The Tas (East zone) showing is located on a small hill just north of the Germansen-Inzana forest road approximately 10 kilometres from its junction with the Fort St. James-Germansen logging road.
The region is underlain by sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Takla Group within the Quesnellia Terrane. The group comprises the Inzana Lake Formation, the Rainbow Formation, the Witch Lake Formation, and the Chuchi Lake Formation.
The Inzana Lake Formation is a sequence of epiclastic sediments derived from a volcanic source. It is underlain by fine-grained slates and sediments of the Rainbow Formation derived (in part) from a continental source. In turn, it is overlain by augite porphyry flows and agglomerates of the Witch Lake Formation and the subaerial maroon and green flows of the Chuchi Lake Formation.
Hornfelsed and bleached, siliceous argillaceous meta-tuffs of the Inzana Lake Formation are intruded by variable hornblende ± biotite ± plagioclase porphyry dikes. These weakly propylitized dikes often form intrusive breccias with xenoliths of sediments and hornblendite (±clinopyroxene cores). Felsic diorite intrudes this package of rocks, which, by analogy with similar rocks to the south, is probably of Lower to Middle Jurassic in age.
Mineralization in the sedimentary and intrusive rocks is confined to minor amounts (less than 2 per cent) of disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite. High-grade sulphides are found in steeply dipping, north trending shear zones that are 0.10 to 0.20 metres wide. On surface, these zones contain up to 70 per cent sulphides; mainly pyrite and pyrrhotite with minor chalcopyrite and marcasite(?). An unmineralized diatreme containing milled fragments of tuffs, hornblende porphyry and monzodiorite appears to grade into a hydrothermal breccia containing quartz and fine-grained, massive actinolite. In areas of sulphide mineralization these rocks have been epidotized.
The East zone comprises massive to stringer pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and magnetite in a prominent shear zone, up to 7 metres wide and trending 350 degrees. The zone has been traced for approximately 100 metres along strike and to a depth of approximately 40 metres by drilling. Within the East zone, two continuous, sub-vertical–dipping sulphide veins, referred to as the A and B vein, have been identified. The veins are separated by 2 to 7 metres of stringer mineralization within a silica ± chlorite-altered andesite tuff. Vein A is 0.2 to 0.6 metres wide and is composed primarily of pyrite and pyrrhotite with minor chalcopyrite and magnetite, whereas vein B is 0.2 to 0.5 metres wide and is comprised of pyrrhotite, magnetite, specular hematite, and lesser pyrite.
The Mid zone is located approximately 180 metres west of the East zone and comprises a series of narrow sulphide-filled shears, generally trending 030 degrees, in a hornblende-augite porphyry. The zone has been exposed over an area of approximately 20 by 30 metres at surface and is indicated to extend in all directions by drilling.
The 21 zone comprises a shear zone in siltstone hosting 5 to 20 per cent disseminated pyrite. The 19 zone comprises a siltstone and/or silicified andesite tuff hosting semi-massive pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite mineralization, which has been traced for approximately 120 metres along strike at surface and to a depth of 42 metres below surface by drilling. The zone is open along strike and at depth. The 21 and 19 zones are located approximately 370 and 500 metres west of the East zone, respectively.
The East, Mid, 19 and West zones have been trenched and drilled. The best intersection in 1988, from the Mid zone, assayed 42.85 grams per tonne gold and 2.27 per cent copper over 3.4 metres (Vancouver Stockwatch - July 30, 1989). Typical intersections have lower values over 1 to 4 metres. A chip sample from trench #2 in 1986 assayed 6.3 grams per tonne gold and 0.1 per cent copper (Assessment Report 15687).
The East zone was the site of a small bulk sampling program in 1993 that yielded close to 1100 grams of gold from milling 32.4 tonnes of massive sulphide vein material (Exploration in British Columbia 2002).
Work History
In 1982, disseminated copper mineralization was discovered near the Freegold (MINFILE 093K 091) occurrence during construction of the Inzana Lake forestry access road.
In 1984, Noranda Exploration conducted a soil survey in the area identifying weak copper anomalies in areas of known bedrock exposure and four spot gold anomalies (30-220 parts per billion) were located (Property File Placer Dome - Pinsnet, R.H., 1985).
The original Tas claims were staked in 1984 by A.D. Halleran to cover copper mineralization and a silicified outcrop associated with aeromagnetic highs. Noranda optioned the property in 1984 after identifying visible gold in quartz-carbonate altered tuffs (the Freegold zone, 093K 091). In 1984, Noranda carried out soil sampling, ground magnetometer and induced polarization surveys as well as mapping.
Soil geochemical surveys conducted by Noranda outlined intense gold anomalies which corresponded with various geophysical anomalies along the ridge immediately north of the Freegold zone which became known as the Ridge zone (Tas, 093K 080) originally defined as consisting of the East, Mid, 21, 19 and West zones. The West zone was subsequently given a separate MINFILE number (093K 110) due to its greater distance of separation.
In 1986, a gossanous zone on the North Ridge was sampled by Noranda for gold in soils. A 1.5 kilometre long strong gold geochemical anomaly was discovered. Follow-up trenching located several north-south gold-bearing sulphide shear zones. Chip sampling of trenches on the East zone yielded up to 24.7 grams per tonne gold over 2.0 metres in trench 1 (Assessment Report 16763).
