In the summers of 1995 and 1996, the Geological Survey of Canada carried out Quaternary geological mapping and regional till and humus sampling in the Timmins-Kamiskotia area to determine geochemical backgrounds and identify patterns related to different bedrock lithologies and geochemical anomalies related to bedrock mineralization. Surficial mapping in the north half of the area (42A/13 and 14) (Paulen and McClenaghan, in press) combined with existing surficial geology maps (42A/11 and 12) for the south half (Richard, 1983a, b) provide information on the type and thickness of Quaternary deposits and the ice-flow history recorded by erosional and depositional features. This information is necessary for interpreting till and humus geochemical results. Detailed descriptions of methods and results from this project are published in Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3675, which contains till geochemical data for the <1.7 mm (-10 mesh) heavy mineral and the <0.063 mm (-250 mesh) fractions, gold grain counts, pebble lithology data, textural data and matrix carbonate data, as well as geochemical data for the <0.177 mm (-80 mesh) fraction of humus. The report also includes geochemical data plotted as proportional dot maps on the new Ontario Geological Survey bedrock compilation map of the Timmins area by Ayer and Trowell (1998). Open File 3675 is available from the Geological Survey of Canada Bookstore.

Location

The study area is in northeastern Ontario, between latitude 48°30'N and 49°00'N and longitudes 81°00'W and 82°00'W (Figure 1). It covers 4000 km2 including four 1:50,000 NTS map sheets, 42A/11 (Pamour), 42A/12 (Kamiskotia), 42A/13 (Manning Lake) and 42A/14 (Buskegau River). Highway 101 cuts through the southeast corner of the area, Highway 655 runs north through the middle and Highway 576 links the Kamiskotia Mine to Timmins in the southwest.

Author: Beth McClenaghan