Daniel J. Kontak

• Professor at Laurentian University

Subduction zones play a crucial role in Earth's physical and chemical dynamics, but their initiation and related magmatism remain poorly understood. This study presents new zircon U–Pb age, Hf–O isotope and whole‐rock major–trace element and Sr–Nd isotope data from the Kohistan arc in northern Pakistan, a well‐preserved Phanerozoic oceanic crustal...

Siderite and baryte are common non-sulphide phases in sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX) deposits, but their formation remains poorly understood. Siderite is important as an exploration vector in some deposits, whereas baryte is important as a S source in some deposits. The past-producing Walton deposit (Nova Scotia, Canada) consists of two ore types:...

Characterizing alteration and its geochemical signature provides critical information relevant to ore-deposit genesis and its related footprint; for porphyry-type deposits, zoned potassic-phyllic-propylitic alteration and metal enrichment are critical features. Here we integrate earlier lithological and mineralogical studies of the (10+ Moz Au) Arc...

Peraluminous rare-metal granites and pegmatites (RMGP) formed in late-orogenic settings represent an important source of elements essential to the energy transition and the electronics industry, such as Li, Ta, Nb and Sn. However, exploration for RMGP in crystalline basement is hampered by their typically small size, lack of distinctive petrophysic...

Geologic understanding of the richly mineralized Dawson Range gold belt (DRGB) in the central Yukon, Canada is hindered by: (1) limited outcrop exposure due to thick soil cover; and (2) low resolution age-constraints despite a long history of porphyry Cu–Au–Mo deposit (PCD) exploration. Here, the well-preserved Klaza Au–Ag–Pb–Zn porphyry–epithermal...

The Neoarchean diorite- and tonalite-dominated Chibougamau pluton (Canada) is ideal for case studies dedicated to the petrogenesis and timing of emplacement of fertile magmatic systems and associated Cu-Au porphyry systems. Using whole-rock analyses, geochronology, and zircon chemistry, it is determined that an early magmatic phase (pre-2714 Ma) is...

The metaturbidite‐hosted, ∼380 Ma Dufferin gold deposit, Meguma terrane, northeastern Appalachian Orogen (Nova Scotia, Canada) is an orogenic gold deposit with mineralized saddle reef‐type quartz veins hosted by metasandstones and black slates in a tightly folded anticline. Together with native gold inclusions, genetically related hydrothermal carb...

Magmatic volatile phases play a major role in igneous systems, but indirect sampling of the magmatic fluid, especially for basic magmas, remains challenging to document. Here, we report compelling evidence of primary fluid inclusions trapped within magmatic ilmenite from two different basic intrusive settings: Armorican Massif (France) and Central...

Sodic volcanoplutonic terranes in the Archean can be well preserved, but why oxidized S-rich sodic magmas and porphyry-type Cu-Au deposits are so rare remains poorly understood. Here we addressed this issue by measuring the S concentration and S6+/ΣS ratio of primary apatite grains in >2.7 Ga felsic volcanic rocks from the well-characterized Neoarc...

A comprehensive study of samples from MVT–type base-metal (Zn-Pb) deposits from across the Canadian Cordillera was done to compare and contrast features and assess their relevance in the context of sulphide mineralization. Petrography and supported CL imaging indicates early host rock dissolution to form secondary fine-grained dolostone during mari...

The Mississippian (Viséan) Windsor Group of Atlantic Canada consists of a lower carbonate unit overlain by a thick succession of evaporite, clastic, and carbonate rocks. It hosts numerous Zn-Pb deposits, including the Scotia (formerly Gays River deposit), Walton and Jubilee deposits in Nova Scotia, and a number of occurrences on the Port au Port Pe...

Walton is a past-producing Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu sulphide carbonate-hosted deposit (0.41 Mt; head grade of 350 g/t Ag, 4.28% Pb, 1.29% Zn, and 0.52% Cu) hosted primarily by sideritized Viséan Macumber For-mation limestone and juxtaposed to and replacing a barite ore body (4.5 Mt of >90% barite). Previous work demonstrated that mineralization came from heated...

