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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  01-May-2019 by George Owsiacki (GO)

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NMI 093N3,N6 Cu1,6,7
Name HEATH #1, HEATH, NS, CAT Mining Division Omineca
BCGS Map 093N025
Status Prospect NTS Map 093N03E, 093N06E
Latitude 055º 16' 15'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 125º 09' 46'' Northing 6127062
Easting 362595
Commodities Copper, Silver, Gold, Lead, Zinc Deposit Types L03 : Alkalic porphyry Cu-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Plutonic Rocks
Capsule Geology

The Heath #1 occurrence is situated between Mount Nation and the west end of Tchentlo Lake, approximately 56 kilometres southeast of Takla Landing. Copper mineralization was originally discovered here in 1968, as a result of anomalies outlined by a regional geochemistry survey.

The area is underlain by mesozonal plutonic rocks assigned to the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic rock of the Hogem Intrusive Complex which has been emplaced into volcanic rocks of the Middle Triassic to Lower Jurassic Takla Group, east of the Pinchi fault zone. The plutonic rocks form an elongate batholith, extending from Chuchi Lake, and north to the Mesilinka River. The structural setting of the batholith and the intruded Takla Group is one of vertical tectonics associated with graben development (Bulletin 70). Refer to the Lorraine occurrence (093N 002) for a detailed regional geology description.

Of the three phases comprising the Hogem Intrusive Complex, only rocks of the Late Triassic to Lower Jurassic Hogem granodiorite and Hogem basic suite underlie the area. Diorite is the most abundant rock type, hosting irregular bodies of coarse grained clinopyroxene gabbro, pyroxenite and hornblendite and local feldspar porphyry, diabase, granodiorite and andesite porphyry dikes. Granodiorite has also been mapped to the east. These rocks are disrupted along several subordinate faults paralleling the Pinchi fault zone to the east and have undergone widespread propylitic and potassic and local carbonate alteration.

The original discovery, now exposed at Trench Locality A, comprises a magnetite-chalcopyrite vein exposed over a strike length of 40 metres. The vein, which varies from 0.2 to 2.2 metres wide, strikes 135 degrees and dips 45 to 60 degrees to the northeast. A core zone of nearly massive chalcopyrite reaches a thickness of 40 centimetres. Diffuse chalcopyrite mineralization extends into the diorite wallrocks, which are strongly propylitized and carry abundant magnetite. The historic A zone is a northwest trending mineralized structure containing locally brecciated layers of magnetite-chalcopyrite, biotite-magnetite-chalcopyrite, semi-massive chalcopyrite-quartz, chlorite/biotite-altered diorite and biotite-altered diorite with up to 15 per cent disseminated pyrite. Three rock samples from the zone averaged 0.71 per cent copper, 0.38 gram per tonne gold and 19 grams per tonne silver. A newly discovered mineralized zone about 180 metres southwest of the historic A zone trenches was sampled over a strike length of 80 metres. Coarse grained, locally pegmatitic, biotite-magnetite-altered diorite is cut by biotite-chalcopyrite, quartz-epidote and albite veins. Both disseminated and poddy vein, and shear-hosted chalcopyrite are present, and the wallrock contains up to 10 per cent disseminated pyrite. Four rock samples from the zone averaged 2.51 per cent copper, 0.79 gram per tonne gold and 34 grams per tonne silver (Press Release - West Cirque Resources Ltd., September 24, 2013).

Approximately 350 metres to the north-northeast, at Trench Locality B, two narrow magnetite-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins are exposed in diorite. The first strikes 110 degrees and averages 25 centimetres wide while the second strikes 105 degrees and averages 15 centimetres wide.

At Trench Locality C, a further 200 metres to the north, four trenches expose a magnetite-chalcopyrite-pyrite vein over a strike length of 40 metres. The vein averages 35 centimetres thick and strikes 150 degrees. The host diorite is carbonate altered (up to two metres from the vein) and is mineralized with disseminations and stockwork veinlets of galena, sphalerite, pyrite and chalcopyrite with quartz and calcite.

The East zone is a newly delineated zone of mineralization centred about 600 metres southeast of Trench C. Mineralization outcrops sporadically across a width of at least 225 metres within a 300 by 400 metre part of a soil anomaly which contains numerous values over 1000 parts per million (ppm) copper (up to 3671 ppm). Mineralization consists of sheeted magnetite-quartz-chalcopyrite, biotite-K-feldspar-magnetite-chalcopyrite and quartz-epidote-chalcopyrite veins. Four rock samples from the zone averaged 1.15 per cent copper, 0.19 gram per tonne gold and 27.8 grams per tonne silver (Press Release - West Cirque Resources Ltd., September 24, 2013).

