Catface Cu-Mo deposit, Ahousat, Alberni Mining Division, British Columbia, Canadai

Regional Level Types
Catface Cu-Mo deposit	Deposit
Ahousat	- not defined -
Alberni Mining Division	- not defined -
British Columbia	Province
Canada	Country

The Catface copper-molybdenum deposit is located in Clayoquot Sound area of coastal British Columbia, just east of the Indigenous village of Ahousat, about 13 kilometres north-northwest of Tofino, and 86 kilometres west of Port Alberni, in the Alberni Mining Division.

The deposit and surrounding geology are well described on the British Columbia Minfile page, current to January 2022; selected parts of the description are quoted, as follows:

“The deposit lies at the contact between mafic volcanics (Sicker(?) or Vancouver(?) groups rocks) and diorite of the Mesozoic and/or Paleozoic Westcoast Complex. The area of the contact has been intruded by the Early to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite and several phases of the Early to Middle Eocene Tofino Intrusive Suite . . . .”

“The mafic rocks consist of basalt and andesite flows, tuff breccia and agglomerate. It remains unclear as to whether these rocks belong to the Paleozoic Sicker Group or to the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation, Vancouver Group. The volcanic rocks have been weakly hornfelsed near the intrusions.”

“A sill-like quartz monzonite intrusion, containing xenoliths of volcanic rocks, was emplaced along the volcanic-diorite contact. The age of this quartz monzonite is unknown, but is probably related to the Island Intrusions. Propylitic alteration minerals in the quartz monzonite include chlorite, epidote, zoisite, and sericite. Kaolinite, quartz, biotite and magnetite are also recognized as alteration products.”

“Several phases of the Tertiary intrusions have intruded all other rocks. These include the Hecate Bay quartz diorite, dated at 48 million years, three porphyritic granodiorite phases and a late-stage porphyritic dacite. Their emplacement was, to some extent, controlled by pre-existing structures or contacts. Late (but pre-ore) andesite, dacite and quartz feldspar porphyry dykes trend north to northwest and dip 50 to 70 degrees east. Faults predate mineralization and strike northerly and easterly.”

“Copper and molybdenum mineralization occur on dry fractures and in quartz veinlets. Molybdenite also occurs as rosettes in quartz veins, and disseminated copper mineralization is associated with mafic minerals. Copper minerals include chalcopyrite, bornite and some chalcocite, with significant secondary carbonate and copper oxide minerals occurring on fractures. Other minerals recognized include pyrite, pyrrhotite, covellite, idaite, digenite, native copper, cuprite, valleriite, tenorite, limonite, goethite, magnetite, hematite, cupriferous chalcedony-opal and scheelite. Mineralization shows distinct zoning, with a core of bornite- pyrite-pyrrhotite surrounded by a zone in which chalcopyrite predominates. The area of 0.2 per cent copper mineralization extends over 650 metres, to a depth of approximately 350 metres. The best mineralization is located in the volcanic rocks and in the younger porphyritic phases, but the grade is not consistent.”

Giles Peatfield comments:

Catface is a large copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit that is still in the exploration and development stage. There have been a number of resource estimates published over the years, none of which have adhered to guidelines set forth by National Instrument 43-101 and the CIM Best Practices and Definition Standards. However, in 2009 Selkirk Metals Corp. issued a press release giving an up-dated “43-101 compliant” resource for the deposit. The resource quoted was 56.86 million tonnes (indicated) grading 0.40% copper, and 262.45 million tonnes (inferred) grading 0.38% copper. Note that there are no Mo grades quoted; earlier non-compliant resource calculations suggested a grade of 0.014% MoS2. Unfortunately, the report does not appear to be available on Sedar, and one must rely on the Selkirk press release, and on a subsequent press release by Imperial Metals Corp. dated 08 September 2010, that quotes the same totals.

The only radiometric date presently noted on the Canadian Geochronology Knowledgebase is a K/Ar date on biotite from a hornblende-biotite quartz diorite on the southern portion of the property. This date was originally reported (Wanless, et al., 1967) as 48±12 Ma (million years before present). This has been re-calibrated on the Knowledgebase as 50±12 Ma.

