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File Created: 10-Apr-1986 by Eileen Van der Flier Keller (EVFK)
Last Edit:  20-May-2020 by Del Ferguson (DF)

Summary Help Help

NMI
Name PANORAMA NORTH, PANORAMA, GROUNDHOG Mining Division Omineca
BCGS Map 104A088
Status Developed Prospect NTS Map 104A15E
Latitude 056º 49' 56'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 128º 34' 24'' Northing 6298791
Easting 526036
Commodities Coal Deposit Types A05 : Anthracite
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Panorama North occurrence comprises coal showings found above Beirnes Creek and in Wolf Meadows (an informally named, northwest-oriented valley found south of Beirnes Creek), about 132 kilometres northeast of Stewart.

The occurrence forms part of the southern Groundhog coalfield. The coalfield is an oblong (30 by 80 kilometres), southeast-oriented area extending from the headwaters of the Klappan and Little Klappan rivers to Groundhog Mountain. The Panorama North project hosts anthracitic coal seams.

Refer to the Discovery deposit (104A 078) for an overview on exploration history, regional geology and local geology of the southern Groundhog coalfield. The coal seams form part of the Lower Cretaceous Currier Formation (Bowser Lake Group) comprising carbonaceous shale, mudstone and sandstone.

Prospecting, mapping, trenching and sampling of the Panorama North occurrence by Gulf Canada in 1980 resulted in a speculative reserve estimation of 108 million tonnes (Coal Assessment Report 112). Upwards of 9 seams were encountered, however, the above estimation is based on the dimensions of the Currier and Leach seams (average thickness of 2.10 and 1.97 metres, respectively). Exploration in 1981 resulted in a revised inferred estimate of 240 million tonnes (Coal Assessment Report 113) for the combined Panorama North and South (104A 082) deposits. The most favourable area on the Panorama North property underlies Wolf Meadows where the coal seams are relatively flat lying.

Coal quality tests (Coal Assessment Report 112) based on trench samples gave the following average values:

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Raw Coal Washed Coal

Fixed carbon 55.9 65.6

Ash content 22.6 14.0

Volatile matter 17.8 18.2

Sulphur content 0.5 0.6

Calorific value 5,205 5,833

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All values are in per cent except for the calorific value which is in calories per gram. Washed values are based on a specific gravity separation of 1.8 grams per cubic centimetre which gave a float yield of 82.5 per cent. Vitrinite reflectance indicates anthracite rank.

During the 2014 field season, the Company undertook a reconnaissance of Panorama designed to map the existing anthracite outcrops and test channel samples of anthracite material. Atrum Coal received approval for its Notice of Work (NoW) at Panorama. The approval of the NoW will allow the Company to undertake drilling, trenching and sampling which is scheduled to commence in 2015.

In 2016, Atrum Coal Ltd. entered a farm-in agreement in which JOGMEC (Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation) agreed to contribute $5 million in cash or in-kind support for three years to earn a 35 per cent interest in the project. During the initial program (2016), multiple shallow coal seams were encountered, including a 2.3-metre-thick seam at only 12 metres depth. A total of 1180 metres were drilled in 4 holes (ASX Release, Atrum Coal, November 8, 2017). Diamond core drilling of four holes was completed, with a total of nineteen seams identified within the Currier Formation (ASX Release, Atrum Coal, March 27, 2017). Three separate seams (A1, A3 & A5) were identified as prime targets, and these were tentatively correlated across the exploration area.

In 2017, extensive surface mapping was undertaken to identify and trace coal seams, and five wide-spaced boreholes were completed, totalling 1227.5 metres.

In 2019 the Panorama North Project (65 per cent Atrum) is a joint venture with project partner, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC). JOGMEC earned its 35 per cent interest in Panorama North in 2019 following sole exploration expenditure of C$5M on the project over the preceding three years. A maiden JORC Resource estimate for Panorama North was declared in April 2019 and totals 174 million tonnes Inferred. Approximately 50 per cent of this resource estimate is contained at less than 100 metres depth. Coal quality test work conducted to date at Panorama North evidences characteristics consistent with a high-grade anthracite. A high-level development study is currently being completed by the joint venture (Atrum Coal Annual Report for year ended December 31, 2019).

Bibliography
EMPR COAL ASS RPT 97, 98, 100, *112, *113, *836, 931
EMPR FIELDWORK 1984, pp. 342-351; 1985, pp. 225-229; *1989, pp. 473-477; *1990, pp. 415-418
EMPR P 1986-5, pp. 19-21
EMPR PFD 812623, 21207, 680663
EMPR INF CIRC *2017-1, pp. 2,22,27,28,31,32,38,54,64,65,68; 2017-2, pp. 7,10; *2018-1, pp. 2,23,32,36,48,53,54; 2018-2, pp. 9,10
GSC BULL 16
GSC OF 2582
GSC P 79-1B, pp. 411-414; 88-1E, pp. 91-96; 89-1E, pp. 133-138
CSPG BULL, Vol.31, No.4, pp. 231-245
Bustin, R.M. (1984): Coalification levels and their significance in the Groundhog coalfield, North-Central British Columbia, International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 4, Issue 1, July 1984, pp. 21-44
*MacLeod, S.E. and Hills, L.V. (1990): Conformable Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) to Early Cretaceous Strata, Northern Bowser Basin, British Columbia: A sedimentological and Paleontological Model; Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol.27, pp. 988-998.
ASX REL Atrum Coal Nov.6, 2014 (14 pages Panorama and Groundhog); Nov.8, 2016 (5 pages); Mar.*27, 2017 (14 pages)
Atrum Coal Annual Report for year ended Dec 31, 2019

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