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METALLOGENY OF THE VANCOUVER-HOPE AREA, BRITISH COLUMBIA GWENDOLEN MAY DITSON B.S., University of Southern California, 1974 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Department of Geological Sciences) We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA May, 1978 (c) Gwendolen May Ditson, 1978 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of Geological Sciences The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V5T 1W5 Date May 24, 1978 ABSTRACT The study area is characterized by complex terrane encompassing the junction of three major tectonic belts: the Coast Plutonic Belt, the Intermontane Belt, and the Cascade Belt. Examination of the detailed tectonic framework was facilitated by the construction of a time-space plot which illustrates the salient features of the six small-scale tectonic belts within the area. Subsequent examination of metal deposits was facil• itated by the MINDEP inventory file which supplied location and reference information. Detailed descriptive information on metal deposits was categorized and tabulated with respect to metals, deposit type, host rock formation and host rock type. This data was then integrated into the tectonic framework to outline a metallogenic model for the area. A simplistic model for the evolution of the major features in the area involves eugeosynclinal and trench-like deposition from Upper Paleozoic until Jurassic-Cretaceous time when the developing Coast volcanic and plutonic arc collided with the established Intermontane arc on the east. Arc volcanism in the Coast Plutonic Belt produced the initial volcanogenic metal sulfide accumulations in the area which subsequently were remobilized into adjacent areas during collision. The axis of collision contains a major magmatic sulfide deposit which probably formed at this time as a result of collision. Significant mineralization is found also west of the collision axis near the deep-seated Hozameen fault along which gold-rich fluids have formed veins near serpentine bodies. Similarly, a large dissem• inated gold deposit occurs in slate adjacent to the Hozameen fault in the area of major vein mineralization. Subduction responsible for the Tertiary episode of plutonism and vol• canism centered in the Cascade Belt also produced small skarn, vein and porphyry deposits during a subsequent episode of remobilization mineralization. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiv CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1 General Statement 1 Definition of the Study Area 3 Methods 3 CHAPTER 2. GEOLOGY AND TECTONIC FRAMEWORK 5 Introduction 5 Time-Space Plot 8 Eagle Plutonic Belt 12 Units Within the Eagle Plutonic Belt 12 Deformation 13 Pasayten Fault 14 Ladner Trough 14 Stratigraphic Units 14 Deformation 16 Hozameen Fault 17 Hozameen Basin 18 Hozameen Group 18 Yale Intrusions 19 Deformation 19 Boundaries 19 V Cascade Belt 20 C-l: Crystalline Core Rocks 22 C-2: Shuksan Thrust Plate 24 C-3: Western Flanking Units 26 C-4: Vedder Mountain Wedge 28 Spuzzum Plutonic Belt 29 Metamorphic Rocks 30 Intrusive Rocks 34 Tertiary Volcanic Rocks 35 Coast Plutonic Belt 35 Pendant Rocks 36 Older Units of Unknown Age 36 Harrison Lake Sequence 37 Fire Lake and Gambier Groups; Pioneer Formation 39 Plutonic Rocks 42 Post-Plutonic Rocks 43 Summary and Discussion 44 CHAPTER 3. METAL DEPOSITS 47 Introduction 47 Classification 51 Magmatic 51 Porphyry 51 Skarn 52 Volcanogenie 52 Vein 53 Shear 53 Disseminated and Massive 54 Major Mines and Related Occurrences 54 vi Britannia 54 Geologic Setting and Early Interpretations 54 Current Interpretations 55 Sulfide Occurrences Outside the Britannia Shear Zone 57 Northair 58 Description 58 Genesis 62 Other Deposits in the Northair District 64 Giant Mascot 64 Nature and Origin of Ultramafic Rocks 66 Mineralization 66 Occurrences Outside the Giant Mascot Ultramafite 69 Mining Camps Without Major Mines 69 Eagle Belt 71 Summit Camp 71 Jim Kelly Creek Camp 74 Ladner Gold Belt 76 23-Mile Camp 78 10-Mile Creek Camp 80 Harrison Lake District 82 Fire Lake Camp 84 Pitt Lake 84 Sechelt Peninsula 87 Isolated Past Producers and Important Prospects 87 Zel 87 Gem 89 Other Deposits 89 Summary 90 vii CHAPTER 4. COMPUTER STUDY 93 Introduction 93 Metal and Deposit Type Abundances 97 Possible Ore Controls 100 Deposit Type 100 Tectonic Belt 104 Mineralization Characterizing Tectonic Belts 112 Distribution of Metals and Deposit Types Among Tectonic Belts 114 Host Rock Formation 115 