The Col (A zone) occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1080 metres on a south-southwest–facing slope, northeast of the Klawli River and approximately 4.6 kilometres north-northwest of the northwest end of Chuchi Lake.
The Col property lies within the Quesnel Terrane represented in the area by early Mesozoic Takla Group volcanic and sedimentary rocks of island-arc affinity and related intrusions, situated near the southern end of the Late Triassic-Early Cretaceous Hogem Intrusive Complex. Two alteration haloes are developed within the complex: the western half of the Chuchi halo north of Chuchi Lake (see Chuchi Lake, 093N 159), and the Col halo west of Chuchi Mountain (Fieldwork 1991).
The Col deposit is hosted within alkaline intrusive rocks near the contact with volcanic flows of the Lower Jurassic Chuchi Lake Formation (informal name) of the Middle Triassic to Lower Jurassic Takla Group. Medium to coarse-grained hornblende monzonite and lesser pink, fine to medium-grained syenite with aplite and pegmatite are the main intrusive phases.
Copper mineralization comprising chalcopyrite, bornite, and malachite are concentrated along steep parallel fractures striking 140 degrees that have 1 to 4 centimetre salmon-pink potassium feldspar-rich alteration envelopes around them. These zones may also contain quartz, minor magnetite and hairline seams of tremolite/actinolite plus chlorite. Some outcrops are so heavily striped with alteration zones that they take on a gneissic appearance. While some of these zones appear to be late magmatic syenitic injections into the monzonite, most appear to be the result of metasomatic potassic alteration of the monzonite. A later crosscutting set of steep fractures strikes 050 degrees, but contains only minor mineralization.
Drilling on the A zone has identified strong to very strong potassic alteration (potassium feldspar, moderate biotite, minor magnetite, minor albite) being overprinted by minor to moderate amounts of propylitic alteration (chlorite, hornblende, and lesser carbonate and epidote). Mineralization is hosted primarily by propylitic alteration. The best mineralized zones are usually comprised of disseminations and thin veinlets of chalcopyrite, minor bornite and rare molybdenite hosted by hornblende and chlorite, and to a much lesser extent, carbonate and epidote. The hornblende usually occurs in veinlets, chlorite usually occurs replacing mafic phenocrysts, and to a lessor extent, replacing hornblende veinlets. Carbonate and epidote usually occurs as veins and veinlets, but also as knots and disseminations. Lesser mineralization is associated with zones of potassic alteration. Where mineralization occurs it mainly is comprised of disseminations and veinlets of chalcopyrite and/or bornite in potassium feldspar–rich zones. These zones are often weakly sheared. The ratio of chalcopyrite to pyrite is unusually high at the A zone due to a distinct lack of pyrite.
The A zone has been traced by trenching and diamond drilling along a northwest strike for approximately 450 metres and tested to a depth of greater than 180 metres. The main mineralized zone is reported to have a limited downdip and westward strike potential with increasing potassic alteration being identified at depth. The zone is open to the east.
Drilling to the southeast of the A zone, referred to as the Southeast zone, has yielded, generally, long intersections of strongly kaolinized and locally brecciated rock veined with quartz, ankerite, siderite, epidote, chlorite, tremolite and secondary biotite with minor sulphides. One drillhole (DDH 29) in the early 1970s intercepted two sections of anomalous gold associated with shear zones with weak sericite-pyrite alteration.
Another zone of mineralization, referred to as the Bug zone, is located approximately 450 metres north-northwest of the A zone at an elevation of approximately 1150 metres and comprises a 120-degree-–trending, steeply north-dipping, discontinuously mineralized fracture zone in a moderate to strong potassic feldspar alteration monzonite host with veinlets and disseminations of chalcopyrite associated with chlorite and/or hornblende along fractures. This fracture zone is reported to be subparallel to the fracture zone hosting the A zone and has been traced for greater than 20.7 metres. One trench on the zone identified a 1-metre wide quartz vein with molybdenite.
A fourth zone of mineralization, referred to as the Creek zone, is located approximately between the main A zone and the Bug zone approximately 250 metres north of the A zone and comprises disseminated and veinlet chalcopyrite in a potassic- to propylitic-altered monzonite host. Fine-grained syenite dikes hosting disseminated and veinlet pyrite with minor chalcopyrite have also been identified by drilling on this zone.
