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ROCK ROOM

Smithers Exploration Group's Collection of Cordilleran Rock Suites

Welcome to Smithers Exploration Group’s Rock Room, home to our classic collection of Cordilleran rock suites. This extensive collection of rock samples is representative of deposits and rock types from across British Columbia, with a focus on the northwest. It’s an important resource for the development of expertise on the geology of northern BC and the discovery of the next mines.

The collection was begun in the 1970s by local geologists and prospectors, as well as the BC Ministry of Mines, and was updated under the direction of former regional geologist Paul Wojdak. It is designed to give hands-on examples of the rocks that make up the regional geological framework of northern British Columbia.  We are working hard to complete our collection: if there is a particular suite you are keen to see but we do not yet have, please let us know and we will prioritize the aquisition of those samples.  If you have a suite that you would consider donating to help us fill in the gaps, please contact us.

The Rock Room occupies a spacious classroom at the Smithers Exploration Group office at #101 3423 Fulton Avenue in Smithers. We have almost 2000 rock samples catalogued, clearly labelled and stored in trays that can be removed for handling and close examination. The room is heated, well-lit and spacious .It is equipped with regular and zoom stereomicroscopes for detailed investigation.

The rock suites cover:

Call 250-877-7883 or email rockroom@smithersexplorationgroup.com if you have questions about the Rock Room or the donation requirements for samples.

SEG’s Rock Room with its Cordilleran Rock Suites will make Smithers home to a unique tool for explorationists.  It will attract industry and government attention to Smithers as a community committed to the growth of the minerals industry in BC.

