CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Allan, S.E.
Date : 2000.
Title : 34. Project Unit 00-037. Regional modern alluvium sampling aurvey of the Temagami-Marten River area, Northeastern Ontario.
Publication : Summary of Field Work and Other Activities 2000. Ontario Ministry of North Development and Mines
Issue : OFR 6032.
Page(s) : 34-1 -34-5.
Abstract
The Temagami-Marten River area of Northeastern Ontario (Figure 34.1) has been a historical site of mining operations. Past base metal producers include the Temagami Island Mine and the Kanichee Mine, while an iron formation in the area was exploited by the Sherman Mine. Numerous sulphide showings are known throughout the area (Bennett 1978), as well as a small number of arsenic deposits. In more recent years, the discovery of kimberlites to the north of the survey area in New Liskeard and Kirkland Lake has triggered an increase in diamond exploration across the region. The Lake Temiskaming Structural Zone lies directly to the northeast of the study area, striking almost parallel to its east and west boundaries. This feature, trending northwest at approximately 325º, appears to be the structural zone through which kimberlites intruded (Sage 2000). The Net Lake Fault, believed by Lovell and Caine (1970) to be part of the Lake Temiskaming Structural Zone, lies within the northeastern section of the study area. Intersections of orthogonal structures, such as the Grenville Front, with this series of northwest-trending faults present potential settings for kimberlitic emplacement and therefore heightens the interest for exploration in this area. Additionally, the lifting of the Lake Temagami Land Caution has opened areas previously closed to staking. The main focus of the present study is to determine the distribution of kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs) in the area. Kimberlite is a rock type recognized commonly as the primary host for diamond. The KIM suite of minerals includes pyrope and eclogitic garnets, magnesian ilmenite, chromite, chrome diopside, forsteritic olivine and diamond. The presence of these indicator minerals will be used to determine the prospect of and proximity of any potential diamond-bearing kimberlites in the vicinity. The occurrence of magmatic massive sulphide indicator minerals (MMSIM ), gold and platinum/palladium indicator minerals will also be investigated. The Temagami-Marten River study area is represented on 7 1:50 000 scale National Topographic Systems map sheets. The northern section is covered by the eastern half of the Obabika Lake (41 P/1) and the western half of the Temagami (31 M/4) sheets. The central area comprises the eastern half of the Lake Temagami (41 I/16) and the Ingall Lake (31 L/13) sheets. Coverage in the south comprises the eastern quarter of the Glen Afton (41 I/9), the Marten Lake (31L/12) and the western quarter of the Temiskaming (31 L/11) sheets. During the Pleistocene (1.6 to 0.01 Ma) the study area was affected by the Labrador sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Typically, glacial ice advanced south-southwestward originating in Quebec and Labrador (Barnett 1991). Glacial striae indicate 3 different stages of ice flow direction. The oldest, a west-southwest flow, is represented by striae oriented between 215 o to 275 o , with a median of 240 o . Striae oriented in the range of 180 o to 210 o indicate an intermediate south-southwest flow. The latest regional ice flow, trending in a south-southeast direction (130 o to 170 o ) overprints the previous 2 (Veillette 1986). The surficial deposits in the region are thought to have been deposited primarily during the Late Wisconsinan substage. Glacial processes eroded and scoured the area to reveal bedrock-dominated terrain and a thin discontinuous layer of till was deposited. This till is poorly sorted; unstratified, sandy to silty with a high content of pebbles, cobbles and boulders which reflect the composition of underlying rocks (Boissonneau 1968; Roed 1979). By the beginning of the Holocene, 10 000 years ago, deglaciation in the region was well underway. Glaciofluvial deposits, in the form of ice-contact and outwash deposits, formed in contact with and distal to the ice mass. Glaciofluvial ice-contact deposits are primarily in the form of eskers which consist of sand and gravel and have narrow crests and steeply sloping sides (Boissonneau 1968). Other remnants of glaciofluvial activity in the area are proglacial river and deltaic deposits, and subaqueous fan deposits (Barnett et al. 1991). In the southeast a major recessional moraine, the McConnell Lake Moraine, was deposited when ice flow halted at the south end of Lake Temiskaming. A few smaller moraine and kame deposits are found in the region associated with breaks in the retreat of the ice margin (Gartner 1980). Additionally, swamp, lake and stream deposits of the Recent, as well as patches of organic peatland deposits, are found in the area (Simony 1964; Bennett 1978; Sado and Carswell 1987). The current survey was conducted in July and August 2000, and covered a total area of approximately 3619 km 2 . A total of 256 modern alluvium samples were collected. A grid spacing of 4 km 2 with lines oriented north and east was used to locate samples in the field. Owing to the nature of the survey, i.e., stream sediment sampling, samples were taken from streams as close to grid intersections as possible. In general, all grid squares were sampled at least once and the resulting distribution provides excellent regional coverage. Access to sample locations was achieved by truck, boat or float plane. The position of each sample was accurately recorded with a Global Positioning System (GPS) instrument and NTS map sheets. Within streams, longitudinal and point bars, boulder, log and vegetation traps were targeted for sample collection as these are points of heavy mineral deposition. Sample size ranged from 10 kg up to 20 kg. Larger samples were collected at some sites to compensate for dilution of heavy mineral grains by the high percentage of organic material found in streams in the area. Samples were sieved in the field using a 5 mm mesh screen. The <5 mm fraction of the sample has been sent for heavy mineral processing to determine the presence of KIMs and any other indicator minerals. Of the coarser fraction, approximately 55 pebbles were collected from each sample, where possible. Lithological studies for each sample are presently being completed. To date, pebble lithologies indicate that, typically, stream deposits are locally derived.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology