The general area of the Saddle zone is underlain by Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group) volcanics. The volcanics are predominantly tuffs, agglomerates and grey to green andesites. Minor porphyritic (plagioclase and/or hornblende) flows and interflow sedimentary rocks are also present. The volcanic rocks are intruded by narrow quartz feldspar porphyry dikes which are 1 to 3 metres wide and strike northeast. The dikes, fine to medium-grained, are possibly related to the Eocene Kastberg Intrusions.
Felsic volcanic rocks were observed in the east central portion of the claims in an area locally called the Saddle Zone. It is not clear if this unit is a primary rhyolite or if the felsic nature of the rock is due to intense silicification. The unit consists of a fine grained, almost cherty to coarser grained, sugary, white coloured rock. The unit contains trace to 2 per cent fine grained disseminated pyrite and weathers a rusty yellow-brown gossanous colour.
This prospect was briefly examined in 1996 where float boulders of vuggy quartz veins with chalcopyrite, bornite, and malachite-azurite staining returned highly anomalous values up to 17.63 grams per tonne gold, 1066 grams per tonne silver, 2.41 per cent arsenic, and 6.16 copper (Sample WR96-12, Assessment Report 24882, Figures 5a, b, and c). The float boulders from the weathered outcrop-fan are in a linear trend before disappearing under snow. The prospect straddles the western ridge top, which seems to be comprised of the felsic-andesite contact.
The mineralization lies proximal to the contact between the base of the felsic volcanic assemblage and the underlying andesitic volcanic units with the trenches trending northeast along this contact. A number of anomalous gold, silver and copper assays were received from grab and chip samples with the best results from sample # 136898 which assayed 1 gram per tonne gold, greater than 200 grams per tonne silver and 10.6 per cent copper (Assessment Report 25270, page 22).
Despite these anomalous results the vein system observed only has veins in the range of 20 to 50 centimetres. The contact itself is traceable over several hundred metres and hosts fine-grained disseminated pyrite which may constitute a larger target.
One set of quartz-carbonate-sulphide veins were found east of the main occurrence, exposed on a steep rock face, which may be related to the Saddle Zone veins. The veins occur within a mafic dike that was hosted in rhyolite lapilli tuff. Several chip samples over 1.0 and 2.0 metres lengths were taken resulting in anomalous silver and copper values with a high of 124.9 grams per tonne silver and 2.8 per cent copper over 1.0 metre (Assessment Report 25270, Figure 10). The veins are of limited extent.
Refer to Bearnx (094D 003) for related geological information and a common work history.
