Gold deposits of the Rice Lake-Beresford Lake area, Southeastern Manitoba

Abstract

This thesis forms part of a joint undertaking by the University of Manitoba's Department of Earth Sciences and the Manitobal Mines Branch(Project Pioneer) and consists of a geological and geochemical investigation of some 40 gold deposits in an Archean greenstone belt. Between 1911 and 1968, about 1.5 million ounces of gold were recovered from the area, 80% of which came from the San Antonio mine. The purpose of this work was to establish the nature and origin of gold mineralization and factors controlling the distribution of the deposits. Geological field relations, petrographic, chemical and neutron activation analyses were the chief approaches. Particular emphasis was placed upon crosscutting relationships, vein and wall-rock mineral assemblages, chemical and mineralogical changes in the wall-rocks and background gold content of the host rocks. Detailed mapping of individual deposits was not carried out but structural characteristics of each deposit was noted...