Formation of placer gold deposits in Canadian Shield during late Wisconsin glaciation

Formation of placer gold deposits in Canadian

Shield during late Wisconsin glaciation

This paper deals with phenomena of energy generation during

the ice sheet degradation. The melted water from ice surface is

moving downward along englacial channel similar as water moving in

turbine of HPP. Both have same engineering patterns. But for glacial

mills the water pressure head and diameter of channels are in many

times more than same parameters of HPP. In the same times of mills

capacity is greater. Everyone thinks watching the Niagara Waterfall, -

it is strength of the Monster. In the same time, its water pressure

head is 51 m only. For glacial mills the water pressure head up to 1000

m. Because glacial mill hidden in ice we can not see how much they

powerful, how they works and results of their work. Consequences we

can observe after ice retreat. Because glacial mill hidden in ice we can

not to see how much they powerful, how they works and their results.

Consequences will accessible for observations for observations after

retreat of ice. Today we can to do it in Greenland and after that the

reconstruction of events for Canadian Shield for late Wisconsin

glaciation can be create.

According to tradition, but for some unknown

reason, after the phrase "the glacier created it",

audience conciliatory nods their heads as a tribute to

his omnipotence. But is it really? Let assume the ice

moving at the fantastic speed of 300 m per day (From

Wikipadia, Russian version of “Serge” definition).

After converted to the Si-system unit the ice speed is

something 0.0035 m/s. It is absolutely nothing. So,

“absolutely nothing” it is opinion. And no more.. For

obtaining of the correct results we must comparisons

the kinetic energies of the ice and water flows.

For calculations we take that the average velocity

of lowland rivers is around 1 m/s. According to the

basic formula of classical mechanics, which

characterizes the energy of motion body - W = mV2/2 ,

the ratio of the running water energy at normal speed

and ice flow speed at abnormal value is 82944. In this

case the kinatic energy of 1 kg ice is equivalent the

energy of 0,012 g water. This ratio for actual ice flow

speed of 100m per year is reduced by several orders of

magnitude. It is suspected that the energy of a single

tubercle bacillus emitted by sneezing is higher than

the energy of one kilogram of ice that "rushing" in

surge flow.

In terms of energy, the ice age divided on two

stages. First one was energy accumulation, second –

energy release. It is clear. The energy accumulated

over thousands of years in practically immovable ice

during its melting converts into kinetic energy of

running water. Because, this occurs on the glacier

surface on altitude as a few hundred meters the water

has a huge reserve of potential energy. Problems are

where and how this energy can be released and what its

consequences? These questions are goals of our study.

Greenland became main object of preliminary study

of processes and phenomena that took place at North

America during the late Wisconsin period, i.e. time of

intensive ice melting. As results we focused on some

regularity.

1. Visual observations of Google space views shown

that parallel of the current glacial limit on the ice

surface there are many supraglacial lakes (fig. 1).

Fig. 1.

2. On the same picture the turbid water of the

streams from under the ice body clearly visible.

3. Via Internet and from Google Earth the few

images of Glacial Mills (Moulin) were obtained. These

are very interesting and maximal important phenomena.

They have practically ideal circle (fig. 2 and 3).

These appearances immediately recall whirlpools in

kitchen sinks, in bathtubs and in toilet bowls. Other

is not given. Moulin is result of vortex activity!

Fig. 2.

Fig.3.

4. Tourist pictures of sand forms next to ice

lobes from under which water flows were found (fig. 4

– 10).Because the Greenland geology practically in 100%

constructed by basement rocks the question, - Where

sands are coming from? Question actual not only for

Greenland it is actual for Canadian and Scandinavian

shields, too. All these geological units are composed

by basement rocks. Sand deposits are extraneous for

them.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Let's assume that the term Moulin is not metaphor

only? Expression, the crystalline rocks has turned to

powder by glacier is common for textbooks around the

world. But, how it did is not written. In glaciology

the term of Moulin (mill) used hundred years more but

only as metaphor. Why? In fact, its construction is

true water mill. Because the ice thickness, its power

is ten times the capacity of the Krasnoyarsk HPP, that

was proud of the Soviet and then Russian energy. Water

mill energy realize on contact of ice with solid rocks.

The results of the water mills activity are holes and

water streams that remove debris, sand and powder.

