The Mac occurrence is located in the south western headwaters of Butler Creek, approximately 3.5 kilometres east of Bluff Lake.
The occurrence consists of precious and base metal mineralization associated with quartz veins in hydrothermally altered volcanics and intrusive bodies. The occurrence lies between two major northwest-striking faults along the northeastern margin of the Jurassic to Tertiary Coast Plutonic Complex: the Yalakom fault and the Tchaikazan fault (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 1163). A splay of the latter fault, called the Niut Fault, runs through the area of interest.
The area around the Mac occurrence is underlain by Middle to Upper Triassic volcanics and sediments of the Cadwallader Group, intruded by quartz diorite of the Late Triassic Cadwallader plutonic suite. The volcanics are mainly andesitic tuffs, with minor breccia, basalts and porphyritic flows. These are interbedded with rhyodacitic flows and tuffs. The other main host rock is medium-grained, porphyritic quartz diorite to diorite, probably related to the Coast Plutonic Complex. The volcanics are also intruded by dikes, including monzonite porphyry and quartz-feldspar porphyry.
The rocks have extensive alteration: silicification, propylitic, argillic, sericitic and limonitic alteration are all reported. Pyrite and pyrrhotite are generally present, at up to about 10 per cent. Alteration is strongest in fracture zones where significant quartz veining is developed.
Mineralized quartz veins and stockworks have been related mainly to the dioritic intrusions (Assessment Reports 13780, 17080).
The largest and most significant vein, the Cow Trail vein, is mostly hosted in intensely altered (argillic-sericitic) quartz diorite, the remainder being volcanics. The Cow Trail vein can be traced for at least 200 metres, and has an average strike of 080 degrees, dipping 70 degrees south; it varies between 0.3 and 1.5 metres in thickness. Locally, banded and vuggy textures are present suggesting an epithermal origin, at least in part (Assessment Report 13780). The vein is mineralized with pyrite, chalcopyrite, up to 2 per cent galena, black sphalerite, and tetrahedrite.
In 1985, vein samples assayed up to 3.74 per cent zinc, up to 2.0 per cent lead, and up to 0.24 per cent copper (Assessment Report 13780). Significant gold and silver values are sporadic, but grab samples have reached assay values of 12.2 grams per tonne gold and 1138 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 13780). Other surface values between 1.4 and 2.75 grams per tonne gold, and between 100 and 240 grams per tonne silver, are not uncommon (Assessment Report 13780).
In 1987, a trench in the Cow Trail vein yielded a channel sample with 48 grams per tonne silver averaged over 7 metres (Assessment Report 17080).
Another interesting quartz vein, the Goat Trail zone, outcrops 150 metres southwest of the Cow Trail vein. The vein is up to 1 metre thick, and is mineralized with up to 0.9 gram per tonne gold and 396 grams per tonne silver, with 6.8 per cent zinc and 2.0 per cent lead (Assessment Report 17080).
WORK HISTORY
During the early 1970's, Noranda Exploration Company Limited staked the B.U. claims in the Butler Lake area after regional sampling indicated anomalous values for copper, molybdenum and gold. Noranda completed geological, geophysical (IP) and geochemical (soil) programs.
In 1984, Imperial Metals (JW Morton) investigated up the MacDonald road and a total of 250 soil samples were collected. Imperial located a set of quartz veins exposed in three hand trenches. They subsequently optioned the claims from Don Rose and staked additional claims. The claims were MAC, Mac 2, St. Teresa 6 and MC 1-3. A strong vuggy quartz vein occurs within the alteration zone and has been exposed by hand trenching. The vein is up to 1.5 meters wide in surface exposure and is banded. A central core of white quartz (0.3 metre) contains 1 to 2 per cent galena and contains 240 to 377 grams per tonne silver and 2 to 4 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12422). Work completed occurred on the MC#2, MAC and St. Teresa #6 claim.
In 1984, Imperial Metals staked the Mac claims after acquiring an option on the St. Teresa claims (Bu prospect (092N (Assessment Report 12422,13780). Work was completed on the MAC and St. Teresa 6 claim. After collecting 79 rock samples, grid soil sampling the Cow Trail vein area and conducting some bulldozer trenching. Soil grid sampling and bulldozer trenching in 1984 yielded sporadic assays within the Cow Trail veins up to 12.17 grams per tonne gold and 1138.3 grams per tonne silver, 0.24 per cent, 21.2 per cent lead and 3.7 per cent zinc; values are typically from 1.37 to 2.74 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 13780) Imperial Metals drilled two holes from 1 set up on the vein structure before cold weather ended the program. Imperial Metals was reported to have followed up with two diamond drill holes from 1 set up on the vein structure on the Cow Trail vein (to 61 metres and 66.1 metres respectively). The assay results from the drilling were further reported to have been disappointing and Imperial Metals subsequently dropped its option on the property.