Distribution of Deposit Types and Metals Among Host Rock Formations 117 Mineralization Characterizing Host Rock Formations 121 Eagle Plutonic Belt 121 Ladner Trough 121 Hozameen Basin 123 Cascade Belt 123 Spuzzum Plutonic Belt 123 Coast Plutonic Belt 123 Host Rock Type 126 Distribution of Metals and Deposit Types Among Host Rock Types 127 Mineralization Characterizing Host Rock Types 130 Intrusive Rocks 130 Volcanic Rocks 132 Sedimentary Rocks 134 Deposit Distribution Maps 134 Summary 137 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSIONS AND METALLOGENY 139 viii REFERENCES CITED 143 APPENDIX A 149 APPENDIX B 156 ix LIST OF TABLES 2-1 Abbreviations used to identify units on the Geologic Map 6 2-2 Brief descriptions of units outside the study area which are shown on the Geologic Map (Figure 2-1) but not discussed in the text 7 2-3 K/Ar radiometric determinations on plutonic rocks in and near the study area 11 2- 4 Summary of tectonic history 45 3- 1 Producing deposits 48 3-2 Abbreviations and symbols used in deposit descriptions 50 3-3 Characteristics of deposits in the Britannia District 56 3-4 Characteristics of the Northair sulfide bodies 61 3-5 Characteristics of deposits in the Northair District 65 3-6 Characteristics of deposits in the Giant Mascot District 70 3-7 Characteristics of deposits in the Eagle Complex 72 3-8 Characteristics of deposits in the Summit Camp 73 3-9 Characteristics of deposits in the Jim Kelly Creek Camp 75 3-10 Characteristics of deposits in the Ladner Gold Belt 77 3-11 Characteristics of deposits in the 23-Mile Camp 79 3-12 Characteristics of deposits in the 10-Mile Creek Camp 81 3-13 Characteristics of deposits in the Harrison Lake District 83 3-14 Characteristics of deposits in the Fire Lake Camp 85 3-15 Characteristics of deposits in the Pitt Lake Area 86 3-16 Characteristics of deposits on the Sechelt Peninsula 86 3-17 Characteristics of isolated producers and important occurrences 88 X 3- 18 Summary of metallogenic history 92 4- 1 Grade and tonnage of major deposits 95 4-2 Deposit status based on history of exploration, development or production 98 4-3 Comparison of Coast Plutonic Belt densities of the present study area and of the Cordillera of British Columbia 106 4-4 Characterization of tectonic belts 113 xi LIST OF FIGURES 1-1 Location of the study area relative to the tectonic belts of the Canadian Cordillera 1- 2 Location of metal deposits in the Vancouver-Hope area \ s- 2- 1 Geology of the Vancouver-Hope area (-pocket-) 2-la Cross-section across the southeastern portion of the study area; plutons have been removed to clarify pre-intrusive structures (-pockete). 2-2 Time-space plot of the Vancouver-Hope area 2-3a Location of K/Ar radiometric determinations on plutonic rocks in and near the study area 2-3b Location of K/Ar radiometric determinations from intrusive rocks in a portion of the study area 10 2-4 Geologic map of the Skagit Region of Northern Cascades Cpnn-k-p-t-) f^a-pGH^et Sr 2-5 Study areas of some principal workers dealing with the metamorphic rocks of the Spuzzum Plutonic Belt 31 2- 6 A. Possible subduction zones in the Canadian Cordillera; later transcurrent motion suggests oblique subduction B. Method of accretion of crustal blocks, resulting in westward "jumping-out" of subduction zones 46 3- 1 Principal areas of mineral occurrences, Vancouver- Hope area 49 3-2 Relative positions pf the three main mineralized . , zones and faults at Northair Mines 60 3-3 Surface geology of the Giant Mascot Ultramafite 67 3-4 Distribution of metal deposits on the time-space plot (l>@ekat)7>?fl^ C4me1 3- 4a Explanation of symbols on Figure 3-4 91 4- 1 Number of occurrences of each deposit type with 96 respect to characteristic metals 99 4-2 Total number of occurrences of each metal 101 4-3 Total number of occurrences of each deposit type xii 4-4a Number of occurrences of copper, gold and silver with ' respect to deposit type 102 4-4b Number of occurrences of molybdenum, zinc, lead, iron and nickel with respect to deposit type 103 4-5a Relative densities of copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, lead and zinc with respect to tectonic belts and subdivisions 108 4-5b Relative densities of nickel, iron, antimony and tungsten with respect to tectonic belts and subdivisions 109 4-6a Relative densities of magmatic, porphyry, skarn and volcanogenic deposits with respect to tectonic belts and subdivisions 110 4-6b Relative densities of vein, shear, disseminated and massive deposits with respect to tectonic