Copper King Mine, Iron Mask Batholith, Kamloops Mining Division, British Columbia, Canadai

Regional Level Types
Copper King Mine	Mine
Iron Mask Batholith	- not defined -
Kamloops Mining Division	Division
British Columbia	Province
Canada	Country

The Copper King Mine is located immediately north of the Trans-Canada Highway, about 20 kilometres west of Kamloops, British Columbia. The mine produced copper ore with minor amounts of gold and silver, periodically between 1901 and 1940.
It is located within the Cherry Creek phase of the Iron Mask Batholith. For more details regarding this intrusion, refer to Minfile.
The following quote is from B.C. Government site “Minfile”- Minfile No. 092INE 024, current to 2019:
“On the Copper King property, diorite and monzonite of the Cherry Creek unit of the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic Iron Mask Batholith cut Nicola Group andesitic volcanics and are covered by tuffs of the Eocene Kamloops Group. A northwest trending shear zone measuring 155 by 62 by 25 metres occurs in the intrusive rocks and contains chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite [see note below re pyrite] and magnetite as disseminations and veins. Epidote alteration is predominant and related to mineralization when associated with potassic alteration and magnetite veining. Tetrahedrite is sparsely disseminated in fractures.
In 1935, a 2.1-metre sample assayed 13 grams per tonne gold, 20.6 grams per tonne silver and 2 per cent copper (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1935). A 1972 drillhole intersected 10 metres of 3.2 grams per tonne gold, 9.3 grams per tonne silver and 0.90 per cent copper (Assessment Report 3800).
Minor amounts of pitchblende occur in patches and veinlets with the copper sulphides and magnetite at the gloryhole of the old workings. A 15-centimetre sample taken in the area assayed 0.1 per cent uranium (McCammon, 1958).”
Comments by Giles Peatfield regarding some of the minerals reported:
Chalcocite: This was reported by Davidson (1959) and as “possible” by Wilson (undated). It is probably valid.
Copper: Native copper was reported by Davidson (1959), and is likely valid for the occurrence.
Marcasite: This was reported only by Davidson (1959) - his description suggests that the occurrence is valid here.
Millerite: This was reported only by Wilson (undated) as “possible” and must be regarded as tentative.
Pitchblende: Based on the description in Wilson (undated), and on the advice of Dr. J. D. Scott, I have included the principal uranium mineral as pitchblende, rather than as uraninite as reported by other workers.
Siegenite: This rare mineral was reported by Wilson (undated) – who footnoted the identification as “Personal communication from Dr. R. M. Thompson.” Given this endorsement, I am prepared to accept the identification as valid.
This leaves us with three minerals reported but not specifically identified by Wilson (undated), who said that “A dull green mineral, in places botryoidal, gave a micro-chemical test for copper and a bead for uranium. A bright yellow mineral showing a curved prismatic habit, almost
treelike, gave tests for copper and uranium. Some dull, chocolate brown crystals, possessing good good cleavage in at least two directions, gave a test for iron, copper and perhaps nickel.” R. M. Thompson’s comment on Wilson’s report was “Very careful study. Need X-ray check on supergene radioactive minerals.” Amen – G. R. Peatfield.
This note regards the reported presence of pyrite in the deposit. The Minfile reference to pyrite – see above – is apparently based on Kwong (1987, p. 55), who was quoting Carr (1957). Careful reading of Carr’s report reveals that he did not specifically report pyrite from the Copper King deposit, only that bornite was important there, and since other workers did not report pyrite, but rather pyrrhotite, I have chosen not to include pyrite in the mineral list.

unidentified dull green supergene copper-uranium mineral
unidentified bright yellow supergene copper-uranium mineral
unidentified dull brown supergene Fe (Ni) Cu mineral

References

Other Databases

Link to British Columbia Minfile:	092INE024

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality