169 169 53 71 53 71 53 53 37 169 217 11 332 38 11 73 73 1 135 135 65 65 65 1 1 1 1 1 65 65 65 65 Lake Vermilion Pelican Lake Nett Lake Moose Lake Myrtle Lake Kjostad Lake Lake Jeanette Loon Lake Black Bay Rainy Lake Shell Lake Oyster Lake Lake Agnes Stuart Lake Big Lake Big Moose Lake Big Rice Lake Cummings Lake Crab Lake Burntside Lake Pine Lake Trout Lake Oriniack Lake Lost Lake Bear Head Lake Bear Island Lake Birch Lake Sand Lake Sturgeon Lake Wasson Lake Round Lake Deer Lake Little Fork River Big Fork River Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) BWCAW BWCAW Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) BWCAW BWCAW BWCAW Voyageurs National Park East Rat Root River Peatland SNA West Rat Root River Peatland SNA Myrtle Lake Peatland SNA Nett Lake Peatland SNA Big Island SNA McCarthy Beach State Park Potato Lake SNA Potato Lake SNA Ladies Tresses Swamp SNA Bear Head Lake State Park Lake Vermilion- Soudan Underground Mine State Park Scenic State Park Lost Lake Peatland SNA Lost Lake Peatland SNA V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V A AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG AG Previously Unrecognized Area of High Gold Potential - Clusters of DNR surveyed till samples with high total and pristine+modified gold grain counts strongly suggest proximal gold-bearing bedrock source(s). Skala Road Murray Road South DNR Cook Project Area Regional Gold-in-Till Survey St. Louis County St. Louis County Koochiching County Koochiching County Koochiching County Koochiching County Itasca County Itasca County St. Louis County St. Louis County Itasca County Itasca County Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway T. 57, R. 13 T. 58, R. 13 T. 59, R. 13 T. 60, R. 13 T. 61, R. 13 T. 62, R. 13 T. 63, R. 13 T. 64, R. 13 T. 65, R. 13 T. 66, R. 13 T. 67, R. 13 T. 57, R. 14 T. 58, R. 14 T. 59, R. 14 T. 60, R. 14 T. 61, R. 14 T. 62, R. 14 T. 63, R. 14 T. 64, R. 14 T. 65, R. 14 T. 66, R. 14 T. 67, R. 14 T. 57, R. 15 T. 58, R. 15 T. 59, R. 15 T. 60, R. 15 T. 61, R. 15 T. 62, R. 15 T. 63, R. 15 T. 64, R. 15 T. 65, R. 15 T. 66, R. 15 T. 67, R. 15 T. 57, R. 16 T. 58, R. 16 T. 59, R. 16 T. 60, R. 16 T. 61, R. 16 T. 62, R. 16 T. 63, R. 16 T. 64, R. 16 T. 65, R. 16 T. 66, R. 16 T. 57, R. 17 T. 58, R. 17 T. 59, R. 17 T. 60, R. 17 T. 61, R. 17 T. 62, R. 17 T. 63, R. 17 T. 64, R. 17 T. 65, R. 17 T. 57, R. 18 T. 58, R. 18 T. 59, R. 18 T. 60, R. 18 T. 61, R. 18 T. 62, R. 18 T. 63, R. 18 T. 64, R. 18 T. 65, R. 18 T. 57, R. 19 T. 58, R. 19 T. 59, R. 19 T. 60, R. 19 T. 61, R. 19 T. 62, R. 19 T. 63, R. 19 T. 64, R. 19 T. 65, R. 19 T. 57, R. 20 T. 58, R. 20 T. 59, R. 20 T. 60, R. 20 T. 61, R. 20 T. 62, R. 20 T. 63, R. 20 T. 64, R. 20 T. 65, R. 20 T. 71, R. 20 T. 57, R. 21 T. 58, R. 21 T. 59, R. 21 T. 60, R. 21 T. 61, R. 21 T. 62, R. 21 T. 63, R. 21 T. 64, R. 21 T. 65, R. 21 T. 71, R. 21 T. 57, R. 22 T. 58, R. 22 T. 59, R. 22 T. 60, R. 22 T. 61, R. 22 T. 62, R. 22 T. 63, R. 22 T. 64, R. 22 T. 71, R. 22 T. 57, R. 22 T. 58, R. 23 T. 59, R. 23 T. 60, R. 23 T. 61, R. 23 T. 62, R. 23 T. 63, R. 23 T. 64, R. 23 T. 65, R. 23 T. 66, R. 23 T. 67, R. 23 T. 68, R. 23 T. 69, R. 23 T. 70, R. 23 T. 71, R. 23 T. 59, R. 24 T. 60, R. 24 T. 61, R. 24 T. 62, R. 24 