Introduction
The geology of northeastern Ontario and Quebec is considered favorable for primary diamond deposits due to the underlying Archean Superior craton that has been stable for at least 2.5 billion years and major, deep structures favorable for the ascending kimberlite magmas such as the Lake Timiskaming Structural Zone. This is supported by research and exploration results that demonstrate the upper mantle in eastern Canada is significantly diamond-bearing.
Regional Geology
The Temagami North claims are located within the New Liskeard kimberlite field, along the Lake Timiskaming Structural Zone. Recent mini-bulk sample results reported by Contact Diamonds in 2004 clearly demonstrate that commercial-sized diamond populations occur in the Timiskaming/Temagami areas and new diamond-bearing kimberlites will continue to be discovered.
The New Liskeard kimberlite field is underlain by the same ancient geologic basement rocks and lies along the same controlling structures that host the De Beers Victor Pipe where feasibility studies have been completed and production is planned for 2007.
The Temagami North Project includes over 150 claim units in the New Liskeard/Cobalt area where more than a dozen kimberlite pipes occur, half of which are diamond-bearing. The properties host a number of high priority geophysical targets and in places kimberlite indicator minerals with chemistry indicating diamond-bearing sources.
Exploration work including detailed ground geophysical surveys, till sampling and mapping is underway on the Temagami North properties which cover more than thirty (30) discrete circular magnetic targets within a known kimberlite field. A detailed helicopter-borne magnetic and electromagnetic survey is recommended to further define targets in the vicinity of the 95-2 pipe. Preliminary results from a 650 tonne bulk sample test from the 95-2 kimberlite released by Sudbury Contact Mines confirmed commercial-sized diamond populations. The Company is aggressively exploring priority targets and is poised for the discovery of multiple kimberlite pipes.
Follow-up mapping, till sampling and ground geophysics is continuing on Tres-Or’s 100%-owned claim units and patented land in the Cobalt area. Stream sediment samples collected from this property contained prolific kimberlite indicator minerals (KIM) that suggest the kimberlite source is very proximal.
More than 11,000 KIMs occur within the 0.5 to 1.0 mm size range. Included among these indicators are eclogitic garnets and chromites that suggest the source kimberlite may have tapped the diamond stability field, and Mg-limenites that indicate the magma is favorable for preserving diamonds.
Surface textures suggest a proximal origin of the grains. More than 80% of the Cr-pyropes have at least a trace of kelyphite preserved on their surface, and chrome diopside, Mg-ilmenite, and olivine surfaces are all rated fresh to very fresh. Two hundred and eighty-one indicator grains from the sample were analyzed by electron microprobe to establish the chemical signature of the source kimberlite.
Orange garnets (eclogitic garnets) are abundant in the sample and are all Mg-rich, and are good indicators of kimberlite. Included among the orange garnet kimberlite indicators are some grains derived from mantle eclogites, and other grains from the Cr-poor megacryst suite that may form from the proto-kimberlite magma within the mantle. Several of the 30 kimberlitic orange garnets analyzed have chemistries similar to eclogite garnets included in diamond. Several other eclogitic garnets are closely comparable to diamond-bearing eclogites from the Jericho kimberlite in northern Canada (Cookenboo, 1998), and point to the potential source kimberlite of the Tres-Or sample to carry diamonds.
In view of the recent successes of commercial-sized diamond populations and the discovery of new diamond bearing kimberlites in the New Liskeard kimberlite field, Tres-Or is aggressively evaluating its Temagami North claims for the kimberlite source.
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