Summary:
The main area of interest for Whitemud is the extensive deposits of kaolinized sediments that have been outlined by outcrop mapping and drilling in the Wood Mountain area. The kaolinized sediments are mainly comprised of the Whitemud Formation and partly of the Upper Eastend Formation, both located high in the Upper Cretaceous Series.
The Gollier Creek kaolinized sediment deposit is classified as a sedimentary deposit consisting of altered and unaltered feldspars and pseudomorphs within a silica sand matrix.
The sediments of the Whitemud and Eastend formations are similar in mineralogy and chemistry but differ in the degree of kaolinization. Feldspars (including altered pseudomorphs) are recognizable in both the kaolinized and the relatively unkaolinized sediments of the Whitemud and Eastend Formations, and feldspar pseudomorphs are abundant in even the most kaolinized sediments. The sediments of the Whitemud and Eastend Formations are possibly derived from the same source material, and most of the kaolinization may have occurred in-situ following deposition. The amount and nature of feldspar alteration was a function of the environment of deposition and/or post-depositional, in-situ alteration, both of which were variable over short lateral distances and short time spans.
Fine to medium sands, silts and clays show cyclic repetition in the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary strata. The Whitemud Formation, composed of white kaolinized sediments, is the only distinct marker horizon. Some of the colour differences, which cut across formational boundaries, are likely a result of post-depositional processes. In the absence of the white kaolinized marker beds, formation identification from lithology is difficult. For example, the Ravenscrag and Frenchman Formations are almost indistinguishable from the Eastend Formation in drill holes unless the white kaolinized sediments of the Whitemud are present.
The Ravenscrag Formation is characterized by distinct beds of lignite. Whitaker (1965) reports that a greenish-grey clay or silt band below the lowermost lignite seam forms a distinct lithological marker for the contact between the Ravenscrag and the underlying Whitemud Formation. Other green sediments, however, lie within the Ravenscrag and Frenchman Formations, and the marker horizon of Whitaker is usable only in conjunction with geophysical logs. In the absence of geophysical logs, the base of the Ravenscrag Formation is considered to be the bottom of the lowest distinct lignite seam.
The Whitemud sediments vary laterally and vertically over several metres between the following lithologies:
• Kaolinized feldspathic sands and sandstone.
• Clayey (kaolinitic) sand and sandstone.
• Consolidated sandy clay (kaolin).
• Consolidated clayey (kaolinitic) fine sand and fireclay.
The sediments range in colour from white to yellow to grey and greyish-green with gradations between. The dark minerals, identifiable in a hand lens, consist mainly of chert, and some carbon grains (lignite/coal?) are also generally present. The dark chert and carbon give some of the rocks a salt and pepper appearance. The grain size ranges from medium sand to fine sand, silt, and clay. Variations in grain size and colour are easily observed in outcrop. Using a hand lens, kaolin infillings are distinguishable and distinct lath-shaped clay pseudomorphs after feldspar are recognizable.
The lower contact of the Whitemud Formation with the Eastend Formation is described in the literature as gradational. The contact is generally easy to recognize by colour. It is commonly gradational over 1.5 m to 3.0 m through either grey to yellow feldspathic sandstone, or grey to white clayey sand, siltstone, or sandstone. This gradational zone has been termed the Upper Eastend Formation.
The lower contact between the kaolinized sediments (including the partly kaolinized Upper Eastend) and the underlying rocks is marked by a distinct downward colour change to apple green or apple green-grey. The sediments below the kaolinized material are unconsolidated uniform fine sand, partly consolidated fine to medium sand, or interbedded with clay. The uniform fine sand is designated as the Lower Eastend Formation and the remaining sediments are part of the Upper Transition Zone.
There are two transition zones that separate the Eastend Formation from the underlying Bearpaw Formation: The Upper Transition Zone is coarser grained and, according to Whitaker (1965), should be placed in the Eastend Formation, whereas the Lower Transition Zone should be considered part of the Bearpaw Formation.
The Lower Transition Zone was rarely intersected in the Ekaton drill program, as the applegreen colour of the Lower Eastend and Upper Transition Zone provided clear indication that the drill was below the potential zone for kaolinized sediments. The bentonitic clays are recognizable from their green colour and vitreous luster on freshly cut surfaces.
Mineralization
Mineralogical analysis of the Whitemud Formation sediments was conducted by Miles Industrial Minerals Research on behalf of Ekaton in 1985. Random core samples from the 1984 drill program representing material from the Whitemud Formation, Upper Eastend, Lower EastendUpper Transition, and Lower Transition zones were selected. Mineral species were identified in thin section by optical methods. The results of this work are summarized as follows:
• Quartz and feldspar are the dominant minerals, with clay fill representing between 10% and 75% on a volume basis (typically 10% to 20% clay fill).
• Clay sediments of low birefringence appear to be deposited between the grains of quartz and feldspar (grains generally touch each other) and do not appear to be altered in-situ.
• Quartz and feldspar grains have angular edges, suggesting that they have been transported relatively short distances. The muscovite, quartz, and feldspar distribution is generally uniform, with larger quartz grains associated with larger muscovite and feldspar grains.
• The altered feldspar content of the kaolinized sediment is similar to that of the partly kaolinized and unkaolinized material.
• The volume percentages of quartz and clay-fill minerals in the sediments of the Whitemud and the underlying Eastend/Transition sediments show that feldspar, quartz, and clay-fill contents are generally similar, suggesting a common source area for the sediments.
Additional mineralogical work by Ekaton identified illite and traces of smectite as accessory clay minerals within the clay fill.
X-ray diffraction studies of the -325 mesh (-44 µ) size fraction showed that the samples were composed principally of quartz and kaolinite, with minor amounts of illite, muscovite mica, sericite, amphibole, orthoclase feldspars, and oligoclase feldspars. The -325 mesh fraction represented 33.7% to 52.2% by weight of the samples, with drill core samples typically being in the mid 30% range. Quartz was primarily contained in the +325 mesh fraction, however, fine quartz was also found in the finer fractions at levels ranging from a low of 1.81% for a <2 µ sample to a high of 15.89% for a <10 µ sample.
Commodity Production
The product is metakaolin.
Previous mining at the Wood Mountain mine took place during the 2008 to 2012 period.
The processing activities commenced in Q3 2024, using stockpiled raw ore that was previously mined.
At December 31, 2024, the finished metakaolin and bulk inventory available for sale was 631 tons (2023 – 14 tons).
| Commodity | Units | 2024 |
|
Kaolin
|
kt
| ....  |
* According to 2024 study.