The Golden Wonder occurrence is located on a small northeast trending ridge, approximately 8 kilometres southwest of South Hazelton and between the Rocher Deboule Mountain Range and the Skeena River.

Mineralized fractures occur in pyritic argillite and siltstone of the Lower Cretaceous Kitsumkalum shale, an informal subdivision of the Skeena Group (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 2322). The rocks strike 020 degrees and dip 75 degrees west and are hornfelsed due to the Rocher Deboule stock, of the Late Cretaceous Bulkley Intrusions, to the east.

The main vein strikes 095 degrees, dipping 80 degrees north. It is associated with a feldspar porphyry dike, within black argillite. The vein is up to 1.2 metres wide and 150 metres long, consisting of quartz, calcite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, scheelite, and probably uraninite. A second mineralized shear zone is located 300 metres to the northeast.

A sample of ore from near the shaft assayed 3.4 grams per tonne gold, 188 grams per tonne silver, 2.97 per cent copper, and 0.15 per cent tin (Geological Survey of Canada, Memoir 223 (Rev.)).

A radioactive sample assayed 0.07 per cent equivalent uranium (Geological Survey of Canada, Economic Geology #16, 1952).

In 1954, it is reported that sampling of two ore piles near the main shaft yielded 6.22 and 14.31 grams per tonne gold, 223.9 and 50.7 grams per tonne silver with 6.50 and 4.69 per cent copper (Burgoyne, A.A., Kikauka, A. (2007-12-18): Technical Report on the Rocher Deboule Property).

A 60-centimetre sample of the vein, taken in 1980, assayed 21.6 grams per tonne silver, 5.55 grams per tonne gold, 1.21 per cent copper, and 0.13 per cent cobalt (Assessment Report 8521).

In 2007, a chip sample (76051) assayed 4.93 grams per tonne gold, 54.2 grams per tonne silver, 3.3 per cent copper and 0.198 per cent cobalt over 0.6 metre, while another chip sample (RD07-018) from a gravel pit located approximately 500 metres to the west yielded 1.02 per cent copper, 5.42 grams per tonne gold and 0.116 per cent cobalt (Burgoyne, A.A., Kikauka, A. (2007-12-18): Technical Report on the Rocher Deboule Property).

In 2011, a rock sample from the main pit area is reported to have assayed 21.9 grams per tonne gold, 104 grams per tonne silver, 3.1 per cent copper and 1.21 per cent cobalt, while a 0.2 metre chip sample from a zone located approximately 450 metres to the south west of the main pit assayed 1.29 grams per tonne gold, 6.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.234 per cent copper (Reeder, J.J. (2019-05-21): Technical Report on the Golden Wonder Property).

In 2017, a chip sample (128288) of oxidized breccia with massive arsenopyrite veins assayed 20 grams per tonne gold and 16.4 grams per tonne silver, while a chip sample (128278) of oxidized mudstone with a 1.5 metre wide breccia zone hosting massive sulphides and quartz assayed 18.7 grams per tonne gold, greater than 100 grams per tonne silver, 0.653 per cent cobalt and 0.97 per cent copper (Reeder, J.J. (2019-05-21): Technical Report on the Golden Wonder Property).

In 2019, a rock sample is reported to have assayed 1.91 grams per tonne gold and 0.41 per cent copper (Reeder, J.J. [2021-03-08]: Technical Report on the Golden Wonder Property, South of New Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada).

Work History

The showings were first investigated in about 1912 by Messrs. Harris and Comeau, who put in a number of surface cuts and sank a 6-metre shaft. No further work was done until 1917 when the claims were optioned to M.W. Sutherland and J.B. Tyrrell. During 1917-1918 a 30.4 metre shaft was sunk on the south shear zone. Five claims, the Golden Wonder (Lot 3322), Golden Chief (Lot 3323), Golden Potlatch, Crescent, and Maple Leaf (Lots 3834-3836) were Crown-granted to J.B. Tyrrell in 1918.

National Explorations, Limited, acquired the property in 1951 but no exploration or development work was reported by the company. There were no valid claims at December 31st, 1958.

The Golden Wonder Crown-grant (Mineral Lease No. M 79) was part of a large claim group acquired by Chapparal Mines Ltd. in 1970. See Cap (093M 073) for details of this related work.

In 1980, Asarco Exploration Co. of Canada Limited held the Golden Wonder claim. Work consisted of topographic and orthophoto map preparation, grid establishment, detailed geologic mapping, sampling of mineral showings and a ground magnetic survey over the grid area. Detailed geologic mapping and sampling disclosed numerous narrow mineralized shear zones which were considered limited in extent and grade.

During 2001 through 2007, Rocher Deboule Minerals Corporation completed programs of rock and soil sampling, prospecting, geological mapping and an airborne (electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric) geophysical survey on the area as the Rocher Deboule property.

Also in 2006, prospecting and GPS surveys on behalf of Ranex Exploration Ranex Exploration were carried out for the purpose of assessing and accurately mapping zones of mineralization on the Golden Wonder area property.

In 2011, American Manganese conducted a soil geochemical survey over the main pit, pit #2, and the roadside vein. Highs of both gold and silver occur. The soil survey was limited but was reported to demonstrate a poor to moderate positive response in areas of known showings.

In 2017 and 2018, Primary Energy Metals Inc. completed programs of geological mapping and geochemical (rock, soil and stream sediment) sampling on the area as the Golden Wonder property.

In 2019, Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. completed a program of geochemical (soil and rock) sampling and a ground magnetic survey on the area as the Golden Wonder property.

See Rocher Deboule (093M 071) for related details of work done on the Rocher Deboule property of American Manganese, of which the Golden Wonder was part of in the late 2000s.