A Proposed Ore Control at the Coronation Mine, Saskatchewan

CIM Bulletin, 1965

Mineralogical cross sections of orebodies on the 300-, 600- and 900-foot levels of the Coronation mine have been interpreted in terms of centers of mineralization. The maximum concentration of chalcopyrite occurs closest to these centers, with pyrite and pyrrhotite concentrated some distance away. The magnetite concentrations are farthest removed from the centers. A hydrous halide fluid model is established. Attempts to explain the observed mineralogy by the action of temperature gradients on the fluid model were unsuccessful. Likewise, the action of diffusion alone on the fluid model cannot explain the observed mineral distribution. The concept of attenuation is introduced-Le., the rate of diffusion of a particle species is related to the product r2 V M, the attenuation coefficient, where r is the particle radius and M its molecular weight. Attenuation, acting on the fluid model alone, will not produce the observed mineral distribution, but, when considered together with the action of temperature gradients, the observed mineralogy can be well explained by the combined effects of these two processes on the assumed fluid model.

Keywords: Chalcopyrite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, mineralogy, pyrrhotite, Replacement Minerals, Concentration, Fluids, mineral, minerals, Ore, Ores, Temperature