The Water Power-Brenton occurrence is located on Holyoak Creek, approximately 1.5 kilometres northwest of its junction with the Chemainus River.
Regionally, the area is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Middle to Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge Formation (Sicker Group) and by sediments of the Mississippian to Pennsylvanian Fourth Lake Formation (Buttle Lake Group). The local stratigraphy is disrupted by folding, faulting (pre-Triassic as well as Paleogene–Neogene) and the intrusions of gabbro and diabase sills and dikes (called the Mount Hall Gabbro) that are coeval with the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation.
The Sicker rocks on the Mildred Crown grant (Lot 96) have been locally metamorphosed to sericitic and chloritic schists which have a general northwest-trending strike and foliation. Pyrite, with minor chalcopyrite, occurs as stringers, elongate masses or as disseminations within the schistose units. Sulphide content varies within the units but is generally between 2 and 5 per cent. Lenses of massive sulphides up to 2 metres thick occur throughout some of the schistose units.
On the old Water Power-Brenton claims on Holyoak Creek, downstream from the Mildred claim, a selected sample assayed 20.5 per cent copper, 103 grams per tonne silver and a trace of gold (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1923, page 274).
Work History
The Midred claim was Crown-granted in 1903.
In 1976 and 1977, John Deighton prospected and mapped the Mildred and Nonsuch claims and surrounding area. In 1977, BHP-Utah Mines Ltd. conducted a program of geological mapping and a 2.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the Faith claim. In 1979, Union Miniere Exploration and Mining Corp. Ltd. conducted a soil sampling program on the area as the Faith and Nonesuch claims.
In 1982, Esso Resources Canada Ltd. completed ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the surrounding Brent 1 claim. In 1983, Cominco Ltd. conducted a program of geological mapping and soil sampling on the Nugget 1-2, Mildred and Nonesuch claims.
In 1989, Falconbridge completed two diamond drill holes, totalling 1056.2 metres, on the area as the Nugget Property. Drillhole NG89-2, located approximately 650 metres southeast of the occurrence, yielded intercepts of up to 0.25 per cent copper over 1.5 metres (352.0 to 353.5 metres downhole; Assessment Report 19765).
In 2006 and 2007, Laramide Resources completed a regional program of geochemical sampling and airborne geophysical surveys on the area immediately west as part of the Lara property. In 2008, Westridge Resources completed a 440.3 line-kilometre airborne geophysical (magnetic and electromagnetic) survey on the area immediately southeast as part of the Fortuna property. In 2009, Treasury Metals completed a program of structural mapping and whole rock geochemical sampling on the Lara property.
In 2010 and 2011, Rock-Con Resources completed a program of prospecting and rock sampling on the Mount Sicker property. In 2013 and 2014, Conarry Ventures Inc. conducted programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker property. Also in 2014, Treasury Metals completed a further program of structural mapping, whole rock geochemical sampling and environmental baseline studies on the Lara property. In 2018, Treasury Metals conducted a 6388.0-hectare airborne LiDAR survey on the Lara property.
In 2020, 911 Mining Co. conducted a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and silt) sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker property. In 2021 and 2022, Scenc Resources Corp. completed a minor program of geological mapping, rock sampling, a 1.8 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey and four backpack drill holes, totalling 14.9 metres, on the Mount Sicker property. Later in 2022, Sasquatch Resources Corp. completed a program of prospecting, geological mapping, drill core and rock sampling and a 418.2 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey on the Mount Sicker property.
