Abstract Komatiitic rocks occur mainly in Archean greenstone belts, less commonly in Paleoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary belts, and only rarely in younger volcanic settings. As in most other greenstone belts worldwide, komatiitic rocks are locally abundant in the Abitibi greenstone belt but generally represent only a small proportion of the volcanic rocks in the volcanic succession. Although only locally exposed, glacially sculpted exposures of only weakly metamorphosed and mildly deformed komatiites of mineralized and unmineralized komatiites in the Abitibi greenstone belt are among the best in the world, characterized by excellent textural preservation and, in some cases, excellent mineralogical preservation. Komatiitic rocks in the Abitibi greenstone belt occur predominantly within the Pacaud (2750–2735 Ma), Stoughton-Roquemaure (2723–2720 Ma), Kidd-Munro (2720–2710 Ma), and Tisdale (2710–2704 Ma) assemblages, but have recently also been recognized in lesser abundances within the Deloro (2734–2724 Ma) and Porcupine (≤2690–≤2685 Ma) assemblages. Overall, the komatiitic rocks present in these assemblages are characterized by a wide variety of lithofacies (textural, compositional) and flow facies; however, a regional analysis of komatiite physical volcanology reveals some fundamental differences between each of the komatiite-bearing assemblages. The Kidd-Munro and Tisdale komatiite-bearing assemblages contain the largest volumes of komatiitic rocks, in particular thick, highly magnesian cumulate lava channels and channelized sheet flows. This suggests that the magma discharge rates were higher for these assemblages and/or that they formed more proximal to the eruptive site. However, the recently discovered Grasset Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposit hosted within relatively high MgO cumulate rocks that are interpreted to occur within the Deloro assemblage highlights the possibility of the other komatiite-bearing assemblages to contain similarly prospective volcanic and/or subvolcanic facies. Geochemical data indicate that regardless of age or petrogenetic affinity (Al-undepleted vs. Al-depleted vs. Ti-enriched vs. Fe-rich), almost all of the parental magmas were undersaturated in sulfide prior to emplacement and therefore represent favorable magma sources for Ni-Cu-(PGE) mineralization. Volcanological data indicate that almost all komatiite-associated Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposits in the Abitibi greenstone belt appear to be localized in lava channels or channelized sheet flows, which have the capacity to thermomechanically erode S-bearing country rocks and to efficiently transfer metals from the magma to sulfide xenomelts. Three type localities (Spinifex Ridge in La Motte Township, Pyke Hill in Munro Township, and Alexo in Dundonald Township) illustrate how physical volcanology (lava channelization) and stratigraphic environment (S source) need to operate quasi-simultaneously to allow for the genesis of significant amounts of Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfides within a komatiitic succession. As not all komatiite magma pathways are mineralized, one of the most important challenges is to be able to distinguish potentially mineralized successions from barren successions.

Abstract The Noranda camp in the southern Abitibi greenstone belt comprises over 20 volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits hosted by volcanic rocks of the 2704–2695 Ma Blake River Group. Decades of research and exploration have provided a firm understanding of the characteristics of these deposits as well as the geological controls on deposit location. Observations made on the deposits of the Noranda camp significantly contributed to the syngenetic model of massive sulfide formation and shaped the current understanding of ancient and modern sea-floor hydrothermal systems. The Horne and Quemont deposits, which are the largest deposits in the Noranda camp, are hosted by 2702 Ma felsic volcanic successions dominated by volcaniclastic rocks. The massive sulfide ores of these deposits largely formed through processes of subseafloor infiltration and replacement of the highly permeable wall rocks. Laterally extensive hydrothermal alteration halos dominated by chlorite and sericite surround the replacement ores. The Horne deposit formed in an extensional setting in a graben bounded by synvolcanic faults. Rapid extension accompanying deposit formation resulted in the upwelling of mantle-derived mafic melts and the emplacement of a thick package of mafic rocks in the stratigraphic hanging wall of the deposit. Most of the massive sulfide deposits in the Noranda camp are hosted by a 2700–2698 Ma bimodal volcanic succession that formed in a large volcanic subsidence structure to the north. The ~2,000-m-thick lava flow-dominated volcanic package is floored by the large, multiphase, synvolcanic Flavrian pluton. The deposits in this part of the Noranda camp are small (<5 million tonnes) and primarily formed as sulfide mounds on the ancient sea floor. Synvolcanic structures provided cross-stratal permeability for the hydrothermal fluids and controlled the location of volcanic vents. Thin tuffaceous units mark the sea-floor positions hosting the massive sulfide mounds within the flow-dominated volcanic succession. The concordant massive sulfide lenses overlie discordant alteration pipes composed of chlorite- and sericite-altered rocks. Contact metamorphism associated with the emplacement of the ~2690 Ma Lac Dufault pluton converted the hydrothermal alteration pipes into cordierite-anthophyllite assemblages. Recent brownfields exploration successes have demonstrated that massive sulfide discoveries are still possible in one of Canada’s most mature mining camp through three-dimensional geological modeling performed at the camp scale. Geologic target generation through computer modeling has reversed the general trend of progressively deeper exploration with time in the Noranda camp. Deep exploration currently focuses on the reevaluation of a previously uneconomic low-grade ore zone at the Horne deposit.

Abstract The 2698 Ma LaRonde Penna deposit, with over 71 Mt of ore at 3.9 g/t Au (280 t Au or ~9 Moz Au), is the second largest Au-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit in the world. It is part of the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde mining camp in the eastern part of the Blake River Group. The deposits of the Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde mining camp are hosted by the volcanic rocks of the Hébé-court (base) and Bousquet (top) formations that form a southward-younging homoclinal sequence, with nearly vertical dips due to a north-south compressional event responsible for the development of an E-W–trending, steeply S-dipping, penetrative schistosity under prograde, upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies meta-morphism. The E-trending, steeply S-dipping schistosity is associated with strong flattening, transposition, and minor folding of the volcanic rocks, alteration zones, and sulfide lenses. The ore lenses at LaRonde Penna, which are stacked in the upper half of the Bousquet Formation, are characterized by semimassive to massive sulfides or narrow intervals of transposed sulfide veins and veinlets. The synvolcanic hydrothermal alteration at LaRonde Penna now corresponds to mappable upper greenschist-lower amphibolites-grade metamorphic assemblages. In the upper part of the deposit, the 20 North lens comprises a transposed pyrite-chalcopyrite (Au-Cu) stockwork (20N Au zone) overlain by a pyrite-sphalerite-galena-chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite (Zn-Ag-Pb) massive sulfide lens (20N Zn zone). The 20 North lens (20N Au and 20N Zn zones) is underlain by a large, semiconformable alteration zone that comprises a proximal quartz-Mn-garnet-biotite-muscovite alteration assemblage. The 20N Zn zone tapers with depth in the deposit and gives way to the 20N Au zone. At depth in the deposit, the 20N Au zone consists of semimassive sulfides (Au-rich pyrite and chalcopyrite) enclosed by a large aluminous alteration assemblage interpreted to be the metamorphic equivalent of an advanced argillic alteration zone. At LaRonde Penna, the presence of sulfide lenses characterized by Au-rich portions and base metal-rich portions demonstrates that a VMS system can generate mineralization styles that gradually evolve, both in space and time, from neutral (Au-Cu-Zn-Ag-Pb ore), to transitional, to acidic (advanced argillic alteration and Au ± Cu-rich ore) in response to the evolving local geologic setting.