The area of the Kitchen View zone is underlain by rock of the Lower to Middle Hazelton Group. The rocks in the area were reported to be sericite schist, agglomerate, andesite with syenite dikes and quartz veins; rocks were reported to contain pyrite, tetrahedrite, malachite and chalcopyrite (Assessment Report 15370).
In the Kitchen View zone, hole SU-659, collared approximately 3.5 kilometres northeast of the Valley of the Kings, intersected a narrow zone with low-grade gold and silver along with anomalous copper hosted in a sheared massive sulphide unit. A 4.5 metres drill interval assayed 2.04 grams per tonne gold, 43.80 grams per tonnes silver and 0.09 per cent copper (Pretium Resources, Press Release, Oct.8, 2015).
In 2016, a deep, large, conductive anomaly interpreted from the 2015 1TEM geophysical survey, as well as quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration observed on surface, led to the planning of SU-694 in an attempt to intersect Brucejack-style high-grade gold mineralization. SU-694 was drilled north 628.3 meters, collaring in andesite flows and tuffs, intersecting mafic tuffs from 262.5 metres to the end of hole. There were no elevated gold intervals in the assay results, but moderate quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration was recorded between 210 and 574 meters, with 5 per cent disseminated pyrite (up to 10 per cent locally). This significant interval of disseminated pyrite was thought likely to be the cause of the Kitchenview Zone 1TEM anomaly.
WORK HISTORY
In 1986, Catear Resources Ltd. conducted a rock geochemical survey, prospecting and trenching over the Brucejack claims. A total of 36 cubic metres of trenching was conducted on Brucejack 3 in order to obtain fresh chip samples for the rock geochemical program. A total of 35 rock geochemical samples were collected from Brucejack 1-3 claims during July to August 1986.
In 2015, Pretium Resources conducted exploration drilling in outlying areas of their Brucejack property. Hole SU-659 was drilled.
In 2016, Property Exploration completed sixteen diamond drill holes across the Bowser Property, for a program total of 4,392 meters. The exploration targets were widespread, focusing on VMS and epithermal mineralization. Individual drill holes were sited to follow-up 2014 and 2015 magnetometer surveys and a 2016 1TEM airborne geophysical survey, as well as reconnaissance prospecting that occurred through the 2016 summer season. The following designated areas or showings were targeted: Kirkham, Pipe Dream, Haimila, Nip, Kitchenview, KM 63 Gossan, Knipple Lake, and Canoe.
In 2017, Pretium Exploration conducted grass roots prospecting, sampling and mapping on their Bowser property, mostly southwest and south of Bowser Lake. They collected 2901 rock and 429 silt samples (Assessment Reports 37435, 37443). Several new MINFILE occurrence are documented and a number previously documented occurrences were visited by Pretium.
In 2018, beyond the Brucejack mine area, Pretium continued to evaluate their surrounding 1250 km2 of mineral claims. The company carried an 8000 metres drilling program along with mapping and prospecting. Detailed results are pending.
As of September 2019, two drills were testing the high-priority A6 Zone VMS target, 14 kilometres northeast of Brucejack Mine, a third drill targeted a VMS system at the Canoe Zone, and a fourth drill targeted an intrusion related gold system at the Koopa Zone. Drilling earlier in the summer also focused on the Tuck and Lilliane zones, both epithermal gold system targets. To date, approximately 15,300 meters have been drilled, with drilling expected to continue through the end of September (Pretium Resoucres Inc., News Release, September 16, 2019).
See Betty (104A 008) for details of relevant work done on Pretium's grassroots project on their Bowser property, including significant property-wide geophysical surveys completed prior to to 2017.
Refer also to West (104B 193) for details of related mineralization and a common work history relating to the Brucejack project of Pretium Resources.
