1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Niobec Saint Honore

Plant in Quebec, Canada with commodity Niobium (Columbium)
Map
XML
JSON
KML
B
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. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10167478
MAS/MILS ID 1220500045
Record type Site
Current site name Niobec Saint Honore
Alternate or previous names Nidbec, Saint Honore

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -70.19937, 48.54996 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Canada Quebec

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Niobium (Columbium) Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Apatite Unknown
Dolomite Unknown
Pyrochlore Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -70.19937, 48.54996
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Length 575M
    Width 30M
    Depth to top 61M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 PIPELIKE
    Primary mode of Origin MAGMATIC DIFFER
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 CARBONITIZATION
    Date of Last Modification 910626

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE ST. HONORE CARBONATITE IS KIDNEY-SHAPED, 3.2 KM IN DIAMETER AND SHOWS SELF-DIFFERENTIATED LITHOLOGIC UNITS. IT IS COMPRISED OF A CENTRAL CORE (RARE EARTH ZONE) OF COARSE-GRAIN DOLOMITE AND RARE EARTH OXIDES AND AN OUTER RING, WHERE THE COLUMBIUM ZONES LIE (SOUTHWEST SECTOR). ROCKS OF THE OKA CARBONATITE AND ALKALINE COMPLEX MAY BE GROUPS. CARBONATE ROCKS, WHICH UNDLIE MOST OF THE SURFACE OF THE COMPLEX; OKALITE, THE IJOLITE SERIES; ALNOITE AND BASIC LAMPROPHYRIC DYKES AND PLUGS INTRUDED INTO THE COMPLEX; AND REPLACEMENT AND ALTERATION ROCKS. MOST OF ROCKS ARE UNDER-SATURATED METALUMINOUS ROCKS, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALKALINE ROCKS OF THE MONTEREAIAN HILLS TO THE EAST. ORE ZONE "A" CONSISTS CARBONATITES INTRUDED BY TABULAR AND TABULAR AND IRREGULAR BODIES OF ALKALINE ROCKS OF THE IJOLITE-URTITE SERIES AND SOME NEPHELINE OKAITE. ALTERATION CONSISTED OF BIOTIZATION OF SILICATE ROCKS AND CHLORITIZATION OF SHEAR ZONES.
  • THE ST. HONORE CARBONATITE COMPLEX IS LOCATED WITHIN THE PRECAMBRIAN GRENVILLE PROVINCE OF THE CANADIAN SHIELD. IT IS LIKELY A TECTONIC BRANCH OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIFT SYSTEM. ALSO, THE COMPLEX IS ALTERED BY FENITIZATION AND CARBONATIZATION.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1967
Mining method Open Stope
Year of first production 1976
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Simard Township

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Niobec Inc (Owned By Cambior And Teck Corp.)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
  • Type Operator
    Owner Teck Corp.
    Interest 50
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
  • Type Owner
    Owner Cambior Inc
    Interest 50
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
  • Type Owner
    Owner Soquem (Owners Of Cambior Inc And Teck Corp.)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • CAMBIOR INC IS 50% OWNED BY SEQUEM, A QUEBEC PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT COMPANY. NIOBEC IS MANGAED BY LES SERVICES T.M.G. INC., A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF THE TECK CORP.

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Description Mine Output 226900 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 226900mt
  • Year 1978
    Description Mine Output 558600 Mt Ore /Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 558600mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Mine Output 569400 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 569400mt
  • Year 1980
    Description Mine Output 586100 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 586100mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Mine Output 692000 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 692000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Mine Output 724700 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 724700mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Nb2o5 Pyrochlore (Columbium/Niobium) 3619500 Pounds
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 1641777.58mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Tonnage Milled 449300 Short Tons
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 495268.33mt
  • Year 1993
    Description Nb205 Pyrochlore (Columbia/Niobium) 3774100 Pounds
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 1711902.96mt
  • Year 1993
    Description Tonnage Milled 447600 Short Tons
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 493394.4mt
  • Year 1994
    Description Lbs Of Nb205 7500000 Lbs/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 3401942.77mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1981
    Indicated 10000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 10000000mt ore
    Total resources 10000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 0.69 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1981
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Indicated 11000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 11000000mt ore
    Total resources 11000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 0.65 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1990
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Measured 3908000mt ore
    Indicated 1455000mt ore
    Demonstrated 5363000mt ore
    Total resources 5363000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 0.66 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1995

