Characteristics and origin of gold mineralization and host rocks, Seabee Gold Operation, Saskatchewan: Implications for exploration and resource development

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Most of the large historical gold deposits in Canada are associated with rocks of the Canadian Shield that are older than 2.5 billion years old. These are called "orogenic gold deposits" as they formed during ancient, mountain building events. Similar gold deposits are found in the Canadian Shield of central and arctic Canada, but are associated with a younger (about 1.8 billion years old) mountain belt, called the Trans-Hudson Orogen. However, the origin of these deposits are not well understood, and so this large region may be underexplored. SSR Mining Inc., the company with which this proposal has been developed, operates the only gold mine in Saskatchewan, and is located in rocks of the Trans-Hudson Orogen. The company is actively exploring for new deposits on their property, but are wanting to improve their understanding of how the gold deposits and the surrounding rocks formed. In detail, the project will form part of four M.Sc. and four B.Sc. theses at the University of Saskatchewan, and will use analytical techniques not routinely available to minerals companies. The focus of the project will be two-fold. One will be to characterize the volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks that are found within the Fisher exploration property, and compare them with the rocks that host the historical, and active mines on the SSR Mining property. The other will be to determine the distribution of gold and other elements in minerals in quartz veins that contain high-grade gold, as well as the composition of the hydrothermal fluids from which the veins formed. In the end, we will have a better understanding of the origin of the rocks and gold-bearing quartz veins in the region, and the actual location of the gold and associated metals in the minerals in the deposit. The latter will assist in improving gold recovery and the remediation of the mine sites in the future, whereas the former will help to focus exploration on the rock types with the best chance of hosting new deposits. Exploration, mining, and environmental monitoring activity will spark economic activity in this isolated part of the Canadian Shield in northern Saskatchewan, and lead to training and economic opportunities for northern communities.