The Buzz showing is located on the Key property south of Tsacha Mountain, 3 kilometres east of the headwaters of Mathews Creek. The Buzz showing was discovered in 2010 by Troymet Exploration Corp. through geophysical IP surveys. The Key property (in which the Buzz occurs) is underlain by Middle Jurassic volcanic rocks of the Naglico Formation, Hazelton Group.
Mineralization at the Buzz anomaly is present as porphyry-style, fine-grained molybdenite observed in smoky-grey quartz-pyrite veinlets and stringers hosted in felsic and intermediate volcaniclastic rocks.
In 1992, a grab sample (463797) of andesitic lapilli tuff with pyrrhotite and sphalerite, taken a short distance east of the Buzz occurrence, assayed 0.145 gram per tonne gold and 0.90 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 22539).
Drillhole Key-08 assayed 1.1 grams per tonne silver over 122.53 metres, and drillhole Key-07 assayed 0.468 per cent zinc over 1 metre (Press Release, Troymet Exploration Corp., May 9, 2011). Drill hole Key-07 also intercepted 177.00 metres averaging 0.0177 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 33068).
Work History
During 1980 to 1984, Prism Resources, Placer Developments and BP Minerals conducted geological mapping and soil sampling over the Mstsacha property. This work identified several zinc-arsenic-copper-lead soil anomalies.
In 1980, a broad copper-lead-zinc geochemical anomaly was identified, located southwest of Good News Lake, with maximum values of 113 parts per million copper, 102 parts per million lead and 450 parts per million zinc. The following year sampling returned up to 530 parts per million zinc and 950 parts per million arsenic and in 1984 three samples yielded over 0.15 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 22539).
In 1991, the property was restaked as the Ram 1-2 claims and in 1994 Western Keltic Mines conducted a number of soil geochemistry surveys that confirmed the presence of widespread gold, zinc, lead and arsenic anomalies in the southwestern corner of the Ram 2 claim.
In 2005, Marksmen Resources Ltd. staked the property and renamed it Key. The property was later transferred to Signet Minerals Inc., a spin-off company of Marksmen Resources Ltd.
In 2006, the Key property was transferred to Troymet Exploration Corp., a spin-off of Signet Minerals Inc.
In 2008, Troymet Exploration Corp. completed airborne geophysical surveys which identified four conductive targets.
In 2010, Troymet Exploration Corp. conducted an IP geophysical survey and rock, stream sediment and soil sampling on the property. Highlights include sample I006411, which assayed 1.23 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 31702).
In 2011, Troymet Exploration Corp. completed an exploration program of soil geochemical surveys, line cutting, IP surveys and diamond drilling. In 2011, 12 NQ diamond drillholes were completed (Assessment Report 33068). Highlights of the drill program include 6 holes on the Green zone (Key West) (01 to 06). On the Buzz zone three holes were drilled, Key-07 to 09.
In 2012/2013, Troymet Exploration Corp. conducted infill soil sampling, prospecting, line cutting, IP surveys and drilling. Troymet Exploration Corp’s program at Key, included prospecting and sampling early in the year followed by an IP survey and reverse circulation (RC) drilling in October. The IP survey covered six target zones in the East Central area with the Buzz, SGN and Blue zones selected as priority for drill testing as coincident gold-in-soil anomalies, and the P1A target in the West Central area. Ten holes were drilled at Buzz, and 2 holes were drilled in each of the remaining three targets.
In mid-January, Troymet Exploration Corp reported the results of a 16-hole reverse circulation drilling program at the Key property. Four coincident IP and gold-in-soil anomalies were drilled including the Buzz, SGN, Blue, and P1A targets in the East Central Area. Ten holes were drilled on the northwest-trending Buzz anomaly west of the GN Fault. Hole RC-10 intersected a mineralized zone grading 0.38 gram per tonne gold, 0.50 gram per tonne silver over 13.7 metres starting at 3 metres depth in subcrop (Exploration and Mining in British Columbia 2013, page 27), including an intersection of 2.74 grams per tonne gold and1.2 grams per tonne silver over 1.52 metres (Press Release Troymet Exploration Corp., January 14, 2013). The zone remains open in three directions and at depth. Several anomalous intercepts of silver, zinc and molybdenum were also returned.
At the end of 2013 Troymet Exploration Corp entered into an agreement to sell the property to New Gold Inc. The Key property is not considered to be part of the Blackwater property though the claims are contiguous with it.
In 2014, on the Key property, exploration focused on ring-shaped magnetic anomalies and a known copper-molybdenum mineralized feldspar porphyritic intrusive. By August, two drills were on site coring to an average depth of 500 metres, and ground IP surveys were completed. In October, New Gold reported that drilling at Key encountered a broad area of porphyry-style mineralization (gold, silver, copper and molybdenum) in intrusive host rock.
The 2013 and 2014 updates are excerpts from the provincial government Exploration and Mining in British Columbia publication. While the information for 2014 did not report where the work is concentrated, it seems likely that the work will occur at the Buzz showing (093F 076).
Also in 2014, New Gold Inc. completed a program silt and till (indicator mineral) sampling on the area as part of the Blackwater and Capoose properties.
For complete property history and regional geology, see Key (MINFILE 093F 069) and Blackwater (093F 037).