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File Created: 27-Mar-1987 by Allan Wilcox (AFW)
Last Edit:  09-Jun-2020 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

Summary Help Help

NMI 092I6,7 Cu3
Name HIGHMONT (WEST), WEST PIT, HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER Mining Division Kamloops
BCGS Map 092I045
Status Past Producer NTS Map 092I06E
Latitude 050º 26' 13'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 121º 00' 27'' Northing 5589111
Easting 641493
Commodities Copper, Molybdenum Deposit Types L04 : Porphyry Cu +/- Mo +/- Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Highmont deposits are located in the central core of the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Guichon Creek batholith and are hosted primarily by Skeena variety quartz diorite to granodiorite. Skeena rocks are intruded by the composite Gnawed Mountain porphyry dyke which trends west-northwest and dips vertically in the central portion of the property. This dyke consists of biotite-quartz- feldspar porphyry derived from the Bethsaida phase leucocratic quartz porphyry and breccia. Small, pre-mineral plagioclase-quartz porphyry and aplite dykes are scattered throughout the property. Tertiary lamprophyre and andesite porphyry dykes also occur. The property is cut by several north striking faults.

Potassic, phyllic, argillic and propylitic alteration on the property is weak compared to that at other deposits in the Highland Valley district. Argillic and propylitic alteration are entirely fracture-related, grading outward from a central vein or fracture through a zone of intense kaolinite alteration into chlorite-epidote-sericite-albite alteration and finally into unaltered rock. Alteration zones vary from several centimetres to 50 metres wide.

The principal economic minerals are chalcopyrite, bornite and molybdenite occurring in veins and fractures. Chalcocite is present in minor amounts. Pyrite and specular hematite are gangue minerals. Minor chalcopyrite disseminations occur within a few centimetres of mineralized veins and shears. Veins of grey, brecciated quartz are up to 1 metre wide and are cut by seams of molybdenite and clay minerals. Mineralized clay gouge also occurs at the edges of veins. These zones consist mainly of quartz, albite, calcite and kaolinite and are usually accompanied by several metres of intensely argillized wallrock.

The West pit was mined first; East pit production began concurrently. See Highmont mine (092ISE013) for production statistics.

Reserves for the East Pit are reported as 800,000 tonnes of 0.15 per cent copper and 0.048 per cent molybdenum (CIM Special Volume 46, page 175).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1957-27; 1959-30; 1962-49; 1963-47; 1964-89; 1965-148;
*1966-158; 1967-158; 1968-189
EMPR ASS RPT 286, 5342, 5409, 5754, 6556, 7770, 13257, 13802
EMPR BULL 56; 62
EMPR EXPL 1975-E83; 1977-E145; 1979-169; 1984-205
EMPR GEM 1969-244; 1970-330; 1971-344; 1974-131
EMPR MAP *30; 65 (1989)
EMR MP CORPFILE (Torwest Resources (1962) Ltd.; Highmont Mining Corp.;
Teck Corporation Ltd.; Anaconda Co. (Canada) Ltd.)
EMR MP RESFILE (Ide)
GSC MAP 886A; 1010A; 42-1989
GSC MEM 249; 262
GSC OF 980; 2167, pp. 99-114
GSC P 46-8; 47-10; 77-12
CIM Special Volume 15 (1976); 64, No.716 (1971); *46, pp. 161-191
GAC Fieldguide 1, 1985
GCNL #202,#208, 1977; #105, 1981
N MINER, Oct.27, 1977; Jan.28, 1982
Northcote, K.E. (1968): Geology and Geochronology of the Guichon
Creek Batholith, British Columbia, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, The
University of British Columbia
Witt, P. (2007-04-26): Technical Report - Review of Highland Valley Copper Operations
Graden, R. (2011-04-08): NI 43-101 Technical Report - Teck Highland Valley Copper
Graden, R. (2013-03-06): NI 43-101 Technical Report - Teck Highland Valley Copper
Placer Dome File
Falconbridge File

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