Emily Theben, BSc
E. Theben1, R. Cox1, J. Brenan1, M. McRae2
1Earth and Environmental Science Department, Dalhousie University,Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
2Gold Candle Ltd., Virginiatown, Ontario, Canada
Exploration of the Geminid Nickel Deposit has been ongoing since its discovery in 2023. This study is the first investigation of the deposit at the microscale. The deposit is situated in Northeastern Ontario, 40 km east of Kirkland Lake, along the Larder Lake – Cadillac Break within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, a region renowned for its mineral endowment. The deposit was discovered during exploration drilling for Gold Candle Ltd. on and around the historic Kerr-Addison mine site, an underground gold mine that operated from 1938 to 1996 and produced over 11 Moz of gold. Drilling 2 km east of the Kerr-Addison Mine intersected a 23m wide section (not true thickness) of millerite mineralization with an average grade of 1.9% nickel. Follow up drilling defined an approximately 300 by 700 meter mineralized zone with vertical planar geometry of millerite-dominated mineralization hosted mainly in the ultramafic facies of the Larder Lake group below the contact with Timiskaming sediments. To date, no comprehensive study has examined the mineral assemblages, or nickel distribution within the Geminid Deposit, limiting models describing its formation, potential economic value and Ni recovery. This study focuses on characterizing magmatic and secondary sulphide mineral phases and textures and evaluating their relationship to nickel distribution. So far, two dominant sulphide mineral assemblages that have been identified are millerite + pentlandite ± chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite + pentlandite. Analytical methods include: (1) Detailed petrographic analysis of magmatic and secondary mineral assemblages; (2) XRD analysis to determine mineral phases present; (3) SEM and µXRF for phase mapping and phase distributions at different scales within selected samples, (4) LA-ICP-MS analysis to investigate minor and trace element contents including PGE’s. The results will be used to determine: (1) the distribution of Ni and related metals; (2) factors governing nickel mobilization; (3) if Ni tenor is controlled by primary magmatic or secondary minerals within this deposit. This study will provide a foundation for future genetic interpretations and economic evaluations. Beyond advancing the understanding of the Geminid Deposit, this research addresses a broader gap in knowledge of secondary (altered) sulfide systems and millerite dominated mineralization.