Blackcliff Deposit
Location, Access, Description
The Blackcliff Deposit property is located about 4 km northeast of the town of Malartic, in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue Administrative Region, western Quebec. The Blackcliff Property consists of 6 cells totalling 127.6 Ha in Malartic Township, Quebec. The former Camflo Mine is located 2.5 km east of the property.
Globex owns 50% interest in the Blackcliff property along with partner Altai Resources Inc. Globex is property manager. A 2% NSR is owed to an underlying vendor of historical lot 42. No ore is known to exist on lot 42. No royalty is owed on the known Blackcliff resource.
The property is easily accessible from Malartic on paved Highway 117. A gravel all season road which services the Camflo mill can be followed north-west for 3.5 km and then a secondary gravel road west for a further 3.5 km to the shaft area. The area is relatively flat and has been forested previously. South half is covered with fir and black spruce while aspen cover the north half. No important streams or wetlands are found on the property.
Geology and Mineralization
Regional Settings
The Blackcliff property is located in the Archean Abitibi Greenstone Belt of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield. Rocks of the Val-d’Or-Malartic region consist of an Archean volcano-sedimentary sequences composed of ultramafic, mafic and felsic volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks (2714 ±2 Ma to 2704 ±2 Ma; Wong et al., 1991; DV97-01; DV98-05; DV99-03) separated by narrow sedimentary rock bands. Numerous Archean synvolcanic, syntectonic and late-tectonic intrusions set in place within both Archean volcanics and sediments (MB94-55). All Archean rocks of this area have been verticalized during the Kenorean orogenesis that occurred about 2.5 Ga ago.
The Blackcliff property is in the south part of the Malartic group, approximately 1 km north of the contact with Kewagama group sediments. Volcanic rocks of the Malartic Group represent the oldest rocks in the area (minimum age of 2714 ±2 Ma for komatiitic volcanites at the base of the Malartic Group; DV97-01). Later to the formation of volcanic rocks, sediments deposited that now form the groups of Caste (2691 ±8 Ma; Feng and Kerrich, 1991), Kewagama (2687 Ma; Davis, 1991), Cadillac (2688 Ma; Davis, 1991), and Pontiac (2683 ±1 Ma; Mortensen and Card, 1993).
The Cadillac-Larder Lake (CLL) fault is the major regional feature of the area, extending on more than 250 km in a E-W strike. Numerous showings and deposits have been uncovered along this prolific structure in both Quebec and Ontario Provinces. The CLL fault strikes about 3 km south of the Blackcliff property and it separates the rocks of the Abitibi Sub-province in the north from those of the Pontiac Sub-province in the south. The Manitou fault strikes 650 m south of the property and it is associated with several gold and base metals deposits. Regional metamorphism is at the greenschists grade and locally reaches the lower amphibolite grade around large Archean intrusions. Proterozoic diabase swarms cut through every Archean rocks.
Property Geology
The southern half of the property is occupied by sandstone and turbidic mudrocks from the Kewagama Group. The northern half is covered by the volcanites of the Malartic Group, injected with gabbro sills. The two groups are separated by a WNW regional fault that could be the southeastern extension of the La Pause Fault. A major east-west fold axis trends through the property. The northern flank dips north-east while the southern flank dips south-east. The Vinray Shaft is located at the nose of the fold. Gold mineralization is hosted in a concordant folded quartzo-feldspathic granophyre sill or “grey diorite” approximately 91 m thick which defines the nose of the fold. The grey diorite dips 65° to 71° to the north-east and is flanked on the north-east by dacites and by tuffs to the south-west. The diorite can be followed for several km and the Camflo gold deposit occurs in proximity to the unit. The gold zone in the area of the shaft is traversed by east-west faults 1.2 m to 3 m thick. Gold mineralization is hosted in quartz-carbonate and/or epidote veins, usually associated with tourmaline veins (GM73774). Pyrite is generally superior to pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. Veins edges are sheared and altered in biotite, sericite and chlorite. This system of veins is hosted by both gabbro, diorite, felsic intrusion and tuff (fine or lapilli).
