Geology along the Lithoprobe Transect Betweien the Guichon Creek Batholith and Okanagan Lake

This account is a progress report on geological mapping and field data compilation around part of the southern Cordillera LITHOPROBE transect in the lntermontane Belt. Objectives included integrating and improving the surface geological database for interpretation of the 1988 Vibroseis survey and reassessing the geological setting of mineral occurrences in the area. The transect route lies in the Nicola Valley and adjacent Nicola Plateau, crossing the Okanagan Highlands eastward to the northern end of the Okanagan Valley. The Coquihalla Highway, connecting Merritt and Kamloops (Figure I 1 I-I ). crosses the west side of the area and access is also provided by secondary, ranch and forestry roads. Low-lying regions are semi-arid grassland whereas highlands are forested; bedrock exposure is highly variable. Fieldwork, carried out in July and August of 1988, involved reconnaissance of the entire transect segment and local I:50 000 mapping, mainly in the vicinity of the Central Nicola horst.