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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  07-Nov-2019 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI 092L12 Cu20
Name NORTH SHORE, LAKE, WITTI 3 Mining Division Nanaimo
BCGS Map 092L071
Status Showing NTS Map 092L12W
Latitude 050º 42' 37'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 127º 52' 05'' Northing 5618219
Easting 579921
Commodities Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Magnetite, Cobalt, Gold Deposit Types K01 : Cu skarn
K02 : Pb-Zn skarn
I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The North Shore (Lake) occurrence is located near the north shore of Nahwitti Lake, approximately 400 metres east-northeast of the lake’s western end.

Regionally, the area is underlain by northwest-trending belts of basaltic volcanics and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic Karmutsen and Quatsino formations (Vancouver Group) and mafic volcanics and sediments of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Bonanza Group (Holberg volcanic unit, Nahwitti River wacke and Parson Bay Formation). These volcanic and sedimentary rocks have been intruded by granodioritic rocks of the Early to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite.

Locally, Quatsino limestone and Karmutsen volcanics are in contact with monzonite and felsic dikes of the Island Plutonic Suite. A 3-metre wide skarn zone, associated with a felsic dike, has been traced intermittently by pits and trenches for approximately 300 metres to the northeast. The skarn consists of epidote, garnet and diopside, mineralized with magnetite and chalcopyrite.

In 1968, a 1.8-metre chip sample assayed 1.63 per cent copper, 12.3 grams per tonne silver and trace amounts of gold (Assessment Report 1610).

In 1988, a sample (NLR88-054) from trench 9 on the eastern end of the Lake zone assayed 9.39 per cent copper, 10.0 per cent zinc, 0.065 per cent cobalt and 150.4 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 18502).

Approximately 75 metres south of the skarn zone, a mineralized quartz vein occurs in silicified limestone. The vein hosts sphalerite, galena and minor chalcopyrite mineralization as disseminations and lenses. The vein has been exposed in two places separated by 60 metres. Small amounts of chalcopyrite and malachite are disseminated in the limestone, whereas disseminated pyrite and rare chalcopyrite are present in the volcanics.

In 1968, a 0.5-metre chip sample over the easternmost exposure of the vein assayed 6.46 per cent zinc, 3.26 per cent lead, 0.07 per cent copper, 186.5 grams per tonne silver and trace gold (Assessment Report 1610). At the westernmost exposure, a sample from a 0.1-metre wide stringer of galena assayed 9.18 per cent zinc, 53.24 per cent lead, 0.04 per cent copper, 4457.8 grams per tonne silver and trace gold (Assessment Report 1610).

Another zone of mineralization (Witti 3) is located approximately 650 metres north of the skarn zone and consists of an andesite with minor epidote and chlorite hosting disseminations and amygdules of pyrite-chalcopyrite near the contact of a quartz feldspar porphyry also hosting minor disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite.

In 1991, two samples (38539 and 38540) of andesite assayed 0.074 and 0.049 per cent copper with 0.48 and 0.11 gram per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 21607).

In 1965, Silver Standard Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and a ground magnetometer survey on the area. In 1966, Falconbridge Nickel optioned the property and completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling, ground geophysical surveys and 59 metres of packsack drilling. Also, in 1966, Giant Explorations Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling on the area as the HPH claims.

In 1968, Kodiak Mines completed a program of prospecting, geochemical sampling, geological mapping and a 50.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Jean, Lake, Ken and FTR claims. A minor amount of diamond drilling was also reported on the Raven zone in 1968 and 1971. In 1976, Rio Tinto Canadian Exploration Ltd. completed a 1.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the Lake and Jean claims.

In 1988, QPX Minerals Inc. completed a program of rock sampling and geological mapping on the area. In 1991, Universal Trident Industries Ltd. prospected and sampled the area immediately north as the Witti 1-3 claims.

Bibliography
EMPR AR *1936-F51; 1966-65; 1968-94
EMPR ASS RPT 870, *1610, 5951, *18502, 21607
EMPR EXPL 1976-E129; 1978-E182
EMPR GEM 1970-254; 1971-323
EMPR PF (Prospectus, QPX Minerals Inc., May 26, 1988, p. 23)
GSC ANN RPT 1886
GSC BULL 242
GSC MAP 1552A; 4-1974
GSC OF 9; 170; 463; 722
GSC P 69-1A; 72-44; *74-8; 79-30
CJES 18, p. 1; 20, p. 1, Jan., 1983
Carson, D.J.T., (1968): Metallogenic Study of Vancouver Island with
emphasis on the Relationship of Plutonic Rocks to Mineral Deposits,
Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University, Ottawa
Sangster, D.F., (1964): The Contact Metasomatic Magnetite Deposits
of Southwestern British Columbia, Ph.D. Thesis, University of
British Columbia

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