The Mar occurrence is located approximately 4 kilometres northwest of Mount Carruthers, centered on the drilled mineralization on the Mar 3 claim (Assessment Report 5569).
The occurrence is hosted in Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group) volcanics. The Telkwa Formation, in this area, overlies the Upper Triassic Dewar Formation (Takla Group) and the Permian Asitka Group. The rocks of these two formations, together with the older Asitka Group, forms a conformable northeast dipping succession.
The immediate area is underlain by Telkwa Formation pyroclastic and volcanic flows with minor sedimentary rocks. The pyroclastic rocks range from coarse agglomerates to fine-grained tuffaceous argillites. The volcanic rocks are predominantly augite porphyry to dacite porphyry. The strata on the property has a general strike of 130 degrees and dips 50 degrees northeast (Assessment Report 5229). The Telkwa Formation is bounded to the northeast by the Pinchi fault. Localized faults in the area trend northeast and parallel the major faults. The host rocks are intensely fractured in places. The dominant host rock is a bedded, fine-grained, tuffaceous argillite, which is locally altered. The other host rock is augite porphyry, which overlies the argillite.
Alteration minerals include epidote, calcite, chlorite and sericite which are often associated with the mineralization. Chalcopyrite, chalcocite and bornite, with associated pyrite, occurs disseminated in fractures, in tuffaceous argillites, and in augite porphyry.
Mineralization also occurs on the ridge, approximately 750 metres to the northwest, in about the same stratigraphic position. The mineralized porphyry is located northeast of the mineralized argillites and lies stratigraphically above this horizon.
A 1.5-metre channel sample, from the drilled location, assayed 5.6 per cent copper (Property File - Map of the Mar-Len Claims Group, Pechiney Developments Ltd., 1974).
WORK HISTORY
In 1974, Pechiney Development Ltd. conducted exploration on the MAR and LEN group of claims, located approximately halfway between the LIZ and the PAD groups. Work consisted of geological mapping, geochemical sampling and surface trenching. Copper mineralization was noted as being readily visible on both the southeast and northwest ridges of the cirque area, with the host rock being fine-grained tuffaceous argillite. Seven trenches of varying dimensions were excavated, and subsequent chip samples were assayed for copper, silver and gold. Mineralization in the trenches is noted as occurring in mainly shattered, jointed dacite porphyry (Assessment Report 5229). No assay values were reported.
The MAR Group was revisited in the 1975 field season by Pechiney for a short drill program (Assessment Report 5569). Three diamond drill holes were drilled totalling 457.20 metres (Mistry, 1975). The drill holes did have core samples assayed and copper sulphides are noted in the drill logs, but no values were included in the report or drill logs. No further work is recorded on the MAR occurrence.
In 2005, Geoscience BC sponsored a program of increasing the ASTER imagery dataset for the BC Ministry of Mines, Energy and Petroleum Resources. Four alteration images for each scene were prepared using combinations of the standard ASTER bands. The images are designed to map the relative abundances of siliceous rocks, iron oxides, sericite and illite, and alunite and/or kaolinite.
In 2013, a total of eight rock samples were collected on the extensive Carruthers property by or for owner/operator Christopher Naas. Sampling was restricted to the ARP occurrence, but some compilation work was completed Assessment Report 34368). The Carruthers property covered the following mineral occurrences from northwest to southeast: Bandy (094D 107), Liz (0(094D 076), Mar (094D 093), Tom (094D 124), Lake (094D 108), Mona Jean (094D 106) and ARP (094D 066).
In 2018, Geoscience BC released the results of the SEARCH III project, completing additional geophysical surveys including magnetics and radiometrics.
In 2019, owner Theodore Vander Wart and operator Vander Wart Consulting Inc. compiled historical information/data and interpretation of recent government and Geoscience BC airborne geophysical surveys in the Sikanni property area (Assessment Report 38889). The Sikanni claims covered several MINFILE occurrences including: Liz (094D 076), Mar (094D 093), Lake (094D 108) and Mona Jean (094D 106). Vander Wart reported that the Mar prospect consisted of the NW Ridge showing and the SE Ridge showing, about 700 metres apart. Drilling in 1974 was on the SE Ridge.
