Ref.: Fleet, M.E., Seller, M.H., and Pan, Y. (1997) rare earth elements, protoliths and alteration at the Hemlo gold deposit, Ontario, Canada, and comparison with argillic and sericitic alteration in the Highland Valley porphyry district, British Columbia, Canada. Economic Geology: 92: 551-568.
The Highland Valley Copper mine is the largest copper mine in Canada. “Operations at Highland Valley began over 20 years ago by predecessor companies. The present operation is a combination of the Lornex mine and mill, the Valley Copper orebody and the Highmont mill” (Teckcominco).
The operation is located about 17 kilometers west of the Town of Logan Lake and about 75 kilometers SW of Kamloops, BC (Min Res).
The mine exploits a low-grade copper molybdenum porphyry, with a granitic host rock and widely scattered chalcopyrite, bornite, and molybdenite as the primary ore minerals (Min Res). The large strip open pit mine is operated chiefly using P&H shovels and Caterpillar trucks (Min Tech). “Sulphides occur chiefly as disseminations in quartz veinlets, and in phyllic (bornite) and potassic (chalcopyrite) alteration zones. Mineralization includes bornite and chalcopyrite, with minor digenite, covellite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, molybdenite, sphalerite, and galena. The oxide zone averages 4.5 metres in thickness, and contains limonite, malachite, pyrolusite, digenite, native copper, and tenorite(?)” (Govt. of BC).
References:- Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum. “MINFILE Record Summary 0921SW012.” 2006. 3 Sept. 2006.
- Mineral Resources Education Program of British Columbia. “Highland Valley Copper.” June 2006. 3 Sept. 2006.
- Mining Technology. “Teckcominco: Highland Valley Copper Mine, British Columbia, Canada.” 2006. SPG Media Group PLC. 3 Sept. 2006.
- Teckcominco. “Highland Valley Copper Mine, B.C., Canada.” 17 March 2006. Teck Cominco Ltd. 3 Sept. 2006.
- Singer, D.A., Berger, V.I., and Moring, B.C. (2008): Porphyry copper deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models, 2008. US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1155.
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http://www.teckcominco.com/operations/hvc/
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http://www.mining-technology.com/projects/highland/
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http://www.bcminerals.ca/files/bc_mine_information/000078.php
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http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/Mining/Geolsurv/MINFILE/App/Summary.aspx?minfilno=092ISW012
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Map Reference: 50°29'8"N , 121°2'54"W
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Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localitiesMineral List:65 entries listed. 32 valid minerals.
Localities in this Region:
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- Highland Valley Copper Mine
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