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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  13-Mar-2019 by George Owsiacki (GO)

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NMI 093E11 Cu5
Name TROITSA MAIN, TROITSA (MAIN), MK, COLE CREEK, TROITSA, TROITSA LAKE, TURFORD Mining Division Omineca, Skeena
BCGS Map 093E054
Status Prospect NTS Map 093E11W
Latitude 053º 31' 21'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 127º 21' 16'' Northing 5931651
Easting 609095
Commodities Copper, Molybdenum, Silver Deposit Types L04 : Porphyry Cu +/- Mo +/- Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Troitsa Main occurrence is located approximately 25 kilometres east of Kemano and 110 kilometres southeast of Kitimat.

The Troitsa area is underlain by volcanic rock of the Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation of the Hazelton Group and andesitic rocks of the Cretaceous Kasalka Group. These are intruded by quartz dioritic rock of the Late Cretaceous Bulkley Plutonic Suite.

The Troitsa Main showing is located within a 12 by 2100 metre northwest-trending feldspar porphyry dike that cuts through granodiorite to quartz-monzonite of the Upper Cretaceous Troitsa Stock. Biotite from the Troitsa stock yielded a potassium-argon date of 75.7 Ma plus or minus 2.3 Ma. Alteration of the dike shows a north to south zonation progressing from propylitic, with epidote and chlorite present, to sericitic, with sericite, pyrite and quartz present, to potassic defined by K-feldspar and biotite. Chalcopyrite, bornite, molybdenite and pyrite occur; both disseminated and in veinlets associated with potassic alteration. Mineralization is restricted to the dike and does not penetrate the Troitsa stock.

Disseminated chalcopyrite occurs peripheral to the mineralized jointing and veining and mineralization was noted both east and west of the Main showing but in lower concentrations.

In 1966, the mineralization in the area was first discovered by G. Bleiler and F. Giauque. They staked the claims then and later optioned them to Silver Standard Mines Ltd. In 1966 and 1967, Silver Standard Mines Ltd. completed geological mapping, trenching, sampling and diamond drilling. The results were never published. In 1968, Silver Standard Mines Ltd. drilled two diamond-drill holes totalling 361.8 metres, and then dropped their option on the property. In 1969, Aston Resources Ltd. optioned the property and conducted geological mapping, geochemical sampling and ground and airborne geophysical surveys.

In 1971, Aston Resources Ltd. optioned the property to Cerro Mining Company of Canada Ltd. who executed an exploration program of silt, soil, talus and rock chip sampling. In 1973, N.G. Cawthorn completed detailed geological mapping as part of his M.Sc. thesis for the University of British Columbia.

The claims lapsed and were restaked in 1983 by Payday Resources Inc., who completed geochemical soil surveys. In 1986, Payday Resources Inc. conducted a soil geochemical survey, rock sampling, and a magnetometer geophysical survey focusing on the northwest portion of the property.

In 1999 and 2000, two limited prospecting programs were completed by Shawn Turford under the British Columbia Prospectors Assistance Program. Mr. Turford re-examined the Troitsa Lake showings and prospected the areas covered by the Payday Resources geochemical surveys. A new showing of rusty mineralized BFP intrusive rocks containing greater than 10,000 parts per million copper and 1.3 grams per tonne gold was discovered. The "Turford" showing has not been documented at this time.

In 2006, the property was staked by Turford, Galumbous and Keefe, with various claims added between 2006 and 2013. In November 2010, the property owners entered into an option agreement with Callinan Mines Ltd. During the period from 2010 to 2012, Callinan Mines completed prospecting programs, geochemical surveys, induced polarization and magnetic geophysical surveys, an airborne ZTEM survey, and 3776.9 metres of diamond drilling in 12 holes.

In 2010, Shawn Turford and Ralph Keefe completed a small prospecting program on the property targeting the Troitsa Lake showing (093E 003) and later in the year optioned the property to Callinan Mines Ltd. who completed a larger program of extensive prospecting, soil and rock sampling, and structural mapping. The Troitsa Main showing was sampled over a length of 121 metres with a continuous channel sample that assayed 0.282 per cent copper, including 24 metres grading 0.594 per cent copper (Assessment Report 32205). Attempts were made to locate and resample each of the three MINFILE showings located on the property: Troitsa Main, Troitsa Lake (093E 003) and Troitsa Cirque (093E 009).

In 2010, the Turford showing to the west was not located as it may have been covered by slumping of the hillside in 2000. A number of new zones of mineralization were located, some in areas that would have been snow and ice covered when the original evaluations of the property were completed

In 2011, Callinex Mines Inc., a spinoff of Callinan Mines Ltd., completed geophysical surveys and eight diamond-drill holes totalling 2770.9 metres. Highlights of this program include drillhole TR 11-02, which intersected 355.13 metres grading 0.117 per cent copper, including 50.91 metres grading 0.205 per cent copper and 0.018 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 33115).

In 2012, Callinex Mines Inc. conducted an exploration program of prospecting, airborne geophysical surveys and diamond drilling of 1005.4 metres in three holes. Diamond drilling in 2012 led to the discovery of wide intercepts of copper mineralization. TR12-10, located a further 240 metres to the northwest of previous drilling, yielded 169.87 metres grading 0.224 per cent copper and 0.003 per cent molybdenum; including 25.18 metres grading 0.807 per cent copper and 4.57 grams per tonne silver over 23.18 metres (Assessment Report 33984). The strike length of the zone is now approximately 650 metres.

In 2012, a total of 106 samples were collected on and in the immediate vicinity of the Troitsa property. A narrow pegmatite dike located south of the area of drilling (Troitsa Main) contained molybdenite.

The 2012 ZTEM airborne survey conducted over the Cole Creek property by Callinan Mines (Callinex) covered all the showings of the original Fab group and those of the Troitsa property as well, which include: Troitsa (Lake) (093E 003), Troitsa (Main) (093E 005) Troitsa (Cirque) (093E 009), Troitsa East (093E 129). This geophysical survey consisted of 1011 line-kilometres.

Despite encouraging drilling results Callinex returned the property owners in April of 2013. In July 2013, Granite Creek Gold Ltd. (“Granite Creek”) acquired the right to earn a 100 per cent interest in the property. A two-day helicopter-supported prospecting and rock sampling program was completed and 13 rock samples were taken.

Refer to Fab (093E 041) for related geology and property work history details of the Cole Creek property which the Troitsa property was part of from 2010 to 2013.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1966-112; 1967-113; 1968-141
EMPR ASS RPT 1091, *2026, *3253, *12278, RPT, 14953, 15314, 31748, *32205, *33115, 33984, 34554, 34785
EMPR BULL *75, pp. 53,67,68
EMPR EXPL 1983-412
EMPR GEM 1969-98; 1971-146
EMPR OF 1994-14
EMPR PF (*Cawthorn, N. (1971): Final Report 1971 Program, Troitsa Lake Property)
EMR MP CORPFILE (Silver Standard Mines Limited)
GSC MAP 1064A
GSC MEM 299
GSC OF 708
PR REL Callinan Mines Ltd. Dec.9, 2010; Callinex Mines Inc. Nov.*16, 2011, Oct.19, 2012; Granite Creek Gold Ltd., Nov.19, 2013
Cawthorn, N.G. (1973): Geology and Petrology of the Troitsa Lake Property, Whitesail Lake Map Area, B.C., M.Sc. thesis, University of British Columbia
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