Brenda Mine, Peachland, Osoyoos Mining Division, British Columbia, Canadai

Regional Level Types
Brenda Mine	Mine
Peachland	Town
Osoyoos Mining Division	Division
British Columbia	Province
Canada	Country

The Brenda orebody is part of a belt of copper-molybdenum mineralization that extends north-northeast from the Nicola Group-Brenda stock contact. Mineralization of economic grade (0.3 per cent copper equivalent) is confined to a somewhat irregular zone approximately 720 metres long and 360 metres wide. Ore-grade mineralization extends more that 300 metres below the original surface. Lateral boundaries of ore-grade mineralization are gradational and appear to be nearly vertical.

Primary mineralization is confined almost entirely to veins, except in altered dike rocks and in local areas of intense hydrothermal alteration which may contain minor disseminations. The grade of the orebody is a function of fracture (vein) density and of the thickness and mineralogy of the filling material. The average total sulphide content within the orebody is 1 per cent or less. Chalcopyrite and molybdenite, the principal sulphides, generally are accompanied by minor, but variable, quantities of pyrite and magnetite. Bornite, specular hematite, sphalerite and galena are rare constituents of the ore. Johnson (1973), in a study of 17 samples from the deposit, reported minor pyrrhotite, mackinawite, carrollite, cubanite, ilmenite, rutile and native gold(?), as well as several secondary sulphides (Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Special Volume 15). Pyrite is most abundant in altered andesite dikes and in quartz-molybdenite veins. The ratio of pyrite to chalcopyrite in the orebody is about 1:10, with the chalcopyrite content diminishing beyond the ore boundaries.

The Brenda mine began production in early 1970 with measured geological (proven) reserves of 160,556,700 tonnes grading 0.183 per cent copper and 0.049 per cent molybdenum at a cutoff of 0.3 per cent copper equivalent [eCu = % Cu + (3.45 x % Mo)]. The mine officially closed June 8, 1990.