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Highland Valley - Highmont
British Columbia, Canada
Main commodities: Cu Mo


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The Highmont property contains seven Cu-Mo deposits, most of which are in Skeena Quartz Diorite of the Guichon Creek Batholith, near Kamloops in british Columbia, Canada.

For details of the geological setting see the Highland Valley overview record.

The four largest deposits occur adjacent to both contacts of a west trending, steeply dipping, composite dyke that is about 200 m wide. The dyke consists mainly of quartz-porphyry and has local zones of tourmalinised breccia. Minor quartz-plagioclase porphyry dykes and aplites were injected after brecciation. Sulphide deposition occurred after the composite dyke was emplaced, but chiefly prior to the brecciation, and extended to post-aplite time. Zones dominated by bornite, by chalcopyrite and chalcopyrite-pyrite are roughly parallel to the composite dyke. Bornite predominates adjacent to, and in the dyke, and gives way outward to chalcopyrite and pyrite zones. Sulphide zoning and the ore deposits on both sides of the intrusion dip outwards away from the dyke. Hydrothermal alteration at Highmont is weak and consists of potassic, argillic and propylitic facies interspersed with unaltered host rocks. Pervasive biotitisation characterises the potassic alteration and is restricted principally to the copper rich zones, rather than enclosing them within large aureoles of hydrothermal biotite. Phyllic alteration, represented by sericitic envelopes around veinlets has a general spatial correlation with the sulphide deposits. Argillic alteration was superimposed on the potassic and phyllic facies. Propylitisation is evident locally as the latest alteration, but there is some indications that pervasive propylitic alteration accompanied potassic alteration during the initial stages of hydrothermal alteration. Potassic, phyllic and argillic alteration increase in intensity from Highmont to Lornex to Valley Copper, although it is inferred that the bulk of the Cu mineralisation was introduced during the potassic stage and that the other alteration was superimposed. Sulphide deposition and associated alteration appears to have formed after the intrusion of the major dykes of the Guichon Creek Batholith, but before the core of the pluton was inert (Reed & Jambour, 1976). The largest, or No. 1 deposit which had initial reserves of 111 Mt @ 0.287% Cu, 0.042% Mo, to a depth of 261 m, had approximate plan dimensions of 1000 x 300 m, while No. 2 at 24 Mt @ 0.273% Cu, 0.093% Mo to a depth of 183 m, was 350 x 300 m (Reed & Jambour, 1976).

Published reserve and production figures include:

123 Mt @ 0.25% Cu, 0.024% Mo (Prod.+Res. 1984, incl. Prod. 35 Mt, Dawson, etal. 1991).

For detail consult the reference(s) listed below.

The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 1996.    
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd.   Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.


  References & Additional Information
   Selected References:
DAngelo, M., Alfaro, M., Hollings, P., Byrne, K., Piercey, S. and Creaser, R.A.,  2017 - Petrogenesis and Magmatic Evolution of the Guichon Creek Batholith: Highland Valley Porphyry Cu ±(Mo) District, South-Central British Columbia: in    Econ. Geol.   v.112, pp. 1857-1888.
McMillan W J,  2005 - Porphyry Cu-Mo Deposits of the Highland Valley District, Guichon Creek Batholith, British Columbia, Canada: in Porter, T.M. (Ed), 2005 Super Porphyry Copper & Gold Deposits - A Global Perspective, PGC Publishing, Adelaide,   v.1 pp. 259-274

   References in PGC Publishing Books:
McMillan W J, 2005 - Porphyry Cu-Mo Deposits of the Highland Valley District, Guichon Creek Batholith, British Columbia, Canada,   in  Porter T M, (Ed),  Super Porphyry Copper and Gold Deposits: A Global Perspective,  v1  pp 259-274
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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge.   It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published.   While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants:   i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and   ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.

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