MINERA~1 Record

MINERAL INVENTORY FILE NO.

667

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PRODUCT

COPPER

NTS AREA

63K12

REF.

CU 11

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NAME OF PROPERTY

CUPRUS MINE

OWNER OF OPERATOR ADDRESS

1978 Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co. Limited
Flin Flon MB

OBJECT LOCATED

Showing

MINING DIVISION

The Pas

Latitude

54°43.23'

Longitude

101°42.65'

Uncertainty (m)

___

UTM Zone

_____

Easting

_______

Northing

_______

L.S./Quarter Section

___

Section

___

Township

Range

28 WPM

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT

Massive and disseminated sulphides occur in at least four lenses in graphitic rocks in Archean andesite. The graphitic rocks consist of schist, tuff and chert. The deposit is found on the west limb of a major syncline which plunges 10° - 20°N. The syncline, drag-folds, and the intrusion of a diorite sill have influenced the deposit.
The lenses are at least 310 ft. long, 15 ft. wide, and 170 ft. thick. They follow the trend of the andesite which strikes approximately N20° E and dips steeply west. The deposit rakes at 45°N.
Fine-grained chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite are associated with highly graphitic rocks. They pyrrhotite is not nickeliferous. It may form two to four barren lenses with pyrite. Galena has been reported in the deposits. Gold and silver were extracted during milling.

ASSOCIATED MINERALS OR PRODUCTS OF VALUE

Zinc, gold, silver

HISTORY OF EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The former mine was approximately 5 km southeast of Flin Flon or 20 km east of Provincial Road 10. Three Nation (28304) were staked by J.B. Levasseur in 1919. Some trenching was done on a chalcopyrite showing before the claim was cancelled in 1926.
Vaughn Thompson restaked Three Nations (37357) in 1926. More surface work may have been done before 1930. When geology J.F. Wright visited the property in 1930 he found seven slumped, water-filled pits. He also reported an old prospect shaft on the south end of the deposit. Channel samples taken from the shaft prior to 1930 yielded a maximum of 3.60% Cu over 3 ft. Wright found massive and disseminated sulphides on surface (Wright, 1938).
During 1930 Enca Exploration & Development Company, Limited probably attempted to option the property. They encountered difficulties assembling a large block of individually held claims. Grab samples from this claim group assayed 1.2% Cu to 6.5% Cu. They averaged 4% Cu across 3 ft. This Three Nations claim was cancelled in 1936.
Later that year, Three Nations (P 3065) was staked by H.L. Thompson. Diamond drilling commenced in 1938. The program ended in 1939 after 1,701 ft. had been drilled. Tanton reported that one hole cut ore-grade copper sulphides (Unpub1. Info. File). Early in 1939 Sherritt-Gordon Mines, Limited, Sudbury Basin Mines, Limited and Tonopah Canadian Mines Company optioned the property (unregistered option). Sherritt-Gordon drilled 2 415 feet in at least 12 holes. Up to 4% Cu was reported in the second hole. Drilling averaged 2 to 3% Cu with a maximum of 15% Zn in one intersection (Tanton, Ibid.). The option was apparently dropped in 1940 due generally to disappointing drill results (Sherritt-Gordon Corp. File).
In 1941 Hudson Bay Exploration and Development Co. Limited (HBED) took an unregistered option on the property. During the winter of 1941-42 over 4 000 feet of drilling was done in at least 14 holes. By the end of 1944 the property had been assigned to HBED, and then to a subsidiary, Cuprus Mines Limited. Over 35 000 feet of drilling located at least four ore lenses. Lease M-1683 was issued in 1945.
The following year a three-compartment shaft was collared and six stations were cut between 100 and 600 ft. Surface lease M-76 was issued in 1946.
In 1947, reserves were estimated at 280 000 tons grading 3.87% Cu, 7.3% Zn, 0.049 oz. Au/ton, and 0.99 oz.Ag/ton (HBMS Annual Rept. 1947). The main shaft advanced to 830 ft. and a second shaft was started 1 000 feet south of the main shaft. Production commenced in 1948 when 17 574 tons of ore was hoisted (see History of Production for yearly milled tonnages). Underground exploratory drilling continued. January 1, 1950 reserve estimates were revised to 245 000 tons averaging 3.62% Cu, 6.8% Zn, 0.04 oz. Ag/ton, and 0.91 oz Ag/ton (HBMS, Ann. Rept., 1949). In 1949, 79183 tons of ore was hoisted. This increased to 86 512 tons in 1951. Reserves were estimated to be 129 045 tons grading 3.35% Cu, 6.5% Zn, 0.40 oz. Au/ton, and 0.89 oz. Ag/ton at the beginning of 1952. The ore was noted to be irregular (HBMS Annual Report 1951).
The main was deepened in 1952 to 1 052 ft. Ore hoisted totalled 85 983 tons. Reserves were revised downward again early in 1953. The new estimate was 114 500 tons averaging 3.19% Cu, 5.6% Zn, 0.033 oz. Au./ton, and 0.89 oz. Ag/ton at the beginning of 1952. The ore was noted to be irregular (HBMS Annual Report 1951).
The main was deepened in 1952 to 1 052 ft. Ore hoisted totalled 85 983 tons. Reserves were revised downward again early in 1953. The new estimate was 114 500 tons averaging 3.19% Cu, 5.6% Zn, 0.033 oz. Au/ton, and 0.77 oz. Ag/ton. Reserves decreased by 14 440 tons, but 71 600 tons of additional ore was developed.
Peak hoisting occurred in 1953 when 86 549 tons were bought up the shaft. By January 1, 1954 reserves were down to 45 747 tons grading 2.95% Cu, 5.5% Zn, 0.033 oz. Au/ton, and 0.70 oz. Ag/ton. Reserves were depleted by 68 753 tons during mining in 1953 though 17 796 tons of additional ore was developed. (HBMS Annual Report 1953).
The mine closed in August, 1954 due to lack of ore. During the final stages of mining, near-surface ore was blasted and mined from below, causing an open cut on surface (R. Glassford, personal communication). Just over 67 000 tons of ore was hoisted during the first eight months of 1954.
Later history is tabulated below:

