MINERA~1 Record

MINERAL INVENTORY FILE NO.

0658

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PRODUCT

Copper

NTS AREA

63K12SE

REF.

Cu02

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAME OF PROPERTY

Centennial mine

OWNER OF OPERATOR ADDRESS

1970- Hudson Bay Mining and
Smelting Co. Ltd.
1906-201 Portage Ave.
Winnipeg, MB, R3B 3K6

OBJECT LOCATED

Location #34
Geological Survey of Canada, 1993.

MINING DIVISION

The Pas

Uncertainty (m)

100

Northing

6065400

Latitude

54°42'30

Longitude

101°40'02

UTM Zone

14U

Easting

328200

L.S./Quarter Section

Section

Township

Range

28WPM

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT

The Centennial mine is a massive sulphide copper-zinc deposit, 366 to 488 m (1200 to 1600 ft.) long and 1.5 to 15 m (5 to 50 ft.) wide in Precambrian mafic volcanic rocks and gabbroic intrusion of the Amisk Group. Chalcopyrite and zincian tennantite occur as monomineralic bands, both replace carbonates, sometimes forming veinlets. Bands and rims of tennantite-rich material are associated with the chalcopyrite bands. Tennantite is the main source of zinc. Sphalerite is only a minor constituent of the deposit and silver does not occur in tennantite. Cobaltite usually forms tiny, pervasive crystals in the deposit.
The core is believed to have been remobilized after the crystallization of arsenopyrite in the chalcopyrite bands (Scott, 1976).

Reference Paper No. 30-3:30 p.m. CIM Bulletin 56th August 1980, 1 p.
Geology of the Centennial Copper-Zinc Deposit, H.M. Provins, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. Limited, Flin Flon
The Centennial orebody located, 15-km southeast of Flin Flon, is a copper-zinc deposit occurring within the Flin Flon – Snow Lake greenstone belt. The orebody is stratabound within a felsic pyroclastic unit of the Amisk volcanic pile. It is overturned, striking approximately north-south and dipping steeply to the east.
The orebody occurs as a single, solid, sulphide lens with principal ore minerals of chalcopyrite and sphalerite in a gangue of chert and pyrite. These minerals are stratified in fine 1-2 mm beds, indicating multiple cycles of deposition. Metasomatism is obvious, with local alteration of the felsic pyroclastics to chloritic schists in the stratigraphic footwall. More subtle geochemical halos have been well defined both above and below the zone.
The immediate mine area has greenschist facies. The simplicity of the deposit and its environs allows for good correlation with the classic model of a proximal stratabound massive sulphide deposit.

ASSOCIATED MINERALS OR PRODUCTS OF VALUE

Zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), gold (Au), and silver (Ag).

HISTORY OF EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The mine is 300 m east of the western shore of the north arm of Athapapuskow Lake. 2.3 km north of Bakers Narrows and 14.5 km southeast of Flin Flon. Provincial Highway 10 passes to the west of the mine. The deposit subcrops 50 m below the lake and overburden and extends to a depth of over 500 m (Gale and Eccles, 1992).
The history given below describes activity on the ground currently covered by Ida 22 and 33 Fr. Prior histories are designated ‘A’ for Ida 23 and ‘B’ for Ida 33 Fr. The total and precise areal extend of the deposit is not known, however, most of the recent work has been done on these two claims.

Year Activity
1930 The deposit may have been covered by TBA 4 or 5, but nothing further is known about these claims.
1947 Copper Hill 25, 26 (P16397, 8) staked by J.T. Walker.
1949 Assigned to A.V. Seymour and immediately transferred to TransNorthern Nickel & Copper Mines Ltd.
1952 Magnetometer survey found nothing of interest in this area.
1955 Vertical loop electromagnetic survey found a north trending conductor beneath the lake on Copper Hill 26.
1956 Two diamond drillholes were attempted on the conductor on this claim. Both holes were abandoned. (Copper Hill, Non-confidential Assessment File.)
1957 Cancelled
1963 Our 15, 10 (P3910, 054) staked by G. Langan.
1964 Cancelled.

