The Holyoak 1 occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 920 metres, between Humbird and Holyoak creeks and approximately 2.1 kilometres south of Mount Brenton.
Regionally, the area lies in the Cowichan uplift, one of three geo-anticlinal uplifts that expose Paleozoic Sicker and Buttle Lake Group rocks on Vancouver Island. Cretaceous sediments of the Nanaimo Group unconformably overlie the Paleozoic rocks; the contact is marked by a basal conglomerate containing volcanic fragments derived from the Sicker Group. The local stratigraphy is disrupted by folding, faulting (pre-Triassic as well as Paleogene–Neogene) and the intrusions of diabase and gabbro sills (called the Mount Hall Gabbro) that are coeval with the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation (Vancouver Group). The target of exploration activity has been the volcanogenic, polymetallic massive sulphides that are hosted within felsic volcanic tuffs of the Middle to Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge Formation (Sicker Group) and restricted to a belt running from Chipman Creek to Mount Richards, in the hangingwall of the Fulford fault.
Locally, as defined by diamond drilling, a zone of chlorite-chalcopyrite-pyrite stingers is hosted in mafic tuffs. This zone of mineralization is proposed to relate to the Sharon horizon exposed at the Sharon Copper (MINFILE 092B 040) occurrence approximately 1.3 kilometres to the east-southeast.
In 1990, hole CH90-126 intersected yielding 2.17 per cent copper and 5.2 grams per tonne silver over 5.64 metres (453.13 to 458.77 metres down hole; Assessment Report 20957).
Work History
In 1977, Imperial Oil Ltd. completed a program of geochemical (silt and soil) sampling and a 30.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the Holy Group. In 1978, Esso Resources Canada Limited completed six diamond drill holes, totalling 448.0 metres, on the Brent, Oak, QQ and VV claims.
In 1982, Esso Resources Canada Ltd. completed ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the Brent 1 claim. In 1984, Esso Resources conducted a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil sampling) on the Brent 1 and Oak 1-3 claims. Kidd Creek Mines Ltd. optioned the property in late 1984 and completed an airborne electromagnetic survey. In 1985, Kidd Creek Mines Ltd. completed a program of ground electromagnetic and magnetic surveys, an induced polarization survey and seven diamond drill holes, totalling 1534 metres, on the Brent 1 and Oak 1-3 claims.
In 1986, Kidd Creek Mines Ltd., on behalf of Esso Resources Canada Ltd., conducted 72.0 line-kilometres of combined ground magnetic, electromagnetic and induced polarization surveys on the Chip, Holyoak 1-3 and Brent claims.
In 1990, Falconbridge Ltd. completed a four-hole diamond drilling program, totalling 1801.7 metres, on the Holyoak 1-3 and Brent 1 claims.
In 2006 and 2007, Laramide Resources, for Treasury Metals Inc., completed a program of comprehensive data compilation, airborne geophysical surveys, totalling 500.1-line kilometres and drillcore resampling on the Lara property. In 2009, Treasury Metals completed a program of structural mapping and whole rock geochemical sampling on the Lara property.
In 2010 and 2011, Rock-Con Resources completed a program of prospecting and rock sampling on the Mount Sicker property.
In 2013 and 2014, Conarry Ventures Inc. conducted programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker property. Also in 2014, Treasury Metals completed a further program of structural mapping, whole rock geochemical sampling and environmental baseline studies on the Lara property. In 2018, Treasury Metals conducted an airborne LiDAR survey covering 6388.0 hectares on the Lara property.
In 2022, Sasquatch Resources Corp. completed a program of prospecting, geological mapping, drillcore and rock sampling and a 418.2 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey on the area as part of the Mount Sicker property.
