The Rupert occurrence is located near Rupert Creek, approximately 2 kilometres east of Rupert Inlet.
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, a quartz feldspar porphyry dike similar to that at the Island Copper (MINFILE 092L 158) deposit has intruded andesite tuff of the Bonanza Group and is associated with disseminated magnetite, pyrite and minor chalcopyrite and molybdenite. Minor chalcopyrite and molybdenite are also found in shears and quartz veins. The dike is an offshoot of the Rupert Island stock, which has been dated at 154±6 million years (Geological Survey of Canada Paper 74-8). Sericitic, propylitic and argillic alteration has resulted in the formation of quartz, calcite, epidote, sericite and pyrophyllite. Secondary hematite is also present.
In 1984, diamond drilling yielded up to 0.104 per cent copper over 15.0 metres, including 0.12 per cent copper and 0.048 per cent molybdenum over 9.0 metres in hole R-14 (Assessment Report 12768).
In 1993, a drillhole (C-330), located approximately 1.6 kilometres to the west, was reported to have yielded 0.21 per cent copper over 34.2 metres (Assessment Report 23276).
Work History
In 1970, Ballinderry Explorations Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling, a 56.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey and a 49.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Expo claims. During 1974 through 1977, BHP-Utah Mines completed 10 diamond drill holes, totalling 1835.0 metres, on the area as the Rupert and Expo claims. During 1983 through 1988, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of soil sampling and a further six diamond drill holes, totalling 1029.6 metres, on the Rupert, Expo, Sun, Moon and Pluto claims. In 1993, BHP Minerals Canada Ltd. completed three diamond drill holes, totalling 684.3 metres, on the area as the East 94 group.
In 2005, Lumina Resources Corp. and Moraga Resources Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling, a 670.0 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey and eight diamond drill holes, totalling 1108.7 metres, on the area as the Mo 1-18 claims. In 2011, North Island Mining Corp. completed a 21.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area. In 2018, Howson Ventures Inc. completed a program of rock and soil sampling on the area as the Rupert property.