The Kliyul occurrence is located approximately 8 kilometres south-southeast of Johanson Lake about 120 kilometres northwest of Germansen Landing (Assessment Report 13258).
Regionally, the area is underlain by a northwest trending assemblage of Upper Triassic Takla Group volcanics and sediments. The Takla Group rocks are intruded by the Early Jurassic Hogem batholith, to the south. To the east, the rocks are intruded by leucocratic granodiorite of the Early Cretaceous Kliyul Creek body. To the northwest, the volcanics are intruded by quartz diorite of the Early Jurassic Darb Lake stock. The major structure in this area is the north trending Dortatelle fault. Smaller faults trend northwest.
Locally, the area is underlain by Takla Group volcanics and sediments which are intruded by small dioritic intrusions of probable Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous age (Assessment Report 13258). Stratigraphically, andesitic feldspar crystal tuffs dominate the lower portions of the section. The upper part of the tuffs are sheared, silicified and pyritized. Augite-rich volcanics, interlayered with coarse pyroclastic rocks, overlie the tuffs. A discontinuous fragmental zone containing deformed limestone clasts and lenses, separates the lower and upper portions of the section. This sequence of rocks has been faulted and locally sheared. A broad anticline trends north across the property. The rocks have undergone regional greenschist metamorphism and are locally propylitically altered. The propylitic alteration has overprinted the regional chloritic and sericitic alteration.
The mineralization in the Main Zone is hosted in a fine-grained porphyritic to equigranular diorite and the surrounding Takla volcanics. The mineralization occurs primarily as chalcopyrite with lesser localized bornite in and surrounding quartz-magnetite±chalcopyrite veining and magnetite-bearing magmatic-hydrothermal breccias. The extent of porphyry mineralization at the Main Zone is likely well-defined by the historical magnetic survey, due to the strong correlation of mineralization and grades with the presence of magnetite. Thus, the mineralized body at the Main Zone is likely contained within the 400 by 300 metre magnetic footprint.
Mineralization consists of auriferous quartz veins, magnetite-rich skarn and mineralized shear zones within altered andesitic units (Assessment Report 13258). The most significant mineralization is in a 200 by 100 metre magnetite-rich skarn zone. The skarn horizon occurs in the lower tuffs and the magnetite is a fine-grained replacement of the tuffs. The skarn is associated with silicification and widespread epidote and chlorite alteration. Chalcopyrite and pyrite occur disseminated within the skarn zone and mineralogical studies have found native gold enclosed within these sulphides (Assessment Report 13258). A 10 to 30-metre gold-bearing zone assayed 51.6 to 82.2 grams per tonne gold and 0.46 per cent copper (Assessment Report 13258).
Quartz veins, up to 2-metres wide, are found sporadically on the property and contain up to 5 per cent pyrite and minor chalcopyrite. The highest reported gold value from the quartz veins is 34.2 grams per tonne. The shear zones contain minor and sporadic concentrations of gold and copper mineralization (Assessment Report 13258).
Within the Kliyul property, a 6 kilometre-long, northwest-trending corridor of quartz-sericite-pyrite (phyllic) alteration was mapped. Further work by Kiska metals defined separate distinct zones of phyllic alteration. These zones include quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration near the Ginger showing and a broad area of alteration approximately 1700 metres-long extending over the Kliyul copper-gold porphyry occurrence where outcrop is limited in the drift-covered valley.
Variable mineral assemblages are noted through the valley bottom including quartz, sericite, chlorite, epidote, magnetite and albite. Hydrothermal alteration over the Kliyul zone consists of a 1 by 0.5 kilometre area of coincident hydrothermal magnetite, epidote and chlorite as pervasive replacements and as veins. This is overprinted by magnetite-destructive quartz-sericite plus/minus pyrite alteration. Widespread anhydrite/gypsum veining is observed at the main Kliyul zone and as is best identified in drill core at depths greater than 150 metres. Near-surface outcrop and drill core is fractured and friable due to the dissolution of the gypsum/anhydrite which is interpreted to be a sulphate leach zone.
A 1.6 by 0.8 kilometre propylitic alteration zone comprising chlorite, epidote plus/minus magnetite plus/minus albite encircles the Jurassic tonalite stock northwest of the Kliyul zone. Based on 2013 field observations of cross cutting relationships near Ginger the propylitic alteration overprints the phyllic assemblage. It is thought that the propylitic alteration is associated with the intrusion of the Jurassic tonalite and overprints phyllic alteration generated from the magmatic-hydrothermal system centred on the Kliyul zone.