T. 63, R. 24 T. 64, R. 24 T. 65, R. 24 T. 66, R. 24 T. 67, R. 24 T. 68, R. 24 T. 69, R. 24 T. 70, R. 24 T. 71, R. 24 T. 59 R. 24 T. 60 R. 24 T. 69, R. 25 T. 70, R. 25 T. 70, R. 26 T. 69, R. 26 T. 60, R. 25 T. 61, R. 25 T. 62, R. 25 T. 63, R. 25 T. 64, R. 25 T. 59, R. 25 T. 60, R. 26 T. 61, R. 26 T. 62, R. 26 T. 63, R. 26 T. 64, R. 26 T. 59, R. 26 Ramshead Lake Nina Moose Lake Whitewater Lake Colby Lake Embarrass Lake Esquagama Lake Big Rice Lake Ely Lake Hoyt Lakes Hoyt Lakes Aurora Aurora Biwabik Biwabik Eveleth Eveleth Babbitt Babbitt Virginia Virginia Chisolm Chisolm Hibbing Hibbing Tower Tower Bigfork Bigfork Orr Orr International Falls International Falls Effie Effie Cook Cook Fort Frances Fort Frances Canadian National Railway continues on from here to Prince Rupert, British Columbia Canadian National Railway continues on from here to Prince Rupert, British Columbia Exploration for Metallic Mineral Resources in Minnesota Gold The ARCHEAN SUPERIOR PROVINCE GREENSTONE BELTS Hosting Significant Gold Resource Potential in Northern Minnesota BACKGROUND The Archean Superior Province greenstone belts that host many of Canada’s richest gold camps continue along strike across the U.S. border and into the north- ern portion of Minnesota. The potential for gold in Min- nesota’s portions of the Wawa and Wabigoon Subprov- inces is excellent, and the exploration models used for nearby gold deposits in Northwestern Ontario (e.g. New Gold, Hammond Reef, Moss Lake/Shebandowan), should be considered. Overburden thickness and compo- sition in Minnesota range from thin layers of glacial drift in the northeast, to saprolite buried under thicker layers of glacial deposits in the northcentral part of the State. The possibility of supergene enrichment within sapro- litic zones adds to the list of viable ore deposit models, and expands the area of viable greenstone belt gold ex- ploration. HIGHLIGHT Previously Unrecognized Area of High Gold Potential – In 2015 the DNR identified two areas with high bedrock gold potential within a portion of the Wawa Subprovince granite greenstone terrane (see T.61, R.14-15 on the map). Clusters of till samples with high total and pris- tine+modified gold grain counts strongly suggest proximal gold-bearing bedrock source(s). Disclaimer The State of Minnesota makes no representations or warranties express or implied, with respect to the use of the information contained herein regardless of its format or the means of its transmission. There is no guarantee or representation to the user as to the accuracy, currency, suitability, completeness, usefulness, or reliability of this information for any purpose. The user accepts the information “as is." The State of Minnesota assumes no responsibility for loss or damage incurred as a result of any user’s reliance on this information. All maps, reports, data, and other information contained herein are protect- ed by copyright. Permission is granted to copy and use the materials herein for any lawful noncommercial purpose. Any user of this information agrees not to transmit or provide access to all or any part of this information to another party unless the user shall include with the information a copy of this