MINERAL INVENTORY FILE NO.
440
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PRODUCT
NICKEL
NTS AREA
63J1NW
REF.
NI 1
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
NAME OF PROPERTY
MANIBRIDGE MINE
OWNER OF OPERATOR ADDRESS
1975 - Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited
P.O. Box 40
Commerce Court West
Toronto, ON
OBJECT LOCATED
Centre of Rim 16.
MINING DIVISION
The Pas
Latitude
54° 42.14’
Longitude
98° 50.23’
Uncertainty (m)
500 m
UTM Zone
_____
Easting
_______
Northing
_______
L.S./Quarter Section
___
Section
___
Township
66
Range
10 WPM
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT
The deposit is situated in an altered peridotite (serpentinite) of Precambrian age, which intruded gneissic country rock. The ultramafic intrusion, striking N30°E and dipping 70°SE, is adjacent to and controlled by a strike fault, which occurs as a zone of mylonite up to 50 feet wide in the footwall.
The percentage of nickel in the serpentinite determines the low-grade (1-3% Ni) and high-grade (>3% Ni) zones. The low-grade zones are irregularly distributed within the ultramafic body, while the high-grade zones, lens-shaped in plan, are located close to the hangingwall. One high-grade zone, with a strike length of 275 feet and thickness up to 100 feet (not true dimensions – Coats et. al., 1972), appears to consist of three tear-drop shaped lenses.
Mineralization occurs as disseminated, net-texture and semi-massive sulphides. Crystallization of pentlandite was followed by a pyrite-pyrrhotite-pentlandite assemblage in an anhydrous environment prior to the extensive serpentinization of the primary silicates (Coats and Brummer, 1970). Violarite is a common alteration of pentlandite and pyrrhotite forms minute inclusions in pentlandite or is marginal to pentlandite grains. Chalcopyrite also occurs.
Pegmatite dykes up to 50 feet wide, intersecting the ultramafic body, contain up to 5% sulphides, including some pentlandite, associated with biotite.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS OR PRODUCTS OF VALUE
Copper.
HISTORY OF EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The mine is located 4 km east of Provincial Road 391 about 32 km southwest of the town of Wabowden.
In June of 1960 Falconbridge Nickel Mines, Limited took out Airborne Permit 30 for one year. Airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys were made. An anomaly was found in this area.
Rim 16 may not directly overlie the deposit but its history follows because the shaft was sunk on this claim. Rim 16 (P92230) was staked by M. Fredette and assigned to Falconbridge Nickel Mines, Limited in 1961.
The coincident magnetic and electromagnetic anomaly, designated as W-50, was diamond drilled in 1963. The second hole cut ore-grade mineralization (Northern Miner; Sept. 9, 1971). Diamond drilling was done on Rim 16 in 1963, but it is not known if this was the “discovery” drilling. The claim was grouped under mining lease M-7954 in 1966. Drilling of the deposit resumed in 1967 (Written communication, Falconbridge, 1976).
Between 1966 and 1967 Amax Exploration, Inc. made an electromagnetic survey as part of Airborne Permit 60. They found an anomaly in this vicinity.
In May 1969 Falconbridge decided to bring the Manibridge deposit into production (Williams, et al., 1974). It was described as a small, high-grade nickel deposit estimated to contain 1 409 000 tons of ore (including 15% dilution) grading 2.55% nickel and 0.27% copper to the 1 250-ft. level (Falconbridge Ann. Rept., 1969 and Coats and Brummer, 1970). Full production was scheduled to be 13 700 000 pounds of nickel per year.
Shaft sinking began on Rim 16 in 1969 and was completed to 1 425 ft. by the end of 1970. Before the shaft was finished, three levels were opened to facilitate diamond drilling to outline the orebody (Falconbridge 6 Month Interim Rept. to Shareholders). This drilling confirmed the upper part of the orebody, which had been indicated by surface drilling (Falconbridge Ann. Rept., 1970). Seven levels were established at the following depths: 336 ft.; 512 ft.; 688 ft.; 864 ft.; 1 040 ft.; 1 192 ft.; and 1 296 ft. (Macke, 1974). A surface lease M-141 was taken out in 1970.
