The Copper Swamp (Cu Swamp) occurrence is located in the northeastern headwaters of Gordon Creek, approximately 1.1 kilometres southwest of Abbott Lake.
The area is directly underlain by Border phase monzonites of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith, and to the east by Chataway phase granodiorites. The batholith intrudes Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcanics and sediments to the southwest. Nicola Group outcrops are sparse and tend to be chloritized or schistose. Flat-laying Middle and Upper Cretaceous Spences Bridge Group porphyritic andesites form cliffs to the south.
Locally, at the Copper Swamp zone, a course-grained granodiorite hosts quartz veins with carbonate and minor sulphides. Later work (2019) identified bornite, chalcocite and trace chalcopyrite with azurite and malachite staining associated with epidote-potassium feldspar-quartz veining.
In 2012, a rock sample (359630) assayed 0.432 per cent copper (Assessment Report 33522).
In 2013, a rock sample (WV13-R04) assayed 0.133 per cent copper (Assessment Report 34641).
A second zone of mineralization, referred to as the Trail Copper (Trail Cu-Pole 374) zone, is located several hundred metres northeast of the previous zone and comprises a potassium feldspar-epidote-sericite–altered Bethlehem Phase granodiorite with malachite-bornite-chalcocite and quartz veins with hematite associated with a nearby aplite dike.
A third zone of mineralization, referred to as the Abbot Trail zone, is located several hundred metres west-northwest of the Trail Cu zone and comprises Chataway phase coarse-grained granodiorites cut by quartz feldspar phyric and aplite dikes with weak to moderate potassic alteration; hematite-, carbonate-, epidote- and chlorite-filled fractures and malachite, azurite and thin veinlets of bornite. The zone is 5 to 10 metres wide, strikes 030 degrees with a dip of 90 degrees and has been traced for approximately 200 metres along strike.
In 2018, six outcrop grab samples yielded up to 7.94 per cent copper, 33.4 grams per tonne silver and 0.175 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 38172).
A fourth zone of mineralization is reported approximately 600 metres southeast of the Copper Swamp zone and comprises a variably chlorite-epidote-potassium feldspar-sericite–altered granodiorite with quartz veining and trace bornite-malachite mineralization.
In 2019, two samples (4352 and 4353) of mineralized aplite dikes from this zone yielded 0.51 and 0.22 per cent copper, respectively (Assessment Report 38907).
Work History
In 1961, Kamloops Copper Consolidated completed a program of geological mapping and ground magnetic survey on the area as the Rock claims.
In 1964 and 1965, Kamloops Copper Consolidated completed programs of soil sampling, geological mapping, and ground magnetometer surveys on the area as the Syl claims. In 1969, Cominco completed a program of geological mapping and an induced polarization survey on the area immediately northeast as the Highland Queen property.
In 2007 and 2008, Appleton Exploration completed programs of prospecting and soil sampling on the area as the Clapperton property.
In 2009, Christopher James Gold Corp. completed a program of rock, silt, and soil sampling on the area as the Craigmont West property.
During late 2008 through 2012, Happy Creek Minerals completed programs of geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling, geological mapping, three diamond drill holes, totalling 740.9 metres, an induced polarization survey and a 1463.0 line-kilometre airborne gamma ray spectrometer and magnetic survey on the area as the West Valley and Abbott properties.
During 2013 through 2019, Happy Creek Minerals Ltd. completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling, a 32.3 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and re-interpretation of historical airborne geophysical data on the area as part of the Rateria-West Valley property.
