The Ralph occurrence is located is located south of Hamilton Creek, approximately 9.5 kilometres east- southeast of Merritt.
The area lies near the eastern faulted boundary of the western belt of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. It is underlain by grey to green volcanic flows (generally plagioclase porphyritic andesite), breccia and tuff with minor interbedded limestone and sandstone. Bedding strikes north to northeast and dips moderately to the east. The Nicola Group rocks are locally sheared, brecciated, folded, silicified and epidote altered.
Bands of epidote skarn are developed in tightly folded, altered sedimentary rocks that host chalcopyrite, bornite, malachite, pyrite and magnetite. Mineralization also occurs in altered andesitic to rhyolitic volcanic rocks.
Work History
A historical shaft, of unknown age but likely dating to the early 1900s, is reported to have been developed on the occurrence.
During 1959 through 1961, Copper Soo Mining Syndicate completed programs of geological mapping, trenching and ground magnetometer surveys on the area as the Soo, Verna, Bare and Vulgar claims. Also in 1961, the Craigbeth Syndicate completed a ground magnetic survey on the area as the Ralph claims.
In the early 1970s, a program of surface trenching northeast of the historical shaft is reported to have exposed mineralization over a length of 60 metres and a width of 18 metres. Sampling of a trench is reported to have yielded 0.15 per cent copper over 18 metres, including 0.53 per cent copper over 3 metres (Assessment Report 7861). Also at this time, a lone drillhole is reported to have yielded approximately 0.16 per cent copper over 50.1 metres (Assessment Report 7861).
In 1976 and early 1977, B.R. Resources Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, rock sampling and drilling on the area. A sample of dump material from a shallow shaft located near the southwest corner of the BR 1 claim yielded 1.04 per cent copper and 21.9 grams per tonne silver (Property File - 10753).
In 1979, Scheer Energy Development Corp. completed five diamond drill holes, totalling 457.5 metres, on the area as the Jan 1-4 claims. Drilling yielded intercepts of up to 0.54 per cent copper over 19.5 metres, including 1.13 per cent copper with 6.8 grams per tonne silver over 12 metres in hole no. 4 (Assessment Report 7861).
In late 1979, Blue Diamond Resources Inc. completed an airborne electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric survey on the area immediately west of the occurrence as the Ben claims. The following year, a program of geological mapping and a 17.5 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electromagnetic survey was completed.
In 1988, Marici Resources Ltd. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 30.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area immediately north of the occurrence as the Moon claim.
In 1995, Cambridge Minerals Ltd. completed an 834.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the SK 1-16 claims.
In 2002, James McLeod completed a 2.4 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Cube claims. The following year, Nustar Resources Inc. completed a 15.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the claims.
In 2011, Terry Garrow, on the behalf of Christopher Delorme, completed a 10.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electric survey on the area as the Cube property. In 2013, Dot Resources Ltd. completed a 5.2 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the property. The following year, a program of geological mapping was completed.