The Central zone is an area of limited outcrop and relatively flat topography extending over a strike length of at least 1.7 kilometres and a width of 0.5 kilometre. It is near the centre of a large (2.4 by 2.0 kilometre) copper-in-soil anomaly outlined by Teck in 1990. The Central zone has not been tested by drilling. Diorite near the historic trench C showing near the core of the zone is strongly carbonate altered, and cut by quartz and calcite veins with chalcopyrite. About 80 metres to the east, an old cat track exposes subcropping boulders of magnetite, chalcopyrite and trace bornite, and K-feldspar-veined diorite with disseminated chalcopyrite and minor biotite. Three rock samples from this zone average 1.13 per cent copper, 0.071 gram per tonne gold and 3.2 grams per tonne silver (Press Release - West Cirque Resources Ltd., September 24, 2013).

A grab sample of veining from Trench Locality A assayed 18.88 per cent copper, 230.4 grams per tonne silver and 1.54 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 20552, page 12, sample 89-T-99-A). A 20-centimetre-wide sample of veining from Trench Locality B assayed 7.46 per cent copper, 28.8 grams per tonne silver and 0.82 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 20552, page 12, sample 89-D-279-A). Grab samples of wallrock mineralization at Trench Locality C assayed up to 0.76 per cent copper, 1419.4 grams per tonne silver, 4.97 grams per tonne gold, 4.06 per cent lead and 0.82 per cent zinc. (Assessment Report 20552, page 13, sample 89-T-104-A).

In 2013, copper mineralization was found mainly in areas which exhibited potassic alteration. Mineralization was also found to be concentrated in structures which were oriented in the general northwest fabric which is ubiquitous on the property. Coarse biotite alteration was also found to sometimes be associated with disseminated chalcopyrite. Sheeted magnetite veins, as close as 10 centimetres apart, are commonly malachite stained and contain a trace of chalcopyrite.

Colin Campbell held claims covering the core of the Heath property since 1968 when he discovered copper mineralization during stream sediment anomaly follow-up. He excavated several hand trenches exposing magnetite-chalcopyrite fissure veins with intensely-altered wallrock zones that were anomalous in lead, zinc, silver, gold and copper. In the spring of 1969, Amax Exploration conducted a reconnaissance soil geochemical survey over an area near the centre of the property. The pulps were analyzed for copper and molybdenum. This survey outlined a 2000 by 2400 metre zone of anomalous copper defined by analyses exceeding 200 parts per million (ppm). In October 1969, the property was optioned to Senate Mining and Exploration Ltd. who carried out geological mapping and a ground magnetometer survey. It was returned to Mr. Campbell in 1972 and optioned that same year to Nation Lake Mines Ltd.

In 1973, McPhar Geophysics was contracted by Nation Lake Mines to carry out a frequency domain induced polarization (IP) survey over the Amax soil grid. Seven linear anomalies were identified and a broad anomalous zone measuring 300 by 600 metres was outlined. By 1973, exposures of widespread chalcopyrite mineralization and of mineralized chloritic shear zones extending up to 4.5 metres wide had been identified on the property. A sample across 2.1 metres assayed 1.0 gram per tonne gold, 44.6 grams per tonne silver and 3.25 per cent copper (Property File Cyprus Anvil - R.H. Seraphim, 1973). Minor galena and sphalerite were found with chalcopyrite in another hand trench and assayed 0.7 gram per tonne gold, 116.6 grams per tonne silver, 0.15 per cent copper and 0.3 per cent lead (Property File Cyprus Anvil - R.H. Seraphim, 1973). A three-hole drill program was recommended, but the option was dropped.

No exploration was done between 1973 and August of 1988 at which time Mr. Campbell tested the gold geochemical response on two small detailed soil grids in areas of known mineralization. The soil samples returned analyses ranging up to 1035 parts per billion (ppb) gold, 100 ppm silver and 32,000 ppm copper (Assessment Report 17988).

