The Fox (Blacktop) occurrence is located immediately west of the Coquihalla Highway, approximately 800 metres southwest of the south end of Sussex Lake.
The area has been mapped as Late Triassic Nicola Group (western facies) rock consisting of mafic to felsic plagioclase-phyric flows, pyroclastic and epiclastic breccias, tuffs, argillite, sandstone and local carbonate. This belt is intruded to the east and west by the Late Triassic and/or Lower Jurassic Nicola and Guichon Creek granodiorite batholiths, respectively.
Locally, a zone of polymetallic massive sulphide mineralization hosted by strongly sericite-altered intermediate to felsic volcanic and volcaniclastics has been identified. Mineralization has been traced in outcrop, bedrock rubble and float over a cross-sectional area 100 metres long that is from 2 to 4 metres thick. Both ends of the zone are covered by overburden, and the base is not exposed. The mineralized zone is characterized by quartz-sericite schist, pyrite-sphalerite-chert rock and barite-sphalerite-cemented felsic breccia. Associated minerals include chalcopyrite, galena and tetrahedrite. The mineralized zone is disrupted by a north-trending, west-dipping structure, referred to as the Blacktop fault. Scattered higher-grade boulders of dense massive sulphide rock occur in the area but have yet to be found in outcrop.
In 1997, a sample from mineralized float boulder yielded 1.65 per cent copper and 0.13 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 25209).
In 2000, four grab samples taken from outcrop yielded values ranging from 5.62 to 19.75 per cent zinc, 0.38 to 1.58 per cent copper, 0.01 to 0.71 per cent lead, 31.8 to 91.8 grams per tonne silver and 0.4 to 0.7 gram per tonne gold, whereas a high-grade boulder assayed 31.26 per cent zinc, 3.22 per cent copper, 0.86 per cent lead, 144 grams per tonne silver and 1.06 grams per tonne gold (Press Release, Gitennes Exploration Inc., October 17, 2000).
In 2001, a drillhole (F01-02) is reported to have yielded 1.18 per cent copper, 16.5 per cent zinc, 87.4 grams per tonne silver and 0.45 gram per tonne gold over 0.70 metre of disrupted sphalerite-pyrite-chalcopyrite massive sulphide mineralization at 52.6 metres down hole (Assessment Report 30006).
In 2007, three rock samples taken over 1.5 metres of trench A yielded up to 10.42 per cent zinc, 0.76 per cent copper, 0.27 per cent lead, 43.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.32 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 30006).
In 2018, two samples (S851313 and S851314) yielded 0.584 and 0.992 per cent copper, 0.308 and 0.016 per cent lead, 4.11 and 14.9 per cent zinc, 44.4 and 47.7 grams per tonne silver with 0.36 and 0.61 gram per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 38107).
Work History
In 1972, Largo Mines Ltd. and Arlington Silver Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and soil sampling on the area immediately north of the occurrence as the Eagle, El Rio, Fargo and Vega claims.
In 1997, International Skyline Gold Corp. completed three diamond drill holes, totalling 451.5 metres, on the area as the Kent claims. Prior to the drilling program, programs of soil sampling, geological mapping and geophysical surveys were reported to have been completed.
The Fox (Blacktop) occurrence was discovered in 2000 and soon thereafter optioned to Gitennes Exploration Inc. In 2001, a program of ground magnetic, electromagnetic and induced polarization surveys was completed on the Fox property. Also at this time, eight drillholes, totalling 1234.7 metres, were reported to have been completed.
In 2007, Rich River Explorations Ltd. completed a program of sampling and minor hand trenching on the area as the Fox property. In 2010 and 2011, further programs of prospecting and rock sampling was completed on the property.
In 2014, Happy Creek Minerals Ltd. completed a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area immediately northwest of the occurrence as the NCu claim.
In 2018, Seven Devils Exploration Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and minor rock sampling on the Blacktop property.
