Proterozoic remobilization of gold in shear-zone hosted Archean deposits

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The most important source of gold in Canada is Archean rocks (greater than 2.5 billion years old) that are found throughout the Canadian Shield. Exploration for new gold deposits in central Ontario and Quebec requires new techniques and approaches that can unlock the resource potential of the Canadian Shield. Recent research has documented the movement of geological fluids deep in the Earth's crust during the Proterozoic eon (2.5 to 0.6 billion years ago) that likely remobilized gold in the Archean eon (older than 2.5 billion years ago) deposits in central Ontario. Determining what caused the movement of these fluids and how they may have remobilized gold can be used to narrow in on zones of anomalous gold enrichment and provide companies with better indicators of regions to focus on or avoid in order to maximize their exploration success when looking for new gold deposits. This multidisciplinary research program will (1) determine the timing of Proterozoic fluid ingress at two active mines (Island Gold and the Young-Davidson), (2) evaluate the source and composition of these fluids and their potential to remobilize gold, and (3) provide gold exploration companies with new insights into the geological processes that concentrate and disperse gold in the Canadian Shield. The results of this research program will provide industry with new and novel indicators of gold mineralization to maximize exploration efforts and ultimately contribute to sustainable resource development in Canada.