Year Activity
1955 Leases M-1683 (claim) and M-76 (surface) assigned to HBMS.
1966 M-1683 renewed
1970 Activity M-76 cancelled
1975 Activity M-1683 converted to part of production lease 6 (White Lake Mine)

HISTORY OF PRODUCTION

Production commenced October 19, 1948 and ceased August 6, 1954 when reserves were exhausted. Yearly figures for ore hoisted differed from ore milled because ore was sent to and from the stockpile. The figures below give the total ore milled and the ore milled during the first and last years of production:

Year Tons % Cu % Zn oz. Au/ton oz. Ag/ton

1948 13 039 3.53 5.90 0.034 0.83
1954 67 617 2.83 5.70 0.036 0.73

Total 509 374 3.24 6.42 0.040 0.837

Year Tonnes % Cu % Zn Kg. Au/ton Kg. Ag/ton

1948 11 826 3.53 5.90 1.17 28.46
1954 61 329 2.83 5.70 1.23 25.03

Total 462 0023.24 6.42 1.365 28.688

REFERENCES

Bailes, A.H. 1971: Preliminary Compilation of the Geology of Snow Lake-Flin Flon-Sherridon Area; Man. Mines Branch Geology Paper 1/71.
Buckham, A.F., 1942: Athapapuskow Lakes; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 42-16.
Buckham, A.F., 1944: Athapapuskow Lake (Marginal Notes); Geological Survey of Canada, Map 807A.
Copper Lode Exploration Company, Limited, NE 12, 63K; Corporation File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Davies, J.F., Bannatyne, B.B., Barry, G.S., McCabe, H.R., 1962: Geology and Mineral Resources of Manitoba; Man. Mines Branch, p. 73-4.
Dee Exploration Limited, NE 12, 63K; Corporation File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Douglas, R.W.J., 1970: Geology and Economic Minerals of Canada; Geology Surficial Canadian Economic Geology Report 1, p. 190.
Enca Exploration & Development Company, Limited, NE 12, 63K; Corporation File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Gale, G., Koo, J., Solkoski, L. and Southard, G., 1976: Evaluation of Massive Sulphide Environments in NREP, 1st Annual Report Manitoba Mines Branch, Open File Report 77/1, p. 34-46.
Holloway, J.M., 1939: AIF, M.C.'s; Flin Flon-Elbow Lake; Unpublished Information File Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
+Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Limited, Staff, 1957: Curpus Mine in: Structure of Canadian Ore Deposits; v. II; Canadian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, Special Report, p. 253-8.
Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Limited, NE 12, 63K; Corporation File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Sabina, A.P., 1972: Rocks and Minerals for the Collector, LaRonge-Creighton, Saskatchewan: Flin Flon-Thompson, Manitoba; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 71-27, p. 42-3.
Sherritt-Gordon Mines, Limited, NE 12, 63K; Corporation File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Sangster, D.F., 1972; Precambrian Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Deposits in Canada: A Review; Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 72-22, p.7.
+Tanton, T.L. 1939: Thompson Property, Unpublished Report NE 12, 63K, Unpublished Information File, Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.
Wallace, R.C., 1920: Mining and Minerals Prospects in Northern Manitoba; Community of Northern Manitoba, Northern Manitoba Bulletin, p.27.
Wright, J.F., 1938: Geology and Mineral Deposits of a Part of Northwest Manitoba; Geological Survey of Canada, Summary Report 1930, Pt. C, p. 55-6.

MAP REFERENCES

Map 63K/12E, Schist Lake ( Topographic), 1:50 000; Surveys & Mapping, Br., Ottawa.
Map 2453 G, Athapapuskow Lake (Aeromagnetic), 1:63 360; Manitoba Mines Branch and Geological Survey of Canada.
Map 1/71: Geologic Compilation of the Snow Lake-Flin Flon-Sherridon Area, (Geol.), 1:253 440; accompanied Paper by Bailes (1971); Manitoba Mines Branch.
#Map 807A, Athapapuskow Lake (Geology), 1:63 360; accompanied
Marginal Notes by Buckham (1955); Geological Survey of Canada.
Map 42-16, Athapapuskow Lake (Geology); 1:31 680; accompanied Paper
by Buckham (1942); Geological Survey of Canada.
Maps, NE12, 63K (Claim), 1:31 680; "Circa 1974' Claim Maps
Series, Mining Recording; Manitoba Mineral Resources Division.

URL

N/A

REMARKS

Holloway (1939) mentions that diamond drilling has blocked out an orebody in this vicinity. This could not be confirmed.
Cobalt bloom and smaltite were reported on "the Rosen property", four miles east of the Mandy Mine. This is the only know mention of cobalt in this area. Assays of up to 4% copper were also reported in the area (Copper Lode Exploration Company, Limited, Corporation File). G. Rosen staked Rosen M.C. approximately 4.5 miles east of Mandy and one mile northeast of Three Nations. Rosen M.C. was in good standing from 1919 to 1976. It was controlled for a time by J.C. Parres, Managing Director, Dee Explorations Limited. It may have covered mafic rocks shown in this area as Unit 2, Map 807A.

NOTES

N/A

Compiled/Revised by:

R.M. SMH

Date

7-75 1-78