The Empress Cu-au-mo Deposit - Gemstone and Industrial Minerals Potential

This article describes the geology and industrial mineral potential of corundum, pyrophyllite and andaluite at the Empress deposit in the Taseko Lakes area (Figure 1). The Empress is a copper-goldmolybdenum porphyry deposit located 225 kilometres north of Vancouver and 50 kilometres northwest of Goldbridge and the Bralorne mining camp. Fine-grained corundum, in association with andalusite-pyrophyllite rock, was reported in several drill holes (Lamb&, 1989, 1991a and b) and a boulder containing coarse corundum was found in a trench in 1990. The potential of corundum mineralization has not been previously investigated. Corundum is closely associated with andalusite/pyrophyllite-bearing rocks that may also have commercial applications. Corundum is an alumina-rich mineral (A1203) that may be of variable color due to substihxion of metal ions for A?+. It is usually grey, blue-grey, brown, yellow, green or colourless. Its gemstones are known by their