The San Rafael Sn (-Cu) deposit, located in the Eastern Cordillera of southeast Peru, is one of the world's largest cassiterite-bearing vein systems (>1 Mt Sn produced since 1969). The deposit consists of a quartz-cassiterite-chlorite-sulfide lode system spatially associated with an upper Oligocene (ca. 24 Ma) S-type gra-nitic pluton. Based on a re...

As volatiles play a major role in the igneous ore systems, this study aims to characterize the magmatic fluid chemistry of two early Carboniferous mafic magmatic systems related to Variscan Sb deposits, the Saint-Jean-du-Doigt intrusion in the French Armorican Massif and the San Antonio sill swarm in the Central Iberian zone. As unusual proxy, magm...

The Wawa Gold Corridor, a series of Archean orogenic Au deposits in the Michipicoten greenstone belt, Canada, comprises two styles of Au mineralization: (1) syn-deformation gold associated with pyrite and arsenopyrite; and (2) late- to post-deformation gold associated with chalcopyrite and Bi-Te(-S) phases. Through petrographic and mineral–chemical...

Windfall is a world-class Archean intrusion-related Au deposit (7.4+ Moz of Au) located in the underexplored Urban-Barry greenstone belt (Quebec, Canada). The deposit remains an enigmatic Au setting—its intrusion-related features contrast with the more common orogenic deposit type in the Au-endowed Abitibi greenstone belt. Mineralization consists o...

Situated in the Northwest Territories (Canada), the Cretaceous (ca. 85 Ma) Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group is an LCT-type pegmatite swarm enriched in Li, Sn, and Ta. Displaying intensive albitization associated with rare-metal mineralization (i.e., Nb, Ta, Sn), having a notably high surface-area-to-volume ratio (i.e., hundreds of thin dikes), and be...

Newfoundland Zinc Mines is a past-producing Zn-Pb sulphide carbonate-replacement deposit (7.2 Mt of 8% Zn) hosted primarily by the Upper Ordovician Catoche Formation dolostone. Previous work demonstrated that mineralisation occurred by the late Devonian from heated (<185°C for sphalerite), saline (20-27 wt. % equiv. NaCl) fluids. To refine the char...

The Neoarchean Windfall gold deposit, hosted in the Urban-Barry greenstone belt of the Abitibi subprovince (Quebec, Canada), represents an emerging and significant Au deposit with a resource of 7.4 Moz of Au. It is hosted in 2717 Ma bimodal volcanic rocks that are cut by several generations of calc-alkaline quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes separated...

Ore in the Kamoa-Kakula deposits (Democratic Republic of Congo) is dominated by fine-grained Cu sulfides disseminated in Cryogenian diamictite matrix and siltstone, commonly with coarsely crystalline sulfide-gangue ‘caps’ and ‘beards’ on larger clasts. In addition to sedimentary material, ore-zone matrix contains hypogene Cu-sulfides, and ore-stage...

The West Qinling orogen in central China, formed from continental collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons in the Late Triassic, hosts numerous gold deposits with a total Au endowment of about 2000 t. Most deposits were emplaced at ca. 250–195 Ma and are genetically associated with the Triassic orogenesis. Here in situ U-Pb titanite da...

Oxidized, sulfur-rich arc magmas are ubiquitous in modern subduction-zone environments. These magmas are thought to form when the fluids released during prograde metamorphism of subducting oceanic crust and overlying sediments oxidize and hydrate the asthenospheric mantle. In contrast, Archaean arc-type magmas are thought to be relatively reduced a...

The Wawa gold corridor, located in the Michipicoten greenstone belt of the Superior province, Canada, comprises Au-bearing shear zones that crosscut the 2745 Ma Jubilee stock and that evolved during protracted deformation (D1-D3). Numerous generations of sulfide minerals crystallized before, during, and after these deformation events, and gold is a...

The Polaris district in Canada’s Arctic Archipelago contains numerous carbonate rock-hosted Zn + Pb showings and rare, anomalous Cu showings in a 450- × 130-km area. As in many metallogenic districts, a genetic relationship between the mined deposit and surrounding showings has been assumed but not tested. This study uses an in situ, multianalytica...

