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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  17-Dec-1991 by Peter S. Fischl (PSF)

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NMI 092H7 Cu10
Name RED BUCK (L.279), BORNITE (L.280), MOGUL (L.255) Mining Division Similkameen
BCGS Map 092H038
Status Past Producer NTS Map 092H07E
Latitude 049º 20' 51'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 120º 32' 59'' Northing 5468975
Easting 677961
Commodities Copper, Gold, Silver Deposit Types L03 : Alkalic porphyry Cu-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Plutonic Rocks, Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Red Buck mine is on the steep west bank of the Similkameen River, 12.5 kilometres south-southwest of Princeton. The Ingerbelle mine (092HSE004) is located 1 kilometre to the southwest.

This area along the Similkameen River, in the vicinity of Smelter Lakes, is underlain by intrusive rocks of the Early Jurassic Lost Horse Intrusions and the Early Jurassic Smelter Lake stock (Copper Mountain Intrusions), and volcanics of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. The Nicola Group volcanics were previously included with the Wolf Creek Formation (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 171). All units are unconformably overlain to the east by volcanics and sediments of the Eocene Princeton Group.

Irregular and ill-defined bodies of mineralization occur in micromonzonite and microdiorite of the Lost Horse Intrusions and in andesite of the Nicola Group. This mineralization is exposed in three adits over a vertical elevation of 47 metres on the Red Buck claim. The host rocks are cut by pegmatite veins, comprised of orthoclase, albite and quartz, striking northwest.

Mineralization consists of disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite, associated with pegmatite and secondary orthoclase. Stronger mineralization is localized along shears and joints striking northeast and dipping 60 degrees northwest. A sample taken over a length of 15 metres in the highest of the three adits (No. 3 adit), averaged 3 per cent copper, including 7.6 metres of 4.02 per cent copper (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 171, page 36).

A second area of copper mineralization is exposed in an adit 120 metres south of the above workings on the Bornite Crown-granted claim (Lot 280). Here, chalcopyrite and pyrite occur as disseminations and short fracture-fillings in a dark grey volcanic rock (andesite?). The sulphides are commonly developed in light-coloured, bleached alteration envelopes along fractures. Some of these fractures are filled with pink orthoclase.

Chalcopyrite also occurs as disseminations and blebs just north of the Red Buck mine on the adjoining Mogul Crown-granted claim (Lot 255). Assays from this mineralization averaged 8 per cent copper and 13 grams per tonne gold (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1901, page 1088).

This deposit was first explored some time before 1895. Two small ore shipments were made in 1910 and 1915 after some underground development in the early 1900's. The first shipment, consisting of 36 tonnes of sorted ore, averaged 4.8 grams per tonne gold, 51 grams per tonne silver and 6.63 per cent copper (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1927, page 253). A second shipment of 27 tonnes graded 2.7 grams per tonne gold, 31 grams per tonne silver and 6.27 per cent copper (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1937, page D25). Red Buck Mines Ltd. conducted extensive underground development between 1936 and 1938. The company commenced production in late 1938 with the completion of a 90 tonne-per-day flotation mill. Operations were shut down in early 1939 after producing 31 tonnes of concentrate grading 7 grams per tonne gold, 40 grams per tonne silver and 14.1 per cent copper.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1899-741; 1900-903; 1901-1088,1171,1172; 1904-300; 1906-255; 1908-128; 1915-446; 1916-261; 1919-172,173; *1927-253; *1928-265; 1936-D58; *1937-D24-D26; 1938-D37,D38; 1939-37,89; 1966-178; 1967-181,182
EMPR BULL *59, pp. 70-74
EMPR PF (Several rough sketches of the Red Buck workings, C.C. Starr (undated - probably 1920's or 1930's))
GSC MAP 300A; 888A; 1386A; 41-1989
GSC MEM *171, p. 36; 243, p. 89
GSC P 85-1A, pp. 349-358
CIM BULL Vol. 44, No. 469, pp. 317-324 (1951); Vol. 61, No. 673, pp. 633-636 (1968)
CJES Vol. 24, pp. 2521-2536 (1987)
Montgomery, J.H. (1967): Petrology, Structure and Origin of the Copper Mountain Intrusions near Princeton, British Columbia; unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of British Columbia
EMPR PFD 8820, 8821, 750453

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