Anaconda mine has been running for 10 yrs Geology and Deposit Type
Gold deposits in Newfoundland are typical of orogenic gold deposits. They are associated with large scale fault systems everywhere they are found in the province. Gold deposits at Point Rousse are orogenic gold deposits and are associated with the Scrape Thrust – a secondary fault associated with the larger-scale Baie Verte – Brompton Fault. Gold mineralization is intimately associated with disseminated and massive pyrite within the host rock indicating that iron rich rocks are an important precursor to mineralization. Alteration within mafic volcanic and gabbroic rocks can be is characterized by albitization and carbonitization. Iron and titanium rich lithologies associated with the Scrape Thrust are typical host rocks.
The Point Rousse Project overlies rocks of the Cambro-Ordovician ophiolitic Betts Cove Complex and Snooks Arm Group cover rocks. The Betts Cove Complex includes ultramafic cumulates, gabbros, sheeted dykes and pillow basalts. The Snooks Arm Group consists of a lower banded magnetite and jasper iron formation referred to as the Nugget Pond Horizon (Goldenville Horizon within the Point Rousse Complex) overlain by tholeiitic basalts overlain by calc-alkaline basalt, clinopyroxene-phyric tuff, mafic epiclastic wackes and conglomerates, iron formation and tholeiitic basalts. Four phases of regional deformation termed D1 through D4 are evident, with gold related to D1 - D2 progressive deformation potentially synchronous with the emplacement of the Taconic allochthons.