After the retreat of the glacier kettle lakes were left

on ground. Beside this, lot of debris deposited in

subglacial lakes. These facts prove by ariel and space

views from Google Earth (fig. 11-12).

For compare say, the single turbine power of

Krasnoyarsk HPP is 508 MW with at 93 m water pressure

head and 8.5 m rotor diameter. Altitudes of supralakes

are 800-1200 m a. s. l. With regard to bedrock altitude

(up to 500 m) ice thicknesses are 300-700 m. These

values are water pressure head for glacial mills for

this part of Greenland. In the case of the same

diameter of mill’s hole, its capacity is three-seven

times more that Krasnoyarsk HPP single generator. The

energy of mill was using direct here on small area.

Consequences are: 1 – basement rock disintegration: 2 –

removing of debris from holes and they became deeper: 3

– debris separation as on ore-dressing enterprise; 4 –

removing by water the fine grain debris far away. All

together aspects of the vortex system activities are

equal of mining plus ore-dressing and processing

enterprise. Sometimes in reality it looks as sludge

chamber system. Example presented on fig. 13.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13. Fresh deposits readily available for sampling

and prospecting.

Good Luck! Maybe.Small glacial mills limited by red square

There are some instrumental evidences of current

mills activity. At fig. 14 the Greenland ice sheet

hydrologic system and spreading of fine grain debris in

Greenland fjord sediment plumes are show. The

quantitative measures prove that mills are working

constantly. Presence of sludge in water streams is

strong evidence of this.

Elements of the Greenland ice sheet hydrologic system for land-terminating and marine-terminating glacier outlets, from Chu,V.W. (2014). Greenland Ice Sheet hydrology: a review. Progress in PhysicalGeography. 38(1):19-54 pdf

Greenland fjord sediment plumes

Sediment-rich meltwaterentering fjords from bothmarine-terminating outletglaciers and rivers fromland-terminating glacierscan become buoyant on thewater surface, creating aturbid sediment plumevisible in satelliteimagery.  The presence ofsediment plumes in outletglacier fjords signalsfreshwater release from theice sheet to the ocean,with plumes showing lowersalinity and highersuspended sedimentconcentration (SSC) thansurrounding marine water.The image on the rightshows a map of sedimentplumes around Greenland,representing a spatial andtemporal climatology of

metlwater export.  Highsediment concentration isassociated with high icesheet surface meltingand/or a high proportion ofland-terminating glaciers

Fig. 14.

About capacity of glacial mills has say

numerous kettle lakes and empty holes scattered at

Hudson Bay area where surface composed by

crystalline rocks (fig. 15).It was great job!

Fig. 15.

Concluding the analysis we present the most solid

evidence of vortex systems activity on the Canadian

Shield. They obtained from gold mining industry, i.e.

from practice. It means verification was strong.

Studies were done in Abitibi gold bearing zone. On fig.

16 it contoured by green line.

Fig. 16.

On fig. 17 the few fragments of detail topographic

maps are posted. On these maps we can see next

regularities: 1 – pits located within kettle lakes

area; 2 – few pits are on the small hills and ridges

(eskers); 3 – one pit located in river channel. First

and second type deposits formed directly vortex system.

Third type is derived, created by water erosion.

Fig. 17.

Some of the gold pits that connected with kettle

lakes are good visible on Space views (fig 18). First

example is more impressive. After depleted of deposit,

lakes and surrounded area were carefully cleaned (maybe

vacuum cleaner was used).

Fig. 18.

In a nutshell about possibilities using of this

knowledge for prospecting of placer gold and other

mineral deposits on Canadian Shield. They there are.

First of all. The analysis of Abitibi gold bearing zone

permits made suggest that some gold reserves are not

discovered.

On fig. 19 show on from many sand areas connected

to kettle lakes. Partly this area is looking fresh,

partly no. It means that one part arisen within Late

Wisconsin period. When second part was arisen unknown.

But placer deposits can be into both.

Fig. 19.

Taking into account the some features of the north-

west part of picture we can suggest that on this area

was “sludge chamber” like to fig. 13. This possibility

proves by next photo (other area of Canadian Shield).

The stratified deposit of diamicton could accumulate in

slow water basin, only. What minerals lay in this

horizon are unknown.

Fig. 20.

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