Summary:
New Brunswick's manganese-iron occurrences have been divided into two broad types according to whether manganese mineralization is primary or secondary (Webb, 2008). The two divisions are further categorized on the basis of regional and localized geological setting. The Battery Hill deposits are considered to be of primary, sedimentary origin.
Manganese mineralization in primary manganese deposits develops syngenetically with deposition of the host rocks. Significant deposits of this type in New Brunswick occur in two geological settings:
• Silurian sedimentary rocks: manganese and iron mineralization resulting from oxidization of manganese and iron in ambient seawater during the deposition of sediments in marine basins.
• Ordovician volcanogenic–sedimentary rocks: manganese and iron mineralization derived largely from hydrothermal fluids associated with submarine volcanism.
Manganese is predominantly present at the Property in the form of the carbonate mineral rhodochrosite and iron occurs in both oxide (hematite, magnetite, and ilmenite) and carbonate minerals (predominantly siderite). The mineralization comprising the current Mineral Resource estimate has been classified by some past workers as being of the Algoma Type banded ironformation (BIF) group. More recent research reported by Way (2012) indicates that the Battery Hill Deposit and others within this stratigraphic setting can be most accurately classified as Clinton Type sedimentary iron deposits as defined by Gross (1996).
The manganese and iron mineralization of potential economic interest within the Property is bedded and stratiform in nature and is recognized as being of primary sedimentary origin. Manganese occurs predominantly in the form of the carbonate mineral rhodochrosite, and iron occurs in both oxide (hematite, magnetite, and ilmenite) and carbonate minerals
The manganese-iron mineralization encountered in the Battery Hill Property tends to be lenticular, stratiform and generally steeply dipping in form, having been shaped and thickened by tight folding and possible faulting. In the Iron Ore Hill area, tight folds with steep northwest plunges have been noted. In the Moody Hill historical open-cut workings, several folds showing shallow southerly plunges are present. Further detailed structural mapping is required to improve the structural interpretation of the area.
To date, five main areas of mineralization (mineral occurrences) have been defined within the Property, these being Wakefield, Maple Hill, Iron Ore Hill, Sharpe Farm and Moody Hill.
Wakefield Occurrence.
The Wakefield mineral occurrence occurs on the far northern extent of Mineral Claim 5816. This occurrence was one the of the original discoveries identified by C.T. Jackson during an 1836 geological mapping program (MacKinnon, 2020). Detailed work has not been completed for this mineral occurrence to date by Manganese X because it is located in a cultivated area near residential homes.
Maple Hill Occurrence.
The Maple Hill mineral occurrence is located 2 km south-southwest of the Wakefield occurrence in a wooded patch that measures approximately 175 to 200 m2 in area. Historical trenching on this occurrence exhibited less manganese-iron mineralization than seen at the Moody Hill or Iron Ore Hill occurrences, though higher grade material has been reported (MacKinnon, 2011). In comparing the known location of the occurrence to the geophysical response of the 2011 Globex magnetometer survey, the deposit is located on the extreme western edge of the magnetic field anomaly where response is weak to moderate compared to much of the rest of the anomaly. The large area of strongest response located on the eastern edge of the survey in the Maple Hill area has not yet been ground checked by Manganese X.
Iron Ore Hill Occurrence.
The Iron Ore Hill historical workings are located approximately 3 km south of the Maple Hill occurrence. In the early 1950’s, Stratmat identified a strong gravity anomaly measuring approximately 762 m in strike length. Globex’s 2011 magnetometer survey confirmed a similar sized anomaly centered on the Iron Ore Hill area. The historical workings are still visible at the site which produced approximately 63,502 t of iron (MacKinnon, 2020).
Sampling on and near the historical workings by Globex in 2010 confirmed the presence of higher grades of manganese than had been reported in previous testing, and also identified an abundance of lower grade material. As a result of this sampling, an additional 59 samples were collected, mainly along intermittent outcroppings in a ditch adjacent to the historical workings. Higher grade results were obtained from black, sub-metallic layers in the mixed, predominantly brick red and maroon alternating beds within the mineralized horizon. Maroon layers provided the next highest manganese grades.
Sharpe Farm Occurrence.
The Sharpe Farm occurrence is located southwest of the Iron Ore Hill occurrence. Sidwell (1957) described it as coinciding with a 792 m long gravity anomaly that is substantially weaker than the anomaly associated with the Iron Ore Hill occurrence. Two holes drilled at that time were reported to have intersected silicified slates showing an average width of 45.7 m with an average grade of 9% Mn.
The 2011 Globex magnetometer survey identified a moderate to strong circular anomaly with two smaller responses extending in a semi-continuous manner northeastward toward the Iron Ore Hill occurrence. This anomaly is the second strongest in the survey, after the Iron Ore Hill occurrence, and is over 400 m in diameter. Including the area between this and the Iron Ore Hill occurrence, the total length of the northeast-southwest trending anomaly is 700 m. Ground checking by Manganese X resulted in the discovery of a few historical trenches as the only evidence of historical workings (MacKinnon, 2012).
Moody Hill Occurrence.
Sidwell (1957) describes the Moody Hill occurrence as a 518 m long weak to moderate magnetometer survey anomaly compared to the Iron Ore Hill occurrence, with historical drilling results indicating a width of 251 m. Ground checking of the occurrence by Manganese X revealed several 1 to 5 m deep and up to 30 m long trenches. No samples collected at that time were analyzed but many of the rocks viewed appeared to be similar to units present at the Iron Ore Hill occurrence (MacKinnon, 2011).
Diamond drilling by Manganese X on the Moody Hill occurrence defined the spatial aspects of this significant manganese-iron deposit.