Niobec mine, Saint-Honoré carbonatite complex, Saint-Honoré, Le Fjord-du-Saguenay RCM, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, Canada

Formerly: Niobec mine, Saguenay (Chicoutimi), Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Co., Québec, Canada

Operative since more than 25 y.
Located 15 kilometres northwest of Saguenay city (merged in 2002 with Chicoutimi city).
Notable for the large, thick prismatic barite crystals produced.

The Niobec orebody, which measures 600 metres by 800 metres, is situated in the southern part of the Saint-Honore carbonatite complex, which is mainly comprised of dolomitic carbonates in the centre and calcitic carbonates on the edges. This carbonatite is an oval-shaped pluton covering 12 square kilometres. The deposit is open at depth (www.cambior.com).

The Niobec property now covers a total area of approximately 1,735 hectares, comprising two mining leases and also includes 43 claims totaling 1,605.6 hectares. http://www.iamgold.com)

The two niobium-bearing minerals are pyrochlore and columbite, containing up to 70% niobium pentoxide (Nb205) (www.cambior.com).
The minerals are dispersed in the rock finely grained and rarely visible to the naked eye.

References:
www.cambior.com

Kennedy, I. & Gagon, G. (1981): Barite from the Niobec Mine Chicoutimi, Quebec. Mineralogical Record 12:355-357

http://www.iamgold.com/op_mines_niobec_desc.htm

http://www.infomine.com/index/properties/NIOBEC_MINE.html