Mining Intelligence and News
Canada

Argyle Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeStockpile
StatusClosing / Closed
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotThe Argyle deposit is a part of the Point Rousse Operation.

The site has already commenced certain progressive rehabilitation activities, including the backfilling of the settlement pond at Argyle and the reclamation of tailings storage #1.

Maritime’s geology team completed test pits and collected samples from several mineralized stockpiles around the Point Rousse project including the Pine Cove mill yard and stockpiles, and ore transfer pads at the former Argyle and Stoger Tight open pit mines.
Related AssetPoint Rousse Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Maritime Resources Corp. 100 % Indirect
On August 21, 2023, Maritime acquired of all of the outstanding shares of Point Rousse Mining Inc., which holds the Pine Cove Mill and immediately following the acquisition, completed a vertical amalgamation with Point Rousse.

Deposit type

  • Orogenic
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The Point Rousse Complex is host to orogenic-style gold mineralization. Mineralization comprises both vein-hosted and altered-wall rock or replacement styles of mineralization and both exhibit features common to orogenic gold deposits. The mineralization is typically structurally controlled and developed within subsidiary deformation zones, such as the Scrape Trust Fault, to major regional structures, like the Baie Verte – Brompton Line fault. gold mineralization is intimately associated with disseminated and massive pyrite within the host rock indicating that iron rich rocks are an important precursor to mineralization. Alteration within mafic volcanic and gabbroic rocks can be is characterized by albitization and carbonitization. Iron and titanium rich lithologies associated with the Scrape Thrust are typical host rocks.

The Point Rousse gold mineralization exhibits relatively narrow, but distinctive alteration haloes dominated by Fe-carbonate, albite, sericite, chlorite and leucoxene. The ore mineralogy is relatively simple and is generally comprised of non-refractory gold either as free gold or as coatings on, or along fractures/grain boundariesin pyrite. Silver and base metals can be present in minor amounts and the deposits typically exhibit only trace arsenic.

The Argyle Deposit is underlain by mafic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Scrape Point and Bobby Cove Formations of the Snooks Arm Group. The main lithological units consist of clinopyroxene-phyric lapilli and crystal tuff, ash tuff, and massive flows with interbedded green mudstones. The sequence is cut by gabbroic sills and dykes of variable grain size, composition, and thickness. The gabbro is interpreted to belong to a suite of Ordovician aged intrusive rocks that are similar in age (ca. 483 Ma) to that previously dated by Ramezani (1992) from the nearby Stog’er Tight Deposit. Rock units in the area generally dip towards the north-northwest and are east-west to northeast striking. The rocks are variably deformed, with foliation intensity varying from weakly developed to proto-mylonitic. The Argyle Deposit is located in the hanging wall of the nearby Scrape Thrust that outcrops along the highway 200-300 m to the south.

Gold is localized at Argyle due to its proximity to the Scrape Thrust and localization of fault splays within the host gabbro. The gently north dipping host gabbro is albite, pyrite, rutile and sericite altered, quartz veined and pyritized 40-50 m thick.

The gabbro is magnetic and contains discrete zones of magnetite destruction associated with zones of hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralization. The zone of hydrothermal alteration is centered within the host gabbro, is broadly symmetrical, and can be classified into four subzones. The subzones are differentiated and proceeded in terms of alteration intensity and proximity to ore. From distal to proximal these include: 1) patchy epidote-albite-magnetite; 2) epidote-albite-chlorite 3) epidote-albite-chloriterutile (leucoxene); 4) pervasive albitemuscovite-Fe-carbonate-black chlorite ± pyrite ± gold and quartz veins. Zone four is typically the host gold mineralization. Gold is intimately associated with pyrite, generally residing on pyrite grain margins and along fractures within pyrite. In general, the alteration zone is typically between 5-40 m thick (Copeland et al., 2017).

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

Combined production numbers are reported under Point Rousse Operation

Operational metrics

Metrics2021
Daily mining rate  ....  Subscribe

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Financials

Units2021
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 10, 2024

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.