Vaughn, here is an older map of the Atttawapiskat claims:
www2.cdn-news.com
As well here is a report on the Victor pipe with a nice 3D model. They sure turned that pipe into a pin cushion!
ott.wrcc.osmre.gov
In it is says "Grade is variable, with an average of 25 carats per hundred tonnes, with considerable variation between the different geological kimberlite facies (Figures 2 and 3)."
Just rediscovered them from the GEM thread...
Here are some of the problems with the area explained, from the report...
2. Technical issues
Water is the main technical challenge facing the
project. Surface water level is close to the land
surface. This is separated from the underlying
bedrock by a low permeability glacial sequence.
The underlying country rock is a carbonate
sequence that is waterlogged. The carbonates
contain various other minerals that contribute to
mildly saline waters. About 225 metres below
surface, the bedrock changes from a dominantly
carbonate sequence to mudstones, and then to a
carbonate and evaporite sequence, before reaching
the Archaean basement granites and gneisses
around 280 metres. The deeper ground waters are
saline (Figure 4).
Access to the area is poor because of the muskeg
environment. Road and site construction are
therefore important and expensive.
Preliminary hydrological and mining studies have
shown that while underground mining might be
feasible, it is not practical because of the safety
problems associated with the groundwater, and
the related expense. If the feasibility study is
positive and a mine goes ahead, this would be for
an open pit operation.
Studies have shown that between the site and the
village of Attawapiskat, construction of an all
season road is impractical. There is no aggregate
or rock available for the western half of the road.
Construction costs thus sore, and the estimate for
a 110-Km road is in excess of $150 million, a cost
that the project cannot support.
Because the site is entirely with in the muskeg of
the James Bay Lowlands, access and foundations
are problematic. There are no roads, and it is
difficult to move when the ground is not frozen as
everything is one huge swamp. Gravel and sand
deposits are few and far between: there are
however, a number of limestone bioherms that
come close to surface, and inn places outcrop. It is
planned to use these to provide aggregate. |
