Moke Creek prospect, Queenstown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Moke Creek prospect	Prospect
Queenstown	- not defined -
Queenstown-Lakes District	District
Otago Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

The Moke Creek copper prospect is about 10 kilometres north-west of Queenstown as the crow flies, but to reach by road is double that distance. Head west on the Queenstown-Glenorchy Road, then north to Moke Lake. Go past the camp-ground and continue until 600 metres before the McConnochie Creek confluence with Moke Creek. It's a public road but access past the camp-ground is uncertain at the time of writing due to actions of the local farmer.

The Moke Creek lode starts north of the creek, crosses to the southern side, and through the hill to the south-east face in the McConnochie Creek valley. The main spot is on the south bank, the copper lode part of a talus strewn slope below a cliff face to the creek. Various workings are noted from shallow pits to adits.

Copper was discovered here in 1864, however the only recorded production was 3 tonnes of ore shipped to Australia in 1917.

The ore consists of copper sulphide-rich layers in a greenschist band up to 3 metres thick, consisting of quartz, albite, tourmaline, chlorite, epidote, occasionally stilpnomelane, and graphite.

Sulphides include massive chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, and minor sphalerite. Secondary copper species appear uncommon, with only fine granular covellite noted as cross cutting veinlets. Irregular colloform limonite veinlets up to 1 mm wide cut sulphides and silicates.

The immediate area is known also for gold, as are many of the streams in the district. The creek banks and neighbouring terraces were sluiced in the 1860s, while the creek is being dredged to the present day. This is the equivalent of metal detecting in Australia, although requires more money and effort. A scuba diver braves the cold water towing a portable dredge behind him vacuuming up creek bed gravels for flakes of gold. Registering a claim is required, and claim jumpers have been prosecuted in the past. The practice is not environmentally friendly, the amount of gold is sparse, and most participants suffer from gold fever.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References