General Information
Primary Commodities: copper, gold, molybdenum
Aliases: Whitehorse Copper
Deposit Type(s): Skarn
Location(s): 60.574770 N, -134.899340 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 Sue deposit is a skarn within a silicified limestone and carries chalcopyrite, bornite and some molybdenite. The majority of the mineralization is located on the southeast side of a small fault, which strikes N 50° E. A representative ore sample from the dump contained chalcopyrite, garnet, epidote, calcite and some molybdenite, and assayed for traces of gold, 5.3% Cu and 0.56% molybdenum.
The Sue deposit is a skarn within a silicified limestone and carries chalcopyrite, bornite and some molybdenite. The majority of the mineralization is located on the southeast side of a small fault, which strikes N 50° E. A representative ore sample from the dump contained chalcopyrite, garnet, epidote, calcite and some molybdenite, and assayed for traces of gold, 5.3% Cu and 0.56% molybdenum.
Location Map
Last Updated: Apr 15, 2019
Work History
Year | Work Type | Comment |
---|---|---|
2014 | Pre-existing Data: Research/Summarize | |
1998 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
1998 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
1997 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
1997 | Geology: Detailed Bedrock Mapping | |
1997 | Other: Prospecting | |
1980 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1980 | Geochemistry: Drill Core | |
1978 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1974 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1974 | Geochemistry: Drill Core | |
1974 | Ground Geophysics: IP | |
1974 | Other: Property Evaluation | |
1973 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1973 | Geochemistry: Drill Core | |
1971 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1971 | Geochemistry: Drill Core | |
1970 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1968 | Drilling: Diamond | |
1968 | Geochemistry: Drill Core | |
1966 | Studies: Feasibility |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
097233 | 2018 | Drilling Assessment Report on the Cowley Park Property | Diamond - Drilling | 16 | 2493.26 |
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 | ||
094011 | 1997 | Assessment Report Describing Geological and Geochemical Sampling on the Luc 1-27 and Cowley 4-5 Claims | Rock - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Prospecting - Other | ||
090823 | 1980 | [Diamond Drill Log - Whitehorse Copper Belt] | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry | 7 | 1208.83 |
091120 | 1978 | [Drilling on the Sue 3 and 4 Claims, Whitehorse Copper Belt] | Diamond - Drilling | 2 | 300.84 |
061253 | 1975 | Report on Induced Polarization Survey in the Whitehorse Area | IP - Ground Geophysics | ||
092025 | 1974 | [Proposed 1974 Exploration of the Cowley Park and War Eagle Properties] | Property Evaluation - Other | ||
061172 | 1974 | [Proposed 1974 Exploration of the Cowley Park and War Eagle Properties] | Property Evaluation - Other | ||
061173 | 1974 | Report on Exploratory Work on Whitehorse Copper Belt | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry, IP - Ground Geophysics | 10 | 2222.29 |
091119 | 1973 | [Diamond Drilling on the Sue and Jim Claims] | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry | 5 | 787.29 |
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 |
091118 | 1971 | [Drilling on the Sue and Jean Claims] | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry | 66 | 84.12 |
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 |
060526 | 1968 | [Drilling in the Cowley Park Area, Whitehorse Copper Belt] | Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry | 64 | 79.25 |
062227 | 1966 | An Evaluation of the New imperial Mines Ltd. | Feasibility - Studies |
Related References
Number | Title | Page(s) | Document Type |
---|---|---|---|
1984-1 | The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation | Open File (Geological - Bedrock) |
Citations |
---|
Kindle, E.D., “Summary of Research: Field, 1962”; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper no. 63-1, 1963, https://doi.org/10.4095/121464 (Open Access) |
The mineral industry of Yukon Territory and southwestern District of Mackenzie, Northwest Territories, 1963; Godwin, C I; Green, L H. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 64-36, 1964, 94 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/101004 (Open Access) |
W. Wengzynowski, Summary Report Documenting the Cowley, Keewenaw and Gem Copper Deposits on the Lobo Property, 2014, AR096680 |