The XYZ porphyry copper prospect is on the north slope of upper Relay Creek, 38 kilometres north of Gold Bridge.
The occurrence is near the northwest end of a northwest-trending zone of alteration and intrusive rocks that measures approximately 10 kilometres long by 2 kilometres wide. Within this zone, interbedded mafic volcaniclastic and pyroclastic rocks of the Taylor Creek Group and Powell Creek Formation (informal name) are intruded by a swarm of porphyry sills, dikes and small plugs. The intrusives in the area of the XYZ showing are mainly Early to Late Cretaceous or younger hornblende-feldspar and feldspar porphyries, which locally grade to equigranular hornblende granodiorite. The stratified rocks strike northwest, dip steeply and are delimited mainly by northwest-trending faults. Northeast- and east-trending faults and shear zones are also locally important.
Carbonate and carbonate-chlorite alteration is widespread within the porphyries and adjacent country rock. The intrusives are locally altered to a varying carbonate-sericite-quartz-pyrite assemblage. Sphalerite, arsenopyrite or traces of chalcopyrite plus molybdenite locally accompany pyrite in areas of silicification. Anomalous gold and base metal enrichments associated with alteration occur as disseminations, fracture coatings and irregular quartz veinlets.
In 1970, Sheba Syndicate performed a regional soil and silt geochemical survey, discovering anomalous copper, molybdenum and zinc values. The distribution of anomalies suggested possible porphyry copper-molybdenum mineralization; however, aside from widespread pyritization and minor chalcopyrite in outcrop, other mineralization evidence was not found (Assessment Report 3179).
In 1972, Home Oil Company Ltd. conducted additional geological and soil sampling, concluding that soil anomalies were related to porphyry dikes in the area. The presence of copper values up to 0.26 per cent in the C-horizon soil suggested that much of the original sulphides from bedrock exposures had been weathered out (Assessment Report 3830).
Between September 1979 and May 1980, Barrier Reef Resources Ltd. conducted a silt and soil sample program and found anomalous gold and arsenic values apparently related to strong, regional, northwest-trending faults (Assessment Report 8020).
Between July 1980 and January 1981, Barrier Reef conducted geological mapping and rock and soil sampling on the Relay claims. Anomalous gold values in sediment were suggested to be associated with quartz veining and shear zones in and around feldspar porphyry sills (Assessment Report 8866). Results of similar work on the Dash claims adjacent to the north suggested that sporadic gold and arsenic sediment anomalies were due to downslope transport of float from the Relay claims. No further work was recommended on the Dash claims (Assessment Report 8888).
Between July 1981 and December 1981, Barrier Reef conducted geological and geochemical surveys and constructed 4 kilometres of access road. Results outlined a 1500 by 500-metre northwest-trending gold-arsenic anomaly (‘A’) with gold values commonly more than 1000 parts per billion and up to 4800 parts per billion. A second northwest-trending gold-arsenic anomaly (‘B’), 500 by up to 100 metres in size, had an average gold grade of 400 parts per billion (Assessment Report 9876).
In 1982, Barrier Reef conducted further geochemical surveying on the A grid in addition to an induced polarization survey and four diamond drill holes totalling 671 metres. The best intersection was 1.5 metres of 10.3 grams per tonne gold in drillhole 82-1. Mineralization was encountered in two styles: higher grade (1 to 10 parts per million gold) in narrow quartz-carbonate and chalcedony veins and wider (25 to 75 metres) low-grade zones associated with altered feldspar porphyry intrusions reporting 50 to 300 parts per billion gold (Assessment Report 11037).
In 1987, Esso Resources Canada Ltd. conducted geological mapping, soil sampling and an induced polarization survey concluding that gold mineralization, most pronounced in the Spine zone, is hosted by sheared and intensely quartz-carbonate, sericite, pyrite or pyrrhotite-altered feldspar porphyry dikes. Results suggested the potential for a large tonnage, low-grade deposit (Assessment Report 16467). The best results from reverse circulation percussion drilling include 2.9 grams per tonne gold over 7.5 metres and 2 grams per tonne gold over 9 metres in drillhole RC-13 (Assessment Report 18780).
In 1988, Esso completed eight diamond drill holes totaling 1079.2 metres to test four anomalous gold zones and one strong induced polarity anomaly. The best results include 1.46 grams per tonne gold over 5.6 metres in drillhole RYC001 and 1.95 grams per tonne gold over 4.77 metres in drillhole RYC008 (Assessment Report 18780).
In June 1988, Bond Gold Canada Inc. conducted 78.5 line kilometres of total field magnetometer and very low-frequency electromagnetic surveys. Seven northwest-trending, very low-frequency conductors and a linear magnetic zone were identified in the A grid. A north-northeast trending fault zone was also indicated (Assessment Report 18740). In 1991, Lac Minerals Ltd. conducted a program of geological mapping, rock chip sampling and stream silt sampling over the YAL claims (Assessment Report 22311).
In 2002, Fundamental Resources Corporation restaked the property, conducting surveying, geological mapping, soil sampling and rock-chip sampling on the north portion of the A grid (Assessment Report 27227). In 2004 and 2006, Fundamental continued rock-chip and soil sampling in the southern portion of the A grid, outlining anomalous gold values in the 75M and Spine zones (Assessment Report 28794). In 2008, Fundamental performed a 3.2-kilometre magnetometer survey as well as soil and rock-chip sampling. Representative rock samples were sent for petrographic analysis (Assessment Report 30361).
In 2009, Fundamental and Sola Resources conducted rock chip sampling and completed two HQ diamond drill holes in the Spine zone totaling 413.45 metres. These holes encountered anomalous gold, zinc and arsenic within hornblende-feldspar porphyry and fine-grained mafic volcanics. Gold mineralization, associated with arsenopyrite, pyrite and pyrrhotite, appears to be vein controlled. Drill hole 09DDH2 intersected 2 metres of 3.3 grams per ton gold and 0.2 gram per tonne silver. (Assessment Report 31180).
In 2011, Cancana Resources Corp. took a 208.7 kilogram soil sample, with initial results indicating that the sample contained between four and five grams of gold. The sample was sent for fire assay to determine the precise amount of gold (Press Release, Cancana Resource Corp., November 1, 2011).
In 2013, Fundamental Resources Corp. conducted a program of rock sampling and soil-gas hydrocarbon testing (SGH-50). In 2018, a rock chip sampling program over the Spine Zone, 25 m Zone, 65 m Zone and 75 m Zone, determining that the main zone of gold mineralization covers an area of 400 by 1600 metres. One 24 centimetre wide chip sample (18DA19) from the 25 m Zone returned values of 4.22 grams per tonne gold and 2.9 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 37558).
