The Turlight past producer is situated southeast of Highway 5, 4 kilometres north of Nicola Lake and approximately 23 kilometres northeast of Merritt.

The area is located near the southwestern perimeter of the Lower Jurassic Nicola Batholith. This intrusive locally consists of gneissic hornblende-biotite granodiorite to quartz monzonite and exhibits widespread chlorite-epidote alteration. Foliation strikes approximately 335 degrees and dips 80 degrees to the west, though dip angles vary from nearly vertical to moderately northeastward. To the southwest, the batholith intrudes intermediate volcaniclastic rocks and interbedded sediments belonging to the Upper Triassic Nicola Group.

Faults on the property strike north to northwest and dip very steeply northeast. Shear zones contain lenses of mineralized vein matter. The Nicola Batholith granodiorite is intruded by numerous aplite dikes generally associated with quartz veining, and several feldspar porphyry dikes. The dikes are aligned with foliation or fault directions.

The Turlight occurrence consists of a 137-metre-deep inclined shaft, six levels of underground workings and several trenches. At the shaft, copper mineralization occurs in a quartz vein up to 1.5 metres wide with well-defined walls, striking 330 degrees and dipping 65 degrees northeast. The quartz hosts irregular masses, veinlets and disseminated grains of bornite, chalcopyrite, minor chalcocite and some malachite.

Work History

The Turlight copper deposit was discovered in 1928 and Turlight Mines Limited was incorporated in 1929. That year, an 18-metre-deep shaft was excavated to follow a prospective quartz vein. After many years of inactivity, Guichon Mine Limited acquired the property and put it back into production in 1947. From 1947 to 1948, the property was held under option by Anaconda Copper Mining Company. In total, seven drillholes, totalling 786 metres, were completed before Anaconda dropped the option on the property. Guichon Mine Limited continued production until 1951. At the end of production, six levels had been established along the 137-metre deep shaft. Between 1948 and 1951, approximately 136 to 181 tonnes of ore grading 5 per cent copper were shipped to the smelter at Tacoma , Washington State (Assessment Report 10518, page 2).

In 1956, Western Copperado Mining Corporation took control of the Turlight mine, dewatered the shaft and drilled approximately 609 metres on the 61-metre (200-foot) level. That year, approximately 41 tonnes of ore grading 6.91 per cent copper were shipped to the Tacoma smelter. Also at this time, a 66.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey was completed on the area as the Copperado property.

The following year, Shield Mining Surveys Limited completed a geophysical survey and 20 diamond drill holes, totalling 3036 metres. A short adit and several short drillholes were completed on a mineralized zone approximately 1.6 kilometres north of the Turlight shaft.

Toluma Mining and Development Limited optioned the property in 1960 and conducted work programs until 1963. Work included geophysical surveying, geochemical surveying and bulldozer trenching. Encouraging molybdenum and copper results were encountered in the Southeast zone (MINFILE 092ISE124, 092ISE125), along with encouraging copper results in the Northwest zone (MINFILE 092SIE123). Six diamond drill holes completed in the Southeast zone between 1961 and 1962 assayed low-grade copper-molybdenum-silver values.

In 1965, Rio Tinto Canadian Exploration Limited optioned the property and completed a magnetometer geophysical survey over the northwest and southeast zones. The property was then optioned to Great Slave Mines Limited in 1966. In 1967, Great Slave Mines completed magnetometer, photogeological and geochemical studies on the property. Also during this time, a joint provincial and federal government aeromagnetic geophysical survey was flown over the region and Valnicla Copper Mine Ltd. is reported to have completed 150 metres of trenching on the Peacock (MINFILE 092ISE132) occurrence area as the CA group.

In 1971 and 1972, Pacific Petroleum Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling, a 22.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey and a 25.4 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the Peacock (MINFILE 092ISE132) occurrence area as the Payroll and Old Mine claims of the Smith property.

Danstar Mines Limited acquired the Copperado property and dewatered the Turlight shaft again in 1973. This was followed by a program of surveying, geological mapping and sampling. Two blocks of values were identified in the collar area of the Turlight shaft above the 30-metre level: Block A contains 1197 tonnes grading 2.3 per cent copper, 30.8 grams per tonne silver and trace gold. Block B contains 916 tonnes grading 2.5 per cent copper, 13.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.3 gram per tonne gold (Lorimer, 1974).

