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Denison-Potcan Mine

Plant in New Brunswick, Canada with commodity Potassium
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mineral rights holdings
  11. Land status
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10303547
MAS/MILS ID 1220200010
Record type Site
Current site name Denison-Potcan Mine
Alternate or previous names Salt Springs, Cassidy Lake, Clover Hill

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -65.59925, 45.56663 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Canada New Brunswick

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Potassium Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gypsum Unknown
Halite Unknown
Sylvanite Unknown
Sylvite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -65.59925, 45.56663
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N50E
    Dip 50N
    Thickness 12M
    Length 4300M
    Width 1200M
    Depth to top 835M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Shape of Orebody #2 LENTICULAR
    Primary mode of Origin EVAPORATION
    Primary Ore Control FOLDING
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N50E:50N
    Date of Last Modification 910614

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE RESOURCE EXPLOITED AT THE DENISON-POTCAN MINE IS SYLVANITE THAT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE EVAPORATION OF SEA WATER IN AN ENCLOSED BASIN. THE MINERALIZATION OCCURS IN ROCKS OF THE LOWER CARBONIFEROUS WINDSOR GROUP IN THE MOCTON BASIN OF THE FUNDY EPIEUGEOSYNCLINE. SYLVINITE ORE WAS DISCOVERED IN THREE STRUCTURAL BASINS OF THE MOCTON BASIN NEAR DENISON-POTCAN. THE MINERALIZED ZONE ORIGINALLY WAS FLAT, BUT SUBSEQUENT TECTONIC ACTIVITY ALONG THE FLANKS OF THE BASIN CREATED STRESSES THAT SQUEEZED THE BED INTO ITS PRESENT ANTICLINICAL STRUCTURE. THE BED IS INTENSELY FOLDED, PITCHED IN SOME SEC- TIONS AND EXPANDED IN OTHERS. DESPITE THE SUBSEQUENT ALTER- ATIONS, THE SYLVINITE BED SUFFERED NO LOSS OF CONTINUITY.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Mining method Filled Stopes - Horiz Cut and Fill W/Tailings
Year of first production 1985
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Denison Mines Ltd
    Interest 60
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
  • Type Owner
    Owner Potash Co. Of Canada
    Interest 40
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991

Comments on the ownership information

  • OTHER OWNER: INTERNATIONAL MINERALS AND CHEMICAL CORPORATION (IMC). POTASH COMPANY OF CANADA IS ALSO KNOWN AS "POTCAN". THIS PROPERTY WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS CLOVER HILL OR SALT SPRINGS.

Production statistics

  • Year 1988
    Description Ore Production 2862000 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Potassium Potassium 2862000mt
  • Year 1989
    Description Ore Production 2492000 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Potassium Potassium 2492000mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1983
    Indicated 230000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 230000000mt ore
    Total resources 230000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Potassium K2o 28 wt-pct Potassium Major 1983
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Indicated 247000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 247000000mt ore
    Total resources 247000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Potassium K2o 28 wt-pct Potassium Major 1987

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 1400M
    Overall depth 853M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method INCLINED CUT AND FILL 10-65
    Percent Recovery 75
    Hardness of Rock NONCOHERENT WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics SEMIPLASTIC OR PLASTIC
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 10558
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 330
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    GEOLOGY OF NEW BRUNSWICK POTASH DEPOSITS, P. W. KINGSTON AND

  • Geology

    D.E. DIUCKIE, CIM BULLETIN, FEBRUARY, 1979, PP 134 TO 141.

  • Geology

    ANDERLE, J.P., ET.AL.,"POTASH SALT SPRINGS NEW BRUNSWICK"

  • Geology

    ECONOMIC GEOLOGY I, VOL.74, PP. 389-396, 1979.

  • Reserve-Resource

    WORLD MINING, SEPTEMBER, 1979, P 147.

  • Reserve-Resource

    NORTHERN MINER, "DENISON AND POTASH FORM PARTNERSHIP TO

  • Reserve-Resource

    DEVELOPE FORMERS POTASH PROPERTY", OCTOBER 2, 1980, P3.

  • Reserve-Resource

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, "WORLD OF MINERALS", CANADA", "GREEN

  • Reserve-Resource

    LIGHT FOR DENISON POTASH", APRIL, 1983, PP9, 92.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL, "LOCATION A BIG ADVANTAGE ON CLOVER

  • Reserve-Resource

    HILL POTASH PROJECT", NOVEMBER, 1983, PP117 TO 122.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK, 1990-91, P 150.

  • Reserve-Resource

    E&MJ 1991 INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING, P198.

  • Deposit

    PCA, DENISON READIES TWO NEW POTASH MINES IN NEW BRUNSWICK

  • Deposit

    FOR MID-80'S PRODUCTION, BY S. N. BRANCH, CANADIAN MINING

  • Deposit

    JOURNAL, NOVEMBER, 1979, PP 35 TO41.

  • Deposit

    NORTHERN MINER, "DENISON'S POTASH PRODUCER TAKING FORM ON

  • Deposit

    EASTERN COAST", OCTOBER 18, 1989, PA1 TO A23.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 23-SEP-96 Michael, Mark R. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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