The Schorn (Schorn and Lakeview zones) occurrence is located near the south shore of Coppermine Lake on Grouse Mountain.

Regionally, the area is underlain by a sequence of north west striking andesite flows and pyroclastics, with lesser rhyolite and basalts of the Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group) and a north north-west trending sedimentary sequence comprised of marine black shale, argillite, siltstone and greywacke with intercalated tuffs and breccia of the Upper Jurassic Ashman Formation (Bowser Lake Group). The volcanic and sedimentary rocks are intruded by dikes and small stocks which strike north-northwest and dip west-southwest. These include feldspar porphyry, biotite feldspar porphyry, monzodioritic to gabbroic intrusives and aphanitic basic dikes of the Late Cretaceous Bulkley Plutonic Suite and Eocene Goosly Plutonic Suite. Alteration has affected mainly the feldspar and ferromagnesium minerals producing mica and clay minerals, chlorite, limonite, carbonates, and less commonly epidote.

The Lakeview zone consists of two quartz veins enriched in chalcopyrite and sphalerite, exposed near the south shore of Coppermine Lake. These veins strike across gently dipping greywacke and argillaceous beds toward an aphanitic basic dike about 76 metres to the southwest.

In 1951, a chip sample from the footwall section of the western adit of the Lakeview zone yielded 208.6 grams per tonne silver, 2.5 per cent copper and 25.1 per cent zinc over 1.68 metres (Kemp, R. (2015-07-01): Technical Report on the Grouse Mountain Property).

The east vein, explored by an open cut 6 metres in length near lake level, contained an estimated 30 per cent sulphides. A 1.0 metre sample assayed trace gold, 178 grams per tonne silver, 2.28 per cent copper, 0.08 per cent lead, 13.6 per cent zinc, and 7.2 per cent iron (Geology, Exploration and Mining 1972, page 410).

In 1985, a 1.3 metre sample from an open cut assayed 0.17 grams per tonne gold, 474.2 grams per tonne silver, 4.97 per cent copper, 0.45 per cent lead, and 12.84 per cent zinc. A 1.0 metre sample from an old adit assayed 0.03 per cent gold, 174.5 grams per tonne silver, 2.31 per cent copper, 0.02 per cent lead, and 9.16 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 14256).

The Schorn zone is comprised of an assortment of veins and veinlets striking northeasterly at approximately 025 degrees from the contact of an aphanitic basic dike over 67 metres to a point near the southwest shore of Coppermine Lake. The mineralized veins crosscut gently dipping beds of dark brown tuff and grey siltstones.

The apparent main vein exposed in the trenches at the northeast end of the zone, is about 25 centimetres wide consisting of quartz and mineralized wall rock with 17 per cent combined pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. An assay of this material yielded trace gold, 116.6 grams per tonne silver, 1.0 per cent copper, 0.03 per cent lead, 9.1 per cent zinc, and 3.86 per cent iron (Geology, Exploration and Mining 1972, page 410).

In 1985, a 0.25 metre sample from a hand dug trench assayed 0.34 grams per tonne gold, 134.4 grams per tonne silver, 0.89 per cent copper, 0.03 per cent lead, and 9.96 per cent zinc. Another 0.25 metre sample from an open cut assayed 0.03 grams per tonne gold, 343.2 grams per tonne silver, 1.90 per cent copper, 0.12 per cent lead, and 16.72 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 14256).

Work History

The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Copper Crown (MINFILE 093L 026) occurrence and full regional geology and exploration history can be found there.

In 1914, L. Schorn and S. Bush identified chalcopyrite and sphalerite mineralization on Grouse Mountain. In 1916, the Cassiar Crown Copper Company, which was formed to consolidate the various holdings, completed a short adit on the Lakeview occurrence.

In 1924 and 1925, an adit was driven for approximately 24.3 metres along a narrow vein, approximately 7.6 metres above and slightly west of the previous short adit. The adit exposed two nearly parallel mineralized zones reaching a maximum width of 2.83 metres.

In 1951, Copper Ridge Silver Zinc Mines Ltd. completed three drill holes, totalling 93.9 metres, were completed on the Schorn zone and 14 drill holes, totalling 470.9 metres, were completed on the Lakeview zone. The following year, a further 468.8 metres of surface drilling was completed on the Lakeview zone, along with geological mapping and sampling of underground workings and surface exposures.