In 1976, Danstar Mines conducted an exploration program consisting of three percussion drill holes, totalling 264 metres, at the Turlight mine, three percussion drill holes totalling 320 metres at the Copperado-TM 1 occurrence (MINFILE 092ISE125) and an induced polarization–resistivity geophysical survey over a portion of the property including the Turlight mine and Copperado-P66 occurrence (MINFILE 092ISE123).

In 1981 and 1982, Danstar Mines completed two BQ diamond drill holes, totalling 306.76 metres. Also in 1981, Newline Resources Ltd. and Nalos Mining Corp. completed programs of soil sampling and ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the occurrence area as the Mike and Sue claims, respectively.

In 1982, a drillhole (D-5-82) yielded intercepts of 0.23 per cent copper and 4.2 grams per tonne silver over 4.49 metres (98.17 to 102.66 metres down hole) and 1.23 per cent copper with 8.6 grams per tonne silver over 1.15 metres (131.17 to 132.32 metres down hole; Assessment Report 10518). The first intersection is located in the plane of the shaft whereas the second intercept comprises a previously unidentified mineralized zone located approximately 25 metres south of the shaft plane in the footwall zone. Also at this time, a surface chip sample (8504), located near the shaft, yielded 3.38 per cent copper and 85.9 grams per tonne silver over 1.65 metres (Assessment Report 10518).

In 1983, Acqualin Resources Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling, ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys and two diamond drill holes on the area.

In 1990, Peripheral Ex. completed a program prospecting and minor sampling on the Peacock (MINFILE 092ISE132) occurrence area as the Azure 2 claim.

The area was later acquired by C.R.C. Explorations Limited as the Cop property. In late 1996, LaMancha Resources Limited optioned the property, established 33.7 kilometres of grid and baseline and collected 1188 soil samples. The following year, exploration consisted of geological mapping, prospecting and rock sampling (184 samples). In 2000, the grid was extended to the north, east and west, followed by a ground magnetometer, very low frequency electromagnetic geophysical survey and the collection of 484 soil samples and 40 rock samples. An additional 10 kilometres of induced polarization surveying was completed over the West zone.

In 1992, Lord River Gold Mines prospected the area as the NL 1-3 and Riva claims of the Nic property. A 0.3-metre chip sample (968) of quartz vein from the southern extension of the Turnlight vein yielded 2.87 per cent copper, 27.1 grams per tonne silver and 0.86 gram per tonne gold, whereas a 30-metre channel sample (967) cut half way down the side of the main waste pile yielded 5.15 per cent copper, 48.1 grams per tonne silver and 0.19 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 22445). Also at this time, a select sample (966) from an ore bin yielded greater than 10 per cent copper, 122.4 grams per tonne silver and 0.52 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 22445).

In 2006, Columbia Yukon Explorations Incorporated optioned the property and completed five BQ diamond drill holes totalling 967.73 metres. Four holes were completed in the West zone (MINFILE 092ISE123) and one in the East zone (MINFILE 092SIE124 and 092ISE125).

Sometime prior to 2011, the Cop claim area was allowed to lapse and the Peacock property was staked over the area by Christopher Delorme. In 2011, claim owner Delorme retained Terry Garrow to conduct a ground geophysical survey and mineral evaluation on the Peacock property. Delorme followed up in 2012 by conducting a rock and soil sampling program.

In 2013, Dot Resources Ltd. completed a 4.6 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the Peacock property.

In 2014, Christopher Delorme completed a program of geological mapping on the area as the Dot property. The following year a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling was completed. A sample (P3) from the east wall of the shaft yielded 3.18 per cent copper and 36.3 grams per tonne silver, whereas a select sample (P6) from the dump pile yielded 15.80 per cent copper and 126 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 35529).

In 2016 and 2017, 12.5 line-kilometres of ground magnetic surveys were completed on the area by Christopher Delorme as Peacock property. The following year, a program of prospecting and rock sampling was completed. Two select samples (2018-PC-03 and -04) from the shaft dump pile yielded an average of 17.0 per cent copper, 169 grams per tonne silver and 0.60 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 37644).

In 2019, a minor program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and silt) sampling was completed on the property.