The Bertha-Molly (Dupont) occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1480 metres on a north-facing slope between Quenville and Meadow creeks, approximately 800 metres northeast of the north end of Dupont Lake.
The Dupont Lake area is underlain mainly by Upper Triassic Nicola Group intermediate volcanics and derivatives. Approximately 8 kilometres to the west, Nicola Group rocks are in contact with the Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith. Quartz diorite outcrops southwest of Dupont Lake.
The Bertha-Molly showing is hosted by purplish amygdaloidal andesites with intercalated reddish tuffs. These rocks are strongly fractured and chloritized. The original shaft was sunk at a point where patches of cuprite occur in fractures 0.9 to 1.4 metres wide.
More recent work (1986) reports malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite, cuprite and pyrite hosted by shears and fracture-fillings in vesicular volcanics and red tuffs. Mineralization is structurally controlled with an apparent north trend. A common alteration is calcite and epidote, with silicification becoming stronger at depth.
Historical sampling of the occurrence is reported to have yielded greater than 1 per cent copper over widths of 1.8 to 7.5 metres, whereas a drillhole (No.17) is reported to have yielded sludge samples of 0.35 and 0.50 per cent copper over 12.0 and 8.1 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 14959).
In 2019, three grab samples (MOL-1, -2 and -8) yielded from 1.02 to 8.48 per cent copper and 1.2 to 3.9 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 38305).
Work History
The area was first staked in 1888 by Wright and Fletcher and a 22.5-metre-long shaft was developed on the main (No. 1) zone. Small shipments of ore were reported to have been made from the shaft.
In 1928, Meadow Creek Mines worked the main zone and several tonnes of high-grade copper ore were sorted for shipment.
In 1942, George Campbell did some surface-stripping on a copper showing, approximately 457 metres west of the historical shaft. Production from this occurrence, known as the Lost group, is reported at 31 tonnes yielding 218 grams of silver and 626 kilograms of copper.
In 1954, Dunmore Mines Ltd. completed a program of trenching and 17 drillholes on the occurrence. In 1958, Vanex Minerals Ltd. completed a 125.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area south of the occurrence as the Arline, Copper Hill, Dunmore and Juliana claims.
In 1972, Consolidated Standard Mines Ltd. and Highhawk Mines Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling, a 30.5 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and two diamond drill holes, totalling 225 metres, on the area as the GJ and JIG claims.
During 1986 through 1988, Western Resources Technologies completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling and geophysical (induced polarization, electromagnetic and magnetometer) surveys on the area as the WRT claims.
In 1992, Grant Crooker completed ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the area as the LC 1 and Hom 1-6 claims.
In 2006, Laurence Sookochoff completed a program of photo-geological (lineament array) analysis of the area as the Mike claim. The following year, a 2.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey was completed.
During 2013 through 2015, Laurence Sookochoff, on the behalf of Guy and Christopher Delorme, carried out programs of structural analysis and geophysical surveys on the area as the Bertha property. In 2017, Laurence Sookochoff completed a program of historical geological, geochemical and geophysical data analysis and evaluation on the area. In 2018 and 2019, Kenneth Ellerbeck completed programs of prospecting and minor rock sampling on the area as the Rhyolite claim.
In 2020, Baden Resources Inc. completed a program of rock sampling, photo interpretation (structural analysis) and a 32.8 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the Bertha property.