Metallogeny
At least two major types of gold mineralization are recognized in the Val-d’Or region (MB2000-09): (1) Deformed veins and quartz matrix holes, older than 2,690 Ma, apparently hosted in shear zones; and (2) Relatively little deformed vein networks, later than 2,680 Ma, hosted in shear zones with associated extensions veins.
Within the limits of the property, 14 gold zones have been discovered, several of which are discontinuous lenses in the same horizon. Ten zones are considered important. These veins are zones of silicification and pyritization accompanied by carbonatization and chloritization associated with faulting and brecciation within grey or green diorite or tuff.
The principal alteration minerals are epidote, biotite and magnetite. The zones are injected by veins of quartz less than 30 cm (1 ft) thick which are well mineralized by pyrite and pyrrhotite. Intensity of the east-west faulting varies from moderate to intense. All the gold zones are located on the south flank of the fold.
At the shaft area the gold zones are sub-vertical at surface but dip 70o north at the 61 m level. To the east, the dip is a constant 70o north to a depth of 174 m.
In May 1988, a cut resource calculation was performed by geologist Isabelle Cadieux on the number 1, 2 and 3 veins with the following result:
| Vein #1 | Probable resource | 13,277 t grading 8.14 gpt Au |
| Vein #2 | Probable resource | 180,820 t grading 7.83 gpt Au |
| Vein #3 | Probable resource | 16,273 t grading 4.61 gpt Au |
| Total probable resource | 210,370 t grading 7.60 gpt Au | |
| Vein #2 | Possible resource | 23,230 t grading 4.66 gpt Au |
At the same time a resource calculation was performed by André St-Michel on the number 2 vein in a study reflecting two different mining methods. The results were as follows:
Selective Mining Method 234,400 t grading 7.28 gpt Au
Long Hole Mining Method 432,400 t grading 4.74 gpt Au
In March 1989, geologist Jean-Pierre Labelle did a geological ore resource calculation on the number 11, 12 and 13 veins which are 3 sub-parallel auriferous zones within a 10 m width and a fourth auriferous vein, the number 7, located at the NW extremity of the number 11, 12 and 13 veins.
Jean-Pierre Labelle’s resource calculation is as follows:
| Veins 11, 12, 13 & 7 | Uncut | Cut | |
| Probable | 135,406 t | 13.84 gpt Au | 6.89 gpt Au |
| Possible | 120,566 t | 12.67 gpt Au | 6.50 gpt Au |
| Total | 255,972 t | 13.34 gpt Au | 6.71 gpt Au |
It is unclear from source information whether Cadieux and Labelle, although labelling the vein structures differently (Cadieux – veins 1 to 3 and Labelle 7 and 11 to 13), were each referring to models of the same vein structures, each using different selection criteria. If the zones are distinct, the accumulated Cadieux and Labelle resources estimated for the Blackcliff deposit amount to a combined, cut, geological resource of 466,342 t grading 7.11 gpt. The resources cited for Blackcliff were prepared prior to the initiation of National Instrument 43-101 and have not been estimated or verified by a Qualified Person under the Instrument. Globex considers these as historical estimates and as such should not be relied upon by the reader.
In addition, numerous partially defined zones remain to be outlined as does the down dip extensions of some of the vein structures used in the calculations.
