The Lisle alkalic-type gold-copper porphyry prospect (Hat Property) is underlain by a thick sequence of Upper Triassic Stuhini Group porphyritic andesites and bedded tuffs which have been intruded by a dioritic-monzonitic stock of probable Triassic age.
The southeastern part of the Hat property comprises brown and black, sandy textured, thin- to coarse-bedded argillite and wackes whereas much of the remainder is tuffaceous to massive andesite. The greater part of recent diamond drilling (since 2012) has been directed to the Lisle zone discovery area where chalcopyrite and pyrite mineralization occurs with magnetite in chloritized andesite and coarse- to medium-grained gabbro and in zones of transition from one rock type to the other. Fracturing is common and appears to be related to one or more strong northwest-trending fault structures.
The Hat Property Lisle Zone mineral deposit was discovered in 2013 by diamond drilling. The discovery drill hole, H-08, [37.25 metres with 0.39 per cent copper and 0.258 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 36948)], was positioned based on interpretation of moderately strong chargeability readings coupled with strong magnetic readings. Soil geochemical determinations for copper were only moderately elevated relative to the general area.
Follow-up drilling in 2014, 2015 and 2016 revealed the Lisle Zone to have dimensions of at least 900 metres in the east-west direction, and 500 metres north-south. Thickness of the mineralization’s general outline was not reliably determined. Intercepts in south-directed drill holes include drill hole H-11 that intersected 33.53 metres with 0.336 parts per million gold and 0.573 per cent copper within a wider intercept of 313.11 metres with 0.182 gram per tonne gold and 0.212 per cent copper (Assessment Report 36948). In 2016, total drilling was 1960.9 metres in five drill holes (H026 to H030).
Principal minerals of economic interest are chalcopyrite, pyrite, and magnetite. All occur in both the tuffaceous meta-andesite formations and in gabbro. Gold values occur with copper in the apparent ratio of about 0.9 gram per tonne gold to 1.0 per cent copper. Free gold was not observed. Chalcopyrite is brassy yellow, varies from very fine-textured to medium-coarse-grained and may occur closely mixed with pyrite or, often, in centimetre wide and wider bands without associated sulphides. A portion of the copper values are found by analysis in sheared dark andesite in which sulphide (or other) metallic minerals are obscure. Pyrite distribution is erratic: sometimes as thick (up to 40 centimetres) bands of solid pyrite, and elsewhere as intergrowths with chalcopyrite. Magnetite similarly varies, from disseminations in weakly metamorphosed andesite to strong, almost solid, sections, measurable in tens of centimetres, in chloritized and/or epidotized andesite and as a substantial component of gabbro.
WORK HISTORY
Exploration in the region dates to before World War 2 when several properties (e.g. Copper Creek) were mapped and sampled. Prospector Frank Hoey discovered and staked a prominent gossan (the present Hoey showing) in 1963. Grab samples assaying up to 34 grams per tonne gold were reportedly taken from the showing (as reported in Assessment Report 21615). In 1969, Skyline explorations acquired the ground surrounding the Hoey prospect and conducted some geochemical work. The property was acquired by Utah Mines in 1977. Soil sampling, an IP survey and bulldozer trenching were performed by Utah in developing the prospect. Utah Mines Ltd. in 1978 and 1979 conducted magnetic and induced polarization geophysical surveys, comprehensive soil geochemical surveys (copper only), and geological mapping followed by bulldozer trenching in several parts of the property (Assessment Report 6835 and 7482).
In 1984, the MOON claims were staked for United Cambridge Mines to cover the Hoey showing. An airborne magnetics - VLF survey was flown over the claims in 1987 (Assessment Report 16311). Work in 1988 by United Cambridge Mines included ground geophysics and soil sampling. Three anomalous areas (including the Hoey showing) were outlined through soil geochemistry and ground VLF geophysics.
