A Group of Papers Devoted to the Laronde Penna Au-Rich Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit, Eastern Blake River Group, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Quebec: Preface

Abstract

Gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are a subgroup of lode gold deposits, as defined by Poulsen et al. (2000). They are commonly defined by an average gold grade in grams per tonne greater than that of the combined base metals in weight percent (Au g/t > Cu + Zn + Pb wt percent: Poulsen et al., 2000). Five of the largest and best examples of Au-rich VMS deposits currently recognized in the world are located in the Blake River Group in the Abitibi greenstone belt, Quebec, Canada. The Horne (54.3 Mt at 6.1 g/t Au, 11.7 Moz Au) and Quemont (13.9 Mt at 4.7 g/t Au, 2.3 Moz Au) deposits occur in the Noranda camp (Fig. 1⇓), and the LaRonde Penna (59 Mt at 4.3 g/t Au, 8.1 Moz Au), Bousquet 2-Dumagami (15.5 Mt at 7.2 g/t Au, 3.6 Moz Au) and Bousquet 1 (7.5 Mt at 5.3 g/t Au, 1.3 Moz Au) deposits occur in the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde mining camp (Table 1⇓), 45 km east of Noranda (Fig. 1⇓). View this table: Table 1. Total Production, Reserves and Geologic Resources for the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde (DBL) Mining Camp Fig. 1. Geologic map of the Bousquet Formation in the Doyon-Bouquet-LaRonde mining camp area. This map is a synthesis of the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde mining camp and shows the location of the Au-rich VMS deposits (current and past producers) and main occurrences and the location of the intrusion-related Au-Cu vein systems (current and past producers) and main occurrences at surface. Adapted from Lafrance et al. (2003a, b, c). U-Pb ages from Lafrance et al. (2003a; 2005) and from Mercier-Langevin et al. (2004; 2007a). The LaRonde Penna Au-rich VMS deposit is a major Zn producer and one of the largest Canadian gold deposits, with 58.6 Mt of ore (production, reserves, and resources) at …