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Gays River
Nova Scotia, Canada
Main commodities: Zn Pb


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Gays River is a carbonate hosted lead-zinc deposit in the lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) Windsor Group, 55 km NE of Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The orebody is found on one flank of a porous dolomitised carbonate bank unconformably overlying a basement ridge of lower Palaeozoic metasediments.

The orebody comprises stratabound, open space filling, disseminated, galena and sphalerite in primary and secondary pores of the host dolomite and as fault controlled vein like bodies of high grade massive sphalerite and galena.   The host carbonate bank is overlain by younger lower Carboniferous evaporites.

Ore development is interpretted to have involved four stages, namely:

i) deposition of the pre-ore carbonate bank and overlying evaporites, followed by pervasive dolomitisation and growth of diagenetic marcasite;
ii) deposition of sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and calcite;
iii) post-ore development of calcite, fluorite, barite, marcasite, pyrite and selenite and
iv) uplift, localised de-dolomitisation of the mineralised carbonates and erosion in the Cretaceous.

The resource totalled 12 Mt @ 7% Pb+Zn, of which 0.9 Mt were mined.

For detail see the reference(s) listed below.

The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 1984.    
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd.   Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.


  References & Additional Information
   Selected References:
Akande S O, Zentilli M  1984 - Geologic, fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies of the Gays River Lead-Zinc deposit, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v79 pp 1187-1211
Chagnon A, St.-Antoine P, Savard M M, Heroux Y  1998 - Impact of Pb-Zn Sulfide precipitation on the clay mineral assemblage in the Gays River deposit, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 779-792
Chi G, Kontak D J, Williams-Jones A E  1998 - Fluid composition and thermal regime during Zn-Pb mineralization in the Lower Windsor Group, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp883-895
Kontak D J  1998 - A study of fluid inclusions in Sulfide and nonSulfide mineral phases from a Carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb deposit, Gays River, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 793-817
Kontak D J, Farrar E, McBride S L  1994 - 40Ar/39Ar dating of fluid migration in a Mississippi Valley-type deposit: the Gays River Zn-Pb deposit, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v89 pp 1501-1517
Ravenhurst C E, Reynolds P H, Zentilli M, Akande S O  1987 - Isotopic constraints on the genesis of Zn-Pb mineralization at Gays River, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v82 pp 1294-1308
Ravenhurst C E, Reynolds P H, Zentilli M, Krueger H W, Blenkinsop J  1989 - Formation of carboniferous Pb-Zn and Barite mineralization from basin-derived fluids, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v84 pp 1471-1488
Sangster D F, Savard M M, Kontak D J  1998 - Genetic model for mineralization of Lower Windsor (Visean) Carbonate rocks of Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 932-952
Sangster D F, Savard M M, Kontak D J  1998 - Sub-basin-specific Pb and Sr sources in Zn-Pb deposits of the Lower Windsor Group, Nova Scotia, Canada: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 911-919
Savard M M, Chi G  1998 - Cation study of fluid inclusion decrepitates in the Jubilee and Gays River (Canada) Zn-Pb deposits - characterization of ore-forming brines: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 920-931
Savard M M, Kontak D J  1998 - d13C-d18O-87Sr/86Sr covariations in ore-stage Calcites at and around the Gays River Zn-Pb deposit (Nova Scotia, Canada) - evidence for fluid mixing: in    Econ. Geol.   v93 pp 818-833


Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge.   It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published.   While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants:   i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and   ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.

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