The Bornite occurrence is located approximately 2.0 kilometres northeast of Aspen Grove and 250 metres southeast of the Coquihalla Highway (Phase 3 section).
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 gossanous and carbonate-altered Upper Triassic Nicola Group andesitic tuff and breccia, containing a few syenitic clasts (Central Belt, Bulletin 69). Mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite and trace bornite. Malachite accompanies limonite in surface exposures.
In 1991, a chip sample (91425) assayed 0.259 per cent copper and 0.425 gram per tonne gold over 5 metres, whereas a second chip sample (91424) yielded 0.564 per cent copper and 0.515 gram per tonne gold over 2.0 metres (Assessment Report 21824). A third chip sample (91423) yielded 0.979 per cent copper (Assessment Report 21824).
In 2012, a drillhole (BK-12-01), located several hundred metres south of the occurrence on an induced polarization anomaly, intercepted a propylitic- and potassic-altered basalt yielding two separate intercepts of 0.14 per cent copper over 39.0 and 24.0 metres (157.5 to 196.5 and 268.5 to 292.5 metres down hole), respectively (Assessment Report 33851).
Work History
In 1968, David Minerals Ltd. examined the occurrence area as the Touch claims. Later that year, Norranco Mining and Refining Co. Ltd. completed 20.0 line-kilometres of combined ground magnetic, induced polarization and self-potential surveys on the Broatch, Halo and Ram claims.
In 1971, Frontier Explorations Ltd. and David Minerals Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling and a 32.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Halo, Ram, Lou, Chalco, Magnus and Touch claims of the Hans Haveroen Copper property. During 1975 through 1980, David Minerals Ltd. conducted programs of geological mapping, self-potential surveys, trenching and five diamond drill holes, totalling 169 metres, on the area as the Halo, Touch, Broatch and Ex claims.
In 1991, Northair Mines Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling on the area as the Shear property. The following year, Placer Dome Inc. completed a program of geological mapping, trenching and soil sampling on the property. In 1993, Northair Mines Ltd. completed a further program of rock sampling on the property. In 1997, Christopher James Gold Corp. completed a program of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 13.8 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Big Kidd property.
In 2008, Christopher James Gold Corp. completed a 1113.5 line-kilometre airborne magnetic-radiometric survey on the Big Kidd property.
In 2011 and 2012, Xstrata Copper Canada Corp., on the behalf of Jiulian Resources Ltd., completed programs of prospecting, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, six diamond drill holes, totalling 1808.7 metres, and a 56.8 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the Big Kidd property. In 2018, Jiulian Resources Ltd. completed an 84.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the Big Kidd property. The following year, an 18.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey was completed.
