The Tchaikazan (Hub) occurrence is located on the north side of the Tchaikazan River, approximately 7 kilometres southwest of the river mouth on Taseko Lakes.
The area is underlain by volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Taylor Creek Group, consisting of feldspar crystal tuffs, lithic fragments, and some flow rocks with chloritic amygdules. Argillaceous sediments are a minor component of the succession. These have been intruded by Late Cretaceous to Paleogene dioritic and feldspar porphyritic rocks.
Locally, at the Hub occurrence, chalcopyrite-molybdenite mineralization is hosted by fractures and quartz-chlorite veins within biotite-magnetite altered volcanic rocks and diorites cut by feldspar porphyritic stocks and dikes of mainly granodioritic composition. Pyrite occurs as massive veins to disseminations in some of the volcanics. The area shows a vertical zonation of propylitic and phyllic alteration with distal stockwork calcite veining changing to calcite-epidote and then epidote veining with increasing silicification and pyritization.
In 1981, chip sampling of trenches yielded values up to 0.21 per cent copper, 0.05 per cent molybdenum and 38.3 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 10330). In 1983, chip samples yielded up to 0.06 per cent copper, 0.031 per cent molybdenum and 3.4 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 12105).
In 2008, chip samples from trenches yielded from 0.02 to 0.143 per cent copper and 0.001 to 0.018 per cent molybdenum with minor silver and gold values (Assessment Report 31141). Diamond drilling, performed the same year, yielded averages greater than 0.1 per cent copper over the entire length of holes 08TSK-03, 08TSK-04 and 08TSK-06 for lengths of 367.0, 322.5 and 304.8 metres, respectively. These included intercepts of 0.2 per cent copper and 0.013 per cent molybdenum over 41.5 metres from hole 08TSK-03 and 0.19 per cent copper and 0.009 per cent molybdenum over 96.8 metres, including 21.0 metres yielding 0.27 per cent copper and 0.011 per cent molybdenum from hole 08TSK-06 (Assessment Report 31141). Diamond drilling, the following year, yielded 0.14 per cent copper and 0.009 per cent molybdenum over 114.0 metres from (Assessment Report 31549).
Work History
A prospecting party exploring the Tchaikazan Valley in 1945, discovered quartz veins carrying gold-silver mineralization (Charlie occurrence, MINFILE 092O 043) on a slope above the valley. Later exploration in the area, during the 1950’s, resulted in the discovery of chalcopyrite-molybdenite mineralization in the floor of the Tchaikazan Valley. Limited sampling and trenching was reportedly performed during this time. In 1966 and 1967, Falconbridge completed programs of soil sampling, trenching, a magnetometer survey and eight drill holes, totalling 375 metres. In 1968, Copper Range Exploration completed program of minor trenching and a magnetometer survey. In 1971, Rio Tinto completed a program of soil sampling and ground geophysical surveys the area as the Eggs and Warren properties. The following year, seven diamond drill holes, totalling 450 metres, were completed. These exploration projects centred on the copper-molybdenum mineralization located on the lower valley.
During 1981 through 1983, Suncor Resources completed programs of rock, silt and soil sampling; geological mapping and ground geophysical surveys on the area as the Cougar claims. In 1987, Golden Pick Resources completed a program of geological mapping and rock sampling. In 1998, Pellaire Gold Mines completed a program of geological mapping and rock, silt and soil sampling on the area.
In 2005, Galore Resources completed programs of soil sampling, a 61.8 line-kilometre ground geophysical survey and a 188 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area. In 2008 and 2009, Valor Resources completed programs of geochemical sampling, geological mapping and nine diamond drill holes, totalling 2628.5 metres, on the area. In 2019, Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. competed a program of prospecting, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and ground magnetic surveys on the area as part of the Pellaire Gold project.