Discriminating Archean Au deposit types and related ore-forming processes is challenging but paramount for increasing Au exploration success. This study tests the validity of applying geochemical data generated from conventional bulk versus modern in situ methods as discriminants for classifying Au deposits in the Archean Swayze greenstone belt wit...

Fluorite mineralization in the St. Lawrence area is associated with the polyphase hypersolvus peralkaline to metaluminous St. Lawrence Granite (SLG). Veins of the AGS deposit cut metasedimentary rocks, a porphyritic phase of the SLG, and the main granitic phase of the SLG at ~300 m below the surface. The fluorite mineralization, characterized by...

The Scotia Mine deposit (the ‘Gays River deposit’; Nova Scotia, Canada) is a Zn-Pb sulphide carbonate-replacement deposit (reserves 13.6 Mt @ 3.09% ZnEq, resource 25.5 Mt @ 2.84% ZnEq; ScoZinc report) hosted by the Viséan Gays River Formation dolostone. Previous work, conducted over 25 years ago, demonstrated that mineralization occurred ca. 300 Ma...

The South Mountain Batholith (SMB; Nova Scotia, Canada) is the largest composite batholith exposed in the Appalachians and lies entirely within the most outboard Meguma terrane. In situ and CA–TIMS U–Pb dating and in situ isotopes (Lu–Hf, O) and geochemistry for zircon from all phases of the SMB constrain its source as well as its evolution. CA–ID–...

The distribution of precious metals in intermediate sulfidation (IS) epithermal systems remains a subject of limited understanding and, as such, contributes a possible metallurgical risk during its processing and recovery. A combination of empirical (field observations, drill core logging, petrography) and quantitative analytical (LA-ICP-MS element...

Most known porphyry Cu ± Au deposits are associated with moderately oxidized and sulfur-rich, calc-alkaline to mildly alkalic arc-related magmas in the Phanerozoic. In contrast, sodium-enriched tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite-diorite (TTG) magmas predominant in the Archean are hypothesized to be unoxidized and sulfur-poor, which together preclud...

Superimposed porphyry systems are a subset of telescoped porphyry deposits, whereby significantly younger ore zones overprint older, nongenetically related systems. Recognition of superimposed features in porphyry systems is important for determining and assessing their prospectivity. The Mount Nansen gold corridor in the southern Dawson Range gold...

The Tongkuangyu porphyry Cu deposit in the northern Zhongtiaoshan region of the Trans-North China orogen formed at ~2.1 Ga and is much younger than its host ~2.18 Ga porphyritic rocks that cut basaltic-andesitic sill and rhyolitic tuff of the Jiangxian Group. However, the extent and absolute timing of the synmineralization magmatism in the northern...

Although many aspects of orogenic gold systems are well understood, considerable debate surrounds the chemistry of the ore-forming fluids and their relevance to mineralization. This may in part relate to the lack of both regional-scale studies and a uniform approach in studying fluid inclusions in these complex and protracted hydrothermal ore syste...

Most known porphyry Cu deposits formed in the Phanerozoic and are exclusively associated with moderately oxidized, sulfur-rich, hydrous arc-related magmas derived from partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. Yet, whether similar metallogenic processes also operated in the Precambrian remains obscure. Here...

The role of nanoparticle gold in the formation of gold deposits has long been debated. Evidence in support of this process is generally limited to epithermal-, Carlin- and seafloor massive-sulfide-type deposits where gold nanoparticles are associated with primary fluid related processes. At the Kenty orogenic deposit in Ontario, Canada, gold has be...

Mineralized shear zones in the Archean Missanabie-Renabie gold district (~ 1.1 Moz Au; Wawa, Ontario, Canada) locally define composite orebodies that record three hydrothermal events: (1) a pre-orogenic Au1 event (pre-D1 and pre-prograde-metamorphic); (2) a syn-orogenic, post-peak-metamorphic Retrograde event (syn-D3); and (3) a late syn-to post-or...

Disseminated Au deposits hosted in metasedimentary rocks present unique exploration challenges because the Au is generally very fine-grained or refractory, and not vein-hosted. Exploration programs in such settings rely on extensive lithogeochemical surveys, lesser structural analysis, and little emphasis on ore-fluid geochemistry. The Moose River...

