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Cameron - Gold Royalty
Desjardins, Franquet & Grevet Townships, Quebec (NTS 32F/07)
Updated July 2023
Summary
The Cameron property located in the Abitibi Structural Province of Northern Quebec, hosts the Cameron deformation corridor throughout its entire length. The presence of this prolific gold corridor has resulted in the emplacement of a mineralized zone and several showings. There are also 3 gold resources immediately to the west of the property and a producing polymetallic mine to the east. Though exploration work started in the early 1950’s, there are still several high-quality targets that have received little attention.
It is interesting to note that the Cameron deformation corridor merges with the Casa-Berardi corridor and together they extend over 400km across the Superior Province of Quebec. Several mining camps and mineral deposits are contained within its structures, the newest of which is the Windfall deposit of Osisko Mining.
Location – Access – Claim Description
The Cameron property is 32km north of the town of Lebel Sur Quevillon, Abitibi Quebec, Canada, SNRC 32F/07 (Figure 1). Access is possible by travelling north of Lebel Sur Quevillon on highway 113, then secondary roads to reach specific places. The midpoint of the property crosses highway 113, so access is good. The property is 100% owned by Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. and consists of a total of 30 contiguous claims (1,242 ha) in the townships of Desjardins, Franquet and Grevet.
Geology
The property is in the north volcanic zone of the Abitibi greenstone belt. Underlying rocks are both volcano-sedimentary and plutonic (Figure 2). There are 3 intrusive bodies on the property: Cameron Pluton in the north; an intrusive body mapped as silicified gabbro/diorite immediately south of the Cameron Pluton; and the Franquet Pluton in the south.
A major feature on the property is the Cameron deformation corridor that traverses its length. This deformation corridor, hosts 3 gold deposits and 1 producing mine within 20km east and west of the property (Figure 2). From west to east, they are:
Discovery Deposit 16km WNW (531,550 oz gold in the Measured, Indicated and Inferred category (MII), NI 43-101, August 2008 Cadiscor Resources);
Flordin Deposit 3km WNW (303,692 oz gold in the MII categories, NI 43-101, August 2011, North American Palladium Ltd.)
Carthwright Deposit 0.5km WNW (28,000 oz gold historic resource, Quebec government showing number (32F07-0022); and
Langlois Mine 18km ESE (in 2015 it produced 40,000 and 2,000 metric tonnes of zinc and copper in concentrate, respectively, plus 642,000 and 2,000 troy ounces of silver and gold, respectively, data from Nyrstar website)
Quebec government report MB96-33 titled “Deformation corridors of the Abitibi Sub-Province”, states that the Cameron corridor is 140km long with an average width of 1.6km and a maximum width of 5.7km (Figure 3). With an average width of 1.6km, this deformation corridor could conceivably affect all the rocks on the property. Westward the Cameron corridor appears to become part of the Casa-Berardi corridor, which itself is 225km long having an average width of 1.5km.
The combined structures of Cameron and Casa-Berardi, are approximately 400km long and extend from the Casa-Berardi mining camp in the west, to beyond the Windfall district in the east. Along its length, there are 5 mining districts and at least 5 mineral resources.
Work History and Mineralization
Though exploration work started in the early 1950’s, there are still several high-quality targets that have had little attention. The Principal Zone received much of the exploration focus, but in 1994, gold was located in a gabbroic intrusive along a secondary shear to the main deformation zone.
The Principal Zone is made up of gold mineralization associated with quartz veins and quartz porphyry dykes, located at the contact between massive and fragmental basalt. A total of 70 holes were drilled into the Principal Zone. Some of the best historic intersections are: 3.72 g/t Au over 3.9m (MD8531); 21.84 g/t Au over 1.5m (MD8537); 1.94 g/t Au over 6.39m (DJ8718); and 5.76 g/t Au over 5.03m (DJ8719). Though these results are good, a resource has been never been calculated.
