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File Created: 23-Jul-1986 by Larry Jones (LDJ)
Last Edit:  30-Aug-1999 by Peter S. Fischl (PSF)

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NMI 103B6 Cu3
Name COPPER QUEEN (L.77) Mining Division Skeena
BCGS Map 103B024
Status Showing NTS Map 103B06E
Latitude 052º 16' 44'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 131º 13' 26'' Northing 5794387
Easting 348289
Commodities Copper, Iron, Magnetite Deposit Types K03 : Fe skarn
K01 : Cu skarn
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The Copper Queen claim (Lot 77) is located nearly one kilometre south of Harriet Harbour, on either side of a small steep creek at about 290 metres elevation, on the southeast coast of Moresby Island.

The Copper Queen is the key claim of a large block between Harriet Harbour and Huston Inlet originally held by J.S. McMillan. This block covers over 875 acres on Lots 77, 85, 87, 88, 92, 331, 2597 to 2604, 2607, 2608. These include Modoc (103B 031), Reco (103B 033), Moresby Island (103B 036), Eagle Tree (103B 037), Blue Belle (103B 032) and Magnet (103B 034). Some of the claims have remained in the McMillan family while others have been held by Jedway Iron Ore Limited and The Granby Mining Company Limited (see Jessie, 103B 026).

The Copper Queen showings were discovered around 1906 and the lot was Crown-granted to McMillan in 1909. In 1907 and 1908 some stripping was done, three short adits and one long adit were started and a tramline was cut to the beach. By 1909 the long adit reached its target but results were disappointing. The combined length of the four adits was about 137 metres. Very little further activity was reported until 1954 when R.E. Legg carried out diamond drilling in several short holes.

Silver Standard Mines Limited optioned 21 Crown-granted claims in this vicinity in 1956. Diamond drilling on the Copper Queen totalled 372 metres in 9 holes. Tonnage and grade have been estimated at 9,071 tonnes of 1.5 to 2 per cent copper.

The property has remained in the McMillan family and in 1968 was held by Paul McMillan.

The deposit occurs within amphibolitized greenstone of the upper part of the Vancouver Group, Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation at the contact of mafic-rich quartz diorite of the Jedway Stock. The Jedway Stock is part of the Burnaby Island Plutonic Suite dated as Middle to Late Jurassic in age. The volcanics strike 050 degrees and dip 30 degrees north. North trending unaltered green pyritic andesite dikes cut the mineralization.

A bedded horizon of massive magnetite lenses, with streaks, blebs and veinlets of chalcopyrite and pyrite, as well as garnet and actinolite occur 15 metres above the contact. The main lens is exposed for 7.6 metres along strike and 12 metres down dip with a 3 metre width. Minor lenses of magnetite with chalcopyrite occur at the contact. Malachite is present also. At the fringe of the lenses, vuggy quartz-pyrite-magnetite veinlets occur.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1907-66; 1908-59-60; 1909-71,275; 1910-84; 1911-76; 1912-110; 1913-104; 1914-162; 1919-40; 1920-44; 1923-44; 1925-65; 1926-67; 1928-64; 1929-60; *1961-14
EMPR BULL *54, pp. 209-210
EMR MP CORPFILE (Silver Standard Mines Limited)
GSC EC GEOL Series 3, Vol. 1, 1926, pp. 37,51
GSC MAP 1385A
GSC P 88-1E, pp. 213-216, *221-227; 89-1H, pp. 95-104,*105-112; 90-10, PP. 59-87; 91-1A, pp. 383-391
GSC SUM RPT *1909, p. 77
MIN REV Mar./Apr., 1988, pp. 19-24
EMPR PFD 840917

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