The Champion-Commonwealth West occurrence is located in the south eastern head waters of Gray Creek, approximately 3.0 kilometres southwest from the head of Fanny Bay on Phillips Arm and at an elevation of approximately 600 metres.
The area is underlain by a persistent band, greater than 12 kilometres long, of stratified metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic Quatsino and Karmutsen formations (Vancouver Group). The band trends northwest and separates Jurassic to Cretaceous Coast Plutonic Complex rock of two different compositions, diorite and granodiorite.
Locally, a sheared, silicified and quartz veined granodiorite hosts gold and silver values. Sericite alteration is common in areas of shearing, while weak potassic alteration and carbonate is associated with fracturing. The quartz veins average in size from 0.06 to 0.15 metre wide. The mineralized shear zone is thought to be the western extension of the zone exposed on the nearby Commonwealth (L.277) and Champion (L.276) (MINFILE 092K 025) claims to the east.
In 1985, a geophysical anomaly was identified, and later surface sampling yielding from 6.8 to 28.7 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 15952).
The following year a diamond drill hole (CHG.86.1) was completed and intersected six auriferous zones (Assessment Report 15952):
________________________________________________Zone From To Length Gold (m) (m) (m) (g/t) 1 15.70 16.98 1.28 1.57 2 22.10 22.17 0.07 8.05 3 29.15 30.75 1.60 0.19 4 43.50 50.20 0.88 3.63 5 58.20 60.53 2.33 0.26 6 74.68 78.61 3.93 0.37 In 1986, grab samples from the surface exposure assayed (Assessment Report 14466): Sample Gold Silver (g/t) (g/t) VK002 5.48 18.4 VK-003 6.53 19.0 VK-004 11.5 42.0 VK-98 22.80 N/A VK-99 7.98 N/A ________________________________________________ |
In 1997, a sample (6-04-05) from an outcrop below the Falconbridge diamond drill site assayed 0.556 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 25098).
The area was originally explored in the late 1890’s in conjunction with the nearby Doratha Morton (MINFILE 092K 023) mine. The two adits, located approximately 550 metres to the east on the Champion-Commonwealth claims, were driven in 1899.
In 1980, Corpac Minerals Limited optioned the Alexandra group and the adjacent Enid-Julie property. Work by Corpac in 1980 included a geochemical soil survey (105 samples) and rock sampling. The following year, a program of geological mapping and soil sampling was completed. This work traced the mineralized Doratha Morton vein south east along strike to the Enid-Julie (MINFILE 092K 024) adits and identified quartz veins along strike to the northwest towards the Commonwealth (MINFILE 092K 025) occurrence.
In November 1982, Charlemagne Resources Ltd. optioned 17 reverted Crown grants. Falconbridge Limited entered into an agreement with Charlemagne and in 1985 and 1986 carried out geochemical surveys comprising 1687 soil and 440 rock samples, airborne magnetometer and electro-magnetic surveys over 300 kilometres, and a ground electromagnetic survey over 200 kilometres on the Alexandra and adjacent ground. In 1985, a geophysical anomaly was identified approximately 550 metres to the west of the adits on the Commonwealth claim during a geophysical program conducted by Falconbridge on the nearby Alexandria mine (MINFILE 09K 028) and adjacent ground. In 1986, Charlemagne Resources, on behalf of Falconbridge, completed two diamond drill holes, totalling 152.72 metres, to test the anomaly.
The area was prospected as the Cordero property in 1991 and 1992 by Ripple Creek Resources. During 1997 through 2000, Thurlow Resources conducted exploration programs on the area, renamed the DM and Picton properties, on the HY, LO, and FILL 2-19 claims. The programs consisted of soil sampling, rock sampling, and geological mapping. In 2008, Cuda Capital completed a 561.4 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey on the area.
