Little Billie Mine (Little Billy; McLeod No.1 Fraction; Van Anda; Vananda) Nanaimo Mining Division, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canadai
Regional Level Types | |
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Little Billie Mine (Little Billy; McLeod No.1 Fraction; Van Anda; Vananda) Nanaimo Mining Division | Mine |
Vancouver Island | Island |
British Columbia | Province |
Canada | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
49° 45' 29'' North , 124° 32' 48'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Locality type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
Place | Population | Distance |
---|---|---|
Powell River | 12,779 (2016) | 8.4km |
Hornby Island | 1,100 (2018) | 26.4km |
Denman Island Trust Area | 1,165 (2019) | 29.2km |
Denman Island | 1,020 (2018) | 31.8km |
Courtenay | 32,793 (2013) | 33.1km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Club | Location | Distance |
---|---|---|
Courtenay Gem and Mineral Club | Courtenay, British Columbia | 32km |
The following section is from B.C. Government site “Minfile”:
“The Little Billie mine is located just outside the town of Vananda on the northeast coast of Texada Island, 120 kilometres northwest of Vancouver. Historic work at the Little Billie mine has included moderate underground development. The shaft collar is situated on Lots 521 and 522, 0.5 kilometre east-southeast of Vananda Cove.
Northern Texada Island is underlain by Karmutsen Formation pillowed and massive basaltic flows with thick units of pillowed breccia conformably overlain by massive limestone of the Quatsino Formation, both of the Upper Triassic Vancouver Group. Various Middle Jurassic stocks and minor intrusions, ranging in composition from gabbro through diorite to quartz monzonite, intrude the volcanics and limestones. These intrusions are locally associated with iron and copper-gold skarn mineralization. A major episode of folding (F1) has resulted in the limestones and, to a lesser extent, the underlying volcanics, being deformed into a series of broad, northwest trending open folds that plunge northwards. Three subparallel northwest striking lineaments are also recognized and coincide with the Ideal, Holly and Marble Bay faults. These faults cut a set of northeast striking faults. The Marble Bay fault, and to a lesser extent the Ideal fault, have apparently controlled the emplacement of some of the Jurassic intrusions and their associated skarn mineralization.
The Little Billie occurrence, near the Marble Bay fault, is underlain by massive, recrystallized limestone of the Quatsino Formation intruded by the Cretaceous Little Billy stock comprised of a light grey, fine to medium-grained equigranular tonalite. A suite of amphibole rich mafic dykes also occur and appear to pre- and postdate the Little Billy stock. The limestone is gently folded and bedding is poorly defined. Skarn mineralization is spatially associated with the dykes and stock. Mineralization often forms irregular pipe-like bodies that plunge moderately, subparallel to the contacts between limestone and intrusive rocks. The mafic dykes appear to be of two generations. The older, and commonly altered northeast striking dykes cut only the limestone and are cut off along strike by the Little Billy stock. They contain abundant veinlets and lenses of garnet-diopside skarn which locally have completely replaced the dyke rock. The younger, "fresher looking" dykes strike east and cut the older dykes, the Little Billy stock and skarn developed along the intrusive/limestone contacts. Several, west-dipping, quartz-feldspar porphyry and hornblende-feldspar porphyry dykes are locally present in the mine area but are not exposed in the mine workings. Numerous minor faults are exposed underground. At the Little Billie mine, irregularly distributed skarn and related mineralization is developed in limestone near the tonalitic Little Billy stock where amphibole-rich mafic dykes cut the limestone. The skarn also extends into dyke material. The shape of the skarns are determined by the tonalite/limestone contacts or by the attitude of the mafic dykes. The skarns are comprised of coarse, light tan grossularite and light green and dark brown andradite garnet as well as wollastonite, clinopyroxene (diopside), tremolite, quartz and feldspar.
Two types of skarn ore are recognized; one is characterized by a gangue of coarse granular brown garnet and abundant magnetite that is loosely held together and the second by a gangue of green garnet, wollastonite and diopside which is dense and hard. The main ore minerals are chalcopyrite and bornite with variable but minor amounts of molybdenite, pyrite, magnetite and sphalerite. Bornite sometimes occurs as coarse euhedral crystals intergrown with garnet, and the higher gold values are commonly found with the higher copper concentrations. Chalcopyrite and bornite are interstitial to bladed wollastonite. Although chalcopyrite and bornite occur together in both the green and brown garnet skarn bodies, the chalcopyrite favours the brown garnet (andradite)-magnetite bodies and the bornite favours the green garnet (andradite)-wollastonite-diopside bodies. The light tan grossularite garnet is associated with diopside and wollastonite and clusters of quartz, epidote and feldspar but is typically not mineralized with sulphides.
Other minerals identified at the Little Billie mine include galena, scheelite and native silver as well as the tellurides hessite, petzite [probably tellurobismuthite – see Panteleyev, 1964?] and wehrlite (Fieldwork, 1989). Small amounts of pyrrhotite are found along joints in some altered mafic dykes.