Partial production commenced on June 1971, averaging 500 tons milled per day. By August 30 000 tons of ore stockpiled on surface had been milled. Average milling grade was 1.55% Ni. Mining was carried out on the 688-ft. and 1 040-ft. levels. The bottom level was to be used as an exploration horizon (Northern Miner; Sept. 9, 1971). In recent years the 1 200 (1 192 ft.) foot level has been driven 800 feet north of the shaft to provide a base for deep exploration. Drilling from this level has tested the ultramafic zone to a depth of 2 400 feet below surface (Written communication, Falconbridge, 1976).
Production at Manibridge was 165 000 tons in 1972 and 136 000 tons in 1973 (Falconbridge Ann. Rept., 1973). By 1974 the mill was operating at 85% of its rated capacity of 1 000 tons per day. Mill feed assays range from 1.5% to 2.5% Ni with 0.15% Cu (Williams et al., 1974). Bulk concentrates are shipped to Sudbury, Ontario.
HISTORY OF PRODUCTION
Production commenced in June, 1971 at 500 t/day by August 1971, 30 000 t milled, et al., 1974.
Production during: 1972 – 165 000 t, 1973 – 136 000 t, Falconbridge Ann. Rept., 1973.
Production rate as of March, 1974 – 85% of designed capacity. Designed capacity – 1 000 t/day. Williams et al., 1974.
REFERENCES
Airborne Permit 30; Non-confidential Assessment File; Mineral Administration, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Airborne Permit 60; Non-confidential Assessment File; Mineral Administration, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Coats, C.J.A., 1966: Serpentinized Ultramafic Rocks of the Manitoba Nickel Belt; University of Manitoba, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis.
+Coats, C.J.A. and Brummer, J.J., 1970: Geology of the Manibridge Nickel Deposit in Geoscience Studies in Manitoba; Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 9, p. 155-66.
Coats, C.J.A, Green, P.W. and Wilson, H.D.B., 1976: Sulphide Mineralization in the Manibridge Orebody; C.I.M. Bulletin, v. 69, n. 767, p. 154-9.
Coats, C.J.A, Quirke, T.T., Bell, C.K., Cranstone, D.A. and Campbell, F.H.A., 1972: Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Flin Flon, Lynn Lake and Thompson Areas, Manitoba, and the Churchill-Superior Front of the Western Precambrian Shield; International Geological Congress, 24th File; Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited, NW 10, 63J; Corporation File; Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Macke, W., 1974: Manitoba Mining Operations; Unpublished Notebook, Engineering & Inspection Branch, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Quirke, T.T., Cranstone, D.A., Bell, C.K., and Coats, C.J.A., 1970: Geology of the Moak-Setting Lakes Area, Manitoba; Geological Association of Canada and Mining Association of Canada, 23rd Annual Meeting, Field trip Guidebook, p. 22-23, 54-5.
Sabina, A.P., 1971: Rocks and Minerals for the Collector, La-Ronge-Creighton, Saskatchewan, Flin Flon-Thompson, Manitoba; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 71-27, p. 70.
Williams, A.J., Boutin, E.A. and Wahn, I.E., 1974: Milling at the Manibridge Mine of Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited; C.I.M.M. Bulletin, March, p. 119-27.
MAP REFERENCES
*Map 63J/10, Muhigan Lake, (Topographic), Scale 1:50 000, Surveys and Mapping Branch, Ottawa.
Map Moak-Setting Lakes Area, (Geology), Scale 1:126 720; accompanied Coats et al., 24th Session, International Geological Congress.
Map 2581 G, Muhigan Lake, (Aeromagnetic), Scale 1:63 360, Manitoba Mines Branch and Geological Survey of Canada.
#Maps, NW 10, 63J (Claim), Scale 1:31 680, “Circa 1975”, Claim Map Series, Mining Recording, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
URL
N/A
REMARKS
In 1970 Falconbridge Nickel Mines, Limited changed its name to Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited.
NOTES
N/A
Compiled/Revised by:
SMH
Date
2-73 12-75