The Miocene aged polymetallic (Ag-Zn-Sn-Pb) Pirquitas deposit of NW Argentina, hosted in an uplifted horst of Ordovician metaturbiditic rocks, defines the southern extent of the Andean Tin Belt. The nearby and recently discovered Cortaderas breccia-hosted Ag-Zn deposit contrasts markedly with the main Pirquitas deposit. To address these differences...

The Archean low-grade, large-tonnage Côté Gold Au(-Cu) deposit is the first large gold deposit discovered in the Swayze greenstone belt, Ontario, Canada. The deposit is hosted by the Chester Intrusive Complex, a low-Al composite, subvolcanic intrusion composed of tonalite, quartz diorite, and diorite that was previously constrained to ca. 2741 to 2...

In Archean greenstone belts, magmatism is dominated by intrusive and volcanic rocks with tholeiitic affinities, as well as tonalite- and granodiorite-dominated large-volume batholiths, i.e., tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) suites. These intrusions are associated with poorly documented mineralization (Cu-Au porphyries) that, in the Neoarche...

Recognizing if and how Au is remobilized, in solid, melt, or fluid state, is critical for understanding the origin of high-grade ore zones in Au deposits. When evidence for Au remobilization can be demonstrated, then primary versus secondary processes can be distinguished, resulting in a more complete understanding of Au deposit formation. To addre...

The Late Cretaceous Klaza Au-Ag-Pb-Zn-(Cu) deposit has long been inferred to be best described by porphyry to epithermal deposit models. Here we report evidence for a protracted and complex magmatic-hydrothermal system typical of porphyry-epithermal deposits (e.g., multiple magmatic events, magma mingling, relevant vein-alteration types). In the Kl...

Investigation of gold metallogeny in the Paleozoic Meguma terrane (Canada) is conducted through LA-ICP-MS analysis of arsenopyrite collected from eight slate-belt style vein gold deposits using a novel approach integrating elemental distribution maps and their derived elemental paragenesis with multi-element binary plots. The data reveal two distin...

Devonian post-orogenic granitoids of the Canadian Appalachians are an important polymetallic metallotect that includes significant resources such as New Brunswick’s Sisson and Mount Pleasant deposits. Accretionary orogenic systems like the Canadian Appalachians tend to be protracted and involve multiple accretionary episodes. While post-orogenic gr...

The ~380 Ma metasediment-hosted Dufferin gold deposit in the Meguma Terrane, Nova Scotia, Canada, hosts several stacked, mineralized saddle-reef-type quartz veins along lithological contacts between meta-sandstones and black slates (rich in carbonaceous material 'CM') in the tightly folded Crown Reserve Anticline. The saddle-reef veins record multi...

Orogenic gold deposits span a spectrum in regards to setting and style of mineralization, nature of gold (e.g., invisible, coarse) and favourable host rock. In addition, deposit formation is often attributed to protracted multi-stage hydrothermal processes. That gold mineralization also depends on a variety of features, such as metal-source reservo...

The South Mountain Batholith (SMB) is the largest (7300 km2) granitoid body in the Appalachian Orogen. It is a composite peraluminous intrusion with early stage biotite-granodiorite to biotite-monzogranite and later leucomonzogranite to leucogranite plutons. The latter areassociated with subeconomic to economic polymetallic mineral deposits, includ...

Drill-core samples from the Miocene epithermal Ag-Zn-Sn-rich Cortaderas Zone (CZ) at the Pirquitas mine, Jujuy, Argentina, were studied using optical petrographic techniques, SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS, and EMPA to: (1) interpret the origin of color-banded sphalerite and compositionally zoned pyrite using their major-, minor-, and trace-elements; (2) resol...

Quantitative laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) element distribution maps combined with traverse mode analyses have been acquired on various sulfides (pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite) from three Canadian Algoma-type BIF-hosted gold deposits (~4 Moz Au Meadowbank, ≥2.8 Moz Au Meliadine district, ~6 Moz Au Mussel...

