The Copper Canyon (L.22G) occurrence is located on the west bank of the Chemainus River, west and along strike of the volcanogenic-type Victoria (MINFILE 092B 004) past-producer, located on the opposite bank of the river.
Regionally, the area is located within the Cowichan uplift and is underlain mainly by andesitic to rhyolitic volcanics of the Middle to Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge and Myra Formations (Sicker Group). The local stratigraphy is disrupted by folding, faulting (pre-Triassic as well as Paleogene–Neogene), intrusions of gabbro and diabase sills and dikes (known as the Mount Hall gabbro) that are coeval with the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation (Vancouver Group).
The occurrence area is underlain mainly by felsic volcanic tuffs of the Middle to Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge Formation (Sicker Group). The rocks at the showing include graphitic schists and cherty sediments and tuffs which form a band within the rhyolitic volcanics. This is the same band of sediments which host the massive sulphides at the Lenora-Tyee (MINFILE 092B 001) deposit to the east. The strike of the sediments along the Chemainus River is approximately 080 degrees and the dip is 70 degrees south.
An adit has been driven on a quartz vein which varies in width from 2.5 to 46 centimetres, averaging approximately 33 centimetres. The tunnel follows the vein for 41 metres at which point it stops (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1902). The vein is reported to contain mostly pyrite with some chalcopyrite and traces of sphalerite and galena. Gold values are reported to be low. A 91-metre shaft was later put down on the Copper Canyon group (presumably on the claim of the same name) with drifts driven off it. Some attractive copper showings were reported. Assessment Report 4626 (Figure 3) shows a shaft on the claim near the Chemainus River.
A short adit is also reported on the Klondyke (L.68G) Crown-granted claim, approximately 1 to 1.5 kilometres to the west-northwest. The adit is reported to expose a 0.15- to 0.30-metre-wide quartz vein with massive pyrite, approximately 6.1 metres in from the mouth of the adit. Numerous test pits are reported on the adjacent Susan (L.23G) Crown-granted claim.
Another short adit is also reported near the west bank of the Chemainus River and near the western edge of the Muriel Fraction (L.108G) Crown-granted claim, approximately 500 metres south of the Copper Canyon workings.
Work History
In 1898, a tunnel or adit was driven for approximately 30.5 metres. In 1903, the area was held by Mount Sicker and Brenton Mines Ltd. who are reported to have conducted extensive work on the Victoria and Copper Canyon claims. By this time, the tunnel had been driven for approximately 94.5 metres with five crosscuts driven in north and south directions and a raise being developed at the end of the tunnel.
In 1928, the area was owned by Chemainus Valley Mining Company Ltd. The shaft was reported to be approximately 91.5 metres long by this time.
In 1971, a program of soil sampling and ground geophysical (electromagnetic, magnetic, induced polarization and seismic) surveys were completed on the Victoria, Elmore, Copper Canion, Susan and Klondyke claims. In 1972, Duncanex Resources completed a program of prospecting, line-cutting, geological mapping and a 34.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the surrounding area as the CF Group and Dawn claims. In 1973, Viva Ventures conducted a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and ground geophysical (electromagnetic [VLF], gravity, induced polarization, magnetic, self potential and seismic) surveys on the Copper Canyon property. In 1977, John Deighton conducted a minor program of geological mapping and geochemical (silt and soil) sampling on the area as the Elmore Fraction, Susan and Victoria claims. In 1978, a program of geological mapping and a 3.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey was completed on the area as the Coppermint property. In 1979, Union Mineire Exploration and Mining Corp. Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling and a 6.8 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the Charity property. Also during 1978 through 1980, S.E.R.E.M. Limited completed programs of geological mapping, ground geophysical surveys and soil sampling on the area immediately east as the Rocky claims.
During 1987 through 1990, Minnova completed programs of geochemical sampling and at least 24 diamond drill holes, totalling 6319.7 metres, on the area as the Mount Sicker and Twin properties. In 1987, five of these holes (CM-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6) were completed on the Copper Canyon and adjacent Coppermint 1-3 claims but failed to intersect any significant mineralization.
Also in 1989, Falconbridge completed two diamond drill holes, totalling 1056.2 metres, on the area immediately north as the Nugget Property. Drillhole NG89-1, located approximately 350 metres to the north of the Copper Canyon workings yielded intercepts including 0.25 per cent copper over 1.5 metres (152.0 to 153.5 metres down hole) and 0.11 per cent copper with 0.48 per cent zinc over 1.5 metres (350.2 to 351.7 metres down hole) in mafic and lapilli tuffs hosting fracture controlled and disseminated pyrite with trace chalcopyrite (Assessment Report 19765).
In 1998, a self potential geophysical survey was completed on the Copper Canyon property by Michael McNall.
In 2008, Westridge Resources completed a 440.3 line-kilometre airborne geophysical (magnetic and electromagnetic) survey on the area as part of the Fortuna property.
In 2010 and 2011, Rock-Con Resources completed a program of prospecting and rock sampling on the Mount Sicker property. A chip sample (9D), taken from a quartz vein near the mouth of the adit, assayed up to 12.25 grams per tonne silver and 3.11 per cent copper over 0.45 metre, and a rock sample (6B) from a quartz vein exposed at the river, downstream of the adit, yielded 7.63 per cent copper, 19.9 grams per tonne silver and 0.4 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 32278).
In 2013 and 2014, Conarry Ventures Inc. conducted programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker 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. A chip sample (S-5) from a 0.2- to 0.6-metre wide quartz vein hosting semi-massive chalcopyrite, located approximately 5 metres from the lower Copper Canyon mine adit, assayed 13.9 per cent copper, 67.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.19 gram per tonne gold, and a chip sample (S-6) from a 0.05- to 0.20-metre wide chalcopyrite vein exposed nearby in the river canyon assayed 0.83 per cent zinc, 19.65 per cent copper, 219 grams per tonne silver and 1.25 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 39405).
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, drillcore and rock sampling and a 418.2 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey on the Mount Sicker property.
