The airborne electromagnetic discovery of the Detour zinc‐copper‐silver deposit, northwestern Québec

In June 1974, a diamond drill operated for Selco Mining Corp. intersected zinc‐copper sulfides in Brouillan Township in northwestern Québec. To date, two bodies have been outlined. These bodies were discovered during a ground follow‐up of a Mark VI Input® electromagnetic (EM) survey. The Input survey covered an area selected on the basis of regional geology and local outcrops of acid volcanic rocks. Conductors were identified that appeared to be associated with potentially favorable geology. They were selected for ground follow‐up. One was the discovery zone. The airborne responses over the zone were less encouraging than those often observed over highly conductive massive sulfides. The low apparent conductivity‐thickness (5 mhos) was suggestive of conductive overburden. However, the character of the profiles suggested a bedrock source. Ground geophysical confirmation identified a drill target. Subsequent to the discovery, more intensive geophysical surveys, both ground and airborne, were carried out. The best EM response suggested a confined source within a much larger mineralized halo. Weaker ground EM response from the halo correlated with the early channel response of the Input system. An airborne EM survey conducted in 1958 over the same area identified both conductive zones. However, they were not followed up. Only with later advances in exploration philosophy, geologic appreciation, and instrumentation were the conductive zones recognized as viable exploration targets.