In 1985, United Cambridge examined a previously trenched area. Three samples selected from a large trench area yielded 3.32 to 3.81 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 14802). United Cambridge believed the trenches to have been excavated in 1980 and further reported that it appeared the trenches were completed in order to have investigate a large IP chargeability anomaly. Trenched outcrops include andesite, bedded tuff and porphyry that could be intrusive or extrusive. Material sampled from the trenches included limonitic rocks in part related to faults. This previously trenched area was called the "D Showing" and coincides the discovery area of the Lisle prospect.
Tom Lisle and Eric Ostensoe acquired the principal mineral tenures in 1994 and in ensuing years (to 2011) conducted several programs of prospecting, mapping and soil sampling before optioning, and subsequently selling, the property to Doubleview Capital Corp. See Hat (104J 021). The prospectors conducted prospecting and geological mapping surveys over the entire Hat Property and collected geochemical soil samples from most parts of the tenures, including from a grid-controlled area located in the southwest of the property.
Starting in 2011, Doubleview Capital Corp. conducted geophysical and geochemical surveys to confirm and expand prior work. Diamond drilling commenced in 2013 and has continued at intervals to the present. Most of the drilling has been directed to the so-called “Lisle Zone” where, in 2014, a significant gold-copper alkalic porphyry-type deposit was discovered.
In 2013 and 2014, over 7,000 metres of drilling in 22 holes was completed by Doubleview on the Hat project. Drilling was reported to have been done in 2015. In 2016, Doubleview completed 1960.84 metres of diamond drilling in five holes.
In September of 2017, Doubleview Capital Corp. stated that it had 'now compiled all available data from the Hoey and West Gossan mineral zones. Each zone is located more than one kilometre from the Lisle Zone that has been the focus of much of the Company’s work. Neither zone has been investigated by geophysical surveys or drilling but both have strong surface mineralization with copper, gold, silver and cobalt values.' Results defined anomalies that extend over an area of 550 by 850 metres at the Hoey gold area and 1400 by 700 metres at the West Gossan area. Also, at the Hoey gold area, some rock samples yielded results as high as 8.11 grams per tonne gold, 7 per cent copper and 0.5 per cent cobalt (Doubleview Capital Corp, News Release, October 19, 2017).
On June 19, 2018, Doubleview Capital Corp. announced that it had entered into an option agreement with Hudbay Minerals Inc. on the Hat Copper-Gold Project. Under the terms of the Option Agreement, Hudbay would be the operator. By July 24, 2018, Hudbay had initiated a deep-penetrating Induced Polarization geophysical survey program on the Hat project, with intention of covering the entire exploration area (Assessment Report 38161).
By May 2019, Hudbay had completed a 40 line-kilometre, deep-penetrating induced polarization survey intended to delineate drilling targets. The 3D IP survey data identifies the near surface part of the Lisle deposit as previously determined by historic IP, geochemical data and by Doubleview’s drill holes. It revealed the chargeability anomaly extends to at least 1250 metres vertically.
Sometime in early 2020 Doubleview Capital Corp became Doubleview Gold Corp.
In 2020, the Doubleview Gold Corp drilling program at Lisle Zone targeted the deep 3D IP Chargeability anomalous area where drill hole H-034 in 2019 confirmed that the anomaly validated further occurrence of Lisle Zone-type gold and copper mineralization. The first 2020 drill hole, H-035, was collared at 347870 East, 6453938 North (azimuth 175°, dip -85°) to evaluate the 3D IP anomaly east of Hole H-034. The drill hole intersected chalcopyrite and magnetite (and possible chalcocite). Quartz veining occurred throughout the hole to final depth of 495 metres where it was abandoned in mineralization in a north-south trending fault zone. Drill hole H-036 was initiated from the same site as hole H-035 at azimuth 185° and dip angle -80°. Drill hole H-036 intersected several sections of strong mineralization, similar to that described in Hole H-035 but also contained the first ever occurrence of visible gold. The hole was abandoned at 972.3 metres, apparently in the same steeply angled fault that caused termination of hole H-035.
On December 8th of 2020, Doubleview announced the discovery of the new copper-gold O zone occurrence located about 1460 metres west of the apparent center of the Lisle Zone. See O Zone for further information.
