The Turlight North (Copperado North) occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1510 metres on a northwest-facing slope, east of Clapperton Creek and approximately 6.5 kilometres northeast of the community of Nicola.
The area is located near the southwestern perimeter of the Lower Jurassic Nicola Batholith. This intrusive locally consists of gneissic hornblende-biotite granodiorite to quartz monzonite and exhibits widespread chlorite-epidote alteration. Foliation strikes approximately 335 degrees and dips 80 degrees to the west, though dip angles vary from nearly vertical to moderately northeast. To the southwest, the batholith intrudes intermediate volcaniclastic rocks and interbedded sediments belonging to the Upper Triassic Nicola Group.
Faults in the area strike north to northwest and dip very steeply northeast. Shear zones contain lenses of mineralized vein matter. The Nicola Batholith granodiorite is intruded by numerous aplite dikes generally associated with quartz veining, and several feldspar porphyry dikes. The dikes are aligned with foliation or fault directions.
Locally, chalcopyrite-bornite bearing quartz veins with malachite±azurite staining have been identified.
In 2015, a sample (PC2) from the dump of the adit assayed 3.17 per cent copper and 37 grams per tonne silver, whereas a sample (PC1) of chalcopyrite-bornite–bearing quartz vein, taken a short distance west of the adit, yielded 3.05 per cent copper and 37 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 35848). Also at this time, two samples (P9 and P2) of similarly mineralized, 8- to 30-centimetre-wide quartz veins, located approximately 250 and 500 metres southeast of the adit, yielded 0.65 and 1.35 per cent copper with 16.4 and 7.0 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 35529).
Work History
The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Turlight (MINFILE 092ISE055) occurrence and a complete exploration history of the area can be found there.
A short, approximately 6-metre long, historical adit and a drillhole collar, located above the adit, have been identified at the occurrence.
