General Information
Primary Commodities: copper
Secondary Commodities: gold, silver, molybdenum
Aliases: Whitehorse Copper
Deposit Type(s): Skarn
Location(s): 60.580730 N, -134.955220 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 105D10
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
The Whitehorse Copper Belt is located west of Whitehorse and contains 30+ mines, deposits and showings. By 1900, most of the important deposits had been discovered and the first small ore shipment was made that year. Many of the occurrences in the Copper Belt are skarns. The skarns form on or near the contact between the Whitehorse batholith and the Lewes River group. The Whitehorse batholith is commonly a grey coarse-grained hornblende granite and ranges from quartz monzonite to granodiorite to diorite. The Lewes River group contains numerous different rock types, most importantly of which is the limestone group, which is essential in the formation of skarns in the area. A small number of occurrences within the Copper Belt are vein and/or replacement and occur within the Whitehorse batholith granite.
The Gem deposit is a skarn located at the contact between the diorite of the Whitehorse batholith and the limestone of the Lewes group. In 1971 reserves calculated totalled 625 044 tonnes at 1.01% Cu.
The Gem deposit is a skarn located at the contact between the diorite of the Whitehorse batholith and the limestone of the Lewes group. In 1971 reserves calculated totalled 625 044 tonnes at 1.01% Cu.
Location Map
Last Updated: Apr 15, 2019
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Drilling: Diamond | |
| 1968 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1968 | Ground Geophysics: EM | |
| 1968 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics |
Regional Geology - Terrane
Group: Intermontane
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: Stikinia
Realm: peri-Laurentian
Regional Geology - Bedrock
Supergroup:
Group/Suite: Whitehorse
Formation:
Member:
Terrane:
Period Max: Cretaceous
Age Max: 112 MA
Period Min: Cretaceous
Age Min: 105 MA
Rock Major: quartz monzonite/granite/monzonite/syenite/granodiorite/quartz diorite
Rock Minor: ash
Reference: Wheeler (1961) - GSC Map 1093A
Geological Unit (1M): mKW
Geological Unit (250K): mKqW
Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence
| Report Number | Year | Title | Worktypes | Holes Drilled | Meters Drilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 096680 | 2014 | Summary Report Documenting the Cowley, Keewenaw and Gem Copper Deposits on the Lobo Property | Research/Summarize - Pre-existing Data | ||
| 095193 | 2008 | Drilling and Geophysical Assessment Report on the Whitehorse Copper Belt Project | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry, IP - Ground Geophysics | 21 | 2134.10 |
| 094024 | 1998 | [Geological Report on the Sue,Jim,Ace,Dennis,Gem and Lobo Claims] | Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry | ||
| 062018 | 1973 | Preliminary Report on Geological Control to Ore Distribution in the Whitehorse Copper Belt | Reverse Circulation - Drilling, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Petrographic - Lab Work/Physical Studies | 665 | 5555 |
| 090945 | 1970 | [Drilling, Stripping and Road Construction on the Whitehorse Copper Belt Project] | All Weather Road - Development, Surface, Drifting/Raising - Development, Underground, Diamond - Drilling | 5 | 206.96 |
| 091116 | 1968 | [Diamond Drilling on the Gem 1 Claims] | Diamond - Drilling | 10 | 950.21 |
Related References
| Number | Title | Page(s) | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARMC004838 | Longitudinal section map - Gem and Brown Cub | Geoscience Map (General) | |
| ARMC004836 | Map of Gem claims | Geoscience Map (Geological - Bedrock) | |
| ARMC004841 | Geology and geophysics map - Chargeability milliseconds - Gem and Keewenaw | Geophysical Map | |
| ARMC004839 | Geology map - Gem-Keewenaw | Geoscience Map (Geological - Bedrock) | |
| ARMC004840 | Map showing chargeability contours - 4 m/sec, 20 ppm contour - Gem and Keewenaw | Geophysical Map | |
| 1984-1 | The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation | Open File (Geological - Bedrock) |
| Citations |
|---|
| Carriere, J J, et al. “Copper Deposits and Occurrences in Yukon Territory.” Ottawa: Geological Survey of Canada, 1982., 1981, doi:10.4095/109350. |
| The mineral industry of Yukon Territory and southwestern District of Mackenzie, 1968; Findlay, D C. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 69-55, 1969, 71 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/106435 (Open Access) |