Browse the Rock Room Collection

Library No.Suite NameLocationCollectorRock NameAgeDescriptionCart
S2-22Stewart suiteMt Dilworth FmD AlldrickBanded lithic tuffJurassicdark grey; fine grained; weakly banded; 20% pyrite fragments; 10% altered lithic rock fragments; both type of fragments elongated along bands
S2-21Stewart suiteDilworth Fm, Monitor LakeD AlldrickLithic lapilli tuffJurassicDrill core; dark grey and apple green; mottled; 20% dark grey aphanitic matrix; 75% subrounded, green lithic fragments 2-20 mm; 5% feldspar, 2 mm; soft due to pervasive chlorite and epidote
S2-20Stewart suiteDilworth Fm, Monitor LakeD AlldrickCrystal lithic daciteJurassicDrill core; 60% aphanitic dark grey matrix; 30% feldspar 2-3 mm; 10% small lithic fragments to 5 mm; possibly high-level intrusion / dike
S2-19Stewart suiteSalmon River Fm (base of)D AlldrickFossiliferous gritty limestoneJurassicdark grey; 15% angular, elongate rock fragments, varying colour, to 5 mm; 15% fossil bivalves; groundmass is sand grains cemented by calcite
S2-18Stewart suiteUnuk River FmD AlldrickDacite dykemedium green; 20% aphanitic matrix; 50% sub to euhedral plagioclase phenocrysts to 3 mm and weakly aligned; 5% K-feldspar 5-15 mm; 24% fine mafics (hornblende?) 0.5 to 8 mm; 1% diss pyrite 2 mm cubes; pervasive carbonate alteration
S2-17Stewart suiteD AlldrickCrystal lithic lapilli tuffJurassicdark grey and brown; fine to medium grained; 50% dark fragments to 3 cm which contain 20% small plagioclase phenocrysts; 35% aphanitic dark brown matrix; intensely fractured with quartz and siderite along sub-parallel fractures and pervasive carbonate fractures in matrix
S2-16Stewart suitePremier / Big Missouri mineD AlldrickDacite crystal lithic tuffJurassiclight to medium grey-green; mottled; soft; 50% sub-angular fragments to 1.5 cm; 5% small K-feldspar in matrix; fragments are dark green andesite porphyry or grey-brown siliceous tuff
S2-15Stewart suiteUnuk River Fm, upper andesite unit, Premier mineD AlldrickAltered andesiteJurassicgrey-green; fine grained; intense chlorite and weak carbonate alteration; pyrite fine, disseminated
S2-14Stewart suiteMt Dilworth Fm, Black tuff member, Big Missouri propertyD AlldrickPyritic tuffJurassicmedium to dark grey; fine grained; fractured; pyrite-quartz on sub-parallel fractures; cross cutting tension fractures filled with quartz; small anhedral feldspar visible locally
S2-13Stewart suiteMt Dilworth FmD AlldrickTuffaceous mudstoneJurassiclight green; fine grained; dull; waxy; conchoidal fracture; somewhat fractured; dark patches of carbon and calcite
S2-12Stewart suiteUnuk River Fm, upper andesite unitD AlldrickAndesite plagioclase porphyry (crystal tuff?)Jurassicgrey-green; 40% sub to euhedral plagioclase to 5 mm; minor entirely chloritized hornblende to 1 cm, faintly visible; sparse disseminated pyrite; some feldspars are pale yellow due to weak clay alteration
S2-11Stewart suiteMt Dilworth FmD AlldrickWelded ash flowJurassiclight and dark grey; fine grained; mottled and banded; fiamme evident on cut surface; pyrite replacement of some stretched, aligned clasts; minor quartz veinlets perpendicular to banding
S2-10Stewart suiteMt Dilworth FmD AlldrickRhyodacite tuffJurassiclight green-grey; very fine grained; cherty; sparse small stretched fragments; 4 mm pale orange weathered rim
S2-09Stewart suiteUnuk River FmD AlldrickAndesite porphyritic flowJurassicdark green; medium grained; 30% feldspar (mostly plagioclase) 5 mm; 15% hornblende to 5 mm; sparse K-feldspar >1 cm; one fine grained xenolith
S2-08Stewart suiteD AlldrickDacite dykeJurassicmedium green; medium grained; 50% sub to euhedral plagioclase phenocrysts, 2-3 mm; sparse K-feldspar; 20% hornblende; matrix is fine grained, siliceous; calcite disseminated and 3 mm veinlet; 1% disseminated pyrite
S2-07Stewart suitePremier porphyry, 4-level Premier mineD AlldrickDacite dykeJurassiclight green; 50% sub to euhedral plagioclase phenocrysts, 2mm; sparse K-feldspar, 1.5 cm; 10% hornblende; quartz vein stockwork with pink selvages and patches of potassic(?) alteration; pyrite disseminated and in quartz veinlets
S2-06Stewart suiteUnuk River Fm, upper andesite unitD AlldrickHornblende andesite tuffJurassicdark green; fine grained; foliated; 20% small hornblende phenos roughly aligned; trace feldspar specks; pervasive chlorite; wispy, discontinuous quartz veinlets parallel to foliation; 5% pyrite as blebs to 2 mm
S2-05Stewart suiteUnuk River Fm, middle andesite unit, north end of Long LakeD AlldrickAndesite porphyryJurassicmedium green; fine grained; 30% mafic phenocrysts (augite or hornblende?); minor feldspar phenos, poorly visible;
S2-04Stewart suiteSummit Lake stockD AlldrickHornblende granodiorite192.8 Mablack and white; medium grained; 20% quartz to 5 mm; 10% white K-feldspar phenocrysts to 5 mm; 50% fine grained white plagioclase; 20% mafics, hornblende to 1 cm and minor biotite to 4 mm; trace pyrite
S2-03Stewart suiteTexas Creek batholith, Riverside prospect, AlaskaD AlldrickHornblende granodioriteJurassicmedium grained; weakly foliated; 15% quartz; 60% feldspar (white to pale green, epidote altered); 25% aligned hornblende, completely altered to dark green chlorite; disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite
S2-02Stewart suiteTexas Creek batholith, Riverside prospect, AlaskaD AlldrickHornblende granodioriteJurassicmedium grained; 10% quartz; 50% feldspar (plagioclase and K-feldspar), altered to sericite or epidote near fractures; 40% hornblende to 7 mm; chlorite fractures; trace disseminated pyrite