Ida 22 (P84648) was staked by H. Hansen in 1965. Turam and other electromagnetic surveys were made in 1968 by Hudson Bay Exploration and Development Co. Limited (HBED). Hansen staked Ida 33 Fr. (13808) in 1969, and by the end of the year, both claims were optioned into HBED. Five holes were diamond drilled on Ida 22 in 1970, after the claims were assigned to HBED.
Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. Limited (HBMS), HBED’s parent company, announced the discovery of this deposit in 1970, naming it “Centennial” in commemoration of the Provincial Centennial of Manitoba. Reserves were estimated to be 1 270 000 tonnes (t) (1 400 000 tons), averaging 2.04% Cu, 2.6% Zn, 1.37 g/t (0.04 oz/ton) Au, and 24 g/t (0.70 oz/ton) Ag, indicated to 366 m (1200 ft.) by drilling (Northern Miner, Nov. 5, 1970). The deposit was open at depth. The Financial Post (Aug. 27, 1975) states that the deposit was ‘discovered’ in 1970 by ground electromagnetic survey methods”. This may refer to the 1968 surveys or may be an otherwise unreported survey.
Ida 22 and 33 Fr. were leased in 1971 as M-9240 and M-9241, respectively. Development of the Centennial mine commenced in 1973. The mine is located in a resort area, so HBMS tried to make development as unobtrusive as possible. An adit was driven at 13° from Ida 33 Fr., for 475 m (1559 ft.) eastward under the lake. Sinking of a three-compartment vertical winze began on Ida 22, in 1974, at the eastern end of the adit. A conveyor was built to carry ore that had been crushed underground, from the ore bin to the surface. The mine was expected to produce for five years at the rate of 907 t (1000 tons) per day, but could operate for a longer time if more ore was found (Free Press, June 11, 1974). By the end of 1975, the adit was 640 m (2100 ft.) long and the winze extended to 430 m (1411 ft.) with eight level stations. A sump and a loading pocket was also excavated. Underground diamond drilling commenced on most levels. Reserves were increased by 129 450 t to 1 324 000 t (142 700 tons to 1 460 000 tons) by diamond drilling (HBMS, Annual Report 1975). The Financial Post (Aug. 23, 1975), stated that reserves were slightly higher at 1 383 000 t (1 525 000 tons) grading 1.99% Cu and 2.8% Zn. Some developmental ore was sent to Flin Flon for milling in 1976. The crusher is situated on the bottom level.
In 1977, reserves remained at 1 270 000 t (1 400 000 tons), however, the grade changed slightly to 2.00% Cu, 2.9% Zn, 23.6 g/t (0.69 oz/ton) Ag and 1.37 g/t (0.040 oz/ton) Au (McIntosh and Cranstone, 1977).
When the mine officially opened on June 30, 1977, proven reserves were 1.5 million t (1.6 million tons), averaging 1.6% Cu and 2.7% Zn to the 366 m (1200 ft.) level. The decline extended for 700 m (2300 ft.) (Northern Miner, June 30, 1977). Lateral development on the eight levels during the period 1974-1977 totalled 4346 m (14 260 ft.).
Initial production was from conventional long-hole stopes, but experiments with vertical crater retreat stoping proved successful. This method provided the bulk of the ore until November 1979, when a bulkhead failure resulted in a run of fill into the mine, shutting down operations until production resumed in March 1980.
In 1983, HBMS shut down the mine again, placing it on temporarily inactive status. In June 1988, the mine was permanently shut down (Canadian Mines Handbook, 1989, p. 251).

HISTORY OF PRODUCTION

Official production of the Centennial mine began June 30, 1977, through development ore had been produced since 1974. Production figures for 1975 are unavailable.
Production figures are given below for the first year ore was sent to Flin Flon (1974), the first year of official production (1977) and the total production through 1977.

Year..... Produced................Cu........Zn........Au......................Ag
............Tonnes (Tons).........%.........%.........g/t................(oz/ton).g/t
...............................................................(oz/ton)

1974.....1814 (2000)............1.50......1.80...2.74 (0.080).......27.43 (0.8000)
1977 150 786 (166 214)...1.57......2.44....0.92 (0.027)......17.14 (0.500)
TOTAL 208 578 (229 919)...1.50......2.34....0.95 (0.028)......18.14 (0.529)