Elsewhere on the property, in the south half of lots 43 and 44, exploration was carried out by Brador Malartic Gold Mines Limited (1946 – 1 drillhole) and, Lencourt Gold Mines Limited (1958 – 6 drillholes, 1976-1978 – EM surveys). Gold was intersected over narrow widths at shallow depths in pyritic quartz veins in tuff. Highlights are presented below :
| Hole L-1 | 1.52m | 4.3 gpt Au |
| Hole L-2 | 0.30m | 28.1 gpt Au |
| Hole L-3 | 1.22m | 4.1 gpt Au |
| Hole L-5 | 0.30m | 31.5 gpt Au |
| Hole L-6 | 0.15m | 17.1 gpt Au |
HISTORY
Historical work
| History (Area of N 1/2 Lots 43 and 44) | |
| 1944-1947 | Vinray Malartic Mines (Mindalartic Mines Limited). Surface prospecting and magnetic survey. Surface diamond drilling 8,600 m in 45 holes. |
| 1947 | |
| 1948 | Drifts lengthened 31 m to the east and west of the shaft. |
| 1949 | Property acquired by Baranouri Minerals Limited who drilled 376 m in surface drill holes. |
| 1960 | Mineral Exploration Corporation acquires property. No work recorded. |
| 1961 | Twentieth Century Mining Company (TCMC) acquires property. |
| 1962 | TCMC drills eight holes totalling 959 m. |
| 1963 | Blackcliff Mines Ltd. acquires claims and drills 28 holes totalling 3,766 m |
| 1964 | Blackcliff drills five holes totalling 1,068 m. By this date all the gold veins on the small south flank of the fold are known and are numbered 1 to 14. |
| 1965-1974 | No significant exploration. |
| 1975 | Blackcliff drills 3 holes totalling 599 m. |
| 1979 | Blackcliff drills 6 holes totalling 1,459 m. The holes were drilled to check the down dip extension of veins 12 and 13 which were considered to have the most economic potential, as well as veins 9, 10, 11, and 14. |
| 1983-1984 | Blackcliff Mines Ltd. in partnership with Pinto Malartic Gold Mines Ltd. drilled 18 holes totalling 2,267 m. |
| 1985 | American Barrick Resources Corp., under an agreement with Blackcliff undertook line cutting and completed an I.P. survey. |
| 1986 | Barrick drilled 7 holes totalling 1,216 m on the north flank of the fold. |
| 1987-1988 | Essor Exploration Inc., in joint venture with Blackcliff undertook surface and underground exploration. Surface drilling of 22 holes totalling 7,438 m defined a new zone, the #3 zone (16,273 t grading 4.61 gpt) as well as further defined the #2 zone and to a lesser extent the #1 zone. A three component headframe and support infrastructure was set up and the shaft was dewatered to the number 2 level. The number 1 vein and the first and second levels were mapped and sampled underground.. |
Globex work
In 2007, Globex and Altai optioned the Blackcliff property to C2C Gold Corporation Inc. (option terminated in October 2009). In 2008, C2C reported drill results of a drill program of 4,055 m targeting at the near surface extension of the #2 gold vein zone to test the historical resource reported in 1988.
According to C2C, numerous shallow mineralized intersections of significant grade and/or thickness were encountered including the following:
| Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Width (m) | Grade (gpt Au) |
| BK-07-07 | 74.5 | 80.4 | 5.9 | 3.46 |
| BK-07-09 | 70.8 | 78.2 | 7.4 | 5.89 |
| BK-07-11 | 70.2 | 72.8 | 2.6 | 10.84 |
| BK-07-32 | 56.7 | 63.0 | 6.3 | 5.03 |
In 2020, Globex carried-out a very-high resolution airborne magnetic survey (NOVATEM) of the Blackcliff property (GM71945).
In 2022, Globex undertook 10 diamond drilling holes (DDH) totalling 1,994.5 metres in order to test geophysical anomalies and verify the extension of both Main and Lencour mineralized zone (Figure 5). Assays up to 3.77 g/t Au over 1.20 m (BK22-01), 5.25 g/t Au over 1.00 m (BK22-02), and 2.87 g/t Au over 2.3 m returned from laboratory assaying (GM73774). This work confirmed that both tested mineralized zone are still open in strike and at depth.
Resources and Potential
The Blackcliff Property presents a very accessible and promising exploration target having attractive gold grade and mineralizaiton width. Gold mineralization is hosted in a fold hinge whose southern limb returned numerous strong Au anomalies in DDH whereas its northern limb appears strongly underexplored to that date.
According to historical data and recent DDH by Globex in 2022, both the Blackcliff and adjacent southern zone (Bradnor-Malartic) require further depth-testing to extend the known mineralization.