The Archean volcanic rocks in the Cameron–Rowan lakes area may be divided into three distinct successions based on field mapping, petrographic studies, and lithogeochemical characteristics. The lowermost Rowan Lake Volcanics are tholeiitic pillowed basalts. These rocks are unconformably overlain by the Cameron Lake Volcanics, a mixed succession of tholeiitic massive and pillowed basalts and intermediate to felsic volcaniclastic rocks. The Brooks Lake Volcanics consist of tholeiitic basalts and represent the youngest volcanic rocks at the top of the preserved succession.Most of the gold concentrations in the Cameron–Rowan lakes area are confined to the mixed Cameron Lake Volcanics. The majority of these, including the Cameron Lake deposit, occur within shear zones near lithologic contacts. In the Eagle–Wabigoon and Manitou lakes areas there are similar stratigraphic subdivisions of the supracrustal rocks and many of the gold concentrations also occur in deformation zones within the mixed volcanic successions. The contrasting competencies among the basalts, the intermediate to felsic volcaniclastic rocks, and the intrusive rocks, which are characteristic of the mixed volcanic successions, localized stress during deformation, forming shear zones into which gold-bearing fluids gained access. The potential for successfully delineating economic gold concentrations appears greatest in the mixed volcanic successions within these areas and elsewhere in the western Wabigoon Subprovince of the Canadian Shield.