|
The Quesnel map area contains 63 recorded mineral occurrences and covers a major portion of the Fraser Plateau within the Intermontane tectonic belt.
Epithermal gold mineralization occurs in silicified breccia zones in Tertiary plateau basalts, possibly related to volcanic vents, or in fault zones in basement inliers at the Bob (093B 060) showing. Potenial exists for placer gold in the Quesnel Canyon (093B 018). The operating porphyry copper-molybdenum Gibraltar (093B 006, 007, 011, 012, 013, 051) mine contains reserves of 150 million tonnes, grading 0.305 per cent copper and 0.010 per cent molybdenum. Coal occurs in the Oligocene Fraser River Formation in the Quesnel Coal (093B 036) Basin. Industrial mineral potential is evidenced by past production of aggregate at the Layers (093B 001), brick at Lot 385 (093B 043), and diatomaceous earth at the Microsil (093B 023). Canada Pumice Corporation produces red and black volcanic cinder at the Nazko (093B 060).
REFERENCES
BC Geological Survey Publications for NTS 093B |