Evidence of secondary gold enrichment due to the addition of new gold onto an earlier orogenic quartz-carbonate vein deposit by magmatic-hydrothermal fluids is strongly suggested for the Madrid Deposit, hosted in the Hope Bay Greenstone Belt in Nunavut, Canada. The conclusion is based on an extensive in situ microanalytical protocol (SEM, confocal...

Ore-deposit models, which are fundamental to mineral exploration, result from integrating robust field observations with high-quality mineral-chemical-isotopic data. New discoveries departing from current models demand explanation, and in some cases new deposit models result (e.g., IOCG). The recent (2009/2010) discovery of the Cote Gold Au(-Cu) de...

Hydrothermal ore deposits are the culmination of many processes, commencing with generation of fluids, metal transport and mineral precipitation. This process can involve mixing of fluids, in addition to metals sourced from different reservoirs. The convention of inferring elemental enrichment and associations using bulk methods is limited with suc...

The metallogenetically important Cornwallis Zn district, in Canada's Arctic islands, includes the past-producing Polaris mine and numerous base-metal showings, including Storm copper. Storm is unusual because it is near the southern limit of the district, is Cu- versus Zn-dominated, is overlain and underlain by red sandstone, and is hosted by Silur...

Scheelite (CaWO4) collected from 37 different ore-deposit settings (orogenic, sediment- and greenstone-hosted, skarn, porphyry, greisen, volcanogenic massive sulfide, breccia, and polymetallic deposits) globally was examined and evaluated using a combination of cathodoluminescence (CL), SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS, and δ¹⁸O analytical methods. These data pr...

Orebodies in the Missanabie-Renabie gold district (Archean Wawa subprovince, Ontario, Canada) are controversial in their genetic affiliation and have been considered both intrusion related and orogenic. The orebodies are hybrids composed of pre-orogenic, syn-orogenic, and late syn- to post-orogenic veins that spatially overlap within 2720.8 ± 1.4 M...

Ancient carbonate rocks commonly contain numerous post-depositional phases (carbonate minerals; quartz) recording successive diagenetic events that can be deciphered and tied to known or inferred geological events using a multi-pronged in situ analytical protocol. The framework voids of large, deep-water microbial carbonate seep-mounds in Arctic Ca...

The time-space distribution of ore deposits in regards to the evolution of geological terranes is known as metallogeny. In the case of the Phanerozoic Meguma terrane of southern Nova Scotia, the origin of its classic slate-belt hosted orogenic gold systems (i.e., Meguma gold deposits) has been the focus of study for well over a century. Despite co...

Quantitative laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA ICP-MS) element distribution analysis represents a relatively new and powerful approach to assess gold mineralizing processes. Although there is a trend towards imaging in LA ICP-MS, this article demonstrates that the compilation of the individual time-slice datasets (TSD)...

The Missanabie-Renabie gold district in the Wawa gold camp of the Archean Superior craton, Ontario, Canada, is characterized by laminated saccharoidal quartz veins within shear zones. Over 50 years, from 1941 to 1991, 1.1 million ounces of gold were produced from a number of these veins hosted by shear zones that overprint 2720.8 ± 1.4 Ma biotite t...

Quantitative laser ablation inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) element distribution maps represents a powerful means to investigate both the distribution and relative timing of trace elements capured during sulfide growth. Such data is relevant information for understanding gold mineralizing processes. Althrough there is a tren...

Emerald at the Lened occurrence in the western Northwest Territories is hosted by quartz veins in skarn near the Lened pluton and carbonaceous black shales. We used field relationships, geochemistry, stable isotope analysis, geochronology, and mineral chemistry to determine the sources of the emerald-forming elements and fluids. The results show th...

The Côté Gold deposit is a newly discovered (2009) low-grade (~1 g/t) and high-tonnage Au(-Cu) deposit (+8 Moz Au) related to a 2740 Ma diorite-tonalite intrusive complex near western margin of the gold-rich Abitibi Subprovince of northern Ontario (Canada). Based on our previous integrated field, petrological, lithogeochemical and geochronological...

Evidence of secondary gold grade enhancement in an orogenic quartz-carbonate vein system by later stage magmatic-hydrothermal fluids is demonstrated in the Madrid deposit hosted in the Hope Bay Greenstone Belt in Nunavut, Canada. In-situ microanalytical approaches (SEM, Raman spectroscopy, microthermometry, LA-ICPMS, SIMS) were used to characterize...

