The Chase occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1120 metres on a north-south–trending ridge, approximately 4 kilometres northeast of the community of Merritt.
The area is situated in the Upper Triassic Nicola Group, which is comprised of felsic to mafic volcanic flows, volcaniclastics and interbedded sedimentary rocks. Pelitic and calcareous units are locally enclosed by tuffs, agglomerate and minor andesitic flow rocks. The Nicola Group is intruded to the east by north-trending diorite dykes and to the north by the Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek granodiorite batholith. Sandstone and shale belonging to the Eocene Coldwater Formation (Princeton Group) unconformably overlie the Nicola and Guichon rocks.
Locally, a series of fine-grained, high-level dikes, sills and small stocks of diorite and syenite-monzonite are evident in the central part of the area and define a general intrusive centre that appears to be approximately 1.1 kilometre in diameter. Skarn and porphyry-type copper mineralization, associated with broad zones of moderate to intense potassium feldspar–epidote alteration, are locally evident in the central and western margins of the intrusive centre.
Skarn mineralization occurs sporadically along the margins of two parallel limestone beds over a strike length of approximately 400 metres. Mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite, specularite and sphalerite. A zone of ‘high-grade’ mineralization, several metres wide, is exposed in a large excavated pit near the south end of the zone. The Cinderella (MINFILE 092ISE168) occurrence is located approximately 1.1 kilometres to the south and appears to be associated with the continuation of the same limestone horizon.
By 1993, at least four zones (A, B, C and G) of mineralization had been identified over an approximately 750 metre strike length along a south-southwest trend. The A zone comprises a chlorite-epidote-magnetite-specular hematite skarn with minor quartz, chalcopyrite and galena hosted on the eastern side of a limestone unit. The B (main) zone lies approximately 150 metres south of the A zone and comprises a north-trending quartz vein stockwork within a limestone and chlorite-epidote-calcite-specular hematite skarn with blebby chalcopyrite. The C zone is located approximately 250 metres southwest of the B zone and comprises a zone of strong skarn alteration with epidote, coarse specular hematite and quartz veining associated with north- and west-striking fault zones in a limestone. The zone has been traced by trenching for approximately 16 metres. The G zone is located approximately 600 metres south-southeast of the B zone and comprises an east-trending quartz-feldspar porphyry (breccia) dike with disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite associated with minor skarn mineralization and alteration. This zone lies on the west end of an east-striking fault zone associated with the D zone of the nearby Cinderella (MINFILE 092ISE168) occurrence.
In 1964, drilling on the area is reported to have yielded intercepts including 0.11 per cent copper over 21 metres in hole no. 1 (Property File – 10743). Another drillhole (A1) yielded trace and 0.2 gram per tonne gold, 6.3 and 9.2 grams per tonne silver, 0.23 and 0.95 per cent copper, trace and 10.03 per cent zinc over 1.35 and 1.50 metres (25.35 to 26.70 and 36.00 to 37.50 metres down hole), respectively (Property File – 673526).
In 1969, a chip sample (9391) from the area of the C zone yielded 0.55 per cent copper and 6.8 grams per tonne silver over 3.0 metres (Property File - 673529).
In 1976, a sample from the A zone area assayed 0.14 per cent lead and greater than 2.00 per cent zinc, whereas a sample of epidote stringers with malachite, taken approximately 900 metres west-northwest of the A zone, yielded 0.15 per cent copper (Property File - 10176).
In 1993, sampling of the mineralized zones yielded up to 0.15 per cent copper and 1 per cent lead from the A zone; 1 per cent copper, 0.35 per cent zinc and 45.6 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres true width from the quartz stockworks and 0.36 per cent copper over 2.5 metres from the mineralized skarn on the B zone; 0.19 per cent copper and 0.08 gram per tonne gold over 4.5 metres in the C zone and 0.37 per cent copper with 0.105 gram per tonne gold over 1 metre on the G zone (Assessment Report 23258).
In 1998, sampling of trench 7 on the B zone yielded 0.19 per cent copper and 0.08 gram per tonne gold over 4.5 metres, whereas a composite sample of quartz vein float from a historical trench, located approximately 180 metres to the south of trench 7, yielded 0.205 gram per tonne gold, 14.8 grams per tonne silver, 0.14 per cent copper, 0.64 per cent lead and 0.45 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 25592).
Work History
The area has been explored since the early 1900s.
During 1962 through 1976, a variety of individuals and companies held mining claims and explored the Jesse Creek area, mainly for copper-magnetite skarn mineralization similar to that at Craigmont Mine. Exploration work at this time usually included soil sampling, trenching and magnetometer surveying.
In 1964 and 1965, Peel Resources Ltd. and Nippon Mining Co. Ltd. completed programs of soil sampling, ground magnetometer and induced polarization surveys and 1590 metres of diamond drilling in 12 drillholes were completed on the Cinderella claims. By this time, the discovery of four short historical shafts, 3 to 4.5 metres long, and numerous opencuts/trenches had been reported. Also in 1965, Nippon Mining Corp. is reported to have completed numerous trenches and some diamond drilling on the area.
In 1976 and 1977, Quintana Minerals Corp. explored their claims north from the Merritt city limits to the Jesse Creek drainage. A magnetic survey was performed and identified a number of magnetic anomalies, which were followed up on with a program of detailed geological mapping to assess the inferred skarn mineralization.
In 1979, Herb Allen drilled a single hole at the north end of the Chase zone with reportedly disappointing results. In 1980, Noranda completed a magnetic and electromagnetic (very low frequency) survey on the area. The following year, an induced polarization and resistivity survey was completed. Drilling is reported to have intercepted an andesitic tuff hosting narrow calcite-epidote veins with minor pyrite and chalcopyrite mineralization. No drillcore samples were assayed.
In 1999, four diamond drill holes, totalling 404.0 metres, were completed on the Jesse Creek property. This work centred on the Chase and Cinderella (MINFILE 092ISE168) occurrences.
In 1991, Conlon Copper Corp. acquired claims covering the known copper-bearing skarn showings in the area. Over the next decade Conlon Copper or its later publicly-reporting companies, Merritt Copper Corp. and Conlon Copper Corporation, explored the claim holdings with several phases of geological mapping, rock and soil geochemical sampling, geophysical surveying, trenching and diamond drilling. The results from a 1997 induced polarization survey within the Cinderella (MINFILE 092ISE168)-Chase area show a strong, northwesterly trending induced polarization chargeability anomaly covering an area of 800 by 600 metres and open to the east and south.
In 2012, Dundarave Resources Inc. retained Minorex Consulting Ltd. to carry out a property examination on the Jesse Creek property. A 1050.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey and 68.6 line-kilometre induced polarization survey were completed at this time.
In 2013, Ocean Park Ventures Corp., on the behalf of Dundarave Resources Inc., completed seven diamond drill holes, totalling 2043.0 metres, on the Jesse Creek property.
In 2016, Wealth Minerals Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling on the Jesse Creek property. The following year, a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, geological photo-interpretation, a 24.2 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and 18 diamond drill holes, totalling 4478.9 metres, were completed on the property.