Inferred reserves are 181,420 tonnes of ore grading 11.65 grams per tonne gold, 2 per cent copper and 34.28 grams per tonne silver (George Cross News Letter No. 202 (October 20), 1992)). A recent diamond-drill hole intersection of skarn mineralization below the 6th level graded 7.26 grams per tonne gold, 29.13 grams per tonne silver and 1.6 per cent copper across 5.8 metres of skarn (Northern Miner - January 2, 1989).
Wollastonite, at the Little Billie, is common in green exoskarn which commonly occurs with green andradite in layers 0.6 to 5 centimetres thick.
A 38.7 kilogram sample of massive, white wollastonite-rich skarn was sent to CANMET for processing and the results were as follows (Open File 1991-17)
SiO2 44.5 %
Al2O3 1.10%
Fe2O3 4.21%
CaCo3 14.3 %
MgO 1.20%
L.O.I. 5.72
Brightness 62.78
Lightness 80.30
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Recent interest in the wollastonite potential of the Little Billie mine has resulted in unclassified reserves of 100,000 tonnes of wollastonite skarn material in the old mine workings. The reserve figure is based on Stevenson's report in the Minister of Mines Annual Report 1944 (Fieldwork, 1988). Recent drilling has cut intercepts of up to 24 metres comprised essentially of wollastonite (Open File 1991-17).
Production from 1896 to 1952 totalled 63,713 tonnes yielding 1,198,533 grams of silver, 363,199 grams of gold and 819,225 kilograms of copper.”
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
23 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
ⓘ Andradite Formula: Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945) by spec. analysis; DeLeen (1946) |
ⓘ 'Axinite Group' Reference: DeLeen (1946) |
ⓘ Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945); DeLeen (1946); Carter (1948); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997); |
ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Reference: McConnell, (1914); DeLeen (1946) Smith (1950) |
ⓘ Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S Reference: Carter (1948); Smith (1950); |
ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945); DeLeen (1946); Carter (1948); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Covellite Formula: CuS Reference: Carter (1948); Smith (1950 |
ⓘ Diopside Formula: CaMgSi2O6 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945) by spec. analysis; DeLeen (1946) |
ⓘ Epidote Formula: {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) Reference: McConnell, (1914); DeLeen (1946); Smith (1950); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS Reference: Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Webster & Ray (1990a); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Gold Formula: Au Reference: Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Webster & Ray (1990a); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Gold var. Electrum Formula: (Au,Ag) Reference: Smith (1950); R.M.Thompson |
ⓘ Grossular Formula: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 Reference: Stevenson (1945) by spec. analysis; DeLeen (1946) 20 microns, sharp boundaries. |
ⓘ Hessite Formula: Ag2Te Reference: DeLeen (1946) XRD by R.M. Thompson in Toronto; Thompson (1949) X-ray confirmed; Smith (1950); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Linnaeite Formula: Co2+Co3+2S4 Reference: Smith (1950); R.M.Thompson X-rayed |
ⓘ Magnetite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945); DeLeen (1946); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Stevenson (1945); Carter (1948); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Reference: McConnell, (1914); Carter (1948); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); |
ⓘ Pyrrhotite Formula: Fe1-xS Reference: Stevenson (1945); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Reference: DeLeen (1946); Smith (1950) |
ⓘ Scheelite Formula: Ca(WO4) Reference: Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Webster & Ray (1990a); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Silver Formula: Ag Reference: DeLeen (1946); Ettlinger & Ray (1988) |
ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS Reference: Carter (1948); Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997) |
ⓘ Tellurobismuthite Formula: Bi2Te3 Reference: Panteleyev (1964?) |
ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S Reference: DeLeen (1946); Smith (1950) |
ⓘ Wollastonite Formula: Ca3(Si3O9) Reference: Stevenson (1945); DeLeen, 1946; Smith (1950); Ettlinger & Ray (1988); Ray and Webster (1997) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 1 - Elements | |||
---|---|---|---|
ⓘ | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
ⓘ | var. Electrum | 1.AA.05 | (Au,Ag) |
ⓘ | Silver | 1.AA.05 | Ag |
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
ⓘ | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
ⓘ | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
ⓘ | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
ⓘ | Hessite | 2.BA.60 | Ag2Te |
ⓘ | Linnaeite | 2.DA.05 | Co2+Co3+2S4 |
ⓘ | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
ⓘ | Pyrrhotite | 2.CC.10 | Fe1-xS |
ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
ⓘ | Tellurobismuthite | 2.DC.05 | Bi2Te3 |
ⓘ | 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
ⓘ | Magnetite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
ⓘ | Scheelite | 7.GA.05 | Ca(WO4) |
Group 9 - Silicates | |||
ⓘ | Andradite | 9.AD.25 | Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 |
ⓘ | Diopside | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 |
ⓘ | Epidote | 9.BG.05a | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
ⓘ | Grossular | 9.AD.25 | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
ⓘ | Wollastonite | 9.DG.05 | Ca3(Si3O9) |
Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc. | |||
ⓘ | 'Axinite Group' | - |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
C | Carbon | |
C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
O | Oxygen | |
O | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
O | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
O | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
O | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
O | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
O | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
O | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
