Groundwater geochemistry, South Nahanni resource assessment area, District of Mackenzie

Hamilton, S M; Michel, Frederick A.; Jefferson, C W

doi:10.4095/122693

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“…Chemical data were not available at the time of sampling but have been included in the descriptions below as an aid to further discussion. Hamilton et al (1988a) Results of the field classification of spring waters based on physical characteristics such as lithology and associated deposits. "P6" represents ungrouped samples.…”

Section: \ Field Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of spring water geochemistry and hydrogeology to a non-renewable resource assessment of the south Nahanni River area, NWT.

Hamilton¹

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copyright 1990, S.M. HamiltonFrontispiece "White Aster hot spring" (#082), the largest of the thermal springs discovered during the 1986 and 1987 field seasons. It is located in a remote area near the Meilleur River, west of the Headless Range. n ABSTRACT A regional spring sampling program was conducted in the southern Mackenzie Mountains during 1986 and 1987 as part of a resource assessment of proposed extension areas of Nahanni National Park. The region under study crosses the structural grain of the northern Cordillera and consequently encompasses a variety of geologic terranes.A number of factors, including lithology and known mineral occurrences, were found to be associated with variations in the geochemical character of the groundwater. Three methods of classification were attempted in order to determine the subsurface geochemical processes in the study areas, and to group waters in types for comparison of trace metal anomalies. A field classification system, based on field measurements and observations, including host lithology, was found to group springs which were excessively varied in their geochemistry. Two geochemical classification methods, one a pattern recognition system and the other a form of cluster analysis, produced consistent results. Samples were separated into seven major water types, six of which had direct or indirect application to the resource assessment.Several areas of high interest were identified. A number of springs located in the Ragged Ranges are enriched in Zn and Ni, suggesting potential for buried base metal skarns or stratiform sulphides. A small thermal spring in the Ragged Ranges has geochemistry consistent with an underlying buried pluton (elevated W, Mo, As, F and Si). Springs of two different classes in the Meilleur River area have very high concentrations of base metals in their water and/or precipitates. One particularly IV metalliferous spring suggests an underlying large body of sediment-hosted sulphides, perhaps of Mississippi Valley or shale-hosted type. The Meilleur River area is also anomalous in similar elements in stream silts and heavy mineral concentrates. v 65 4.5.3 Discussion of groups 68 Chapter 5. Hydrogeochemical processes and resource assessment in the study areas 73 126 13Ranges area. A disappearing stream, sinkholes, caverns and several large, apparently karstic springs were found during the course of sampling in the area. Most of these were found at one locality, near spring 104. Here the discharge from the spring flows into a small lake which drains via a stream into a series of sinkholes. The sound of roaring water is audible as it discharges into the cavern system below. The water may exit from a large unsampled spring near spring 105. The flow system appears to recharge near the contact of the Road River shale with a pluton and to continue through underlying Sunblood Formation carbonates from which it discharges.Although other evidence of karstic flow systems was found within these carbonates, karstic flow systems are uncommon in the Ragged Range...

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Section: \ Field Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of spring water geochemistry and hydrogeology to a non-renewable resource assessment of the south Nahanni River area, NWT.

Hamilton¹

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Spring water trace element geochemistry: A tool for resource assessment and reconnaissance mineral exploration

Caron

Grasby

Ryan

2008

Applied Geochemistry

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Halliwell

Catto

2003

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

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Nahanni National Park Reserve is located at southwestern NWT-Yukon border. One of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites, Nahanni lies within Taiga Cordillera and Taiga Shield Ecozones. Base and precious metal mining occurred upstream of Nahanni prior to park establishment. Nahanni waters, sediments, fish, and caribou have naturally elevated metals levels. Baseline water, sediment and fish tissue quality data were collected and analyzed throughout Nahanni during 1988-91 and 1992-97. These two programs characterized how aquatic quality variables are naturally varying in space and time, affected by geology, stream flow, seasonality, and extreme meteorological and geological events. Possible anthropogenic causes of aquatic quality change were examined. Measured values were compared to existing Guidelines and site-specific objectives were established.

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Groundwater geochemistry, South Nahanni resource assessment area, District of Mackenzie

Cited by 3 publications

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The application of spring water geochemistry and hydrogeology to a non-renewable resource assessment of the south Nahanni River area, NWT.

The application of spring water geochemistry and hydrogeology to a non-renewable resource assessment of the south Nahanni River area, NWT.

Spring water trace element geochemistry: A tool for resource assessment and reconnaissance mineral exploration

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