The Serpentine beryllium occurrence is located at the headwaters of Serpentine Creek, approximately 6.5 kilometres southeast of Lempriere.
Metasediments and interlayered metabasites of the Semipelite Amphibolite and lower Pelite units of the Neoproterozoic (Hadrynian) Horsethief Creek Group host locally abundant pegmatite pods and layers in the area. The region has been affected by three phases of deformation, which produced large tight folds and a pervasive, intense foliation. Regional metamorphism is within the kyanite and sillimanite stability fields of amphibolite grade. Temperatures have been estimated at 595±12 degrees Celsius and pressures at 5.5±0.6 kilobars (Geological Survey of Canada Paper 89-1E, pp. 95-100). This metamorphism has been determined to have occurred circa 100 Ma, based on field relations, high-precision U-Pb zircon and monazite analyses and petrogenetic constraints (Geology, v. 18, p. 103-106).
Beryllium occurrences are fairly numerous in a belt along the northeastern margin of the Western Cordillera region. Cordilleran pegmatites are mainly in areas that are perhaps more highly metamorphosed than areas with non-pegmatite deposits (Geological Survey of Canada Economic Geology Report No. 23).
Pegmatite pods and dikes up to 15 metres thick are found throughout the area and intrude all lithologies. Field relations vary widely: Some pegmatites are folded by phase three deformation whereas others are not and can be seen to truncate the host rock layering. Pegmatites may be extremely coarse-grained with individual muscovite and biotite crystals locally exceeding 15 centimetres (Geological Survey of Canada Paper 89-1E, pp. 95-100).
At the Serpentine showing beryl crystals up to 20 millimetres in diameter have been found in pegmatite (Industrial Minerals File). Refer to the Mica Mountain (MINFILE 083D 019) and Yellow Creek (MINFILE 083D 007) showings for a more detailed description of beryllium-bearing pegmatites.
The Little Chicago carbonatite occurrence is composed of a medium- to coarse-grained, mainly magnesiocarbonatite with ±magnetite, ±imlenite, ±hematite, ±apatite, ±richerite and ±phlogopite.
In 2008, seven chip samples (32776 through 32781, 32954) from the Little Chicago carbonatite yielded values of up to 58.7 parts per million tantalum, 179.4 parts per million niobium and approximately 1373 parts per million total rare earths with average values of approximately 29.7, 97.1 and 1160 parts per million, respectively (Assessment Report 31174). Values for promethium and scandium were not reported.
Work History
The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Verity (MINFILE 093D 005) and Fir (MINFILE 083D 035) occurrences, and a complete regional exploration history can be found there.
During 2008 through 2013, Commerce Resources Corp. completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling and a 2439.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and radiometric survey on the area as a part of the Blue River property.
In 2024, Capacitor Metals Corp. conducted a program of historical data compilation and interpretation on the area as a part of the regionally extensive Blue River Property.
