93

The Paxton ore-body lies three-fourths mile east of the Prescott, on
the western edge of the quartz diorite body where it is in contact with a
large area of porphyrite extending far to the east. The ore-body seems to
be wholly within the quartz diorite. The ore outcrops (See Figure 17)
on a steep slope 70 feet high and extends a short distance back on the top
of the rise. The south, east, and west boundaries are rather sharply defined
but the north boundary can be only arbitrarily drawn, since in a northerly
direction the ore grades into heavily mineralized diorite. The only develop-
ment work performed on the property consists of two open-cuts, made at
the foot of the south slope and extending into the hill, and a tunnel 43 feet
Jong driven from the end of one of the open-cuts.

True North
(epproximate )

Geological Survey, Canada

Figure 17. Magnetite deposit, Paxton mine, Texada island, B.C. Magnetite shown in ruling;
quartz diorite (largely replaced by silicates and magnetite) in broken ruling; and quartz
diorite in angle pattern. Contour interval, 20 feet.

In outline the ore-body is approximately four-sided. The south
boundary extends nearly due east and west and is 250 feet long; the east
boundary is 160 feet long; the north boundary is 260 feet long; and the
west boundary is 100 feet long. The area of the body is 38,000 square feet.

McConnell describes the ore in the following terms.

“The Paxton ore is coarse-grained, contains the usual small areas of
dark secondary minerals and a larger percentage of sulphides, mostly iron
pyrites, than usual. Part of the ore mined from the tunnel some years
ago and since exposed to the atmosphere has crumbled into grains owing
to the decomposition of the numerous pyrite crystals. An assay of a sample
taken along the tunnel yielded: iron 59-40 per cent, copper 0-30 per cent,
sulphur 1-07 per cent.”

In the vicinity of the south boundary, much sulphide is visible, but
elsewhere little or none was seen. Over the western two-thirds of the
exposures there is visible much barren material, in part, at least, unaltered,
partly replaced diorite. Such material in one place along the steep south
face outcrops nearly continuously for a length of 200 feet and with a
variable breadth in places measuring 5 feet. In the northern part of the

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