The Eel feldspar showing is located about 6.5 kilometres northeast of Abbotsford, between McKee Peak and Taggart Peak on the north side of Sumas Creek. The claims were staked in 1994 on behalf of J.D. Lee, president of Quality Industrial Minerals Ltd. The property is about 1 kilometre south of the Sumas Mountain 'Feldspar' prospect (092GSE037).
Regionally, the Eel showing is underlain by porphyritic biotite and hornblende-bearing granite to diorite of the Coast Plutonic Complex. These have intruded meta-andesite and metadacite with minor breccia and arkose, of the Jurassic Harrison Lake Formation. A valuable series of shales occurs in sedimentary rocks that cap the southwestern end of Sumas Mountain, just north of Kilgard (see Sumas Mountain Fireclay, 092GSE024; Clayburn Fireclay, 092GSE004; and Richmix Fireclay, 092GSE005). This sedimentary sequence consists of more than 366 metres of interbedded shales, sandstones and conglomerates. The major structural trend is northeast-southwest.
The Eel showing is underlain by volcanics of the Jurassic Harrsion Lake Formation. Felsic flows, and massive meta-andesite and metadacite, plagioclase porphyry flows comprise volcanics. Outcrop exposures are typically fine to medium grained, dark green and chlorite-altered. Jointing is predominantly subvertical, strike 160 degrees and commonly iron hydroxide stained. Other orientations are common but not regular. Fine grained pyrite, chalcopyrite, possibly other sulphides and quartz veinlets are locally present in joints.
The results of whole rock analysis on 3 samples were as follows:
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OXIDES WEIGHT %
SiO2 55.02 -64.90
Al2O3 16.67 -17.18
Fe2O3 5.62 -10.17
MgO 1.26 - 3.21
CaO 2.24 - 5.15
Na2O 3.67 - 7.09
K2O 0.39 - 2.80
TiO2 0.72 - 0.99
P2O5 0.11 - 0.32
MnO 0.04 - 0.16
Cr2O3 0.002- 0.007
Ba (ppm) 99 - 1003
LOI 1.9 - 2.8
Intermediate and mafic volcanic rocks differred mainly in their iron, calcium, sodium and potassium content (Assessment Report 23449). The rock is intended to be quarried and used as crushed rock for road base.
