The Cougar occurrence is located near the junction of Tachek and Strimboldh creeks, approximately 24 kilometres north of Topley.
The Cougar showing is shown on government maps (MapPlace) as being contained within a fault-bound block of Upper Triassic volcanic rocks of the Takla Group. Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group) andesite, tuff and breccia occur to the immediate west. A fault-bound block of Late Triassic granodiorite is in contact with the Takla block on its eastern edge.
Pyrite and minor chalcopyrite occur as disseminations throughout meta-andesite and quartz monzonite.
At the Cougar showing, alteration mapping identified sericite and silica with lesser clay-magnetite-epidote alteration of andesites, crystal lithic tuffs and biotite-feldspar porphyritic intrusions associated with north- and northeast-trending structures. This assemblage surrounds a poorly developed semi-circular magnetic low with the development of sericite plus chlorite with lesser magnetite-carbonate-epidote alteration assemblage.
In 1969, following the release of government airborne magnetic maps, the M.C. Thora claims were staked at the present Panthera location for J.H. Montgomery, who conducted an induced polarization (IP) survey and discovered an anomalous zone. This was drill tested by one hole that intersected serpentinized volcanic rocks (as reported in Assessment Report 29888) and the claims were allowed to lapse. No work was recorded. In 1970, Nittetsu Mining Company staked the Cougar group that included the Montgomery anomaly. They carried out a soil geochemical survey (Assessment Report 2972) and a reconnaissance IP survey (Assessment Report 2973). The Nittetsu IP survey identified the Montgomery anomaly and in 1971 the company conducted a more detailed IP survey (Assessment Report 3262) to define it. Diamond drill testing at several locations was recommended, however, there is no record of this work.
In 2007, exploration work was conducted by Steve Bell on his Panthera claims, which was situated in the area of anomalous chargeability as indicated by the Nlttetsu 1971 IP survey. The ground located between the all-weather road and Tachek Creek was explored using conventional prospecting techniques. The purpose of the survey was to identify bedrock occurrences, select geochemical sample sites and to locate the historical geophysical grid. Conventional prospecting on the claims revealed pyritic hornfels bedrock occurrences that are located peripheral to a large historical IP anomaly and the original Cougar occurrence. A total of 140 samples were collected, of which 136 were soil or bog samples and four were stream sediment samples. No significant metal-in-soil anomalies were detected.
In 2012, geological mapping was completed at the Lennac Lake, Cougar and Mouse properties with focus on compiling alteration data. An IP survey at the Cougar revealed two areas with chargeable highs. In the northern grid, a 1 kilometre wide, seemingly north-trending feature was identified. In the south, a single line identified an approximately 1 kilometre wide chargeable feature. Further ground IP is needed to determine the extent and orientation of these chargeable features. Reverse circulation (RC) drilling was completed at Cougar for purposed of obtaining geological and alteration information.
In 2012, an aeromagnetic program was conducted over the Flute and Lennac properties by Riverside Resources (BC) Inc. The total covered area was 813 square kilometres and the total survey line coverage was 4444 line kilometres (Assessment Reports 33032, 33707F). The Cougar occurrence was covered by this survey. A report on the survey by Riverside Resources (BC) Inc. is found in Appendix D of Assessment Report 33032. However, maps showing the Total Magnetic Intensity and First Vertical Derivative of TMI are found in Assessment Report 33707F.
Refer also to Lennac property occurrences Thezar 81 (East) (093L 191) for information relating to the 2012 airborne geophysics survey.
