (Geology), Scale 1:126 720; accompanying Report by Wright (1928),
Geological Survey of Canada.
Unpublished Map Island Lake Series, (Geology),
Scale 1:31 680 by Meinert, R.J., Unpublished Information Files (53E/16),
Manitoba Mines Branch (1956).
#Map 59-3B, York Lake, (Geology), Scale 1:63
360; accompanying report by Godard (1963), Manitoba Mines Branch.
Map
26-1960, Island Lake, (Geology), Scale 1:253 440; accompanying Descriptive Notes
by Quinn (1960), Geological Survey of Canada.
Map ER79-2-5, Island Lake area,
(Compilation of Geology and Exploration work), Scale 1:50 000; accompanying
Report by Theyer (1980), Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Map 1646A,
Island Lake (Geology), Scale 1:250 000, by R.K. Herd, K.L. Currie, I.F.
Ermanovics, Geological Survey of Canada (1987).
Preliminary Map 1985 I-3,
Loonfoot Island, (Geology), Scale 1:20 000, by H.P. Gilbert, Manitoba Mineral
Resources Division (1985).
Claim Map Series SE 16, 53E, Scale 1:31 680,
Mining Recording, Manitoba Mines Branch.
URL
N/A
REMARKS
"There has been one recorded production of lead in Manitoba - that
from the Island Lake Mine in 1935." (Cole, 1938). Manitoba's lead
production that year was 7.8 tonnes (19 179 lbs) (Manitoba Mines Branch, 8th
Annual Report). According to D.F. Parrott, concentrate was sent to Tacoma,
Washington, U.S.A. to be smelted into "metal, gold & silver" (Island Lake
Mines Limited, Mining Engineering File).
Two of three holes completed on West
Island by Ventures Limited in 1934-35, encountered three sections of ore varying
from 7.6-31 cm (3-12") in width and carrying 34.3-102.86 g (1-3 oz) of gold
(Island Lake Mines Limited, Mining Engineering File; March 27, 1935 Report by
J.M. Cunningham-Dunlop, in Manitoba Mines Branch, Unpublished Information File,
53E/15). McMurchy (1944) noted quartz veins, well mineralized with pyrite and
galena, on this island.
Gold occurrences were reported 3.7 km SW, 2.5 km
west-northwest and 800 m southwest, respectively, of the Island Lake Mine
(Newspaper clipping, December 24, 1931 in Island Lake Mines Limited, Corporation
File): on the Bellton Group (on which there are two showings, an iron dyke and a
blue quartz vein), two samples ran $16.80 and $53.20; on the Casl Group, samples
from two islands assayed $164 and $41.20 gold (see 53E/16 AU 4); on the Sparrow
Group, blue quartz and galena showings and a 12 m (40 ft) wide iron dyke were
reported.
On the larger of two small islands (1.6 km north of the Island
Lake Mine), a grab sample of a quartz vein, 20 cm (8") wide and exposed for
9 m (30 ft), returned an assay of $4.37 gold/ton (McMurchy, 1944).
NOTES
N/A
Compiled/Revised
by:
CC JR
Date
12-63 03-74 09-87