As regards the general classification of the deposit, Enns and McDougall (1995) wrote that “The Catface deposit shares some common features of calcalkaline porphyry deposits in British Columbia, but shows important differences. These differences include the absence of a well defined pyrite halo, lack of significant phyllic alteration, lack of abundant quartz stockwork, and lack of known peripheral base-metal showings. The development of a hornblende contact metamorphic aureole in the basalt host rocks is another difference. Presence of the potassic and propylitic alteration with little, or no phyllic alteration, indicates the dominance of orthomagmatic fluids in hydrothermal alteration at Catface.”

The Catface property has had a chequered history since serious work began in the 1960’s. Details are available through the British Columbia Minfile page, as well as in McDougall (1976), Enns and McDougall (1995), Robertson et al. (2003) and others. There is considerable uncertainty regarding any potential for development, given strenuous opposition by environmental lobby groups and lack of any clear agreement with the local indigenous community. Detailed discussion of these topics is beyond the scope of this review.


Comments on the minerals reported:

Actinolite: Enns and McDougall wrote that “Exposures of local, banded massive pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-pyrite and magnetite pods up to 3m wide were mapped in actinolite-magnetite altered basalt along Irishman Creek. These sulphide pods contain minor scheelite and were interpreted as exoskarn.” But see note below for andesine.

Albite: Panteleyev (1989) reported X-ray determined albite in basaltic country rock, with epidote and a “. . . small amount of hydrogrossularite[sic].”

Andesine: McDougall (1976) wrote that “The volcanic rocks contain approximately 40 per cent plagioclase laths (andesine), 35 per cent hornblende and a few quartz phenocrysts in a very fine
grained groundmass of quartz, feldspar, fibrous tremolite/actinolite and diopside.”

Anhydrite?: This mineral is listed in the present Mindat posting, but was not mentioned in any of the source references consulted. Steve Enns, in an email dated 14 January 2026, told me [GRP] that “My recall is likely unreliable on Catface these 35 years later. In salvage/re-logging quite a number of old Falconbridge holes to track alteration, I don’t recall anhydrite, unless I missed it. Perhaps some minor violet to purple fluorite, which I don’t think I’d have mistaken.” Based on this, anhydrite, although certainly possible in this environment, should be marked as tentative.

Apatite: McDougall (1976), describing the quartz monzonite unit, wrote that “The mafic content ranges from trace to 15 per cent, and includes amphibole (hornblende/tremolite/actinolite) and pyroxene (augite, diopside). Scapolite and apatite have been identified.”

Augite: See note above for apatite.

Azurite: McDougall (1976) wrote that “Opaque and some nonmetallic minerals present, identified either by X-ray or optical microscopy, include chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, molybdenite, chalcocite, covellite, idaite, digenite, native copper, cuprite, valleriite, tenorite, limonite (2 geothite)[sic], magnetite and hematite, plus azurite, malachite and minor chrysocolla accompanied by cupriferous amorphous silica (chalcedony-opal).” Although not specifically stated, most of these determinations were probably made at Lakefield Research and/or Thornhill (Metallurgical) Laboratories.

'Biotite': Biotite is common in the intrusive rocks and as a constituent of hornfels. It was used for K/Ar dating of the host quartz-diorite unit.

Bornite: See note above for azurite.

Calcite: McDougall (1976) wrote that “Carbonate (generally calcite) is sparse and most common in the volcanic rocks.”

Chalcocite: See note above for azurite.

Chalcopyrite: See note above for azurite.

'Chlorite Group': McDougall (1976) wrote that “Most chlorite and some magnetite have formed through the alteration of biotite, amphibole and pyroxenite.”

Chrysocolla: See note above for azurite.

Covellite: See note above for azurite.

Cuprite: See note above for azurite.

Digenite: See note above for azurite.

Diopside: See note above for apatite.

Epidote: See note above for albite. McDougall (1976) wrote that “Epidote and zoisite occur most commonly as alteration patches in amphiboles.”

Galena: McDougall (1976) wrote that “A few grains of graphite, galena and sphalerite have been recognized.”, although it is not clear what the host rock for these occurrences was.

'Garnet Group': Enns and McDougall (1995) wrote that “A patchy garnet-epidote alteration zone was mapped in basalt and quartz monzonite along Irishman Creek and was interpreted as local exoskarn and endoskarn alteration.”

var. Hydrogrossular: See note above for albite.

