Rainy River - Geology, Exploration, & Technical Reports
Geology & Mineralization
The Rainy River district comprises multiple volcanogenic-style gold deposits situated within the Late Archean Wabigoon Subprovince of Ontario. Local stratigraphy comprises a series of tholeiitic mafic volcanic rocks structurally overlain by calc-alkalic dacitic metavolcanic rocks that host the bulk of gold mineralization in the district.
Mineralized zones generally follow the regional northwesterly strike and southerly dip of stratigraphy. The largest of these, the ODM/17 Zone, extends 1,600 metres along strike, 975 metres down dip (open at depth), and has a true width of 200 metres. Three principal styles of gold mineralization have been identified at Rainy River: gold-bearing sulphide ± quartz stringers and veins in felsic quartz-phyric rocks, (ODM/17, Beaver Pond, 433 and HS Zones), quartz-ankerite-pyrite shear veins in mafic volcanic rocks (CAP/South Zone), and sulphide-bearing silver-enriched quartz veinlets in dacitic tuffs and breccias (Intrepid Zone). Most of the gold mineralization identified to date occurs in the sulphide bearing stringers and veins within the felsic quartz-phyric rocks. A fourth style of mineralization characterized by copper-nickel-platinum minerals occurs within a small, younger mafic-ultramafic intrusion (34 Zone) situated within the main cluster of gold and silver deposits. All deposits show some degree of deformation, excepting the copper-nickel-platinum-bearing type.
Exploration Potential
The Rainy River project represents one of Canada’s newest emerging gold districts. The Rainy River district was first explored for nickel sulphide style mineralization in the mid-1960s. The eventual recognition of the district’s gold potential in 1988 led to the discovery of gold mineralization in what has become a large system of stratiform gold-rich volcanogenic style sulphide deposits. After three years of commercial production, the Rainy River Mine accounts for 2.6 million ounces of gold reserves and an additional 2.0 million ounces of measured and indicated resources1.
In March 2021, the Company completed an early-stage reconnaissance drilling program designed to test targets of coincident geochemical soil anomalies, magnetic geophysical anomalies, and evidence of quartz veins and/or shear zones within the North East Trend area located approximately 15 kilometres north from the Rainy River Mine. Results to date define narrow intervals of gold bearing mineralization, supporting the preliminary geological and geochemical interpretations.
As we compile additional data and complete interpretations of all reconnaissance drilling, follow-up drilling is planned to commence in the second half of 2021. Field exploration activities have also been planned to refine follow-up drill targets, inclusive of soil geochemical survey, geological survey, geological mapping, and trenching.
Additionally, New Gold's exploration efforts focuses on identifying and generating new targets to define additional mineralization within the broader Company's landholdings and potentially extend the commercial life of the mine.
1 Measured and Indicated Resources are exclusive of Mineral Reserves (Excludes Inferred Resources) as of December 31, 2020
North East Trend area drill holes location
Technical Report