In 1989, Teck completed 86 line kilometres of ground magnetics and VLF-EM surveying on a nine square kilometre grid in the centre of the property and collected 4152 soil samples (Assessment Report 20552). Teck's 1990 program consisted of 1.6 linear kilometres of excavator trenching, 9.2 line kilometres of IP surveys, 121.92 metres of diamond drilling and collection of 2279 soil samples. In 1991, a summary field report detailed the results of an IP survey which identified several broad high chargeability anomalies. A subsequent 969 metre, 10-hole drilling program failed to intersect economically important grades and thickness of porphyry copper gold mineralization (Assessment Report 21948). It concluded that the drilling had not encountered materials of economic value and suggested a further program.

In 2001, using a government prospector grant, Mr. Campbell revisited the property and sampled the coarse grained gabbroic and pyroxene materials (Prospectors Report 2001-44). Several samples were anomalous in platinum group elements. Three X-ray holes were drilled testing areas near the previously trenched area. The three shallow (13-, 20- and 24-metre) packsack drillholes were collared beside the A zone trenches and intersected multiple intervals of mineralization, including intervals not exposed in the trenches. Sampled intervals included 3.15 per cent copper, 0.36 gram per tonne gold and 22.6 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres (drillhole HEX01-01 from 17.09 to 18.59 metres); 1.02 per cent copper, 0.19 gram per tonne gold and 9.1 grams per tonne silver over 3.05 metres (drillhole HEX01-02 from 2.44 to 5.49 metres); and 1.52 per cent copper, 0.32 gram per tonne gold and 14.8 grams per tonne silver over 1.53 metres (drillhole HEX01-03 from 3.96 to 5.49 metres) (Press Release - West Cirque Resources Ltd., September 24, 2013).

In 2007, long-time owner Colin Campbell conducted a 40-sample soil survey and a 0.8 kilometre ground magnetic survey (Assessment Report 29436).

In 2013, West Cirque Resources Ltd. focused on copper mineralization. Areas with high grade silver-lead-zinc were not visited; 24 rock samples were collected.

In 2016-17, the Falcon-Heath claim block consisted of 11 contiguous claims covering an area of 4112 hectares. The claims are 100 per cent owned by Redton Resources Inc., the company which originally staked all of them except the “Heath Claims” in 2005. The first of the 2016 exploration season recommendations was to conduct further structural geological mapping of the Heath claims in order to define drilling targets deeper than the maximum depth previously drilled (118 metres). To facilitate these studies it was decided to carry out high-resolution orthophotographic surveys over whatever outcrop was visible through the trees and close enough to the main geochemical anomaly on the property to be potentially relevant to mineralization-controlling structures. In 2017, 54 soil samples were collected.

Bibliography
EMPR BULL 70
EMPR GEM 1969-106; 1970-180; 1971-199; 1973-366
EMPR PF (Peto, P. (1971): Report on the Hogem Project for Amoco Mining (refer to 093N General File))
EMPR PF Cyprus Anvil (Unknown (unknown): Property Submission, Senate, Claim Map; Dummett, H.T. (1969-08-11): Geochemistry Sample Results and Location Map - Heath; Dummett, H.T. (1969-08-11): Geochemistry sample results and location map; Dummett, H.T. (1969-08-12): Geochemistry anomaly distribution map; Veerman, H. (1969-09-01): Collin Campbell Property Report, John King Property; Dummett, H.T. (1969-08-12): Claim Map of Heath Prospect; McElhanney Surveying and Engineering (1970-02-19): Senate Mining - Tchentlo Lake Area - Preliminary Reconnaissance Type Mapping; W.D. Tompson and R.H. Seraphim (1970): Property Submission: Heath Copper, Senate Mining, letter, maps and reports; GCNL (1971-04-14): News Clipping - Senate Mining and Exploration - Heath Copper; unknown (1971-08-01): Heath Copper, Senate Mining and Expl. Map; Livgard, E. (1971-08-01): Geologic Report on the Heath Copper Property; Livgard, E. (1971-08-01): Report on Magnetic Survey of Heath Copper Property; Livgard Consultants Ltd. (1971-09-01): Geological Map - Heath Copper; Seraphim, R.H. (1973-06-18): Report on the Heath and Cat Claims Tchentlo Lake, Omineca, for Nation Lake Mines Ltd.; Prospectors Report 2001-44 by Colin Campbell)
EMR MP CORPFILES (Nation Lake Mines Limited)
GSC MAP 844A; 907A; 971A; 1424A
GSC MEM 252
GSC OF 3071
GSC P 42-7; 45-6
CIM Vol.67, No.749, pp. 101-106
PR REL West Cirque Resources Ltd. Sept.*24, 2013

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