The Imperial (VGA) occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1330 metres on the southwest side of a south-trending ridge, north of Valleau Creek and approximately 7 kilometres north of the southwest end of Wudtsi Lake.
Regionally, the area is underlain by foliated volcanic sediments and tuffs of the Upper Triassic Inzana Lake Formation (Takla Group) that have been intruded by granites of the Lower Cretaceous Germansen Batholith.
Locally, fine-grained, variably silica-carbonate-sericite–altered volcanics (andesite?) host disseminated pyrite.
In 1986, prospecting and sampling identified a sericite-altered andesite cut by quartz veinlets and hosting disseminated pyrite on the VGA grid and several 0.10-metre-wide quartz-ankerite-pyrite veins on the VGB grid to the east. A sample (Z-29) of altered andesite from the VGA grid assayed 0.16 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 15634).
In 2013, three rock samples (RGKV-014 through -016) of fine-grained, iron-carbonate–altered rock (andesite?) cut by hairline to 4-centimetre-wide quartz-carbonate veins with pyrite from a small pit on the former VGA grid yielded from 0.063 to 0.590 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 34449).
In 2015, a grab sample (BALR-08) from a 3-centimetre-wide limonitic quartz-carbonate vein assayed 0.133 gram per tonne gold, whereas a 0.5-metre chip sample (BALR-09) from weakly pyritic, silicified and carbonate-altered volcanic hostrock of the previous vein sample assayed 0.259 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 35752).
Work History
The area has been explored since the first half of the 19th century, with minor placer gold operations occurring nearby by 1945 (see Valleau Creek [MINFILE 093N 053] occurrence). At this time, quartz veins, up to 15 centimetres wide and hosting free gold, were reported to have been identified along one of the tributaries of Valleau Creek.
In 1985, Imperial Metals Corp. conducted a reconnaissance stream sediment and soil sampling program, which led to the staking of the VG 1 to VG 5 claims. Imperial followed up this early work with silt, rock and soil sampling and geological mapping programs in 1986 and 1989.
During 1989 through 1992, Westmin Mines Ltd. and Placer Dome Inc. completed programs of prospecting, geochemical (soil, rock, and stream sediment) sampling, geological mapping, trenching and ground and airborne geophysical surveys on the area as apart of the Wudleau North property and the V.G. 5 claim, respectively.
In 2005, Serengeti Resources Inc. carried out a 530-kilometre airborne magnetic-radiometric survey and collected 12 rock samples on their Valleau and Germansen properties.
During 2010 through 2012, Serengeti Resources Inc. completed programs soil and rock sampling program on the area immediately west.
In 2012, a program of soil sampling was completed on the area as the Vall 1-3 claims. This work identified anomalous gold-in-soils (up to 0.54 gram per tonne gold) corresponding to anomalous areas previous identified in 1986 and 1989 on the VGA and VGC grids (Assessment Report 33413).
In 2013, a program of prospecting, minor hand trenching and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling was completed on the Vall 1 claim.
In 2015, a program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the area. In 2016, a minor program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the Vall claims.
During 2005 through 2014, Redton Resources Inc. (later Kiska Metals Corp.) completed programs of prospecting, geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling and ground and airborne geophysical surveys on the regionally extensive Redton property, located immediately to the east. Refer to the North Kwanika (MINFILE 093N 077) occurrence for a complete summary of this work.