The Cameron deformation corridor extends through the volcano-sedimentary rocks, but is also observed to affect intrusive rocks on the property as well. In 1994, GeoNova discovered Cameron West about 500m NE of the main zone (Figure 4). This area is mapped as an extremely silicified fine to medium grained gabbro/diorite, when it is fresh, but it is often brecciated, sheared and mineralized with patches of up to 20% disseminated pyrite. The shearing is orientated at N075° and the mineralized zones cut the shear at N205°. Though the 2 highest grab samples obtained were 7.36 g/t Au and 1.3 g/t Au, in general values are low.
Inspection of Figure 4 shows a moderate IP anomaly within the gabbro/diorite that branches off the main anomaly. The main IP anomaly appears formational as it conforms with Megatem conductors, possibly related to graphite. Having a moderate IP anomaly in an intrusive rock is interesting enough, but this one is not parallel to the main trend, but is branching off at 25°. This shallow angle IP anomaly in competent rock, could be mapping out a splay of the Cameron structural zone. Having a structural splay off a gold corridor, into competent rock, would seem like a good place to look for dilation zones where mineralization can occur.
GeoNova thought this target was important and drilled a fence of 2 holes at 160° (DI95-04 and 05) into both the IP anomaly and their new showing, Cameron West. Hole DI95-04 explained the IP at 87m with a 1.5m intersection of 7-15% pyrite, pyrrhotite and minor chalcopyrite. Unfortunately, gold was only anomalous with 603 ppb being the highest value. Further down hole, at 163m, a 0.55m section of silicified rock with quartz veining and pyrrhotite in foliation planes, graded 2.12 g/t Au.
Results were not very encouraging, but gold is erratic, especially when associated with silicification. One hole in a competent unit, located within a major gold bearing structure, is not much testing. According to drill hole DI95-04, the high gold grade and sulphide zone are not related. However, the moderate IP within the competent unit, could be showing the direction the deformation is travelling. Detailed mapping and sampling of this unit would appear necessary.
Conclusion
The Cameron property hosts the prolific Cameron deformation corridor through its length. Three gold deposits and a mine are located within 20km east and west of the claims as well as a gold zone and showings within the property itself. Most historic work focused on the Principal gold zone in the volcano-sedimentary package, but there is evidence more attention should be paid to the silicified intrusive gabbro/diorite in the NW of the property as well as the other zones that never received follow-up.
Figure 4 shows a moderate IP conductor at a shallow angle from the main trend. This anomaly could be mapping out the Cameron deformation corridor reacting to a hard body. A structural splay coming off a gold corridor, into competent rock, would seem like a good place to look for dilation zones where mineralization can be deposited.
The last major exploration on the property was by GeoNova in 1995. Lines were cut at 100 m intervals and a Mag/IP survey was performed, however the IP was done only at 200 m intervals. These intervals are good for reconnaissance in unknown areas, but the Cameron property is in a mineral belt and as such it requires closer spaced lines.
As the exploration target is narrow gold zones not necessarily associated with sulphide, but silicified zones and disseminated sulphide, the best IP anomalies will be subtle: coincident high resistivity and moderate chargeability. The previous IP survey used a reconnaissance dipole separation of 50m and lines spaced 200m apart. More information will be possible with a 25m dipole and 50m lines. This time the work should also be done in the winter, so the lake can be surveyed as well. The lake was not frozen during the 2 previous IP surveys (1985 and 1994).
One may also consider having a property wide airborne magnetic survey using a high density, gradient magnetic system. The separation of sensors in this type of airborne system can be much larger than is physically practical in a ground survey. For example, a 10m separation in the horizontal plane and a 3m separation in the vertical plane, offers a much greater gradient for analysis than a 50cm vertical separation in a ground survey. Combining this better geometry with lines spaced 75m apart and 40m above the ground, results in detail not possible on the ground. Companies such as Osisko, are using this type of survey to delineate gold targets with considerable success.
A property wide survey of this type could help locate and interpret previously hidden structures in all areas of interest. As well, regions that received little attention, such as most all the southern part of the claims, could become more prospective.
In summary, a property wide high density gradient magnetic survey is proposed with detailed IP over areas of interest. Follow-up mapping and prospecting will help focus additional exploration.
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