The Kathleen occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1680 metres on a north-facing slope, approximately 1 kilometre south of Calling Lake.
The area is underlain by Bethsaida phase quartz monzonite to granodiorite of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith. Guichon variety (Highland Valley phase) quartz diorite outcrops to the southwest and Skeena variety granodiorite outcrops to the south.
Mineralization is localized along faulting and shearing, the main trends of which are 010 degrees and 045 to 065 degrees, respectively. Mineralization tends to be of higher grade and in larger bodies in the latter orientated fault/shear zones. Joints are well developed and vary in intensity, being more numerous close to faulting. The north-trending Kathleen fault has been traced for greater than 300 metres. The main showing occurs on a minor offshoot east of the fault.
At the shaft, sheared, silicified sericitic porphyry (described in Assessment Report 750 as an altered, green rock composed of coarse quartz and sericite) is exposed with minor disseminated bornite and chalcopyrite.
Approximately 300 metres south of the shaft, trenching (1958) on the Kathleen fault exposed similar geology with a 0.6-metre wide zone sparsely mineralized with bornite, chalcopyrite and minor molybdenite.
In 1956, a channel sample across the north wall of the zone yielded 2.17 per cent copper, 0.15 per cent molybdenum and 0.34 gram per tonne gold over 0.6 metre, whereas a channel sample across the floor of the trench yielded 2.35 per cent copper and 0.08 per cent molybdenum over 0.3 metre (Assessment Report 170).
Another zone of mineralization is reported approximately 21 metres from the west end of the previous trench and comprises a 0.3-metre wide band of sericitic porphyry hosting quartz veins, up to 4 centimetres wide, with bornite and chalcopyrite. The quartz veins are estimated to contain approximately 2 per cent copper (Assessment Report 170).
Work History
Historically, a 6-metre deep shaft, a 9-metre long adit and a number of trenches or pits, likely dating to the early 1900s, have been developed on the occurrence area.
In 1956, Laco Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and trenching on the area as the Dominion, Nancy, Starnes and Terry claims of the Laco property.
In 1960 and 1961, Royal Canadian Ventures Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and a ground magnetic survey on the area as the Bon, Call, Cana and Royal claims. In 1965, Cominco Ltd. completed a 12.8 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey, geological mapping and trenching on the Nancy, B.L. and Tom claims. In 1966, Royal Canadian Ventures Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and a 19.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Cana, RC and Royal claims. In 1969, Great Plain Development Ltd. completed a 27.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the claims.
In 1980, Cominco Ltd. completed 60.0 line-kilometres of ground magnetometer and induced polarization surveys on the area as the Island property. The following year, 22.9 line-kilometres of induced polarization surveys were completed on the property.
