NOTE: It is not readily apparent if this Champion Copper Mine is the same as the Champion Mine, South Island. Each is apparently listed separately by Railton et al. (1990).
[grid reference New Zealand Map Series 1, S20, 638168]
Ref.:
Railton, G.L. & Watters, W.A., Minerals of New Zealand, New Zealand Geological Survey Bull. #104 (1990).
"The various levels and shafts are easy to find. Care should be taken to keep well away from the South Shaft, which is open. Similarly, the various levels into the Champion and Doctor's Lodes on the west side of Champion Creek, plus the Creek Level below the tramway on the east side of the creek, are largely untimbered and most are exceedingly dangerous. The 46m North Shaft is now flooded, with water flowing from it and presents little danger.
On both sides of the creek are the remains of ore dumps, where the ore was sorted prior to its despatch to the smelter. Like ore from all the mines in the Mineral Belt, it was mainly composed of rich secondary copper minerals and native copper. However, unlike the other mines where the secondary ore soon gave way to discontinuous lenses of lean primary ore, comprising predominantly the iron sulphide pyrrhotite, in the Champion Mine secondary ore persisted to at least the lowest point in the mine. The reason for this can be explained in part by the greater maturity of the valley surrounding the mine. The limestone and the mafic igneous rocks downstream have restricted the downward cutting of Champion Creek and this is reflected by the gentle gradient of the creek at the mine. Consequently the primary ore was exposed for a greater length of time, allowing abundant secondary ores to form. It is also likely that the primary ore was slightly more copper-rich than elsewhere in the Mineral Belt.
"Champion Creek is also one of the best localities to observe rodingite dikes within serpentinite forming the creek bed upstream of the North Shaft."
References
High Hopes, by Mike Johnston, Nikau Press, 1987
Essence of Microscope, 2009
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