The Mars occurrence is located approximately 10 kilometres west of Gallic Lake and approximately 108 kilometres north of the community of Dease Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by Permian ultramafics, gabbroic rocks and gabbroic to dioritic intrusive rocks and Mississippian basaltic volcanic rocks, all of the Upper Paleozoic Slide Mountain Complex (Sylvester Allochthon).

Locally, a dense network of chrysotile veins occurs in a serpentinized peridotite zone approximately 10 metres long and 3 metres wide in the Zus Mountain ultramafite sheet within the Upper Paleozoic Slide Mountain Complex (Sylvester Allochthon). Chrysotile veins intersect to form a blocky pattern. The zone dips approximately 15 degrees southeast and extends for at least 114 metres, with the grade rapidly changing from good to very poor at depth.

A 100-kilogram test sample of near-surface mineralization graded 12.3 per cent fibre, but the best drill intersection was 4 per cent fibre over 1 metre (Assessment Report 8607).

Work History

In 1950, the Mars (or Zus Mountain) showing was discovered and staked by W. Mossop and G. Edziza, and was restaked in 1951 as the Asbestos group by J.C. Simpson. In 1952, the showing was restaked as the White and Serpentine groups by Cassiar Yukon Gold Mines Ltd. In 1953, the claims were optioned by Canadian Johns-Manville Co. Ltd., which added the Blue River group and performed a dip needle survey and detailed mapping.

In 1963, the showing was restaked as the Ben and Nova groups by Morgan and Thom, prospectors working for Riocanex. These claims reverted to B. Longhurst, owner of the adjoining Moon showing (MINFILE 104P 036). In 1964, the property was optioned by Longhurst to Nicolet Asbestos, which built a road and performed a magnetic survey and limited bulldozer trenching before terminating the option. In 1965, the Ben group was optioned by Canadian Johns-Manville, which added the Lori Anna and Gerry groups and explored the property with a magnetic survey and bulldozer trenching before terminating the option.

In 1979, the Tanya 1-5 claims were staked by Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. (Cassiar Resources Ltd.) to cover the northern portion of an ultramafite body known to contain scattered asbestos mineralization. Geological mapping, grid establishment (90 kilometres of picket lines) and bulldozer trenching (2625 metres) was performed during 1980.

In 1983, Brinco Mining Ltd. completed five rotary/percussion drill holes, totalling 342.9 metres, on the Mars occurrence area. Drillhole P-19 yielded 4 per cent asbestos(?) fibre over 1 metre (Assessment Report 11324).

In 1985, Brinco Mining Ltd. completed a further program of geological mapping, 18 percussion drill holes, totalling 1633 metres, and a 92 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the Tanya claims. Drillholes T85/P-7 and T85/P-6, located on the north and south extensions of the Mars occurrence, yielded 2.33 and 0.92 per cent asbestos fibre over 1 metre, respectively (Assessment Report 14649).