Thompson Belt, Flin Flon attract most attention in Manitoba

Projected exploration expenditures in Manitoba in 1990 are expected to be slightly lower than the estimated $40 million spent in 1989. Claim staking in 1990 was down 30% as compared with 1989 but more exploration permits were acquired particularly along the projected extension of the Thompson Nickel Belt and in the area to the south of the Flin Flon-Snow Lake greenstone belt. At the year’s end, the total area of mineral dispositions (including permits) in good standing, was 2.3 million hectares, an increase of 23% from the same period in 1989. Estimates for surface exploration diamond drilling during 1990 were slightly higher at 197,000 metres compared with 178,000 metres in 1989.

In 1990 we saw the role of junior exploration companies decrease even further due to weak gold prices, cancellation of the federal government CEIP program and poor market conditions, but we also witnessed a greater involvement by major companies. The emphasis on base metal exploration in 1990 was evident in that all five advanced mining projects were for nickel-copper or copper-zinc.

Early indications in 1991 point towards a level of activity similar to 1990, particularly in the Thompson Nickel Belt and in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake area.

Base metal exploration and development projects were once again dominant in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake Belt and its extension below the Paleozoic to the south. As planned, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting (TSE) commenced production from the Callinan deposit on April 1, 1990, at an initial rate of 710 tonnes per day which will increase to 1,130 tonnes when in full production.

Reserves as of Jan. 1, 1990, were calculated at 2.56 million tonnes of 1.43% copper, 3.7% zinc and minor gold and silver values.

At the Trout Lake mine, a new 660-metre production shaft was completed by HudBay in the second quarter and exploration drilling on the North zone returned very encouraging results. Early in January, 1991, HudBay reported a new intersection, about 650 metres south of the high-grade intercepts reported in November, 1990, and about 280 metres below the shaft bottom. Assays indicate a single lens with a horizontal width of 30 metres grading 22.5% zinc, 2.06% copper, 2.2 grams gold and 30.5 grams silver per tonne. The company believes that these drill results may indicate the presence of an additional zone unconnected to the one previously reported.

The mine is a joint venture between HudBay (44%), Granges (TSE) (29%) and Manitoba Mineral Resources (27%).

In the Namew Lake mine area, Hudson Bay Exploration conducted a detailed gravity survey and additional magnetometer work. Several diamond drill holes were completed in the general mine area to investigate geophysical targets.

HudBay was also busy in the Snow Lake area. Diamond drilling on the Chisel North zone continued in an effort to further evaluate the deposit where reserves are now in excess of 2.7 million tonnes of 9% zinc and 0.17% copper.

In the Woosey Creek area, about 6.5 km southwest of the Chisel Lake mine, Falconbridge carried out a drilling program on the Raindrop zone where an earlier intersection assayed 3.52% copper, 0.82% zinc, 1.63 grams gold and 9 grams silver over 8.36 metres.

Other significant drill programs in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake belt included HudBay in the Reed Lake, Wekusko Lake, Manistikwan Lake and Snow Lake areas; Minnova (TSE) on the Big Island property and at Thompson Lake; Granges near Athapapuskow Lake and McClarty Lake; Manitoba Mineral Resources in the Hargrave Lake and Krug Lake areas; Falconbridge on the Dickstone mine property; and Cominco (TSE) in the Clearwater Lake area.

In the Lynn Lake Greenstone Belt, drill programs were conducted by Manitoba Mineral Resources in the McWhirter Lake and Laurie Lake areas, and by Granges just east of Lynn Lake.

In the Ruttan mine area near Leaf Rapids, HudBay conducted a large geophysics and drilling program in an effort to try and find new reserves that will prolong the life of the Ruttan operation. At the West Anomaly, about 1.5 km west of the Western Lenses of the Ruttan mine, geological minable reserves now stand at 5 million tonnes of 1.49% copper and 2.51% zinc. Production is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 1991 with the ore carried through underground drifting to the Ruttan shaft. The current reserves should allow the West Anomaly to produce for five years and extend Ruttan’s operating life by three years.

Other projects in the Leaf Rapids area included drill programs by HudBay at Issett Lake and Darrol Lake and geophysical surveying by Goldbelt Mines (VSE) near Ruttan Lake.

In the Thompson Nickel Belt, Inco Exploration and Technical Services, a unit of Inco (TSE), conducted geophysics and drilling programs in the Soab Creek, Ospwagan Lake, Nichols Lake and Mystery Lake areas.

At the end of October, Inco announced plans to spend $287 million for development of the 1-D orebody and for deepening the Birchtree mine shaft.

The 1-D deposit, the northerly extension of the Thompson mine, will have three 1,125-metre deep shafts; two for ventilation and one for men and materials. Ore from the 1-D deposit will be transported by a new 5-km fully automated rail haulage system on the 3600 level to the existing T-1 shaft. Mine production will begin in 1992 and full production of 3,200 tonnes of ore yielding 16.8 million kg of nickel per year is expected by 1997. Cost of this program will be $209 million.