The 007 gold deposit is located within the 2.99-2.70 Ga Rice Lake greenstone belt, Manitoba, Canada. Auriferous quartz-ankerite veins (± albite ± sericite ± chlorite) contain early, coarse-grained, barren quartz (Q1) and secondary, finer grained quartz (Q2). The latter occurs as polycrystalline "ribbons" and microveinlets hosted along Q1 grain boun...

Research is focused on 4 areas. 1) Evaluation of the roles of anoxia (no O2 in the water column), euxinia (H2S in the water column), and microbes in SEDEX and VSMS deposit formation. The long-standing exploration model for these deposits is that reduced (organic matter-rich and pyritic) sediments are a key requisite (as an inhibitor of destructive...

The Archean Côté Gold Au(–Cu) deposit is the first large gold deposit discovered in the Swayze greenstone belt of the Abitibi Subprovince. The deposit is a low-grade, large-tonnage type with a combined indicated and inferred resource of 8.65 M oz Au (245.2 t Au). The deposit is hosted by the Chester intrusive complex (CIC), a multiphase, subvolcani...

This summary of field activities for 2016 represents observations from the third field season in a four-year PhD study of gold mineralization in the southern Swayze greenstone belt (SGB), and builds upon work completed in the 2014 and 2015 field seasons (Hastie 2014; Hastie, Lafrance and Kontak 2015). Although, it is widely accepted that the SGB is...

Amygdaloidal basaltic flows of the Ashfield Formation were encountered in two drill holes in areas of positive aeromagnetic anomalies in the Carboniferous River Denys Basin in southwestern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. One sample of medium-grained basalt yielded a plateau age of 201.8 ± 2.0 Ma, similar to the U-Pb and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar crystallization a...

Les formations de fer rubanées (FFR) de type Algoma sont des roches sédimentaires d’origine chimique, constituées d’une alternance de minéraux riches en fer et de chert stratigraphiquement associées à des roches volcaniques sous-marines et situées dans des ceintures de roches vertes archéennes. Ces roches sont parfois associées à des gisements auri...

The advent of LA ICP-MS analysis has provided a means to investigate both the distribution and relative timing of trace elements during the growth of sulfides in hydrothermal ore systems. This technological advance precludes the inherent problems associated with whole-rock analyses which dilute elemental abundances and mask their associations, both...

The relationship between cathodoluminescence (CL) response and chemical composition of scheelite from a variety of ore-deposit settings (e.g., orogenic Au, skarn, porphyry-related, greisens, VMS) was investigated using SEM-EDS, CL imaging, and LA-ICP-MS techniques. Our detailed study concentrates on five samples of scheelite from a range of ore-dep...

The Mesoproterozoic (1.1 Ga) Borden Basin (Nunavut) contains strata of the Bylot Supergroup, including extremely large, deep-water dolostone mounds (Ikpiarjuk Formation) whose distribution is controlled by syndepositional faults. The mounds formed as a result of fluid-venting (groundwater) along subaqueous faults during black shale deposition (Hahn...

The geochemistry of chert layers in Algoma-type banded iron formation (BIF) has been used to constrain the depositional setting of the BIFs, as rare earth element (REE) and yttrium (Y) systematics are a function of their chemical environment of formation. In contrast, the chemistry of the interbedded oxide-rich layers (i.e., magnetite) has not been...

The diopside-allanite veins and apatite breccia veins of the Hoidas Lake light rare earth element (LREE) deposit in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, represent a complex magmatic-hydrothermal system unrelated to its strongly deformed Archean and Paleoproterozoic host rocks in the Rae subprovince. The veins were emplaced along the Hoidas-Nisikkatch fau...

Algoma-type banded iron formations (BIF) are chemical sedimentary rocks characterized by alternating layers of iron-rich minerals and chert that are generally interstratified with bimodal submarine volcanic rocks and/or sedimentary sequences in Archean greenstone belts. However, the geological setting for Algoma-type BIF deposition remains equivoca...