In 1987, Noranda completed 1785.3 metres in 29 NQ diamond-drill holes percussion drilling. They collected 6134 soil samples as well extensive program of induced polarization and magnetometer surveying, trenching and chip sampling. Drilling on the East zone yielded intercepts up to 8.9 and 15.53 grams per tonne gold over 8.9 and 0.6 metres, respectively, in hole 271-87-6 and 12.58 grams per tonne gold over 0.6 metre in hole 271-87-12, whereas drilling on the Mid zone yielded 6.00 and 4.30 grams per tonne gold over 1.5 metres each in hole 271-87-7 and 271-87-10, respectively, and 3.31, 4.80 and 3.95 grams per tonne gold over 2.6, 1.1 and 3.2 metres, respectively, in hole 271-87-13. Two chip samples from trench 14, located near the Mid zone, yielded 24.40 grams per tonne gold each, with 0.60 and 0.64 per cent copper over 0.9 and 1.0 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 16763).
An inferred resource of the East zone was reported in 1987 with 91,700 tonnes grading 6.7 grams per tonne gold (Property File – 520217).
Late in 1987, Noranda entered into a joint venture with Goldcap Inc. who entered into an agreement with Black Swan Gold Mines Ltd. In 1988 and 1989, Goldcap Inc. and Black Swan Gold Mines Ltd. paid for additional surveys and diamond drilling. To the end of 1989, a reported (but undocumented) 4356 metres of drilling were completed in 61 holes on the Tas project area. Trenching on the East zone is reported to have yielded an average of 9.7 grams per tonne gold across 2.97 metres over a strike length of 62.1 metres (Property File - 905754).
In 1990, a program of re-logging selected diamond drill core from previous programs in 1988 and 1989 was completed. In 1992, due to a disagreement between the operating companies, the option was allowed to lapse.
A. D. Halleran and sons blasted out two bulk samples from the East zone. Milling by Silbak Premier Mines resulted in a gold recovery of 93.8 per cent. Two bulk samples of 16.54 tonnes and 15.89 tonnes yielded 51.20 grams per tonne and 19.07 grams per tonne, respectively (Assessment Report 23353).
In 1996, Birch Mountain Resources Ltd. entered into an agreement to further explore the area of the Tas 1,2,4 and 6 claims and restaked the adjacent area to the south and east as the Val 1-5 claims (Assessment Report 24873). In total, four rock samples, 17 stream samples and 594 soil samples were collected.
In 1998, a grab sample (11975) of ferricrete from a trench on the 21 zone yielded up to 4.24 grams per tonne gold, 6.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.848 per cent copper, whereas a sample (TAS15-8) taken close to the 19 zone yielded 10.19 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 25839). Chip sampling (C11979) of the East zone yielded up to 14.75 grams per tonne gold over 5.3 metres (Assessment Report 25839).
Previous drilling on the Mid, 19 and 21 zones was reported to have yielded up to 60.33 grams per tonne gold over 2.4 metres on the Mid zone, from 3.34 grams per tonne gold over 5.1 metres to 9.65 grams per tonne gold over 1.55 metres on the 19 zone and up to 26.6 grams per tonne gold over 1.5 metres on the 21 zone (Assessment Report 25839).
Omni Resources Inc. optioned the property in 1999 and completed 691.9 metres in 7 NQ diamond-drill holes in the West and Far East zones. Omni reported that they discovered a previously unknown but significant mineralized zone on the West zone where gold grades were encountered in semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite +/- pyrite +/- chalcopyrite veins. The best mineralized zone intersected in the 1999 drill program was from 23.29 to 30.78 metres in hole TAS 99-5. The last 4.36 metres of this zone assayed 8.47 grams per tonne gold; in addition, significant values of approximately 2.47 grams (0.077 ounces) per tonne gold were assayed over the first 2.03 metres starting at 23.29 metres down hole (Assessment Report 26185). The Far East is a few hundred metres east of the East zone.
In 2002, a 7-hole, 1270.1 metre diamond drill program was conducted by Navasota Resources Ltd. on the West zone (093K 110). Navasota intersected massive to semi-massive sulphide mineralisation with prospective gold assays. Navasota considered the Tas West zone a high potential target for bulk tonnage, open-pittable gold resources. Assay results include a drill intercept of 2.15 grams per tonne gold over 12.5 metres (Assessment Report 27152).
In 2003, Navasota received a petrography, geochemical and interpretative report on the geological setting of gold mineralization on the West zone (093K 110) of the Tas property prepared from R.C. Wells. The report is based mainly from the examination of selective drill core from Navasota's September, 2002, diamond drilling program and from hole Tas 99-5 drilled by Omni Resources in 1999.
In 2004, Golden Hat Resources Inc. entered into an option agreement with an arm's-length individual for the purchase of a 100 per cent interest in six mineral claims known as the Tas property.
In 2008, the original claims were optioned from prospector A.D. Halleran of Fort St. James by Eagle Peak Resources Inc. who earned a 100 per cent interest in five mineral tenures by a series of cash payments and work obligations. In 2008, Eagle Peak completed 20 kilometres of new grid work and commenced a compilation of all prior data.
In 2009, Eagle Peak Resources Inc. prospected the Tas property.
In 2010, Rich Rock Resources Inc. completed 102 kilometres of airborne geophysics. A purchase agreement between Eagle Peak and Rich Rock Resources Inc. allowed Eagle Peak to transfer its rights and obligations under the option agreement and a further agreement dated February 28, 2012 transferred Rich Rock’s rights and obligations to Inzana Metals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Rich Rock. Inzana Metals has exercised its option to purchase; in addition to the Halleran tenures, a 100 per cent interest in 12 mineral tenures was also transferred in the various purchase agreements. Work in 2011 by Rich Rock Resources consisted of line cutting, 36 kilometres of ground magnetic surveys and 32 kilometres of 3DIP surveys. Work in 2012 consisted of line cutting, 20 kilometres of 3DIP surveys and 55 kilometres of ground magnetic surveys, which is a follow-up program from 2011 work.
In 2019, MGX Minerals Inc. completed a minor program of rock sampling and a 4.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the Tas East property to the east of the Tas (East zone) occurrence.
