The Bin 93 showing is located 1.3 kilometres north of Skuhun Creek and east of Skuhost Creek.
The area is underlain by Bethsaida phase quartz monzonites and granodiorites of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith. These rocks are strikingly porphyritic, characterized by coarse-grained, euhedral ‘books’ of biotite phenocrysts. Large, anhedral ‘quartz eyes’ are also present. Fine- to medium-grained, equigranular, pinkish, leucocratic dikes cut all phases of the batholith and are very common in the Bethsaida phase.
Dominant fault/shear directions are north, northwest and east. Weak propylitic alteration associated with shearing is widespread. Potassic alteration in the form of crystalline potassium feldspar films and powdery secondary argillic alteration occur on fracture planes within shear zones.
Minor hypogene bornite occurs on fracture planes as isolated, irregular coatings, occasionally enclosed by malachite. Trace chalcocite occurs as blebs in granodiorite or on fracture planes, where it is altered to malachite. It is also reported in leucocratic dikes. Other zones of copper mineralization are reported approximately 350 metres southwest, 850 metres northwest, 250 metres east and 450 metres east-northeast of the first (main) zone (Assessment Report 2085 and 7836).
In 1979, trenching identified a 1.5-metre wide mineralized shear zone. The zone strikes northwest and has been traced over a strike length of approximately 90 metres. Trenching further to the northwest failed to identify the shear zone but did identify moderate argillic alteration. The mineralized shear is located approximately 350 metres southwest of the main zone. Sampling of the zone is reported to have yielded up to 1.0 per cent copper and average approximately 0.5 per cent copper (Assessment Report 7836).
Work History
In 1965, Rio Tinto Exploration Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling and geological mapping on the area as the Ro claims. In 1966, San Jose Mines Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the Alamo and San Jose claims. In 1967, Rocket Mines completed a soil sampling program on the area immediately south of the occurrence as the A claims. In 1969, a 93.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey was completed on the Alamo and San Jose claims.
Also in 1969 and 1970, Cominco Ltd. completed program of geological mapping, a 42.3 line-kilometre induced polarization survey, a 7.4 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey and a 44.0 line-kilometre seismic survey on the area as the Bin claims.
In 1971, Arlingston Silver Mines Ltd. completed a ground magnetic survey on the Bin claims. In 1975, Cities Services Mining completed three rotary drill holes, totalling 258.0 metres, on the area immediately southeast of the occurrence as the Burn property. In 1979, Lornex Mining Corp. Ltd. completed a program of trenching, 10 diamond drill holes, totalling 974.5 metres, and 5 percussion drill holes, totalling 74.7 metres, on the SV claims.
In 1981, Norsemont Mining Co. Ltd. completed a ground magnetic survey on the SV claims. In 1985, Norsemont Mining completed an airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey on the SV 1-13 claims. In 1986, Teck Ex. completed a 52.5 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the SV 21-26.