Mg | Magnesium | |
Mg | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
Al | Aluminium | |
Al | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
Al | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
Si | Silicon | |
Si | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
Si | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
Si | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
Si | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
Si | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
S | Sulfur | |
S | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
S | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
S | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
S | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
S | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
S | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
S | ⓘ Linnaeite | Co2+Co23+S4 |
Ca | Calcium | |
Ca | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
Ca | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
Ca | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
Ca | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
Ca | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
Ca | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
Fe | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
Fe | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
Fe | ⓘ Epidote | {Ca2}{Al2Fe3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) |
Fe | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
Co | Cobalt | |
Co | ⓘ Linnaeite | Co2+Co23+S4 |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Cu | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
Cu | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
Cu | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
Zn | Zinc | |
Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
Mo | Molybdenum | |
Mo | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
Ag | Silver | |
Ag | ⓘ Gold var. Electrum | (Au,Ag) |
Ag | ⓘ Silver | Ag |
Ag | ⓘ Hessite | Ag2Te |
Sb | Antimony | |
Sb | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
Te | Tellurium | |
Te | ⓘ Hessite | Ag2Te |
Te | ⓘ Tellurobismuthite | Bi2Te3 |
W | Tungsten | |
W | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
Au | Gold | |
Au | ⓘ Gold | Au |
Au | ⓘ Gold var. Electrum | (Au,Ag) |
Pb | Lead | |
Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Bi | Bismuth | |
Bi | ⓘ Tellurobismuthite | Bi2Te3 |
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)The following listing contains the relevant references for the Little Billie mine. For a more complete listing of references, refer to Minfile – Little Billie (No. 092F 105):
Carter, Ralph. 1948 A microscopic study of the copper ores of Texada Island, British Columbia. Unpublished report for course Geology 409, University of British Columbia (see Minfile report for Little Billie, Marble Bay and Copper Queen, PF (Property File) No. 600198).
DeLeen, John L. 1946. The Geology and Mineralogy of the Little Billy Mine, Texada Island, B.C. Unpublished M.A.Sc. Thesis, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Ettlinger, A.D. (1990): A Geological Analysis of Gold Skarns and Precious Metal Enriched Iron and Copper Skarns in British Columbia; unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Washington State University, 246 pages
Ettlinger, A.D. and Ray, G.E. 1988. Gold-enriched Skarn Deposits of British Columbia. in Geological Fieldwork 1987, pp. 263-280. Province of British Columbia: Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1988-1.
Ettlinger, A.D. and Ray, G.E. 1989. Precious Metal Enriched Skarns in British Columbia – An Overview and Geological Study. Province of British Columbia: Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1989-3.
McConnell 1914 Texada Island, B.C. Geological Survey of Canada, Memoir 58.
Panteleyev, A. 1964? Unpublished report for course Geology 409, University of British Columbia (see Minfile report for Little Billie Mine, Texada Island, PF (Property File) No. 600434).
Peatfield, G.R. 1986a Data Review and Recommendations, Texada Island Property. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Assessment Report No. 15,750 Part 2 of 2, July 1986. Access via “Minfile” ARIS.
Peatfield, G.R. 1986b Texada Island Mineral Property. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Assessment Report No. 15,750 Part 1 of 2, November 1986. Access via “Minfile” ARIS.
Ray, G.E., Ettlinger, A.D. and Meinert, L.D. 1990. Gold Skarns: Their Distribution, Characteristics and Problems in Classification. in Geological Fieldwork 1989, pp. 237-246. Province of British Columbia: Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1990-1.
Ray, G.E. and Webster, I.C.I. 1997. Skarns in British Columbia. Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Employment and Investment (Geological Survey Branch). Bulletin 101.
Stevenson, John S. 1945 Little Billie Mine, Texada Island British Columbia. British Columbia Department of Mines, Annual Report for the Year Ending 31 December 1944, pp. A162-A174.
Smith, K.C. 1950. A microscopic study of a suite of ore from the Little Billy Mine, Texada Island, British Columbia. Unpublished report for course Geology 409, University of British Columbia (see Minfile report for Little Billie, PF (Property File) No. 600194).
Thompson, R.M. 1949. The Telluride Minerals and Their Occurrence in Canada. The American Mineralogist, Vol. 34, Nos. 5 and 6, pp. 341-382.
Warren, H.V. 1947. Mineralogical Notes: New Occurrences of Antimony and Tellurium Minerals in Western Canada. Contributions to Canadian Mineralogy, 1946, pp. 71-78. University of Toronto Studies, Geological Series, No. 51, University of Toronto Press.
Webster, I.C.I. and Ray, G.E. 1990a. Geology and Mineral Occurrences of Northern Texada Island. Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Open File 1990-3. Map and notes. NTS 92F/9, 10, 15 Scale 1:20,000.
Webster, I.C.I. and Ray, G.E. 1990b. Geology and Mineral Deposits of Northern Texada Island (92F/9, 10, and 15). in Geological Fieldwork 1989, pp. 257-265. Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1990-1.
Other Databases
Link to British Columbia Minfile: | 092F 105 |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
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