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File Created: 25-Apr-1987 by Peter B. Reid (PBR)
Last Edit:  02-Dec-2010 by Laura deGroot (LDG)

Summary Help Help

NMI 092H7 Bnt
Name SIMILKAMEEN BENTONITE, DEC, BUD Mining Division Similkameen
BCGS Map 092H038
Status Producer NTS Map 092H07E
Latitude 049º 23' 55'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 120º 32' 21'' Northing 5474681
Easting 678542
Commodities Bentonite Deposit Types E06 : Bentonite
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Quesnel, Overlap Assemblage
Capsule Geology

The Similkameen Bentonite prospect is 400 metres east of the Similkameen River, 7 kilometres south-southwest of Princeton.

The deposit is situated near the eastern margin of the Princeton Basin, a northerly striking fault-bounded trough filled by Eocene volcanic rocks of mainly intermediate composition, comprising the Lower Volcanic Formation, and an overlying Eocene sedimentary sequence of sandstone, shale, waterlain rhyolite tephra (tuff) and coal, up to 2000 metres thick, comprising the Allenby Formation.

The bentonite is hosted in a shale member in the upper part of the Allenby Formation (Princeton Group), known informally as the Ashnola shale (Open File 1987-19). The bentonite contains several thin sandstone beds in surface exposures. Drilling encountered a zone of sandy bentonite, 9 metres thick, at shallow depth. Two samples collected from drill holes averaged as follows (in per cent) (Paper 1983-3, page 20):

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SiO2 70.20

Al2O3 13.78

Fe2O3 + FeO 3.59

MgO 1.84

CaO 2.03

Na2O <0.30

K2O 0.20

TiO2 0.197

MnO 0.017

P2O5 0.036

H2O (105 C) 8.00

H2O (>105 C) 10.00

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This prospect was geologically mapped and drilled (3 holes) by Benpel Industries Ltd. in 1973. Western Industrial Clay Products operated the Bud bentonite quarry in 1999. Absorbent Products Ltd. operated the quarry in 2010.

Bibliography
EMPR ASS RPT *4528
EMPR FIELDWORK 1986, pp. 247-254
EMPR OF 1987-19
EMPR P *1983-3, pp. 19-21
GSC MAP 888A; 1386A; 41-1989
GSC MEM 243
GSC P 85-1A, pp. 349-358
EMPR PFD 881503

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