The Croydon occurrence is located on the west side of Croydon Creek, 2 kilometres above Kliyul Creek, approximately 110 kilometres northwest of the community of Germansen Landing.
The copper showings are exposed in an outcrop on the west side of Croydon Creek with four adits driven from the creek bottom to explore the occurrence (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 274, page 213). Hostrocks are altered hornblende diorite and amphibolite of the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Aiken Lake Intrusive Complex. The dioritic hostrocks have been altered to a green silicate, possibly chlorite or serpentine.
Four fracture zones, partially filled with vein quartz, have been called the Number 10, 12, 13 and 14 veins. The fracture zones or veins vary in width from several centimetres to about 9 metres. Although individual quartz veins are generally less than 60 centimetres in width, a stockwork of veins sometimes occupies the full width of the fracture zone. The veins strike 010 degrees, dipping 70 to 80 degrees east. Pyrite and chalcopyrite are the main metallic minerals, constituting approximately 5 per cent of the vein material. Local areas of almost massive sulphides form lenses up to 60 centimetres in width and 4.5 metres long. Magnetite, molybdenite and gold accompany the main sulphide minerals and late fractures are commonly filled by a cream-coloured carbonate mineral. A 1.5-metre sample across the width of the Number 12 vein assayed 3.3 grams per tonne gold, 9.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.88 per cent copper (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 274, page 215). Several other fracture zones and quartz veins are present for an additional 600 metres north from the main showings.
In 1964, the showings are described as lying on the southwest slope, near the crest, of a northwest trending prominent ridge in the elbow formed by Kliyul and Croydon creeks, at an elevation of 2100 metres. This mineralized site consisted of a limy tuff layer within steeply dipping, northwest striking andesite flows that have been converted to diopside-magnetite skarn, with minor amounts of chalcopyrite and pyrite. The copper mineralization could be seen in outcrop with widths of 6 to 22.5 metres and along strike for 450 metres.
The mineralized zone was tested by three chip samples.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sample No. Outcrop Width (metres) Copper (per cent) Gold (grams per tonne) 1 6 0.91 2.75 2 10.5 0.46 1.72 3 9 0.44 3.09 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
(Property File Cyprus Anvil - Mannard, 1965)
In the mid-1930s, the consolidated and Smelting Company of Canada Limited discovered copper- and gold-bearing quartz veins in the area of Porphyry and Croydon creeks, tributaries of Kliyul Creek. By 1938, several open cuts and about 400 metres of drift and crosscuts had been completed on the showings. During the same year, the mine camp and facilities were destroyed by a bush fire and all work was abandoned.
In 1947, Springer-Sturgeon Gold Mines Limited undertook prospecting in the area and staked the Shell group of claims (094D 015) at the headwaters of Porphyry Creek. During the 1950s, the old Croydon property was restaked as the Jane Group and in 1958 was explored by Noranda-Canex-Bralorne. The partners completed 468 metres of diamond drilling and some geological mapping.
The showings were acquired in 1963 by Rio Tinto as the Kliyul and Bear claims (see 094C 007, 094D 113). The area was restaked by Teck Explorations Limited in late 1978.
In 1990, Teck Explorations Ltd. conducted an exploration program over the large Porphyry Creek property claims which covers the Croydon occurrence. The program involved mapping at 1:10,000 scale, prospecting, and contour soil sampling. A total of 558 rock, 2377 soil/talus fines, 22 silt, 74 moss mat, 7 pan and 10 water samples were collected in the initial evaluation.
