The Bornite occurrence is located 17 kilometres south-southwest of the community of Tatla Lake.
The area of the Bornite zone is underlain by Middle to Upper Triassic volcanics and sediments of the Cadwallader Group, intruded by quartz dioritic of the Late Triassic Cadwallader plutonic suite. The area lies between two major northwest-striking faults, the Yalakom and Tchaikazan faults, along the northeastern margin of the Coast Plutonic Complex. A splay of the latter, the Niut fault, occurs just south of the area of interest (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 1163).
The volcanics are mainly andesitic tuffs, with minor breccia and porphyritic flows. These are interbedded with rhyodacitic flows and tuffs. The quartz diorite and diorite intrusions are medium grained and porphyritic; one large body can be traced intermittently between the two areas of mineralization. The volcanics are also intruded by dikes, including monzonite porphyry and quartz-feldspar porphyry.
Sporadic sampling occurred on the Bornite zone from 1987 to 2015. In 2012, Eight of twelve samples located in the area of the Bornite showing were anomalous in copper. In 2014, the highest assay of 8 samples taken was 1.59 grams per tonne gold and greater than 1 per cent arsenic and negligible copper (Sample BOR 16, Assessment Report 35049). The 8 rocks were reported to have been taken from the lower Butler Creek shear, which is exposed in the cliffs on the north side of Butler Creek immediately to the west of the confluence of upper Butler and lower Butler creeks. Widespread shearing and pyritization in altered diorites and andesites were noted in this area. Sample BOR 16 was taken from a 10- to 15-millimetre-wide quartz veinlet with 10 to 15 per cent fine-grained pyrite, arsenopyrite and trace bornite. The veinlet had a 350-010-degree strike with a 60-to-80-degree east dip. It was strongly oxidized and fractured. Outcrop hosting or occurring near the samples were reported as feldspar porphyry, hornblende porphyry, leucocratic dike and a fine-grained, dark grey rock.
The 8 samples were taken to follow up 1987 sample I-3, which assayed 2.23 grams per tonne gold and 1.03 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 17080). Sample I-3 was described as being taken from a quartz-pyrite-arsenopyrite shear zone along the creek.
WORK HISTORY
In 1987 work rock and soil sampling was completed on the B grid, C grid, McDonald Road, and the Bornite showing on Lower Butler Creek (Assessment Report 17080).
In 1989, Canevex optioned the property to Noranda Mining and Explorations Inc. who (from 1989 to 1990) completed 30 kilometres of IP survey, 37 kilometres of ground Magnetics survey, analyzed 1203 soil samples, 158 rock samples, and completed 700 line-kilometres of helicopter airborne geophysical survey (Assessment Report 20860). Work was conducted on B grid and Butler Creek area of the Newmac Group and the Newmac East group of claims. The Bornite zone is contained within the northwest corner of the grid area where a weak copper-gold anomaly exists and is open to the north. The Bornite zone is about 3 kilometres north of Butler Lake.
In 1998, while Ascot Resources Ltd was exploring the Butler Lake target a small amount of work was completed approximately 3 kilometers to the north in an area then referred to as the “Bornite Showing” target (Assessment Report 25766). This target is also a copper-gold (molybdenum) anomaly that, while probably originally discovered in the 1940’s, was re-identified by soil geochemistry and induced polarization surveying by Noranda while working the Butler Lake target (BU (092N 030)) in 1991. Excepting a gossan exposed in the creek, the Bornite Showing is completely overburden covered and has never been drilled.
In 2004 a cut grid was established on the area of the Bornite showing east of an access road that runs up the western boundary of the property. An induced polarization survey was then completed over 17.8-line kilometres of grid Assessment Report 27543). Work was done on the Bornite showing-Noranda Pits area, the MacDonald Road and the Butler Lake area. Several well-defined induced polarization anomalies were discovered as a consequence of this work. One diamond drill hole was recommended to test the coincident copper and I.P. anomalies in the area of the Noranda Pits. A hand cut, all terrain, access trail was constructed off of the tote road to allow this grid to be worked by foot or with ATV vehicles.
In 2012, Tchaikazan Resources Ltd. reported that eight of twelve samples located in the area of the Bornite showing were anomalous in copper with sample Bor007 returning assays of 0.217 per cent copper, 0.09 gram per tonne gold and 3.5 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 33785, Figure 3).
In 2013, 2 rock samples were taken two samples were taken in the area of the Bornite zone in an effort to locate the source of mineralized float found previously; 5 soil samples were collected from the Noranda Pits area located about 700 metres to the south-southeast (Assessment Report 34389).
In 2014 work program the Tchaikazan Resources Inc (Susan Rolston) comprised geochemical sampling of 27 rocks and 5 C-horizon soils from the Butler Lake area, Bornite Zone, and Noranda Pits (Assessment Report 35049).
The 2015 work program included prospecting in the West Butler Creek area just upstream from the confluence of East and West Butler Creeks. Fifteen samples, six grabs and nine chips, were collected for assay from gossanous outcrops exposed along the deeply incised cliff faces bounding West Butler Creek. In addition, a review of mineralized structures in the “Pretty Pile” area (Hayfield Bluffs (092N 071), the Painted Bluffs (092N 081), and the Slide area was undertaken to more accurately locate and orient the local copper/gold and molybdenum mineralization. Five rock samples were collected in the on Bornite zone, along a south-flowing river (Assessment Report 35754).
See Mac (092N 054), Newmac 1 (092N 055), and Bu (092N 030) for related geological and work history details.
