Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World

Setup during HiTech AlkCarb: an online database of alkaline rock and carbonatite occurrences

Big Beaver House (Big Beaverhouse)

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Occurrence number: 
031-00-046
Country: 
Canada
Region: 
Ontario
Location: 
Longitude: -89.92, Latitude: 52.92
Carbonatite: 
Yes

The only outcrop is a carbonatite dyke on the shore of Camp Lake, which dips to the northeast, has a thickness of nearly 10 m, a length of 40 m and cuts fenitized Precambrian gneisses. The rock consists of calcite, green amphibole, apatite, magnetite, pyrochlore and locally baryte. A strong aeromagnetic anomaly about 5 km in diameter (Ferguson, 1971, Map) indicates the probable size of the intrusion, which has been confirmed by drilling. Drilling intersected vertically-dipping bands of sovite and mafic rocks consisting of pyroxene, amphibole, magnetite, apatite, mica and calcite with disseminated pyrrhotine, blebs of chalcopyrite, pyrochlore and mafic rock fragments.

Age: 
K-Ar on biotite gave 1005 Ma (Gittins et al., 1967, Table 1).
References: 

FERGUSON, S.A. 1971. Columbium (niobium) deposits of Ontario. Mineral Resources Circular, Ontario Department of Mines and Northern Affairs, 14: 1-58.
GITTINS, J., MACINTYRE, R.M. and YORK, D. 1967. The ages of carbonatite complexes in eastern Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 4: 651-5.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith