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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  07-Dec-2021 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI
Name BLUEY, BLOO, NOR, TOM CAT Mining Division Nicola, Similkameen
BCGS Map 092H088
Status Showing NTS Map 092H15E
Latitude 049º 52' 35'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 120º 35' 13'' Northing 5527680
Easting 673371
Commodities Copper, Silver, Lead, Zinc, Molybdenum, Cadmium Deposit Types D03 : Volcanic redbed Cu
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Bluey occurrence is located approximately 1.2 kilometres west-northwest of the north end of Bluey Lake and 2.0 kilometres southwest of the south end of Kentucky Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by the Upper Triassic Nicola Group, which regionally consists of alkalic and calc-alkalic volcanics and intrusions of island arc origin, and which is the principal component of the Quesnel terrane in southern British Columbia (Geological Survey of Canada Maps 41-1989, 1713A). The area lies in the Central Belt or facies of the Nicola Group (after Preto, Bulletin 69). This belt of rocks mainly consists of subaerial and submarine, red or purple to green augite plagioclase porphyritic andesitic and basaltic flows, volcanic breccia and tuff, and minor argillites and limestone. The volcanics are intruded by bodies of comagmatic Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic diorite to monzonite. The area is characterized by long-lived, primarily north-striking faults and related fracturing, which originally controlled intrusion emplacement. East-striking faults are subordinate, and commonly offset intrusive contacts.

The occurrence is hosted in brecciated and altered pyroxene-plagioclase porphyritic andesite of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group (Central Belt, Bulletin 69). Mineralization consists primarily of chalcopyrite and malachite, as fracture coatings, and as streaks and disseminations interstitial to breccia fragments. Chalcopyrite and galena are found in calcite and quartz veinlets. Chalcocite and azurite are also reported. Alteration minerals include epidote, chlorite, quartz and sericite. This mineralization is exposed in several trenches over a 20-square-metre area. Pervasive brown carbonate alteration is associated with sulphide mineralization and veining.

In 1985, analyses of four rock samples (2059 through 2062) spaced over 85 metres along a north-trending trench averaged 0.711 per cent copper and 5.4 grams per tonne silver, whereas a rock sample (2066), taken several hundred metres to the south of the previous samples, yielded 2.176 per cent copper and 25.1 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 14141, Drawing 5b).

In 1987, two rock samples (6754 and 6807) from the occurrence area yielded 3.53 and 1.06 per cent copper with 4.3 and 6.6 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 17118).

In 1996, two grab samples (28518 and 28519) of brecciated and silicified volcanics hosting malachite and chalcocite associated with quartz veinlets, carbonate, chlorite, epidote, limonite and trace sericite from the approximate occurrence area assayed 0.82 and 0.95 per cent copper, respectively, whereas a grab and a 2-metre chip sample (28520 and 28521) of brecciated and silicified volcanic hosting fine-grained pyrite, galena, sphalerite, malachite, tetrahedrite(?) and smithsonite(?), located a short distance south of the previous samples, yielded 0.024 and 0.002 per cent molybdenum, 1.62 and 0.61 per cent copper, 0.97 and 0.19 per cent lead, 8.09 and 3.83 per cent zinc, 0.100 and 0.054 per cent cadmium with 20.8 and 7.3 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 24522).

In 1997, three grab samples (28331 through 28333) of porphyritic basalt with fracture-related pyrite, azurite, malachite and epidote, located in the approximate vicinity of this mineralized zone, yielded from 0.261 to 1.035 per cent copper, 0.133 to 0.353 per cent lead, 0.140 to 3.926 per cent zinc, 0.003 to 0.053 per cent cadmium and 4.9 to 9.9 grams per tonne silver, whereas a sample (28335) from a small limonite- and malachite-stained shear, located a short distance north-northeast of the previous samples yielded 1.473 per cent copper (Assessment Report 25158).

In 2006, a chip sample (K-04) assayed 0.919 per cent copper, 0.155 per cent lead, 0.797 per cent zinc and 10.9 grams per tonne silver over 4 metres (Assessment Report 28782).

Work History

A number of historical prospect pits are reported to have been developed on the occurrence area.

In 1956, Fidelity Uranium Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and trenching on the area immediately south of the occurrence as the Nor claims.

Scope Development Ltd. and Alscope Consolidated Ltd. conducted trenching, soil sampling, geophysical surveying and some diamond drilling on the area in 1964 and 1967.

During 1975 through 1981, Fred Gingell completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (soil and rock) sampling and geophysical surveys on the area as the Bluey claims. In 1985, Vanco Explorations Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area as the Bloo, Climax and Thor claims. In 1987, a further program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the claims.

In 1990, MineQuest Exploration Associates Ltd. completed a minor program of prospecting, geological mapping and rock sampling on the area as the Al 1-3 and Ken claims. In 1992, Pacific Copper Fields Inc. and MineQuest Exploration Associates Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and rock sampling on the claims. In 1996 and 1997, Len Harris and later Matrix Energy Inc. completed programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Tom Cat and Climax claims.

In 2004, Copper Hill Exploration Corp. completed a program of geological mapping and photogeological interpretation on the area as the Ketchan property. In 2006, Bold Ventures Inc. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 28.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Casper claims of the Kentucky Lake property. The following year, six diamond drill holes, totalling 1025.9 metres, were completed on the property.

In 2013, Victory Resources Corp. completed a photogeological structural (lineament) analysis on the area. In 2018, Enduro Metals Corp. completed a minor program of prospecting, geological mapping and sampling on the area as the Tom Cat property. The following year, Enduro Metals Corp. completed a further minor program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the property.

Bibliography
EMPR BULL 69
EMPR EXPL 1976-E87; 1979-156; 1981-49; 1985-C187
EMPR MAP *15 (1974)
EMPR P 1981-2
GSC MAP 888A; 1386A; 41-1989
GSC MEM 243
GSC OF 2167, pp. 93-98
GSC P 85-1A, pp. 349-358
CJES Vol. 16, pp. 1658-1672 (1979); Vol. 24, pp. 2521-2536 (1987)

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