The ME occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1180 metres on an east-facing slope, west of Quilchena Creek and approximately 4.1 kilometres northeast of Mount Nicola.
Regionally, the area is situated in north-trending Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcanic and sedimentary rocks and Lower Jurassic granitic intrusions. The occurrence area is underlain by augite-plagioclase porphyritic andesitic and basaltic flows with intercalated crystal and lithic tuffs and minor argillite. These are variably epidotized and generally green in colour. Intrusives vary from monzonitic to dioritic composition with diorite being the most predominant. Extensive dyke swarms are mapped in the north-central part of the property. The Quilchena fault system trends northeast through the region.
Mineralization occurs in sheared flows and tuffs along branches of the regional fault and numerous conjugate fractures and consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite, and minor amounts of molybdenite with associated silver values. Malachite and azurite staining are also reported. In the zone of mineralization, the volcanics have been altered to hornfels and exhibit a strong north-northeast–trending fabric. Quartz and calcite stringers characterize this zone though they are not necessarily intimately associated with the mineralization.
In 1969, a diamond drill hole is reported to have yielded an average of 0.035 per cent copper and less than 0.01 per cent molybdenite, whereas 6-metre sections of percussion drill cuttings yielded from trace to 0.40 per cent copper and trace to 0.056 per cent molybdenite (Assessment Report 4325).
In 1983, a grab sample (72587) from a trench, located east-southeast of a former (collapsed) adit and 3-metre-deep shaft to the east of a small lake, assayed 4.6 per cent copper, 22.28 grams per tonne silver and 0.003 per cent molybdenite, whereas two dump samples (71199 and 71200) from the adit yielded an average of 3.94 per cent copper, 7.4 grams per tonne silver and 0.003 per cent molybdenite (Assessment Report 12957). Also at this time, a chip sample (72589) from trenches, located approximately 340 metres northeast of the previous adit, yielded 0.29 per cent copper and 0.003 per cent molybdenite over 4.0 metres, whereas a grab sample from the trench yielded 2.34 per cent copper, 25.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.003 per cent molybdenite (Assessment Report 12957).
Work History
In the 1940s or 1950s, an inclined shaft was developed on the occurrence. Other adits and shafts are reported in the area. Carolin Mines Ltd. acquired the property in the 1960s and completed a program of geochemical sampling, trenching, four percussion drill holes and a single diamond drill hole.
In 1972, Toronado Development Corp. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and a 6.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the ME, TYE and YT claims.
In 1983, SXT Resources Ltd. prospected and sampled the area as the Thel 1-4 and Sun claims. In 1987, Iota Exploration completed a prospecting and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling program on the area as the Bonus claim group.
In 2001, the Douglas Lake Cattle Co. staked the area and completed a limited program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling in 2002. The claims were re-staked in 2005 and 2006 by R. Billingsley, G. Richards and G. Diakow.
In 2007, Etna Resources Inc. completed a 366 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area as the Aspen Grove property. In 2009, a further program of geological mapping, soil sampling and 48.8 line-kilometres of ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys were completed on the property.
In 2013, New Chris Minerals Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling on the area as the Aspen Grove property on behalf of Richard Billingsley.