1974 1645 (1814)............1.50......1.80.....93.9 (2.740).....939.43 (27.43)
1977 136 762 (150 756)...1.57......1.57.....31.88 (0.93).....589.71 (17.15)
TOTAL 189 180 (208 536)...1.50......2.34.....33.22 (0.969)...623.9 (18.156)

1978.....185 694 (204 694)...1.42......2.30......1.13 (0.033)....21.9 (0.64)
1979 175 906 (193 904)...1.51......2.21......1.30 (0.038)....22.2 (0.65)
TOTAL 126 219 (139 133)...1.18......2.68......1.57 (0.046)....24.6 (0.72)

(HBMS Annual Reports 1978-1980)

REFERENCES

Bailes, A.H. 1971: Preliminary Compilation of the Geology of the Snow Lake-Flin Flon-Sherridon Area; Manitoba Mines Branch, Geological Paper 1-71.

Buckham, A.F. 1942: Athapapuskow Lake; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 42-16, 5 p.

Canadian Mines Handbook 1972: Canadian Mines Handbook, 1971-1972, p. 168.

Canadian Mines Handbook 1976: Canadian Mines Handbook, 1975-1976, p. 139.

Canadian Mines Handbook 1989: Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd.; Canadian Mines Handbook 1988-89, p. 251.

Gale, G.H., Baldwin, D.A., Koo, J. 1980: A Geological Evaluation of Precambrian Massive Sulphide Deposit Potential in Manitoba; Manitoba Mineral Resources Division Economic Report 79-1.

Gale, G.H., Eccles, D.R. 1992: Mineral Deposits and Occurrences in the Schist Lake Area, NTS 63K/12; Manitoba Energy and Mines, Geological Services, MDS Report 11, p. 37-43.

Koo, J., and Mossman, D.J. 1975: Origin and Metamorphism of the Flin Flon Stratabound Cu-Zn Sulphide Deposit; Economic Geology, p. 48-62.

Maki, W. 1974: Manitoba Mining Operations; Mining Engineering, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division, unpublished notebook.

Manitoba Mineral Resources Division: Corporation Files, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. Limited, NE 12 63K.

McIntosh, J.A and Cranstone, D.A. 1977: Canadian Reserves of Copper, Nickel, Lead, Zinc, Molybdenum, Silver, Gold; Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, MR 174, p. 13.

Mineral Administration: Non-confidential Assessment File, Manitoba Copper Hill 1-35, NE 12, 63K.

Sangster, D.F. 1972: Precambrian Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Deposits in Canada: A Review; Geological Survey of Canada Paper 72-22, p. 7.

Scott, J.D. 1976: NREP Monthly Report, September 1976; Manitoba Mineral Resources Division, Internal Report.

MAP REFERENCES

Bailes, A.H. 1971: Map 1, Geologic Compilation of the Snow Lake-Flin Flon-Sherridon area, 1:253 440 scale, geological map, accompanying Manitoba Mineral Resources Division Paper 1-71.

Buckham, A.F. 1942: Map 42-16, Athapapuskow Lake; 1:31 680 scale, geological map, accompanying Geological Survey of Canada Paper 42-16

Geological Survey of Canada 1940: Map 807A, Athapapuskow Lake; Geological Survey of Canada, geological map, scale 1:63 360.

International Geological Congress 1972: Map, Geology of Snow Lake-Flin Flon-Sherridon Area, 1:181 029 scale, geological map, accompanying International Geological Congress, 24th Session, Field Excursion A31-G31.

Manitoba Mines Branch and Geological Survey of Canada 1963: Map 2453G, Athapapuskow Lake; Manitoba Mines Branch and Geological Survey of Canada, aeromagnetic map, scale 1:63 360.

Mining Recording, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division 1976: Map NE 12, 63K, “Circa 1976”; Mining Recording, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division, claim map, scale 1:31 680.

Survey and Mapping Branch 1983: Map 63 K/12E, Schist Lake; Survey and Mapping Branch, Ottawa, topographic map, scale 1:50 000.

URL

N/A

Images

Images/658-1, Images/658-2

REMARKS

There are 34 claims and fractions in the production lease. The deposit may extend over many claims not mentioned in this report. Ida 22 and 23 Fr. are the focus of description on this card because most of the development has been on these claims.

NOTES

N/A

Compiled/Revised by:

SMH SMH PA JJJ

Date

02-73 01-77 05-78 01-82 08-02