The main findings of this study indicate that historical white spotted porphyry
(suspected albitite by Queenston geologists) and other gold-bearing rocks at the Upper
Canada property are characterized by complete overprinting of primary mineralogy,
textures and fabric. All analyzed units (albitite, proto-albitite, wacke, trachyte, trachyte-
tuff, tuffaceous sediment, tuff, syenite, syenite-trachyte, trachyte-trachysyenite, gabbro,
and conglomerate), consist of the same alteration mineral assemblages. These minerals
are: albite, ± quartz, ±muscovite, ±ankerite, ± calcite, ± K-feldspars, ± pyrite, ± fuchsite,
± chlorite, ± dolomite, ± and magnetite. Albitite is an alteration overprint over several
lithologies, and not a primary protolith.
Alteration characteristics in albitite and all other main lithologies observed in the
nine diamond drill holes (UC10-49, 50, 50W2, 90, 106, 115, 136, 137, and 144) from the
C-Zone, North of Brock Zone and along the South Branch of the Upper Canada Break are
consistent. This includes pervasive albitization, silicification, sericitization,
carbonitization, and pyritization with minor chlorite and hematite alteration. Textural-
structural characteristics of all rock units vary in degree of alteration. Mineralization is
commonly constrained to narrow alteration corridors with fine-grained pyrite hosting
inclusions of gold. It is commonly observed as fine-grained disseminations associated
with quartz-ankerite or quartz-calcite veins, or narrow ± chlorite, ± sericite, and ±
muscovite altered patches in albitite and other gold-bearing rocks at the Upper Canada
property. The degree of alteration of the original rock is probably related to the proximity
(such as muscovite, sericite, fuchsite and chlorite) in the majority of rock units near
surface. Albitite, trachyte, syenite, syenite-trachyte and other gold-bearing units, which
commonly occur at depth between 2700 and 3600ft are characterized with pervasive
albite alteration and minor sericite, fuchsite and chlorite alteration. These findings are
also confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns of the samples from the Upper Canada
property.
The major alteration minerals identified by XRD technique throughout the UC10-
49, 50, 50W2, 90, 106, 115, 136, 137, and 144 drill holes consist of plagioclase, ± quartz,
± muscovite, ± ankerite, ± calcite, ± K-feldspars, ± and pyrite. Plagioclase commonly
occurs as albite, while K- feldspars are identified as microcline or orthoclase. The only
sulphide mineral identified by XRD diffraction patterns throughout all analysed samples
from the Upper Canada property is pyrite. However, some other alteration minerals are
recorded from the Upper Canada property. There are: chlorite, fuchsite, and magnetite in
wacke samples (01 and 02), tuffaceous sediment (07), and conglomerate (30) from the
UC10-50W2 drill hole.
The majority of the reported oxygen isotope values from the Upper Canada
property in this study define a very narrow range of δ18Owr values. The δ18Owr values
range between 11.0‰ and 12.0 ‰. In contrast, primary oxygen isotope variations in
sedimentary rocks range from +8 ‰ to +38 ‰; primary igneous intrusive rocks range
from -5 ‰ to +12 ‰; and primary volcanic rocks range from +6 ‰ to +10 ‰ (Hoefs,
2004). In addition, the δ18Owr in samples from the Upper Canada property do not show
any strong correlation with the macroscopically identified lithology such as albitite,
Interestingly there is a weak negative correlation between the δ18Owr and gold content
(g/t), which may suggest deeper or hotter fluids are primarily responsible for gold
deposition. This can be followed up by targeted sampling.
Optical petrographic observations combined with bulk XRD characterization and
the stable oxygen isotope analyses of rocks at the Upper Canada property are all
consistent. The reported results from this study indicate that all lithological units at the
Upper Canada property have surprisingly similar secondary mineral assemblages, and are
defined by very similar δ18Owr values. I interpret these finding to indicate that all rocks
have been pervasively altered under similar hydrothermal alteration processes.
The consistency of the alteration effects throughout different drill holes with
different spatial localities within the Upper Canada property suggests that the same
hydrothermal fluids are responsible for overprinting all rocks at the Upper Canada
property. This is similar with the recent oxygen isotope study conducted by Griffin (2011)
that studied five shallow drill holes at the Upper L-Zone, the largest ore-bearing vein
system at the Upper Canada property. Overall oxygen isotopes values were in a range of
10.4 ‰ to 12.9 ‰. Additionally, this conclusion is consistent with recent work by Robert
(2001). In particular the indication of the presence of hotter magmatic fluids beneath the
Upper Canada property fits well with models for intrusion-related gold deposits. The
intense albite alteration and its general prevalence over sericite alteration in intrusion-
related deposits could be a deeper feature that grades upward into more dominant sericite
alteration and weak albite alteration. Further work will test if these fluids are associated
with a large intrusive system responsible for gold mineralization in the prolific Kirkland
5.3 Further Work at the Upper Canada Property
The main findings from mineralogy, petrology, XRD and oxygen stable isotope
analyses brought forward the idea of a direct evidence and nature of hydrothermal
alteration fluids at the Upper Canada property in the Kirkland Lake gold camp. These
points toward the potential for a large mineralized syenite intrusion-related system
beneath the property. Also, we glean more knowledge of albitite “white spotted porphyry”, and associated gold mineralized rocks throughout analysed drill holes from the C-Zone, North of Brock Zone and along the South Branch of the Upper Canada
Break. It would be absolutely beneficial for Queenston Mining Inc. to get more
information on mineralogical-alteration characteristics of albitite and related gold-bearing
rocks as well as to gain more understanding on hydrothermal alteration processes
throughout L, C, K, H, M, and Q – Zones from the Upper Canada property. Trace and
multi element geochemistry could be used in order to provide better comprehension of
gold mineralized fluids and pathfinder elements. Carbon and sulphur isotope analysis
would be extremely useful to better recognize the role of carbonates and sulphides with
gold mineralization. Thermometry could be applied on mineral-pairs in equilibrium in
order to determine temperature, and to prove the hypothesis of increasing and expanding
gold mineralization with depth at the Upper Canada property. Also, study of fluid
inclusions would give more evidence for type and characteristics of fluids during the
precipitation of gold. Continued work with similar methodological approach on other
properties that have not been investigated before would be definitely helpful to
understand hydrothermal fluid movement, alteration characteristics, and gold ore
CHAPTER 6