Work History
In 1969, the Col 1-60 claims were staked by Colin J. Campbell following a stream sediment geochemical survey. Falconbridge Nickel Mines Limited optioned the property in 1970. Work that year included geological mapping, an electromagnetic survey over 24 kilometres, a geochemical survey comprising 800 soil samples, trenching on Col 1, and 97.5 metres of packsack diamond drilling in eight holes on Col 1, 4 and 5. Further work in 1971-72 included induced potential and magnetometer surveys and 2240.8 metres of diamond drilling in 24 holes on Col, 1, 3-5, 7, 42, 44, 46 and 48. Interpretation of geochemical and induced polarization anomalies suggested several zones of mineralization. Drilling in one area, identified as Zone “A”, was reported to have outlined a drill indicated 2,000,000 tons at 0.6 per cent copper; the copper grade is only an approximation, due to flawed data (in Kookaburra Gold Corp. Amended Prospectus, 27/02/89). The work failed to find economic mineralization and Falconbridge dropped the option in mid-1972.
In 1971 and 1972, drilling highlights on the A zone included 0.46 per cent copper over 71.32 metres (6.70 to 78.02 metres down hole) in hole 9, 0.24 per cent copper over 87.48 metres (5.79 to 93.26 metres down hole) in hole 11, 0.70 per cent copper over 71.10 metres (27.43 to 97.50 metres down hole) in hole 13 and 0.67 per cent copper over 54.86 metres (115.82 to 170.69 metres down hole) in hole 21 (Assessment Report 34717). Drillhole 21 was the deepest hole performed at this time on the A zone and indicated ‘good’ bornite fracture mineralization to a vertical depth of approximately 130 metres. Also at this time, a short pack-sack drillhole (hole 22) was located on the west strike extension of the A zone and yielded 0.43 per cent copper over its total length of 8.2 metres (Assessment Report 30053).
In 1982, Westmin Resources Ltd. completed a program of silt and soil sampling on the area immediately south as the Chu 1-2 claims. This work identified an approximately 500-metre long zone of anomalous soils associated with the mapped contact between an unaltered monzonite-diorite and a slightly foliated and propylitic-altered plagioclase porphyritic monzonite. An outcrop of plagioclase porphyritic unit, located along Little Klawli Creek, was reported to contain abundant fine disseminated magnetite and rare chalcopyrite.
In 1984, Mr. Campbell confirmed for the first time, the presence of gold in the mineralization by re-sampling a small number of 10-foot drill core intervals. Samples yielded up to 2.175 grams per tonne gold and 1.87 per cent copper over 3.0 metres (Assessment Report 15423).
In March 1988, Kookaburra Gold Corp. acquired from Mr. Campbell of Courtenay, B.C., an option to earn 100 per cent interest in three located claims, Col 1, Col 2, and Kael 2 (47 units). Three additional claims Col 3-5 (32 units) were staked by the company. A geochemical soil survey comprising 878 samples was carried out in 1988, indicating several gold anomalies within a 1000 by 500 metre area; coinciding copper and arsenic anomalies were identified.
In early 1989, indicated reserves for the Col (A) zone were reported at 1 814 200 tonnes grading 0.6 per cent copper (Prospectus, Kookaburra Gold Inc. January 27, 1989 - D.M. Jenkins, May 30, 1988).
In 1989, Kookaburra conducted 22.4 kilometres of induced polarization surveying and 490 metres of trenching in nine trenches. Sampling of outcrops and trenches on the A zone yielded values including 0.214 gram per tonne gold over 12.0 metres and 0.155 per cent copper with 0.150 gram per tonne gold over 6.0 metres from outcrop near the northwest extent of the zone. A nearby trench (no. 1) yielded 0.130 per cent copper and 0.136 gram per tonne gold over 27.0 metres; trench 2 yielded 0.204 gram per tonne gold over 12.0 metres; a grab sample (2425) from a 5-centimetre wide massive chalcopyrite-pyrite vein in trench 3 yielded 15.00 per cent copper and 3.62 grams per tonne gold and a mineralized and brecciated syenite and aplite located immediately southwest of the trench yielded 1.55 per cent copper and 1.24 grams per tonne gold (sample 2426) and 0.163 per cent copper with 0.115 gram per tonne gold over 3.0 metres in trench no. 4 (Assessment Report 19748).
