The Bear occurrence area is underlain by green andesite with lesser amounts of rhyolite and dacite of the Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group). The volcanic assemblage is intruded locally by andesite and diorite dikes and by a biotite granodiorite stock. Hydrothermal alteration is widespread and in addition to ubiquitous chloritization of the volcanic rocks, two large parallel zones of advanced argillic alteration and aluminous alteration occur.
The zones of advanced argillic alteration and aluminous alteration crop out near the divide between Limonite and Many Bear creeks, in Telkwa Pass. The alteration zones are flanked downslope by large exotic limonite deposits believed to have their origins from oxidizing, blind sulphide deposits. The largest of these deposits was located on the south facing slope above Limonite Creek. Another two limonite deposits were located 1.5 and 2 kilometers to the north; on the divide between Limonite Creek and Many Bear Creek and another on the south bank of Many Bear Creek.
The pyritic aluminous alteration zone (Many Bear zone) occurs on the slopes above Many Bear Creek and is exposed in the walls of small drainages in two localities. The zone was intersected in drilling in 1992. It strikes about 050 degrees and is in excess of 1000 metres in length and 150 metres in width. The hostrock is completely replaced by sericite, quartz, andalusite, pyrite (5-40 per cent) and lazulite with lesser specularite, corundum, rutile and trace chalcopyrite.
Zones of advanced argillic alteration occur along the south slope of the ridge which forms the divide between Limonite Creek and Many Bear Creek. The zones strike easterly to north-easterly and are only intermittently exposed. The exposures occur over a length of more than 500 metres. The rocks are strongly foliated and composed mostly of sericite with some clay and contain quartz veining. Pyrite content is low.
WORK HISTORY
Exploration in the Limonite Creek area was first recorded 1914, when the limonite deposits were explored by open cuts and trenches. In 1957, Shawano Iron Mines Limited drilled 27 holes on the limonite deposits, noting a thickness of up to 6.7 metres.
In 1963, Noranda Explorations Limited drilled a hole (37.5 metres) north of the “upper gossan” but failed to find the sulphide zone.
Evergreen Explorations Ltd and Pacific Petroleum Limited conducted geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys during 1969 and completed 2 diamond-drill holes in 1970. Both were drilled in propylitized dacite tuff and both encountered minor disseminated pyrite with sparse chalcopyrite and rare bornite. The 1969 work described two large gossans are exposed on the claims. The Upper Gossan consists of 91 by 122 metres of limonite and the Lower Gossan, on Many Bear Creek, consists of a 61 metre wide limonitic zone. The Upper Gossan is about 400 metres east of the plotted location of the Limonite (093L 323) showing and the Lower Gossan is about 300 metres north-northwest of the Limonite showing. Chalcopyrite was noted at several locations in granodiorite mainly in quartz stringers and along pyritic shears along Many Bear Creek, between 8N and 16N and between 4W and 20W on the established grid. Four grab samples from these shears ranged from 0.17 to 0.03 per cent copper and trace to 10.3 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 2413).
In 1992, Cyprus Canada optioned the Bear claim and conducted pulse EM and geochemical surveys, geological mapping and 394.5 metres of diamond drilling in three holes. This work identified four narrow conductors within zones of alteration and a 150 by 300 metres copper soil anomaly with ranges from 200 to 2456 parts per million copper (Property File Placer Dome Hanson, D.J., 1992).
In 1994, Limonite Creek Limited Partnership re-mapped the prospect area, conducted an induced polarization survey and drilled 9 diamond drill holes for a total of 1163 metres. It was reported in 2006 that most holes were abandoned or had less than 40 per cent recovery and no ore-grade intersections were encountered.
In 1996, Telkwa Gold Corp drilled 3 diamond drill holes, for a total of 863 metres, on the Ridge zone. The first hole (96-l) was successfully completed to target depth while the remaining two holes (96-2 and 96-3) were terminated prematurely due to stuck drilling rods. All three holes were drilled to test the advanced argillic alteration zone at depth. Drill hole 96-2 encountered approximately 130 metres of vuggy silica prior to termination while hole 96-3 was terminated before encountering the vuggy silica. Core assays yielded values of less than 50 parts per million to 0.08 per cent copper, less than 1 to 3.6 grams per tonne silver, and less than 0.05 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 25134). Anomalous values in thallium and tellurium were also recorded. Mineralization observed in drill cores was pervasive, accompanied hydrothermal alteration and consisted of pyrite (up to 25 per cent), and traces of bornite, chalcopyrite, colusite, and covellite.
In 1997, Telkwa Gold conducted a program of airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveying. Telkwa Gold undertook a modest field program consisting of geochemical soil sampling on the Bear claim group as a follow-up to an area of anomalous geophysical response. This work was not documented at the time.
In 2006, 194 soil samples and 40 rock samples were collected from mineral tenures 535233 and 535231, primarily above treeline and above some previously determined copper-in-soil anomalies found within mineral tenure 535231. Tenure 535231 covers the core of the former Allie claims (1969-1970). Limited geological mapping was completed in conjunction with the sampling. The results for the soil geochemical survey indicate that there is not sufficient enrichment in aerial extent of copper-in-soils to define the presence of a copper porphyry system north of Many Bear Creek. There is evidence however that mineralization is fault controlled.
The most interesting in-situ sample from 2006 was collected about 1.3 kilometres north-northeast of the plotted location of Limonite (093L 323). This is recorded as new MINFILE occurrence TL-11.
The original 1969 Allie claims and its namesake MINFILE showing covered much of the same exploration area that gave rise to the Limonite showing. The Allie showing (093L 058) was originally, and mistakenly, plotted far to the west of the Allie claims. It has subsequently been moved to an Allie claim area where some copper mineralization was originally documented.
