The (West) Empress molybdenum occurrence outcrops on the crest of a broad west-trending ridge separating the headwaters of Empress Creek to the northwest from Shinish Creek to the south. The occurrence is located approximately 1.5 kilometres north of Shinish Creek and 8 kilometres east of Jellicoe.
The area is hosted in medium-grained, equigranular biotite hornblende granodiorite and quartz monzonite of the Middle Jurassic Osprey Lake Batholith.
Locally, at the (West) Empress occurrence pyrite and molybdenite occur as disseminations and veinlets, and in quartz stringers in a north-trending zone, at least 730 and possibly up to 950 metres long and at least 360 metres wide over most of its length. Magnetite is associated with fracture-controlled sulphides. This mineralization occurs in quartz-potassium feldspar alteration zones within the area of surface mineralization. The intrusive units have also undergone slight sericite, chlorite and kaolinite alteration. Pyrite and molybdenite were intersected in all of 15 percussion holes drilled in this area. Traces of chalcopyrite were detected in four of the holes.
In 1981, analytical results from 15 holes completed on the (West) Empress occurrence averaged 0.00111 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 10434, page 12). The best hole (81-9) assayed 0.0501 per cent molybdenum over 48.8 metres, including 0.0852 per cent molybdenum and 0.0093 per cent copper over 15.25 metres and 0.104 per cent molybdenum over 3.05 metres (Assessment Report 10434).
Also at this time, drilling on the East Empress area, located approximately 5.2 kilometres east-southeast of the (West) Empress occurrence, intercepted trace molybdenite mineralization associated with pyritic zones. Drilling yielded values of up to 0.031 per cent molybdenite over 6.1 metres in hole PDH 18 (Assessment Report 10434).
In 2007 and 2008, drilling on the (West) Empress occurrence a molybdenite bearing fault/shear zone complex with strong clay-chlorite in faults, trending 030 and 130 degrees and dipping moderate to shallow to the east, over an area of at least 250 by 250 metres. Drilling yielded intercepts including 0.044 per cent molybdenum over 114 metres in hole EMP-7, 0.059 per cent molybdenum over 153 metres in hole EMP-10, 0.041 per cent molybdenum over 132 metres in hole EMP-16, 0.044 per cent molybdenum over 204 metres in hole EMP-17 and 0.051 per cent molybdenum over 138 metres in hole EMP-19 (Assessment Report 30295).
In 2010, two separate NI 3-101 compliant resource estimates were reported with 3 996 000 tonnes indicated grading 0.0605 per cent molybdenum with 3 498 000 tonnes inferred grading 0.062 per cent molybdenum using a 0.02 per cent molybdenum cut-off grade and 1 703 000 tonnes inferred grading 0.0948 per cent molybdenum with 1 657 000 million tonnes inferred grading 0.0947 per cent molybdenum using a 0.05 per cent molybdenum cut-off grade (Assessment Report 34817).
Work History
The occurrence was discovered and staked by Anaconda American Brass Ltd. in 1968, after elevated molybdenum values were detected in a stream silt survey. The company completed various geological, soil geochemical and geophysical surveys during 1968 through 1970. A number of trenches were excavated and 1122 metres of drilling were also completed during this time.
In 1979, Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the area as the Press claims. Also at this time, Cominco Ltd. and Univex Mining Corp. Ltd. completed programs of geochemical (silt and soil) sampling on the area immediately east and west of the occurrence as the OSP and PH claims, respectively.
In 1981, Anaconda Canada Exploration Ltd. completed 42 percussion drill holes, totalling 3428.5 metres, on the area. Also at this time, Univex Mining Corp. Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the PH claims.
In 1993, Discovery Consultants completed a program of prospecting and geochemical (soil and heavy mineral stream sediment) sampling on the area as the Empress 1-4 claims.
In 2007 and 2008, Molycor Gold Corp. and Goldrea Resources Corp. completed 19 diamond drill holes on the area as the Bill 1 claim of the Empress Molybdenum property. The drillholes tested a 250- by 250-metre area centred on the historical (1981) drillhole 81-9.
In 2014, Goldrea Resources Corp. and Nevada Clean Magnesium Inc. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, geological mapping and a 3.2 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the Empress property.