S2-01Stewart suiteTexas Creek batholith, Six Mile prospectD AlldrickHornblende granodioriteJurassicmedium grained; weakly foliated; 20% quartz to 4 mm; 20% feldspar (plagioclase?), pale grey-green, sericite altered; 30% aligned hornblende, chloritic
S1-18Telkwa VolcanicsCrystal Lithic Ash Flow TuffPink overall color with broken and fine rock fragments from mm scale to 2cm from white, red and black in color. Small wisps are probably flattened pummace, rock has ~5% small crystals; matrix dense and glassy. X-cut by quartz-calcite veining w/ tr py.
S1-17Telkwa VolcanicsAccretionary Lapilli TuffBeige in color, fine grained, with a spherical grey rimmed texture (lapilli?), black rims sometimes fractured & angular. Round balls from air fall in "Thunder Cloud" above major eruption centers.
S1-16Telkwa VolcanicsRyodacite Ash Flow TuffMedium grey with mm scale fg pale grey rounded to dark grey elongated fragments (fiamme wisps) with weak alignment
S1-15Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsFeldspar porphyry daciteJurassic80% feldspar to 5 mm (pink-orange, K-spar?, anhedral) are roughly aligned, flow-banded; dark grey, fine grained matrix; rare augite(?) as small dark grey-green, squarish crystals altered to sericite/chlorite; carbonate in cross cutting veinlets; minor limonite on weathered surface
S1-14Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsAmygdaoidal basaltJurassicgrey-brown; fine grained; 20% amygdules (rounded, dull green, chlorite?); minor small, red-brown, anhedral phenocrysts may be iddingsite (altered olivine); one fracture surface coated with bright red-brown zeolite (heulandite or stilbite) accompanied by minor calcite
S1-13Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsHematitic basalt porphyryJurassiclight grey-brown; fine grained; soft; 20% subhedral augite to 5 mm, altered to epidote; cavities (amygdules?) filled with white radiating zeolite (natrolite), minor orange K-feldspar and minor grey to translucent chalcedony
S1-12Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsDacite crystal lithic air-fall(?) tuffJurassic60% red (hematite), fine-grained siliceous matrix; 20% feldspar crystals to 3 mm (pale pink-white, anhedral); 5% grey lithic fragments (rounded, siliceous); 15% pumic fragments (flattened, warpy, pink-white, altered to laumontite). Possibly air-fall material
S1-11Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsVolcanic pebble wackeJurassicorangish-grey pebbly greywacke to conglomerate; moderately sorted; polymictic; crystal clasts of glassy quartz, minor feldspar and trace magnetite; laumontite cement, slightly crumbly, pink-orange
S1-10Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsLapilli tuffJurassic15% feldspar crystals 1-3 mm, anhedral; 10% light grey-brown lithic fragments (rounded, 1-5 mm, siliceous to clay-altered); red, fine grained matrix (hematitic); a few vugs to 1 cm of light brown clay and black carbonaceous material
S1-09Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsVolcanic siltstone to sandstoneJurassicgrey; finely laminated; moderate to well-sorted; normal and reverse graded bedding; single 1 cm thick cross bed; a few large, aligned, epidote altered fragments indicate lamellar flow. Fluvial facies
S1-08Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsPlagioclase augite porphyritic andesiteJurassicsub to euhedral augite phenos altered to epidote; plagioclase as small acicular laths; round amygdules filled with chlorite; moderate carbonate content; one large vug filled with chalcedonic quartz rimmed by calcite
S1-07Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsPorphyritic andesite-basaltJurassicdark grey-green; bladed feldspar phenocrysts, some in groups nearly forming a flower porphyry; sparse black augite phenocrysts; minor amygdules (clasts?) consists of clay, chlorite and minor sericite; minor pink laumontite; moderately magnetic
S1-06Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsAmygdaloidal andesite/basalt flow brecciaJurassiclarge amygdules filled pale pink, crumbly zeolite (laumontite); weakly chloritic and weak pervasive carbonate; possibly a flow-top breccia cemented by zeolite
S1-05Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsSpheroidal dacite-andesite lithic tuffJurassicgreyish, fine grained matrix which may be vitric or glassy as evidenced by spherulitic growth and subconchoidal fracture; clasts are minor, rounded or elongate and weakly aligned; clasts are composed of quartz, chlorite or light green siliceous material represent either lithic fragments or anhedral crystals; green wispy fragments are likely flattened pumice. Spherules are dark grey with a medium grey matrix, possibly feldspar(?)
S1-04Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsRhyolite with lithophasaeJurassicpink-orange; fine grained. Lithophasae are hollow, bubble-like structures composed of concentric shells of finely crystalline quartz, alkali feldspar and other minerals. They form during eruption as vapour phase separates from the magma and are preserved when it solidifies, and subsequently filled by silica precipitates.
S1-03Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsAmygdaloidal lithic andesite-basalt tuffJurassicgreen-grey to purplish; fine grained; weakly chloritic; small red, rounded lithic clasts of fine hematitic tuff; weakly magnetic; cavities lined with small pink feldspar crystals
