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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  30-May-2013 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI 092C16 Mn7
Name ROCKY, STRIKER, OSIRUS A, MT. FRANKLIN, MOFO, MEADE CREEK Mining Division Victoria
BCGS Map 092C090
Status Past Producer NTS Map 092C16E
Latitude 048º 54' 01'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 124º 10' 27'' Northing 5417035
Easting 413948
Commodities Rhodonite, Gemstones, Manganese, Copper Deposit Types Q02 : Rhodonite
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The Rocky deposit is located on the south slopes of Mount Franklin, about 3.5 kilometres north of Youbou. The Rocky workings have not been located, but are believed to be in the vicinity of the Osirus A claim.

The area is underlain by rocks of the Early to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite which intrude Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge Formation (Sicker Group) mafic volcanics and Mississippian to Pennsylvanian Fourth Lake Formation (Buttle Lake Group) ribbon cherts and crinoidal limestone. A major anticline occurs to the east of the property and the area is highly faulted.

Rhodonite and jasper occur in lenticular masses in cherts and cherty tuffs of the Lower Mississippian Shaw Creek Member (dated by conodonts, Personal Communication - Nick Massey, 1991) with associated rhodocrosite and spessartine. Disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite occur in quartz veins associated with diorite. Rhodonite development is restricted to areas of very dark ribbon chert which may be cut by major faults. Chert occurs in the general vicinity of Island Plutonic Suite intrusives and major faults. The main rhodonite pod is adjacent to a fault.

The main showing on the Osirus A claim is good quality, deep pink rhodonite which compares favourably with Hill 60 (092B 027) rhodonite. Lower quality rhodonite also occurs in the area. Rhodonite locally occurs in bands 2 to 5 millimetres wide and in crackle breccia veinlets and lenses. A faint pink colouration was noted in wider alteration zones. The main zone strikes 149 degrees and dips 30 degrees east over a 1 metre square area. The zone is capped by intense maganese oxide staining.

Surface stripping was done on the Rocky claim in 1977 and 1978; 555 kilograms of rhodonite were produced (Exploration in British Columbia 1977, 1978). The quantity of gem quality rhodonite on the Osirus A claim is low. From 1985 through 1989, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of geochemical sampling, geological mapping and ground and airborne geophysical surveys on the area as the Stiker Property. In 1988, Osirus Enterprises completed a program of prospecting on the Osirus A claim.

Bibliography
EMPR ASS RPT 13962, 14302, 15117, 16210, *18097, 19028
EMPR BULL *37, pp. 65-67
EMPR EXPL 1977-E255; 1978-E293
EMPR FIELDWORK 1978, pp. 38-40; *1986, pp. 223-229; 1987, pp. 81-91;
1989, pp. 503-510
EMPR MP MAP 1992-2
EMPR OF *1987-2; RGS 24, 1990
EMPR PF (In General File: B.C. Forest Products Road Map, Cowichan
Lake Area, 1963; In Commodity File - Sargent, H. (1956): Manganese
occurrences in B.C. and Leaming, S.F. (1966): Rhodonite in B.C. in
The Canadian Rockhound and Danner, W. R. (1976): Gem Materials of
B.C.; Plan of Stripping, date and source unknown)
EMPR SUM OF EXPL & DEV 1977
GSC MAP 1386A
GSC MEM 13
GSC OF 463; 821; 1272
GSC P 72-53 pp.32,56; 76-1A; 79-30
Carson, D.J.T. (1968): Metallogenic study of Vancouver Island with
emphasis on the relationships of mineral deposits to plutonic
rocks, Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University
Cowley, P. (1979): Correlation of Rhodonite Deposits on Vancouver
Island and Saltspring Island, British Columbia, Unpublished B.Sc.
Thesis, University of British Columbia
Hudson, R. (1997): A Field Guide to Gold, Gemstone & Mineral Sites of
British Columbia, Vol. 1: Vancouver Island, p. 102
Sargent, H. (1939): Manganese Deposits of Cowichan Lake
Munition Resources Commission of Canada, 1920 p. 92

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