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File Created: 28-Oct-2019 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)
Last Edit:  07-Nov-2019 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI
Name M34 EAST, G, ISLAND COPPER Mining Division Nanaimo
BCGS Map 092L063
Status Prospect NTS Map 092L11W
Latitude 050º 36' 45'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 127º 29' 22'' Northing 5607824
Easting 606873
Commodities Copper, Molybdenum Deposit Types K01 : Cu skarn
L04 : Porphyry Cu +/- Mo +/- Au
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell, Plutonic Rocks
Capsule Geology

The M34 East (G zone) occurrence is located approximately 450 metres east-northeast of the north eastern end of Frances (Bay) Lake.

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, as identified by drilling, several horizons of epidote-pyrite–altered magnetite-garnet and/or pyroxene skarn along the top and bottom contacts of the Quatsino limestone for 7.2 and 11.3 metres, respectively, along with a further six skarn horizons in Parson Bay Formation sediments. The skarn zones contained minor chalcopyrite and sphalerite mineralization, whereas altered tuffs of the Bonanza Group contained disseminated chalcopyrite and quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite plus/minus molybdenite veins. An underlying quartz-felspar intrusive hosts quartz-molybdenite veins.

In the 1970s, a drillhole located near the east end of Frances Lake is reported to have intercepted 300 metres averaging 0.22 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16778).

In 1986, a drillhole (E-067) intercepted the skarn zones and yielded up to 0.39 per cent copper over 16.1 metres, including 0.76 per cent copper 1.5 metres, whereas the volcanics yielded from 0.07 to 0.27 per cent copper and samples of quartz-molybdenite veins averaged 0.13 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 15707).

In 1989, a drillhole (E-86), located east of Frances (Bay) Lake, yielded 0.14 per cent copper over 93.0 metres and 0.18 per cent copper with 0.016 per cent molybdenum over 27.0 metres, including 0.38 per cent copper with 0.017 per cent molybdenum over 3.0 metres from quartz-magnetite-amphibole(?)-pyrite stock-worked volcanics (Assessment Report 18744).

In 1994, drilling of mineralized tuffs from the G zone yielded intercepts of 0.22 per cent copper over 33.5 metres and 0.27 per cent copper over 12.2 metres in hole E-177 and 0.24 per cent copper over 21.3 metres in hole E-178 (Assessment Report 23377).

In 1965 and 1966, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of geological mapping, soil sampling and ground geophysical programs on the area as the Bay and Cove claims. During the 1970s, 18 drillholes, totalling 5047 metres, were reportedly completed around Frances Lake and west of the Island Copper (MINFILE 092L 158) pit.

In 1986, Utah Mines completed a program of soil sampling, ground geophysical surveys and six diamond drill holes, totalling 3127.0 metres, on the area. In 1989, BHP-Utah Mines completed four diamond drill holes, totalling 1867.8 metres, on the area. In 1994, BHP Minerals Canada Ltd. completed 18 diamond drill holes, totalling 1783.1 metres, on the area.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1966-65; 1967-68; 1968-84,88
EMPR ASS RPT 710, 738, 9305, *15707, *16778, *18744, *23377
EMPR GEM 1969-88; 1970-254,267
GSC ANN RPT 1886
GSC BULL 242
GSC MAP *4-1974
GSC OF 9; 170; 463; 722
GSC P 69-1A; 72-44; *74-8; 79-30
CIM Spec. Vol. *46, pp. 214-238
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

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