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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  26-Sep-2012 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI
Name NOEL, AULT, CHIP, N.B. 1, NB 1, NOEL PEAK Mining Division Lillooet
BCGS Map 092J066
Status Prospect NTS Map 092J10W
Latitude 050º 40' 29'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 122º 54' 30'' Northing 5613658
Easting 506477
Commodities Lead, Zinc, Copper, Silver Deposit Types G06 : Noranda/Kuroko massive sulphide Cu-Pb-Zn
Tectonic Belt Coast Crystalline Terrane Cadwallader, Plutonic Rocks
Capsule Geology

The Noel prospect is located in a cirque at the headwaters of Noel, Waterfall and Ault creeks, 15 kilometres south-southwest of Bralorne, British Columbia.

Regionally, the Noel prospect covers part of an anvil-shaped roof pendant composed of the Upper Triassic Hurley Formation of the Cadwallader Group, close to the eastern margin of the Jurassic to Cretaceous Coast Plutonic Complex, 12 kilometres southwest of the Cadwallader fault zone along the Bridge River Complex. Intense, amphibolite grade, contact metamorphism and related polyphase deformation have obscured protolith textures. At least two phases of metamorphism have been recognized. Regional deformation consists of a pronounced, compositional layering, subparallel foliation and a gneissic layering. The Coast Plutonic Complex consists of granite, granodiorite and quartz diorite.

At the Noel prospect, rocks of the Hurley Formation are composed of: quartzite metamorphosed to biotite quartz hornfels; felsic massive aphyric tuff and minor lapilli tuff, quartz-eye rhyolite; intermediate tuffs, flows and fragmentals metamorphosed to biotite- chlorite, cordierite-anthophyllite and biotite hornfels and schists; mafic lapilli tuffs and flows metamorphosed to biotite-chlorite schists, agglomerates, chert; shale and sandstone metamorphosed to biotite-cordierite schists that are tightly folded and have a strong schistosity. In the northeast portion of the prospect, units trend northwest and dip steeply east. In the southwest part of the property, units trend northeast and dip moderately northwest. These opposing structural trends are attributed to a series of northwest trending rotational faults. Granite dikes cut through and basalt dikes are parallel to the foliation in the Hurley Formation.

Sericite alteration adjacent to mineralized zones and the quartz-eye porphyry form the dominant alteration type at the Noel prospect. Sericite alteration forms elongate lenses parallel to foliation over a discontinuous strike length of 600 metres. Its development is attributed to an epigenetic hydrothermal event synchronous with the emplacement of the quartz-eye rhyolite. Silicification is also apparent adjacent to mineralized zones. Intense oxidation has produced locally gossanous areas containing limonite and pyrolusite.

Mineralization consists of four types: 1) disseminated to semi- massive coarse-grained pyrite in silicified mafic volcanics, 2) massive pyrite-silica lenses, 3) quartz-sphalerite with minor galena and chalcopyrite and 4) siliceous pyritic lenses. All of these mineralization types are hosted within or related to sericitic lenses. Calcite and feldspar also occur in sericitic alteration envelopes.

Finely disseminated pyrite is found throughout the metasediments, and locally, semi-massive to massive sulphide lenses ranging a few centimetres to 0.5 metre in width occur conformable to schistosity. The sulphides may comprise up to 50 per cent of the layers.

The first record of activity in the area was in the mid 1930s, when mineralization was apparently first discovered. In 1941, Bralorne Mines completed 335 metres of diamond drilling on the property. A number of trenches and pits were also excavated. In 1962, Hurley River Mines Ltd. examined the property on behalf of Amalgamated Resources Ltd. In 1980, an exploration program consisted of prospecting, mapping and sampling. Placer Development Ltd. conducted geochemistry and geophysical surveys in 1983. Geoquest Consulting Ltd. conducted a program of geological mapping and soil/rock geochemistry for Eureka Resources Ltd. In 1988, Goldpac Investments Ltd. staked the property, which was subsequently optioned to High Frontier Resources in 1990. In 1991, the claims were optioned to Kennecott Canada Inc. In 2010, Riverside Geoscience Inc. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling on the Noel Peak property.

One sample, taken over 0.1 metre in 1986, assayed 14.25 per cent lead, 7.65 per cent zinc, 2.52 per cent copper, 0.68 gram per tonne gold and 27.08 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 15278). In 1991, 127 lithogeochemical samples were taken and analysed for major oxides and 42 analysed for trace elements. Chip sample R2-91CKR-005, taken in 1991, yielded 0.27 gram per tonne gold, 2.0 grams per tonne silver, 1.10 per cent zinc, 0.61 per cent lead and 0.09 per cent copper over 0.20 metre (Assessment Report 21995). Chip sample R2-91CKR-004, yielded 0.09 gram per tonne gold, 1.67 grams per tonne silver, 0.65 gram per tonne lead, 0.55 per cent zinc and 0.04 per cent copper over 2 metres. Several other samples also produced anomalous gold, silver, zinc and lead values.

In 2010, fieldwork resulted in the discovery of a new base metal skarn occurrence. Skarn mineralization is characterized by relatively coarse sphalerite +/- galena and rare pyrite within a matrix of calcite, marble and coarse, euhedral to fine masses of brown garnet. Several grab samples from vertically banded zones returned anomalous values up to 2.25 per cent lead, 6.73 per cent zinc and 103.0 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 32192).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1941-58
EMPR ASS RPT 9517, 11896, *15278, 19325, *21995, *32192
EMPR FIELDWORK 1987, pp. 93-130; 1988, pp. 105-152; 1989, pp. 45-72
EMPR OF 1999-2
GSC OF 482
GSC P 77-2 (Sample GSC 76-49)
Placer Dome File

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