The Porcupine occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1220 metres on a southwest-facing slope, north-northeast of Corbett Lake and approximately 2 kilometres south-southeast of Mount Nicola.
The area lies in a northeast-trending, fault-bound belt of Lower Cretaceous intermediate to felsic continental volcanic rocks with associated sedimentary and intrusive rocks which correlate with the Kingsvale Group. Locally, stratigraphic contacts strike 030 degrees and dip 35 degrees to the southeast and unconformably overlie Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcanics. In the vicinity are reddish brown to maroon-coloured andesitic to basaltic flows that are rich in plagioclase and, to a lesser extent, augite and zeolite (laumontite).
Mineralization consists of disseminations of chalcocite, native copper, cuprite, bornite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, magnetite and specular hematite in brecciated tops of subaerial flows. Minerals occur in amygdules and thin fractures. Minor malachite and azurite occur near the surface. The main occurrence contains a 15-metre-deep inclined shaft sunk on a mineralized amygdaloidal, dark grey basaltic flow that is overlain by red tuffs. Trenches, located approximately 30 and 80 metres south-southwest of the shaft, are reported to expose the mineralized auto-breccia zone with malachite staining.
The primary mineralized horizon is reported to have been traced for greater than 50 metres along strike with a width of 3 metres and dip of approximately 40 degrees southeast. A second 1.2-metre-wide mineralized horizon is also reported to have been identified by (1979) drilling.
Drill-indicated reserves are reported as 125 179 tonnes grading 2.0 per cent copper and inferred (possible) reserves as 453 550 tonnes grading 1.9 per cent copper (Northern Miner - 1967, 1969).
Work History
Around 1905, a 15-metre-deep inclined shaft sloping to the southeast was developed on the occurrence.
In 1956, Argyle Securities Ltd. completed a 31.6 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the BX group of claims. In 1957, Shield Mining Surveys Ltd. completed an electromagnetic survey and two short drillholes on the occurrence area.
During 1963 through 1969, Amalgamated Resources Ltd. completed an induced polarization survey, rock and soil sampling, trenching and at least 13 diamond drill holes on the area as the Porcupine claims. Drilling was completed within approximately 200 metres of the shaft and yielded from 6.35 per cent copper over 3.6 metres in hole 4 to 0.32 per cent copper over 28.2 metres in hole 12; the average of 12 drillholes yielded 2.21 per cent copper across 28.5 metres (Property File – 10525 and 800307). Also, during this time, chip and channel sampling of the shaft yielded an average of 1.79 per cent copper over 12.0 metres (Property File – 10527).
During 1970 through 1972, programs of soil sampling and 45.6 line-kilometres of ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys were completed on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the Bud claims. In 1978, Burdos Mines Ltd. completed a 12.5 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the CR 1 claim. In 1979, Pentagon Resources Ltd. completed five diamond drillholes, totalling 444.4 metres, on the CR 1 claim. No core was assayed. Also at this time, Cameron Resources Ltd. completed two drillholes, totalling 218.8 metres, on the CR 2 claim immediately south of the occurrence. No core was assayed.
In 1980, Sutherland Resources Ltd. completed a ground electromagnetic survey on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the TP 1 claim. The survey identified ten priority and five secondary anomalies. In 1981, W.G. Timmins Exploration and Development Ltd. completed an airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the DOR, OC, RB and TP claims.
Doublestar Resources Ltd. acquired an interest in the property in 1998. In 1999, Corbett Lake Minerals Inc. completed a program of prospecting and soil sampling on the area immediately south of the occurrence as the CP claims.
In 2001, the Douglas Lake Cattle Co. staked the area and completed a limited program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling in 2002. In 2004, G. Diakow prospected and sampled the area immediately south of the occurrence as the Fox and Loon claims of the Double Loon property.
In 2007, Etna Resources Inc. completed a 366 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area as the Aspen Grove property. In 2009, a further program of geological mapping, soil sampling, minor rock sampling and 48.8 line-kilometres of ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys were completed on the property. Composite chip samples (E111-1 and E111-2) of auto-breccia exposed on the north and south walls of the shaft yielded 1.93 and 0.92 per cent copper with 8.0 and 2.4 grams per tonne silver over 1.2 and 1.0 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 31213).
In 2012, Richard Billingsley completed a structural (lineament) analysis program on the area as the Porcupine property. In 2013, New Chris Minerals Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling on the area as the Aspen Grove property on behalf of Richard Billingsley. In 2018, Cazador Explorations Ltd. completed an airborne photo geological survey on the area.