disclaimer. The BIGFORK AREA The LINDEN GROVE AREA The VERMILION DISTRICT The VIRGINIA HORN AREA The INTERNATIONAL FALLS AREA Archean Superior Province Map: February 2017 - Exploration for Metallic Mineral Resources Gold References: Jirsa M and Southwick D (2003) Mineral Potential and Geology of Minnesota. Minnesota Geological Survey, University of Minnesota. Retrieved 2010-12-08. Jirsa, Mark A.; Boerboom, Terrence J.; Chandler, V.W.; Mossler, John H.; Runkel, Anthony C.; Setterholm, Dale R.. (2011). S-21 Geologic Map of Minnesota-Bedrock Geology. Minnesota Geological Survey. Ontario Geological Survey (1993) Bedrock geology, seamless coverage of the Province of Ontario; Ontario Geological Survey, Data Set 6. Scale 1:1,000,000. Ontario Geological Survey (2017) Mineral Deposit Inventory—2017. Map Locator Duluth Minneapolis and St. Paul MINNESOTA Iron Ore Mining Features Biwabik Iron Formation Taconite or Natural Iron Ore Pit Tailings Basin State Exploration Leases General Bedrock Geology Map Units Penokean Virginia Formation, Thomson Formation, or Pokegama Quartzite Mafic metavolcanic and metasedimentary or mafic intrusive rocks: (MGS S-21 map units - Auv, Avs, Amv, Amm, Ami, Akv, Aks, Akc, Agp, Acv, Aag) Map Scale 1:175,000 Massive granodiorite to granite or intermediate to felsive intrusive rocks: (MGS S-21 map units - Agd, Agm, Agn, Agr, Agt, Agu, Aqa, Aqg, Aql, Aqm, Aqp, Aqt, Asd) Metaconglomerate, sandstone: Asc Metasedimentary rocks and derived gneisses: (MGS S-21 map units - Asg, Aqs, Ams) Archean Superior Province Related Map Units Iron formation: Aif Iron formation Penokean Related Map Units Active state nonferrous metallic mineral leases See company label codes below for map labels. Terminated state nonferrous metallic mineral leases (1967-August 2016) Bedrock Geology data from the Minnesota Geological Survey’s 2011 S-21 statewide map at 1:500,000 scale. State active and terminated/expired nonferrous metallic minerals leases (as of 2/1/2017) and iron ore mining features (as of 1/1/2015) from DNR’s Division of Lands and Minerals. Company labeled codes Gold (Au) Related State Leases AG - AngloGold Ashanti Minnesota has 33 state leases V - Vermillion Gold has 24 state leases A - Agate Lake Resources has 1 state lease ONTARIO, CANADA MINNESOTA USA Quetico Subprovince Quetico Subprovince Wabigoon Subprovince Wawa Subprovince Wawa Subprovince Inset Map Displaying Gold Mines, Past Producers, and Geologic Subprovinces in Minnesota and Ontario Subprovince Types Gold Plutonic Metasedimentary Volcanoplutonic Producing Mine Past Producer Exploration Areas in Minnesota Printed Map Scale: 1:12,000,000 Base Maps: 1:500,000 (MGS)/1:1,000,000 (OGS) After Jirsa and Southwick (2003), OGS (2017) Hammond Reef Cameron Lake International Falls Virginia Horn Bigfork Vermilion Linden Grove Advanced Gold Projects in Canada: Rainy River - 8M oz Hammond Reef - 7M oz Moss Lake - 3M oz Cameron Lake - 1.5M oz Cook New Gold English River Subprovince Winnipeg R. Subprovince Uchi Subprovince Berens R. Subprovince Moss Lake HEMLO DISTRICT LAKE ABITIBI DISTRICT BEARDMORE- GERALDTON DISTRICT PICKEL LAKE DISTRICT RED LAKE DISTRICT Lake Superior 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miles