The remaining $78 million will be used to deepen the Birchtree shaft from the 1,045-metre to the 1,295-metre level. The Birchtree mine was reactivated from standby status in 1988 and limited production had commenced in May, 1989. Production in 1990 averaged 1,450 tonnes per day and it is expected to reach a daily rate of 4,100 tonnes by 1997.

Dredge removal of overburden at Inco’s new Open Pit South was completed by June, 1990, and limited production began in July. The average production rate to December was 2,000 tonnes of ore and 14,350 tonnes of waste per day. At full production, these rates are expected to reach 4,550 tonnes of ore and 14,500 tonnes of waste. The South Pit is expected to be in production for three years, after which time the remaining ore will be mined from the 400 level of the Thompson mine.

Development work at the Thompson mine 1-C orebody continued and limited production was achieved in 1990. By 1993, daily production is expected to reach 1,450 tonnes, increasing to 1,650 tonnes by 1995.

On the southern extension of the Thompson Nickel Belt, geophysical surveys and drilling were conducted by Falconbridge on its permits in the Moose Lake and Cedar Lake areas, by Manitoba Mineral Resources on its permits in the Minago River and Moose Lake areas and by Sherritt Gordon (TSE) on its claims at Little Limestone Lake.

Gold mining in Manitoba came to a virtual halt in the last quarter of 1989 when Granges closed its Tartan Lake mine near Flin Flon and LynnGold Resources shut down the MacLellan operation at Lynn Lake. Exploration for gold, however, remained active in the traditional mining camps and particularly in the Superior Province in eastern Manitoba.

In the Flin Flon-Snow Lake Belt, Placer Dome (TSE) and Pierce Mountain Resources (VSE) conducted a 37-hole drill program at the old Ferro mine property. Nineteen holes were drilled on the Gold Dust Shear zone which was discovered in 1989. Better results included 3.9 metres of 14.6 grams gold per tonne and 2 metres of 19.1 grams. The Gold Dust zone has been outlined over a strike length of 560 metres and to a vertical depth of 225 metres.

Granges conducted an 11-hole drill program on the Gurney property optioned from Mid-North Resources (VSE). Drilling intersected shear zones with extensive quartz veining but sporadic gold values. The best intersection returned 4.5 grams gold and 15.1 grams silver per tonne over 4.3 metres.

Other notable gold exploration programs in the belt included Northgate Exploration (TSE) at Jasper Lake, Ventex Energy (VSE) at Dyce Lake, HudBay at Third Cranberry Lake, Inco Exploration at Squall Lake and Noranda Exploration, a unit of Noranda (TSE), at Wekusko Lake.

In the Lynn Lake Belt, Manitoba Mineral Resources conducted drilling programs in the Pill Lake, Farley Lake, Belleau Lake and Hughes River areas, and mapping and geophysics on the Beaucage Lake property. Granges carried out a drilling program at the Gemmell Lake property.

Spurred by encouraging results by Westmin Resources (TSE) and Noranda Exploration, the Gods Lake Greenstone Belt in eastern Manitoba has been the site of increasing exploration activity over the last few years.

At Oxford Lake, Noranda, with partner Lithium Corporation of Canada (COATS), conducted a major drill program. The 1989 drilling had outlined the Rusty zone where geological reserves of 800,000 tonnes of 6 grams gold had been calculated. Drilling below the zone in 1990 encountered narrow mineralized intersections, the best of which assayed 5.7 grams gold over 2.1 metres.

In the Twin Lakes area, east of Gods Lake, Noranda has been actively drilling on the Monument Bay project where three gold-bearing zones have been identified.

Drill-indicated geological reserves have been estimated at 2.5 million tonnes grading 2.8 grams gold and 520,000 tonnes grading 15.77 grams gold, respectively, at the Twin Lakes A and B zones, and at 650,000 tonnes grading 9.87 grams gold at the Seber C zone, 2 km west of the Twin Lakes zones. The potential to increase reserves in all zones and further along strike appears good.

Near the Ontario border at Little Stull Lake, Westmin and partners Tanqueray Resources (ASE) and Estaurum Mines (ASE) conducted a drill program to test the West zone at depth. With about 200 drill holes completed, Westmin has outlined two major zones. They are the No. 3 zone with an estimated 250,000 tonnes grading 8-10 grams gold and the No. 11 zone with estimates of 150,000 tonnes grading in the range of 8-10 grams gold.

Regarding other minerals, exploration drilling for pegmatites was carried out by Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada in the Bird River area. D.E. Prouse is resident geologist, The Pas, and Bruno Esposito is assessment geologist, Winnipeg, for the Manitoba Department of Energy and Mines.


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