In 1987 Canevex Resources Limited purchased the St Teresa claim from Don Rose and staked the Newmac claims around them. Newmac was a contraction of New MacDonald. The property was optioned to Jaqueline Gold Corp that same year. Subsequent work revealed porphyry style mineralization and alteration in Butler Creek bed. During October 1987, a senior geologist and three geotechnicians spent fourteen days on the property conducting geochemical soil grid surveys, mapping, and backhoe trenching. Jaqueline Gold Corp. expanded their grid and completed an IP survey preparatory to drilling two diamond drill holes later that year. A total of 139 rock aand 878 soil samples were collected for analysis. As a result of the 1987 work, three discrete anomalous trends were delineated. The previously known Cow Trail vein, located on the A grid, was enlarged and a new quartz-sulfide stockwork zone, the Goat Trail zone, was outlined in the "A grid" area. Samples from this new zone returned values up to 480 grams per tonne silver and 1.03 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 17080). A third zone, known as the Road Gossan, shows a north-south trending gold, silver, copper, zinc anomaly with dimensions exceeding 600 metres in length and 200 metres in width. A third zone, known as the Road Gossan, shows a north-south trending gold, silver, copper, zinc anomaly with dimensions exceeding 600 metres in length and 200 metres in width. Further rock and soil sampling was done on the B grid, C grid, McDonald Road, the Bornite showing, and Lower Butler Creek.
In 1988, Jacqueline Gold Corp.'s exploration program focused on the B Grid/Butler Lake anomaly (Bu Prospect area (092N 030)) and comprised: fill-in and extensions of the geochemical sampling; line cutting; Induced Polarization surveying; geological mapping and; core drilling. A roughly coincident copper-gold geochemical and geophysical chargeability anomaly measures approximately 1200 meters by 200 meters along a northerly trend and appears to remain open to the south. Two diamond drill holes were completed at 45-degree dips to test the coincident anomalies. degree dips to test strong chargeability and soil geochemical anomalies. Strong accumulations of sulphides were encountered in both drill holes while hole NM-88-2 intersected significant copper and anomalous gold values throughout its length (Assessment Report 18036). Jaqueline Gold subsequently returned the property to Canevex.
In 1991, Noranda completed 1939 metres of diamond drilling in seven holes on the BU prospect/Butler Creek area (092N 030) before returning the property to Canevex (Assessment Report 21967). At the conclusion of Noranda’s work, an apparent horseshoe-shaped induced polarization response was identified and interpreted to reflect a pyrite shell surrounding a potentially significant mineralized core. Noranda also concluded that essentially all of the drill testing had occurred within the pyrite shell.
In 1998, Ascot Resources Ltd. and Canevex Resources explored the area. In 2004, Scott Geophysical completed a program of ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys on the area. In 2006, Newmac Resources completed a 6 hole diamond drill program, totalling 1134 metres, on the area. The second drill hole intersected 157 metres grading 0.174 per cent copper including 17 metres grading 0.31 grading 0.13 per cent copper and 0.34 gram per tonne tonne gold (Assessment Report 18036). Jaqueline Gold subsequently returned the property to Canevex.
In 2004, Newmac Resources Inc. acquired the claims from Canevex and conducted 17.8 kilometres of IP and magnetic surveys along the Macdonald road ("C" grid, Newmac 1 (092N 055)) where altered and pyritic rocks had been noted (Assessment Reported 27543). Several well-defined induced polarization anomalies were revealed. In 2005, Newmac completed a total of 6 widely spaced drill holes for a total of 1130.4 metres (Assessment Report 28547). Work was done on the Bornite showing-Noranda Pits area, the MacDonald Road and the Butler Lake area. The widely spaced drilling failed to refine or direct the exploration beyond the knowledge base already at hand. Two of the holes were collared in close proximity to hole 88-2 but at different dips. In 2006,diamond drill hole 05-2, located near the former drill hole 88-2, was drilled to a depth of 310 metres and yielded 0.18 per cent copper and 0.07 grams per tonne gold over 214 metres (Assessment Report 28547).
In late 2006, Newmac Resoures Inc. completed an option agreement for the Bluff Claims and were followed closely by a geophysical survey totalling 28.2 kilometers of IP and magnetics. The geophysical program delineated several targets to be followed up by diamond drilling.
In early 2007, a diamond drilling program was initiated by Newmac which completed 2389.4 metres of NQ coring in 14 holes (Assessment Report 29526). Drilling was done in the Rolston Ranch (“C” grid) area. Results of that program were inconclusive. Drill core was not systematically sampled and that core which was assayed was reported to not be significant. However, un-split core stored on site at the Rolston Ranch shows varying degrees of copper mineralization, particularly in holes 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, which were drilled on the “C” grid and on setups to the west-southwest and southwest of drill hole 07-07. (Figure 4, Assessment Report 29526). Holes 07-09 to 14 tested IP changeability anomalies and failed to locate economic mineralization. Sufficient quantities of pyrite were encountered to explain the IP effects. Refer to year 2013 work history for drillhole 07-08 re-analysis.
