Metal Earth Transect Scale Project: Wabigoon, Geraldton-Onaman
Project Information
Project Title:Metal Earth Wabigoon Transect: Geraldton-Onaman Research Location:Geraldton-Onaman, Ontario Research Team:Past Lead: Zsuzsanna Tóth (Postdoctoral Fellow, Laurentian University), Keaton Strongman (PhD Candidate, Laurentian University), Anna Haataja (MSc Candidate, Laurentian University), Benjamin Mark (MSc Candidate, Laurentian University) |
Project Status:Active Contact:Bruno Lafrance, Professor, Laurentian University
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Academic Collaborators:
Dr. Bruno Lafrance – Professor, Laurentian University
Dr. Harold Gibson – Professor, Laurentian University
Dr. Doug Tinkham – Associate Professor, Laurentian University
Dr. Mike Hamilton – Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Dr. Jeffrey Marsh - Research Associate, Laurentian University
Dr. Daniel Kontak – Full Professor, Harquail School of Earth Sciences
Dr. Christophe Scheffer – Research Associate, Université Laval
Dr. Benoît Quesnel – Research Associate, Université Laval
Greg Stott – Exploration Geologist, Stott Geoconsulting Ltd.
Industry Collaborators:
Jason Rickard- Greenstone Gold Mines
Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin, Jean Lafleur - Laurion Mineral Exploration LME
Paul Dunbar, Brian Arkell – Argonaut Gold
Image Caption: Exceptional radial kyanite crystals in an advanced argillically altered rhyolite.
Scope of Project:
The Geraldton-Onaman transect is a 105 km long traverse that crosses a major terrane boundary between the eastern Wabigoon and the Quetico subprovinces in the western Superior Province. It is considered to be one of the poorly metal-endowed transects because despite the numerous precious and base metal occurrences, significant mineral deposits have yet to be discovered in the area. The only significant gold mineralization is indicated by several small past-producing and future gold mines in the Beardmore-Geraldton belt that stretches along the boundary between the eastern Wabigoon and Quetico subprovinces with ca. 10 Moz Au total mined-out and existing reserves/resources (Mason and White, 1986; G Mining Services, 2016).
The transect area has a complex and poorly understood geological evolution. The research area is made up of several Mesoarchean and Neoarchean mafic to felsic volcanic assemblages (~2970 Ma to 2720 Ma) overlain by fine to coarse-grained clastic and chemical sedimentary successions (~2710 Ma to 2690 Ma) and large granitoid plutonic bodies (~2920 Ma to 2650 Ma; Stott et al., 2002).
The transect research aims to improve our understanding of the geological evolution of the transect area using geological mapping, whole rock and isotope geochemistry, geochronology, structural analyses and various geophysical methods that provide an insight into the 3D lithospheric architecture. The outstanding questions include the petrographic and petrologic characterization of the various metavolcanic, metasedimentary and intrusive rocks, the characterization of various metallogenic processes, as well as deformation and metamorphic events.
Image Caption: The Geraldton-Onaman transect crew 2019 (from left to right). Anna Haataja, MSc candidate, Ben Mark, MSc candidate, Matt Lin (back), Kav Lokuliyana (front), Amir Sandarusi (back), Keaton Strongman (PhD candidate, front), Jacob Pinter, Bella Li, Zsuzsanna Tóth, research associate.
Transect Research Projects
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1. The provenance and depositional age of the metasedimentary packages with testing their possible correlation across the eastern Wabigoon, English River and Quetico subprovinces 2. Assessment of the structural evolution of the Onanam-Tashota greenstone belt and its comparison with the BGB 3. The petrographic an petrologic characterization of the eastern Wabigoon and Quetico subprovinces |
Zsuzsanna Tóth, Postdoctoral Fellow, Laurentian University |
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Metallogeny, volcanic stratigraphy, and geodynamic evolution of Onaman-Tashota greenstone belt with focus on magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization styles
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Keaton Strongman, PhD candidate, Laurentian University
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| The characteristics and timing of regional and contact metamorphism in the Onaman-Tashota greenstone belt | Anna Haataja, MSc candidate, Laurentian University |
| The structural evolution and orogenic gold mineralization of the Tashota area, northern Onanam-Tashota greenstone belt | Ben Mark, MSc candidate, Laurentian University |
Geraldton-Onaman Map:
Related Documents/News:
Video: Zsuzsanna Tóth - Geological evolution of eastern Wabigoon & Quetico subprovinces in Geraldton-Onaman, presentation at the Metal Earth Partner Meeting, March 2021
Metal Earth Transect Update: Geraldton-Onaman March 29, 2019
Ontario Geological Survey Summary of Field Work 2018
Metal Earth GeoHub - Geraldton Related Documents
MSc Thesis - Strongman, Keaton Reid. Volcanic, structural, and hydrothermal controls on coincident Archean Low and High Sulfidation VMS Systems within the Onaman Assemblage, Onaman-Tashota Greenstone Belt, Northern Ontario, Canada. 5-Nov-2018. https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/handle/10219/3208
