Tue
19 Dec 2017Reconnaissance mapping of the geology and mineral deposits of the Powell block, Rouyn-Noranda area, Quebec
The Powell block, named by De Rosen-Spence in 1976, is located in the Rouyn-Noranda gold and base-metal district, where it extends from the Beauchastel fault to the north, to the Horne Creek fault to the south, forming a wedge-shaped fault block approximately 18 km long by 2–10 km wide. The most recent mapping of the Powell block was conducted by H.R. Morris in 1957, following earlier mapping work done by M.E Wilson in 1941. De Rosen-Spence (1976) and Lichtblau and Dimroth (1980) conducted further work in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, there have been numerous conflicting interpretations regarding the nature of major geological features, specifically synvolcanic versus syntectonic faults. The Powell block is considered to be a key to understanding the nature of these faults and the structural-stratigraphic architecture of the Rouyn-Noranda district. It lies along the geophysical and geological transect of the Metal Earth project (transect line shown in green in Figure 1) and, as such, plays an essential role in promoting a better understanding of the geology of the transect. During the 2017 field season, a reconnaissance study of the Powell block was done and detailed mapping at a scale of 1:2000 was completed of the Mount Powell area and volcanic successions to the northeast of MountPowell. Current map extent is shown in Figure 1, as well as the approximate boundaries of the entire area to be covered in subsequent field seasons.
