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File Created: 13-Jul-1988 by Garry J. Payie (GJP)
Last Edit:  11-Jul-2020 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

Summary Help Help

NMI
Name DELTA NORTH, DELTA, BEST BET Mining Division Skeena
BCGS Map 104B040
Status Showing NTS Map 104B08E
Latitude 056º 22' 32'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 130º 07' 38'' Northing 6248449
Easting 430383
Commodities Gold, Silver, Lead, Zinc, Iron, Antimony Deposit Types I02 : Intrusion-related Au pyrrhotite veins
J01 : Polymetallic manto Ag-Pb-Zn
G06 : Noranda/Kuroko massive sulphide Cu-Pb-Zn
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Delta North area is underlain by siltstone and sandstone of the Jurassic Hazelton Group (Open File 1988-4). The sediments have been folded into synclines and anticlines with north trending fold axes. Small Eocene feldspar porphyry intrusions cut area rocks.

A large "sedex" pod containing jamesonite and siderite occurs in sediments. Snow cover prevented a complete investigation of this deposit. One sample contained 14.41 per cent lead, 2.77 per cent zinc, 25.94 per cent iron, 6.17 per cent antimony, 1.85 grams per tonne gold, and 73.03 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 14607).

The minerals are not indicated but are assumed to be galena, sphalerite, magnetite and stibnite.

Work History

Teuton Resource staked the surrounding ground in 1982 as the Feld, Delta and Alpha.

Geochemical stream sediment and rock character sampling carried out in 1985 by Teuton Resources Corp resulted in the discovery of a number of samples highly anomalous in gold and silver.

The property was optioned to Territorial Petroleum in 1986. Territorial drilled 5 short holes in the Delta Northeast showing area (104B 289) (also called the "M" zone) to test for extensions of a native gold occurrence noted the previous year on the topland in the northeastern quadrant of what was later staked as the Best Bet 17 claim. This program failed to uncover any economic mineralization. A soil geochemistry survey along 30 metre topographic contours, sample interval 25 metres, disclosed a number of distinct greater than 400 parts per billion gold anomalies (with roughly coincident silver, lead, and zinc anomalies), located in the western half of the Delta claim [covered later by Best Bet 17 claim]. Rock sampling in the center of one of the anomalies provided samples of up to 6.8 grams per tonne in a silicified tuff.

The property was re-optioned to Canarc Resources Corp. in 1989. In 1989 the Delta and Alpha had be allowed to lapse by error. During 1989 and 1990 Canarc carried out a comprehensive exploration program consisting of prospecting, sampling, trenching, geological mapping, geochemical surveys and both airborne (140 kilometres) and ground geophysical surveys (Assessment Report 20731). Several targets were located as a result of this work including two prominent IP-resistivity anomalies (with coincident Mag/VLF trends) in the "M" and "J" zones (Assessment Report 22891). Canarc dropped the option in early 1991 and the property reverted to Teuton. In 1991, Teuton carried out a program of geochemical soil sampling over the "J" zones. This program disclosed a sharp gold-silver-lead-zinc geochemical anomaly coincident with the geophysical anomalies detected during the 1990 Canarc survey. The following year a small program was also undertaken to extend and fill-in the grid sampled in 1991.

In 1994, a small work program was undertaken in the southwest corner of the Bast Bat 17 claim, an area which had previously been only lightly explored. Reconnaissance geochemistry rock sampling uncovered a number of argillite float boulders carrying anomalous gold values ranging up to 13.89 grams per tonne gold (as reported in Assessment Report 24267). The source was not located.

The 1995 work on the Hot Tip claim was conducted in order to trace to source gold-bearing argillite boulders found in 1994 just outside the Hot Tip claim boundary on the Best Bet 17 claim. At this time 19 rock samples were collected, 15 of which were float samples. Two of the outcrop grab samples were anomalous in lead, zinc and silver. No strong correlation between the samples taken during the 1995 program and the targeted high gold-bearing samples from the 1994 program.

In 2007, Hathor Exploration had an airborne electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric survey conducted on several claim blocks in the 104B mapsheet area including the Delta, Gracey, BJ, Knip, Pearly, Hawlison, Macgold, Flory, Quillan, Sun and King Creek. The survey totalled 5611 kilometres of flight lines (Assessment Report 30282). The Delta claims covered the Delta, Gamma (Fairweather) (104B 169) and Theta showings (104B 169).

In 2009, (owner) Halthor Exploration and (operator) Max Minerals Ltd conducted wide ranging exploration program on their Pac (104B 310) , Delta, Griz and New claim blocks (Assessment Report 31162). Work was done on the Max deposit, Rock and Roll prospect, Fairweather (104B 168), Delta Northeast (104B 289), Gracey Creek area (104B 117), Collagh (104B 352) and the Divelbliss Creek area. In total, 287 rocks, 28 silt and 997 soil samples were collected. In 2009, two showing areas were investigated on the Delta claim group; the Fairweather (MINFILE 104B 168) and Delta Northeast zones (MINFILE 104B 289).

In 2010, MAX Minerals Ltd targeted precious metal-rich quartz-carbonate veining on its Delta block of claims and discovered a new zone of mineralization named the Ptuck. Contour and ridgeline soil sampling was carried out in 2010 on the Delta claims. A ridgeline traverse was completed on the ridge between the Delta MINFILE occurrences (104B166, 104B 202, 104B 241, 104B 289, 104B 341, and Delta North) to the north and the Fairweather showing to the south. The western end of the line exhibits gold plus/minus arsenic plus/minus copper plus/minus cobalt plus/minus nickel plus/minus lead plus/minus antimony plus/minus zinc anomalies extending approximately 500 m east. However, the end of the zone is also marked by a change in lithology from Hazelton Group sedimentary rocks to volcanic rocks. Mapping and prospecting in this area did not uncover any significant mineralization.

Bibliography
EMPR BULL 63
EMPR EXPL 1983-520; 1984-386; 1986-C440; 1987-C372
EMPR FIELDWORK 1983, pp. 149-164; 1984, pp. 316-341; 1985, pp. 217-224; 1986, pp. 81-102; 1987, pp. 199-209
EMPR OF 1987-22; 1988-4; 1999-2; 1999-14
GSC MAP 9-1957; 1418A
GSC P 89-1E, pp. 145-154
Cavey, G. (2008-11-14): Technical Report on the Iskut Project
EMPR PFD 904175, 18992, 904789

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