In 2012, Susan Rolston formed Tchaikazan Resources Ltd. to manage the expanding land holdings. Work since that time, has been undertaken on behalf of the company. The 2012 geochemical program consisted of rock sampling on three areas of the Bluff claim block. Notable samples were taken below the Bluff Lake road in the area of Painted Bluff showing. Samples Blu1, Blu2 and Blu3 (adjacent Bluff Lake) returned copper values including 0.319 per cent, 0.233 per cent and 0.625 per cent respectively. Sample Blu1 also returned 2.02 grams per tonne gold, 0.226 per cent arsenic and 0.09 percent zinc (Figure 6. Assessment Report 33785). Eight of twelve samples located in the area of the Bornite showing (NEW MINFILE in Dec. 2021) were anomalous in copper with sample Bor007 returning assays of 0.217 per cent copper, 0.09 grams per tonne gold and 3.5 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 33785). Bor007 was taken from a broad, 20 metre, shear zone that crosses the west branch of upper Butler Creek.
The 2013 work program of Tchaikazan comprised geochemical sampling of 22 rocks , 86 drill core intervals and six soils from various locations on the Bluff claims and the newly acquired land package. The “Noranda Pits” were located on the Butt1 claim in late May by Susan Rolston. Five soil samples were taken from five pits by Susan Rolston and geologist Roger MacDonald. Six samples of un-split core were taken from boxes stored at drill platform DDH 85-1/85-2 on the west side of the creek adjacent to the Cow vein.
In 2014 work program the Tchaikazan Resources Inc (Susan Rolston) comprised geochemical sampling of 27 rocks and 5 C-horizon soils from the Butler Lake area, Bornite Zone and Noranda Pits (Assessment Report 35049).
In April-May 2015, the Tchaikazan Resources Inc work program included prospecting in the West Butler Creek area just upstream from the confluence of East and West Butler Creeks (Assessment Report 35754). Fifteen samples, six grabs and nine chips, were collected for assay from gossanous outcrops exposed along the deeply incised cliff faces bounding West Butler Creek. In addition, a review of mineralized structures in the “Pretty Pile” area, the Painted Bluffs and the Slide area was undertaken to more accurately locate and orient the local copper/gold and molybdenum mineralization.
In October 2015, Tchaikazan established the Pie Grid with the cutting of 8.3 kilometres of gridline and trail in preparation for 5.8 kilometres of induced polarization (I.P.) and 4.6 kilometres of magnetometer surveying that later defined a moderate chargeability/resistivity anomaly (Assessment Report 36102). The newly acquired Math claim was prospected and two rock samples were sent for assay. Two rock sample locations in the vicinity of West Butler Creek were resurveyed using GPS.
The 2016 geochemical program Tchaikazan Resources Inc. consisted of the collection of 33 soil samples and produced a coincident copper/arsenic/antimony geochemical anomaly over the geophysical anomaly defined in the 2015 program (Assessment Report 36772). Mapping along the Hayfield Bluff (BL7-3 (092N 071) indicated a possible mineralized system in the vicinity of the Painted Bluff copper showing and diamond drill hole BL07-08 (Slide zone). Mapping was also done on the Pie Grid.
In 2017 and 2018 Tchaikazan Resources Inc. conducted a field program comprised the collection of 14 rock samples and 234 soil samples in the are just south of Butler Lake, about 1 kilometre southeast of the Bu prospect (092N 030) (Assessment Report 37746). The soil geochemical program identified two moderate copper/arsenic/antimony anomalies. One over 100 metres and a two station anomaly on the southwest end of the talus traverse TT18002 and TT18003. A weaker copper/arsenic/antimony anomaly is located at the west end of line 95+00N.
In 2019, rock geochemical and geological mapping was completed on the BLUFF, SOUTH BUTLER, BUTTS2, BLAKE S and BLAKE EXT claims by Tchaikazan Resources Inc. A total of 25 rocks were sampled of which 21 were sent for assay. Geologic mapping was carried out on 18 locations as the samples were collected. The program was successful in extending a copper-rich tourmaline breccia from its discovery outcrop to 500 metres to the north-west along a 330 to 340 degree trend along the Hayfield Bluffs. Sampling in the area of the Painted Bluff extended that mineralized zone some 150 metres to the south-east along a 135 degree trend. Also, 550 metres to the east of the painted Bluff, the Slide zone sampling returned a 0.136 per cent copper, 22.9 grams per tonne lead, and 1.15 grams per tonne silver assay from outcrop that previously returned anomalous molybdenum tenors (Assessment Report 38580). On the BLAKE EXT claim, staked in 2019, rock sample #36 returned an assay of 0.186 per cent copper and 2.44 grams per tonne silver indicating similar mineralization to the Math showing located 1300 metres to the north-northeast (Assessment Report 38580). Sampling along a gossanous ridge in the St. Teresa area, located approximately 550 metres west of Butler Lake, returned two samples anomalous in copper; RM19005 at 0.0461 per cent and RM19007 at 0.0433 per cent copper (Assessment Report 38580).
In 2020, Rolston had a geophysical interpretation report completed on the Bluff Copper-Gold property (Assessment Report 39146). S.J.V. Consultants Ltd. was retained to evaluate historical geophysical data, including an airborne magnetic, VLF-EM and EM survey data, acquired by Aerodat Limited in 1989 and several vintages of induced polarization data gathered by various companies and contractors from 1990 to 2006.
See BU (092N 054) for related geological and work history details.
