Abstract
The Eastern Metals deposit, Montmagny County, Quebec, is characterized by two sub-parallel zones of mineralization approximately 400 ft. apart on the surface. The Ni minerals millerite, gersdorffite, and violarite have been identified in the North zone, and chalcopyrite is the ore mineral of the South zone. Sphalerite is present in each zone. The ores are localized in zones of silicification and carbonatization along the contact between a serpentinized peridotite and slate fingers penetrating into the SW. end of the peridotite. The mineralization is postulated to have come about by the dissolving of separate pods of copper and nickel sulfides that originated during the crystallization of the peridotite. The agent responsible for the solution and deposition of the sulfides was oxidizing solutions that accompanied the intrusion of granodiorite dikes. The minerals were deposited in the alkaline environment of the silica-carbonate zone. The sphalerite was derived from the surrounding sediments by solution by the same solutions that carried the Cu and Ni.
