The Tom Cat occurrence is located approximately 2.0 kilometres west-northwest of the north end of Bluey Lake and 2.25 kilometres west-southwest of the south end of Kentucky Lake.
The occurrence is hosted in green laharic breccia or basaltic flow breccia near the contact with red laharic breccia of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group (Central Belt, Bulletin 69). The unit strikes north-northwest and dips 60 degrees east. Massive basaltic flows outcrop to the northeast. Alteration of the breccia consists of some chloritization of olivine and pyroxene, and sericitization of feldspar.
The laharic breccia and andesite in contact with an altered granodiorite is erratically mineralized with chalcocite, magnetite, bornite, chalcopyrite, native copper and hematite, as disseminations and fracture coatings. Alteration minerals include epidote, chlorite, sericite, quartz and calcite. Trenching and diamond drilling has intersected this mineralization over a width of 30 metres and a depth of at least 45 metres.
In 1913, two chip samples assayed 2.4 and 1.6 per cent copper over 2.1 and 3.0 metres respectively (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1913, page 223).
In 1965, a drillhole is reported to have assayed 0.32 per cent copper over 45.7 metres (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1965, page 157, hole 1).
In 1985, three rock samples (B-2069, B-2071 and 2249) from the area southwest of a small lake to the northeast of the occurrence yielded from 0.381 to 1.277 per cent copper and 0.7 to 3.4 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 14141).
In 1987, two samples (6708 and 6707), taken west of a small lake and approximately 450 metres north of the Tom Cat occurrence, yielded 0.695 and 0.517 per cent copper with 3.1 and 6.2 grams per tonne silver, respectively, whereas a sample (6849) from the Tom Cat occurrence area yielded 1.294 per cent copper and 2.8 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 17118).
In 1997, a grab sample (28339) of angular subcrop comprising calcareous volcanic sediment or limestone with limonite staining and pyrite, bornite, azurite and malachite mineralization and located southwest of a small lake, approximately 400 metres northeast of the Tom Cat occurrence, yielded 0.728 per cent copper, 0.093 per cent antimony and 14.3 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 25158).
In 2006, a chip sample (K-02) over 2 metres of the face of a historical trench yielded 3.68 per cent copper and 9.8 grams per tonne silver, whereas another chip sample (K-03), taken from a mineralized pod exposed 20 metres west of the trench yielded 1.77 per cent copper and 9.2 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres (Assessment Report 28782).
In 2007, a single drillhole (K07-03) confirmed the historical results intersecting a 41.1 metre (20.4 to 61.5 metres down-hole) mineralized section, including 0.54 per cent copper over 5.6 metres (20.4 to 26.0 metres down hole; Assessment Report 29728).
Work History
The occurrence was initially prospected and trenched by W. Murray between 1906 and 1913.
In 1965, Pyramid Mining Company Ltd. drilled 13 holes, totalling 1042 metres.
During 1975 through 1981, Fred Gingell completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (soil and rock) sampling and geophysical surveys on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the Bluey claims. In 1982, Nu-Star Resources Corp. completed a ground magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area immediately north of the occurrence as the Aspen and Kaz claims. In 1985, Vanco Explorations Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area immediately east and northeast of the occurrence as the Bloo, Climax and Thor claims. In 1987, a further program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the claims.
In 1990, MineQuest Exploration Associates Ltd. completed a minor program of prospecting, geological mapping and rock sampling on the area as the Al 1-3 and Ken claims. In 1992, Pacific Copper Fields Inc. and MineQuest Exploration Associates Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and rock sampling on the claims. In 1996 and 1997, Len Harris and later Matrix Energy Inc. completed programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Tom Cat and Climax claims.
In 2006, Bold Ventures Inc. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 28.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Casper claims of the Kentucky Lake property. The following year, six diamond drill holes, totalling 1025.9 metres, were completed on the property. This work resulted in the delineation of variable chargeability induced polarization targets and copper soil anomalies, as well as one drillhole to confirm historical results. In 2010, Naina Capital Corp. optioned the Tom Cat property and performed an exploration program of lineament array analysis.
In 2013, Victory Resources Corp. completed a photogeological structural (lineament) analysis on the area. In 2017, Enduro Metals Corp. completed a minor program of geological mapping on the area as the Tom Cat Central claim. In 2018, Enduro Metals Corp. completed a minor program of prospecting, geological mapping and sampling on the area.