Goethite: See note above for azurite.

Graphite: See note above for galena.

Gypsum: Enns and McDougall (1995) wrote that “scattered occurrences of white zeolite and gypsum in drill holes, and on surface, indicate the presence of a wide, outer alteration halo surrounding the Cliff zone.”

Hematite: See note above for azurite.

var. Specularite?: This mineral is listed in the present Mindat posting, but was not mentioned in any of the source references consulted.

Hornblende: McDougall (1976) noted numerous examples of hornblende as a rock-forming mineral.

Idaite: See note above for azurite.

Ilmenite: McDougall (1976) wrote that “A concentrate representative of the main deposit indicates that the major minerals are present in the following amounts: chalcopyrite 60 per cent, bornite 17 per cent, chalcocite 2 per cent, pyrite (including marcasite) 1.5 per cent and pyrrhotite 0.5 per cent. The concentrate also contains minerals derived from country rock, such as ilmenite and zircon, as well as about 16 per cent ‘gangue’ minerals such as azurite, malachite and chrysocolla.”

Kaolinite: McDougall (1976), describing the intrusive rock in the central core of the deposit, wrote that “It is characterized by quartz monzonite within which feldspars have been
substantially altered to sericite and kaolinite, mafic minerals have been chloritized, quartz occurs on most fractures and silicification is present.”

Laumontite: Panteleyev (1989) reported X-ray determined laumontite as “chalky white fracture coatings in quartz diorite.”

'Limonite': See note above for azurite.

'Mafic minerals': McDougall (1976) made several references to ‘mafic minerals’ but did not specify species.

Magnetite: See note above for azurite.

Malachite: See note above for azurite.

Marcasite: See note above for ilmenite.

Molybdenite: See note above for azurite.

Muscovite?: This mineral is listed in the present Mindat posting, but was not mentioned in any of the source references consulted.

var. Sericite: See note above for kaolinite.

Native Copper: See note above for azurite.

Olivine: McDougall (1976) noted that “Forsteritic [sic] olivine has been identified.” in the volcanic rocks.

Opal: See note above for azurite.

Orthoclase: McDougall (1976) noted orthoclase as a common constituent of the intrusive rocks, writing that “Petrographic examination reveals further details of alteration within the central core, such as plagioclase that has been partly saussuritized as well as sericitized, and orthoclase
that has been albitized or kaolinitized as well as weakly sericitized.”

Pyrite: See note above for azurite.

Pyrrhotite: See note above for azurite.

Quartz: This is a common rock-forming mineral on the property, but is less common in veins within the mineralized area – see note in the “Comments” section regarding the classification of the deposit.

var. Chalcedony: See note above for azurite.

Rutile: McDougall (1976), describing the volcanic rocks, noted that “Opaque minerals include hematite, magnetite and rutile.”

Scapolite: See note above for apatite.

Scheelite: Panteleyev (1989) reported X-ray determined scheelite, with blue fluorescence, in a 1mm veinlet in volcanics in the adit. In another sample, the ‘scheelite’ was regarded as “. . . probably solid solution series with powellite.” Steve Enns, in an email dated 14 January 2026, told me [GRP] that “In resampling the ½ mile underground adit we found abundant powellite (unfortunately too Mo-rich to be by-product), and disappointing Au.” There is, however, no mention of yellow fluorescence, as one would suspect for powellite. Perhaps the scheelite has an elevated Mo content, or perhaps there are two separate phases present. This problem remains unresolved.

Sphalerite: See note above for galena.

Stilbite: Panteleyev (1989) reported X-ray determined stilbite on a fracture in biotite hornfels.

Tenorite: See note above for azurite.

Titanite: McDougall (1976) wrote that “The diorite [contains] accessory sphene, apatite, zircon and magnetite.”

Valleriite: See note above for azurite.

'Zeolite Group': See note above for gypsum.

Zircon: See note above for ilmenite.

Zoisite: See note above for epidote.

Rock types reported:

The identification of the rocks listed are from the work of Northcote (1972?), McDougall (1976), and Enns and McDougall (1995). For details, refer to these papers.

Research by Giles Peatfield, Courtenay, British Columbia.
Edited by Doug Scott, Ottawa
Posting prepared 18 January, 2026.

Other Databases

Link to British Columbia Minfile:	092F 120

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References