dominique veneruz hbsc thesis abstract
musselwhite mine is situated in the north caribou lake greenstone belt within the north caribou terrane of the superior province, located approximately 500 kilometers north of thunder bay, ontario.
the focus of this study was to classify the biotite at musselwhite mine between the different economic zones of interest. biotite from ten sampleswas chosen to be examined using petrography and quantitative mineral analysis with the scanning electron microscope (sem). the biotite from musselwhite mine is hosted in mafic metavolcanic rocks, classified as schists. the majority of the samples are comprised of biotite, hornblende, plagioclase, chlorite and calcite with minor amounts of tourmaline, apatite and quartz. ilmenite is also present with minor amounts of pyrite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite and arsenopyrite. the biotite in the zones of interest show variation in iron content, with biotite plotting in the biotite and phlogopite zones on a metamorphic biotite graph that compare fe/fe+mg and altot values.
the samples examined have experienced amphibolite facies metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism due to the presence hornblende and chlorite, respectively.