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • RECOVERABLE RESERVES ARE AS LISTED ON THE 10/83 ETD.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 402M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OTHER OPEN STOPE METHODS
    Percent Waste Rock 14.3
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Number of Shafts 1
    Length of Inclines (m) 200
    Slope of Inclines 45
    Number of Inclines 11
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 3000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1990

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE COLUMBIUM CONCENTRATES ARE SHIPPED IN 18 MT. CONTAINERS TO THREE CLIENTS: MITSUI OF JAPAN; CASA OF LUXEMBOURG, AND METALLURG (SHIELDALLOW-NEWFIELD, USA).
  • TWO ORE ZONES HAVE BEEN EXPLORED FOR UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT. ZONE 1 EXTENDS OVER A LENGTH OF 549 M. AND INCLUDES AT LEAST SIX KNOWN CB205 ORE LENSES WITH WIDTHS UP TO 30M. ZONE 2 EXTENDS OVER A LENGTH OF 600 M. AND WIDTH OF 244 M. AND IS MADE UP OF TEN ORE LENSES, EACH ONE GRADING OVER .5% CB205. THE MAIN SHAFT WILL PASS THROUG 200 FT OF THE TRENTON LIMESTONE FORMATION, INCURRING SOME WATER PROBLEMS DURING MINE OPERATIONS. THE CENTRAL CORE IS NOT IN THE MINING AREA.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    "ST. HONORE AND CREVIER NIOBIUM-TANTALUM DEPOSITS AND

  • Reserve-Resource

    RELATED ALKALINE COMPLEXES, LAC ST. JEAN, QUEBEC," EXCURSION

  • Reserve-Resource

    GUIDEBOOK, CIM GEOLOGY DIVISION, SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2,

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK, 1990-91, PP. 421, 422.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CAMBIOR, 1995, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    BISS R. "PH CONTROL PLANT PRACTICE PERFORMANCE AT

  • Deposit

    NIOBEC MINE", CIM INTERNATIONAL MINERAL PROCESSING CONGRESS.

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER, 1982.

  • Deposit

    BISS, R. "PYROCHLORE ORE BENEFICIATION AT LES SERVICES

  • Deposit

    TMG (NIOBEC) CONCENTRATOR," PRESENTED AT THE FIRST INTERNA--

  • Deposit

    TIONAL CONFERENCE "NIOBIUM 81" IN SAN FRANCISCO, USA.

  • Deposit

    COSSETTE, DENIS, "ESTABLISSEMENT ET VALIDATION D'UN

  • Deposit

    MODELE GEOSTATISTIQUE DES RESERVES DE LA MINE NIOBEC-

  • Deposit

    UNIVERSITE DE MONTREAL," JAN. 1982.

  • Deposit

    GAGNON, G., GENDRON, L.A., "THE GEOLOGY AND CURRENT

  • Deposit

    DEVELOPMENT OF THE ST. HONORE NIOBIUM (COLUMBIUM) DEPOSITS."

  • Deposit

    DESSUREAUX SILIEN, GOUVERNEMENT DU QUEBEC, "PROJET N604-

  • Deposit

    SOQUEM- TRAITEMENT DU MINERAI DE ST. HONORE 30," SEPTEMBRE

  • Deposit

    1971.

  • Deposit

    MANKER, ED, "NIOBIUM TODAY AND TOMMORROW", PRESENTED TO

  • Deposit

    THIRD INTERNATIONAL FERROALLOYS CONFERENCE, ATHENS, GREECE,

  • Deposit

    NOVEMBER 15-17, 1981.

  • Deposit

    MANKER, ED, "COLUMBIUM- AN OUTLOOK," CIM BULLETIN, AUG

  • Deposit

    1981.

  • Deposit

    MINEXPERT INC, "EVALUATION OF WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS FOR

  • Deposit

    SHAFT DEEPENING PROGRAM," 1979.

  • Deposit

    ROBERT, MICHEL, "THE NIOBEC MILL", PRESENTED AT THE CMP

  • Deposit

    ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 24, 1978.

  • Deposit

    VALLEE, M., DUBUC F., "THE ST. HONORE CARBONATITE

  • Deposit

    COMPLEX, CHICOUTIM, QUEBEC, CIM TRANSACTIONS, VOL. LXXIII,

  • Deposit

    PP. 346-356: 1970.

  • Deposit

    ENERGY MINES AND RESOURCES CANADA, MINING AND MINERAL

  • Deposit

    PROCESSING OPERATIONS IN CANADA, 1989, MINERAL BULLETIN,

  • Deposit

    MR 224, P9.

  • Deposit

    TECK CORPORATION; "MINING IN THE FUTURE VOL II, 1994, P11.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 12-JUN-96 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site