166

LOCATION

The deposits are located on lots 3, 79, and 83, along the eastern side
of Kast Sooke peninsula, at short distances back from the beach, and at
elevations of not more than 200 feet above sea-level.

HISTORY

These deposits were first mentioned by Dawson (3), in 1886, but no
information was given as to their discovery. Carmichael (6) states in
1902 that they were “located some years ago by Mr. William Ralph.”
Kimball (5) mentions the occurrences in 1897, and says that a number of
shallow excavations had previously been made on them. “In 1900 the
Pacific Steel Company took a bond on several claims on lots 79 and 83,
and did some development work, consisting chiefly of stripping and open-
cuts at various points on the slope of a hill. . . . East of these claims,
on lot 3, a short distance back from the beach . . . an outcrop of
pyrrhotite and magnetite was observed. <A shaft has been sunk on the
outcrop, and a tunnel driven into the hill, but it did not go through the
surface soil. On the dump there was a pile of magnetite containing a
notable percentage of pyrrhotite and some copper pyrites’’ (6). Since
1902 there is no record of any work having been done on these deposits.

GEOLOGY

The rocks of Hast Sooke peninsula were examined by Clapp (17) in
1908-1910, and by Clapp (23) and Cooke (24) in 1912 and 1918. Accord-
ing to them, the main part of the peninsula is made up of post-Hocene
olivine gabbro and associated rocks intrusive into the Upper Eocene Metcho-

sin basalts, and overlain by the early Miocene Sooke sandstones and
conglomerates.

MINERALIZATION

According to Clapp and Cook (23) these deposits are mixtures of
pyrrhotite and magnetite with some chalcopyrite, and occur as irregular
and lenticular bodies in shear zones in the Sooke gabbro. Their occurrence
and localization are said to be due either to segreg: ation from the molten
gabbro, or to hydrothermal replacement of the gabbro in the shear zones.

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATION

Vhese deposits are of no economic importance as sources of iron ore.

Bibliography

See page 158 for further details

(3) Dawson, G. M., p. 100
(5) Kimball, J. P., pp. 26-27
(6) Carmichael, H., pp. 220-221
(16) Lindeman, E., p. 9
(17) Clapp, C. H., pp. 174-180
(22) Whittier, W. H., p. 48
(23) Clapp, C. H., and Cooke, H. C., p. 324
(24) Cooke, H. C., p. 26
(29) Ann. Rept. 1904, pp. 254-25.
Anon.: “Sooke Iron Mine”; Sey Cc ANGint Ree., vol. IT, pp. 32-84 (1896).