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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  27-Nov-2014 by Laura deGroot (LDG)

Summary Help Help

NMI
Name SETTLER CREEK, NI, ZONE 4 Mining Division New Westminster
BCGS Map 092H052
Status Showing NTS Map 092H12E
Latitude 049º 33' 38'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 121º 39' 24'' Northing 5490640
Easting 597146
Commodities Nickel, Copper Deposit Types M02 : Tholeiitic intrusion-hosted Ni-Cu
Tectonic Belt Coast Crystalline Terrane Plutonic Rocks
Capsule Geology

The Settler Creek showing occurs in a similar setting to the Pacific Nickel mine (Pride of Emory - 092HSW004), located at the head of Texas Creek, approximately 15 kilometre to the southeast.

The Cogburn Creek area is underlain by Early and Middle Cretaceous aged diorite, quartz diorite and granodiorite assigned to the Spuzzum Intrusions. These rocks have intruded metasediments and metavolcanics belonging to the Cretaceous Settler Schist and host irregular masses of ultramafic rock. Members of the Settler Schist include quartz-muscovite(-garnet) schist and hornblende and hornblende-feldspar schist and phyllite (Geological Survey of Canada Map 41-1989). Regional foliation strikes from 290 to 320 degrees and dips from 45 to 85 degrees to the northeast. It is generally parallel to layering, although some foliation across layering suggests isoclinal folding (Eastwood, 1971 - Property File). The ultramafic masses comprise serpentinized pyroxenite and peridotite which are probably related to those found at the Pacific Nickel mine.

In the immediate area of the showing, diorite, gabbro and norite enclose irregular masses of pyroxenite. Several dyke-like bodies of green pegmatitic hornblendite and diorite cut these rocks. The pyroxenite is medium grained and dark grey-brown in colour and comprises pale pink hypersthene and brown to colourless clinopyroxene. Accessory magnetite and pyrrhotite were estimated at three and four per cent respectively in one example, the latter occurring as small elongate blebs interstitial to the pyroxene crystals. Traces of chalcopyrite were also observed locally. Pyrite is sparsely distributed throughout most of the rocks in the area.

Of six chip samples ranging from 2.44 to 16.5 metres wide taken across both diorite and pyroxenite, the best assay was 0.08 per cent (total) nickel and 0.033 per cent copper. A high proportion of this nickel was silicate nickel.

Giant Explorations Ltd. carried out a major exploration program in the Cogburn Creek area in the early 1970's in an effort to extend the life of the Pacific Nickel Mine. It was during this period that the Settler Creek showing was discovered, along with numerous minor sulphide occurrences associated with local ultramafic bodies underlying the area.

Bibliography
EM EXPL 2001-23-31; 2002-29-40,65-80
EM FIELDWORK 2001, pp. 221-223
EMPR ASS RPT 2469, 2583, 2583, 3155, 3280, 3356, 3442, 3580, 3614
3615, 3635, 4070, 4071, 4536, 5527
EMPR GEM 1970-248; *1971-258-264; 1972-116; 1973-153-154; 1975-E74
EMPR OF 1990-27
EMPR PF (Miscellaneous maps and air photographs by P. Eastwood; Prospectors Report
2000-1 by David Haughton)
GSC MAP 737A; 12-1969; 41-1989
GSC P 69-47
EMPR PFD 826756, 826694

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