S1-02Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsTuffaceous mudstoneJurassicdark brown-green; fine grained; greasy texture due to chlorite on fracture surfaces
S1-01Telkwa VolcanicsT RichardsAccretionary lapilli tuffJurassicgrey-brown; prominent rounded, dark, concentric spherules of accretionary lapilli; matrix contains small, anhedral mafic crystals; spherules are weakly magnetic; calcite on fractures; concentric lapilli are thought to form in a turbulent ash-cloud by accretion of fine dust particles
P2-05Calcalkaline GranitesT RichardsQuartz gabbro xenolith in quartz monzonitemedium to coarse quartz monzonite with 25% quartz, 50% white euhedral K-feldspar, 10% plagioclase and 15% slightly chloritic hornblende, trace fine py. Xenolith is 15% quartz, 15% plag, 70% hornblende and minor biotite; strongly magnetic whereas qtz monz is moderately magnetic
P2-03Calcalkaline GranitesT RichardsHornblende quartz monzonitemedium grained; 30% quartz; 15% plagioclase; 40% pink and white K-feldspar; 15% mafics, slightly chloritic hornblende and minor biotite; local epidote alteration
P2-04Calcalkaline GranitesT RichardsBiotite granitepink-white; medium grained; weakly foliated; 15% quartz; 75% light pink K-feldspar; 10% biotite, moderately magnetic
P2-02Calcalkaline GranitesT RichardsBiotite granodioritelight grey-white and black; medium grained; 30% quartz; 30% plagioclase; 20% K-feldspar; 20% biotite; weak potassic alteration and some feldspar altered to epidote; py as small blebs; some mafics are weakly magnetic; one fracture vein of quartz-epidote-py-moly
P2-01Calcalkaline GranitesT RichardsPink granitepink; medium to coarse grained; 15% quartz; 70% pink-orange K-feldspar; 15% grey-green chloritic hornblende and black tourmaline as knots to 2 cm; very minor muscovite with tourmaline
D36-11Brucejack Gold Mine1140-ACCS3-VSFThe VSF S3 conglomerate is commonly interbedded with sandstone and siltstone sedimentary horizons within the volcanic sedimentary facies (VSF). This unit is typically clast supported, well sorted, and contains dominant monomictic−oligolmictic, cobble-sized clasts, which are oblate shapped and aligned to a dominant foliation. The matrix is typically composed of well sorted, fine−medium grained siltstone, which is weakly-moderately sericite altered. Clasts range from pebble−boulder size, where they are most commonly stretched and elongated along the foliation axis. Clasts are altered to pyrite-sericite-chlorite and minor silica, from the inside out. This unit is often misinterpreted for the polymictic conglomerate, which is in part from the alteration products of the individual clasts, which appear as heterogeneous clast types.
D36-10Brucejack Gold Mine1320-27Domain 20 - ANDXDomain 20 is a stockwork of epithermal veining. Stockwork veins are macroscopically observed as deformed silica-flooded, quartz-calcite ± dolomite veins, and are typically several meters in width. Stockwork veins commonly show good vertical continuity and along strike, with one of the veins traceable over a strike length of more than 100 m in a combination of underground workings and diamond drill hole intersections. Interpretation is still on-going and theres potential that D20 represents late stage relaxation and consequent normal movement along the long lived, reactivated structure.
D36-09Brucejack Gold Mine1170-EastS4 VSFVolcanic sandstones are generally well-sorted, homogeneous, and typically range from very coarse sand to very fine sand. These sandstones are massive, although contain preserved bedding and cross-bedding textures, which are often highlighted by pyrite alteration along bedding planes. Sandstone units are commonly interbedded with siltstone and oligomictic conglomerate (S3 VSF) major lithologies on small scales and over several tens of meters. This unit is most commonly a pale green-grey colour, speaking to the weak−moderate sericite matrix replacement. This unit is commonly misinterpreted with fine-grained porphyry (P1), where feldspar and amphibole phenocrysts are either sparsely disseminated throughout the groundmass, or small and go unnoticed or unrecognized. Another unit that causes confusion with the VSF sandstone is the V12 ANDX, specifically the coarse grained ash tuff, where chlorite-pyrite altered fragments are not present.
D36-08Brucejack Gold Mine1230-16S3-poly ConglomerateS3-Poly CONG: comprised of 5% sub-rounded pebble-sized polymictic clasts supported by a sandy matrix. Moderately well sorted. Notably lower clast % than typically observed in S3-Poly. Moderate-strong sericitic, pyritic alteration; moderate silicic alteration; weak-moderate chloritic alteration
D36-07Brucejack Gold Mine1200-EastSericiteSericite alteration is found in all host rock lithologies except argillaceous mudstones. Sericite alteration also occurs on a spectrum similar to quartz alteration, where rocks range from weakly sericite altered host rock replacement to complete monomineralic sericite replacement. Generally sericite occurs as matrix replacement of volcanic sedimentary units, and volcanic fragmental units, and to lesser extent porphyry host rocks. Phenocrysts and sedminatary clasts are commonly moderately pervasively altered. Intense, texturally destructive sericite alteration is observed on the margins of intensely silicified host rocks (most commonly the polymictic conglomerate unit), where the sericite is monomineralic, apple green in colour, and texturally destructive (this sample is an excellent example of this).

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