KAT Exploration Inc (KATX)

[ShortonCash]

Not a geo but this seems to leave everthing in play

The physical, mineralogical and geological properties of IOCG deposits are summarized below to provide insights on what may or may not be detectable by conventional or emergent field, geophysical, geochemical or remote sensing mapping techniques

http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/mindep/synth_dep/iocg/index_e.php


The ore mineral phases vary considerably among the deposits (Ray and Lefebure, 2000). The principal ones are hematite (specularite, botryoidal hematite and martite), low-Ti magnetite, bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite and pyrite. Subordinate ones include Ag-, Cu-, Ni-, Co-, U-arsenides, autunite, bastnaesite, bismuthinite, brannerite, britholite, carrolite, cobaltite, coffinite, covellite, digenite, florencite, loellingite, malachite, molybdenite, monazite, pitchblende, pyrrhotite, sulphosalts, uraninite, xenotime, native bismuth, copper, silver and gold, Ag-, Bi-, Co-telluride, and vermiculite. Gangue mineralogy consists principally of albite, K-feldspar, sericite, carbonate, chlorite, quartz (crypto-cristalline in some cases), amphibole, pyroxene, biotite and apatite (F- or REE-rich) with accessory allanite, barite, epidote, fayallite, fluorite, ilvaite, garnet, monazite, perovskite, phlogopite, rutile, scapolite, titanite, and tourmaline. The amphibole includes Fe-, Cl-, Na- or Al-rich hornblende (edenite), actinolite, grunerite, hastingsite, and tschermakitic or alkali amphibole. Carbonates include calcite, ankerite, siderite and dolomite. Late-stage veins contain fluorite, barite, siderite, hematite and sulphides

These minerals (listed in Table 3), notably the light REE-, Bi-, Co- and U- bearing minerals and rutile have distinctive chemical fingerprints and their mineral chemistry is used as process-forming and source-rock tracers

The presence of intermediate rocks such as diorite and granodiorite as well as mafic rocks are becoming more and more critical in the evaluation of prospective districts based on unveiled magmatic associations,

In the Appalachian orogen, the other extensively explored areas for IOCG deposits are: the Avalon zone (Cross Hill and Net Point prospects; Newfoundland; GSNL National Mineral Inventory Number, 001M/10/Cu 005 and 001M/12/Cu 006 in Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador, 2003),

The span of deposit types associated with iron oxide settings has led Porter (2002b) to advocate that "iron-oxide rich 'oxide mineralizing systems' may represent the converse of the iron-rich reduced systems on which attention has been focussed for so long". This author also points out that if public geosciences and industry grass roots exploration "were to concentrate on the 'oxide alteration/mineralizing systems', other large, as yet unrecognized, ore deposits of different commodities and ore classes may be recognized, or existing deposits may be 're-classified' and better appreciated

The search for iron oxide Cu-Au-Ag-U-P-REE-Bi-Co (IOCG) deposits requires that public geosciences adapt their current expertise and survey tools to granitic and gneissic frontier terranes while integrating basin analysis and mineral deposit studies as diverse as volcanic-hosted massive sulphides, uranium and SEDEX deposits. Transient processes seem to play a major role in the formation of IOCG deposits (e.g. the importance of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, mixing of downward and upward migrating fluids in active fault zones, etc) and this is in itself a major challenge. The realm of parameters that need to be taken into account challenges current expertise and exploration techniques. The search for IOCG deposits needs to significantly evolve to meet the challenge posed by remote and complex Canadian geological and geographic terrains