In 1991, Kookaburra optioned the property to Asarco Exploration Company who completed 1525 metres of diamond drilling in eleven holes located to the east of the A Zone, to test copper soil geochemical anomalies and induced polarization anomalies. Drilling on the A zone yielded intercepts including 0.114 and 0.392 per cent copper with 0.160 and 0.057 gram per tonne gold over 3.0 and 6.0 metres (16 to 19 and 120 to 126 metres down hole) in hole 91-2 and 0.500 per cent copper with 0.026 gram per tonne gold over 6.0 metres (42.9 to 48.9 metres down hole) in hole 91-5, 0.386 per cent copper and 0.062 gram per tonne gold over 3.0 metres (36.5 to 39.5 metres down hole) in hole 91-6 and 0.482 and 0.231 per cent copper with 0.026 and 0.020 gram per tonne gold, respectively, over 3.0 metres each (36.3 to 39.3 and 102.3 to 105.3 metres down hole, respectively ) in hole 91-7 (Assessment Report 22293).
In 1997, a program of geological mapping and petrographic sampling was completed. This work centred on the Campbells Trench and Slide zones, located to the northwest and east-northeast, respectively, of the main A zone.
In 2006, Indata Resources Ltd. completed a program of till and rock sampling, line-cutting and road rehabilitation on the Col property.
In December 2006, Solomon Resources optioned the central Col property claims from Indata Resources Ltd. and Nation River Resources Ltd. (Colin Campbell). Solomon substantially added to the property by staking 32 Magnet claims in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Solomon undertook an exploration program on the property which entailed stream geochemical and soil geochemical sampling, prospecting, rock sampling, a 1458 kilometre airborne magnetics-electromagnetic survey, excavator trenching and 14 diamond drill holes, totalling 2567.8 metres.
Drilling highlights, in 2007, on the A zone included 0.51 per cent copper, 1.2 grams per tonne silver and 0.136 gram per tonne gold over 68 metres (34 to 102 metres down hole) in hole 2007-01; 0.588 per cent copper, 1.9 grams per tonne silver and 0.244 gram per tonne gold over 102 metres (58 to 160 metres down hole) in hole 2007-02; 0.270 per cent copper, 1.3 grams per tonne silver and 0.136 gram per tonne gold over 120 metres (150 to 270 metres down hole) in hole 2007-03 and 0.562 per cent copper, 2.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.259 gram per tonne gold over 52 metres (91 to 143 metres down hole) in hole 2007-04 (Assessment Report 34717). Trenching and drilling on the west strike extension of the A zone yielded 0.20 per cent copper over 15 metres in trench TR-2007-1 and 0.24 per cent copper over 18 metres, including 0.41 per cent copper over 3.0 metres (112.0 to 115.0 metres down hole) in hole 2007-7 (Assessment Report 30053).
Drilling on the Creek zone, located roughly between the main A zone and the Bug zone, yielded 0.137 and 0.158 per cent copper over 72.0 and 42.0 metres (66 to 138 and 153 to 195 metres down hole), respectively, in hole 2007-13 and 0.162 per cent copper over 9.0 metres (208.0 to 217.0 metres down hole) in hole 2007-12 (Assessment Report 30053).
Also at this time, trenching on the Bug zone, to the north of the A zone, yielded up to 0.34 per cent copper over 16.7 metres, including 1.12 per cent copper over 1.2 metres in trench TR-2007-3 and 0.19 per cent copper over 6.0 metres in trench Tr-2007-4, which tested the northwest strike extension of the Bug zone (Assessment Report 30053). Drilling on the Bug zone yielded 0.19 and 0.15 per cent copper over 35.9 and 45.0 metres in holes 2007-8 and 2007-9, respectively (Assessment Report 30053).
In 2014, on behalf of Indata Resources Ltd. and Nation River Resources Ltd., an exploration program was completed consisting of 23.55 line-kilometres of induced polarization survey, two diamond-drill holes totalling 847.5 metres, and collection and analysis of 11 rock samples and 33 soil samples. The induced polarization survey failed to outline any large and strongly anomalous chargeability anomalies in the area that has seen historical exploration, but was successful in delineating two high amplitude and relatively large anomalies in the northeastern portion of the grid. This area has seen very little historical exploration and warrants follow-up. Drilling failed to intersect significant near-surface porphyry copper-gold mineralization. Limited rock sampling was successful in outlining previously undocumented copper-gold porphyry mineralization to the west of areas subjected to historical exploration, but failed to detect anomalous surface copper geochemistry in the northeastern portion of the 2014 survey grid. A reconnaissance soil sample line over the northeastern portion of the survey grid did not detect anomalous copper geochemistry directly over the delineated encouraging induced polarization anomalies, but several samples downslope of the area of interest were shown to be anomalous in copper and arsenic.
