The Chopper vein is situated between Mount McGillivray and Royal Peak, approximately 17 kilometres southeast of Bralorne, in the Pacific Ranges. The area is underlain by metamorphosed metasediments of the Mississippian to Jurassic Bridge River Complex (Group). The Chopper vein is a strongly mineralized, northwesterly trending structure intermittently exposed for over 2400 metres and ranging from 1 to 5 metres in width. The vein is hosted in quartz-biotite schist and volcanics, containing localized lenses of limestone and dolomite. "Spotted" schist and Permian and older serpentinite of the President Ultramafics lie adjacent to the vein. Diorite to quartz-diorite Cretaceous to Tertiary Bendor plutons outcrop to the north of the vein.

Mineralization within the vein consists of tetrahedrite, galena, chalcopyrite and pyrite with minor amounts of calcite, sphalerite, stibnite and arsenopyrite in a vuggy, white quartz matrix. Alteration products of malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, realgar, orpiment, hematite, goethite and limonite also occur.

In 1987, drill hole C87-02 yielded 254.7 grams per tonne silver over a 4.7 metre section (true width of 2.2 metres; Assessment Report 8657).

Work History

In the 1930’s, several short adits were developed on the Hazard and Empire Crown-granted claims.

In 1980, Chopper Mines Ltd. sampled and mapped the vein. In 1987, Trans Atlantic Resources Inc. and Armeno Resources Inc. completed a program of geological mapping and three diamond drill holes.

In 2006, Covenant Resources Ltd. examined the area as the Piebiter property. In 2007 and 2008, airborne ZTEM surveys were completed on the area. In 2009, a MMI soil sampling program was completed. In 2011, Worthington Resources Ltd. completed a 408.5 line-kilometre airborne ZTEM survey on the area as the Royalle property.