The focus of the 2015 Kliyul program by Teck Resources was on exploration for copper porphyry-style mineralization. Porphyry copper mineralization at Kliyul typically comprises both veined and disseminated chalcopyrite with lesser amounts of bornite. Vein-hosted mineralization is within chlorite-epidote plus/minus pyrite veins, quartz-sericite-anhydrite-calcite plus/minus pyrite veins and quartz-chlorite-magnetite plus/minus pyrite veins. Chlorite-epidote plus/minus pyrite veins are the most common vein type and have varied vein selvages including chlorite, albite or sericite. Mineralization is most commonly hosted by andesite and volcaniclastic andesite, although feldspar porphyry and equigranular diorite can also be hosts. Increased copper and gold grades occur within magnetite-cemented breccia and with increased vein density. The presence of bornite is associated with higher copper and gold grades. Bornite was noted both within magnetite breccia and replacing mafic sites within equigranular diorite in the 2015 drill hole KLI-15-035.
In 2015, results from diamond drilling by Kiska Metals Corp.’s partner, Teck Resources Ltd., yielded significant widths of porphyry mineralization, and has extended mineralization along trend, to depth and in new geophysical domains that greatly expand the potential of the Kliyul zone. Teck completed four diamond-drill holes for a total of 1908 metres. Some select intersections from the drilling are: 245.0 metres of 0.18 per cent copper and 0.53 gram per tonne gold (from 123.0 metres), including 20.4 metres of 0.39 per cent copper and 2.55 grams per tonne gold from hole KLI-15-034; and 162.4 metres of 0.20 per cent copper and 0.26 gram per tonne gold (from 32.5 metres), including 66.5 metres of 0.30 per cent copper and 0.40 gram per tonne gold from hole KLI-15-033.
The goal of the drilling program was threefold: holes KLI-15-032 and KLI-15-034 were drilled to target the downdip extension of mineralized magnetite breccias intersected in shallow, historical holes; hole KLI-15-033 was drilled as a 200-metre step-out southeast of the only previous deep drilling; and KLI-15-035 was drilled to target a coincident magnetic low and an induced polarization chargeability high anomaly that occurs north of a major east-west fault (Valley fault), which is in an overburden covered area that is essentially untested by previously drilling. All holes intersected long intervals of copper-gold mineralization associated with disseminated and vein-hosted chalcopyrite, and these are mainly hosted by andesitic volcanic rocks with magnetite plus or minus biotite alteration. Later stages of alteration, including sodic-calcic and phyllic alteration, overprint and occur outboard of these zones. Higher-grade subzones, particularly in hole KLI-15-034, are hosted by magnetite breccias, where chalcopyrite and local bornite occur as cement and within quartz veins. In contrast, a higher-grade interval was intercepted in hole KLI-15-035 starting at 399.5 metres and is associated with bornite-chalcopyrite mineralization as disseminations and within quartz veins proximal to a syn-mineral feldspar porphyry dike. Mineralization in this zone is open both updip and downdip.
The style and location of this mineralization have three important implications: the overburden-covered area north of the Valley fault is very prospective and is largely untested; not all copper-gold mineralization at Kliyul is associated with magnetite breccias and magnetic high anomalies, indicating the potential footprint of the Kliyul zone is greatly expanded; the proximity to syn-mineral intrusive rocks may drive higher-grade copper-gold mineralization and yet the centre of this intrusive body has yet to be discovered (Press Release – Kiska Metals Corp., November 4, 2015).
Drilling confirmed the presence of these alteration minerals and further categorized additional alteration minerals into seven different alteration assemblages: Potassic, Sodic-Calcic, Sodic, Phyllic, Silica, Propylitic and Chlorite.
WORK HISTORY.
From 1946 to 1947, Sturgeon Gold Mines sampled several quartz-sulphide veins on their Ginger claims with one channel sample returning 47 grams per tonne gold and 96 grams per tonne silver over 0.66 metres (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1947, page 102-104).
From 1970 to 1971 Kennco staked the KLI claims. They carried out a ground magnetic survey, which identified an isolated magnetic high (Assessment Report 2818) and followed up in 1971 with silt and soil geochemical sampling that showed a 500 metre diameter anomaly of greater than 300 parts per million copper with spotty gold, silver and molybdenum (Assessment Report 3312) and an IP survey that showed a corresponding 600 by 1800 metre zone (Assessment Report 3313).
In 1974, Sumac Mines drilled 14 diamond drillholes (totaling 989.9 metres). They intersected silicified, epidote-bearing, dark-green andesite with variable quantities of magnetite and chalcopyrite (Assessment Report 5211).
In 1974, 1975 and 1976, BP Minerals carried out extensive surface sampling and an IP geophysical survey noting widespread less than 3 centimetre-wide quartz-sulphide veining in an epidote-altered monzonite. Sampling returned anomalous copper and molybdenum values. In 1975 three trenches were blasted on the BAP and their soil grid was extended, but results were not notable. In 1976, 7 lines of EM geophysics over their sample grid, identified 6 northwestern-trending zones of weak conductivity that were interpreted as either shear zones or water-filled strongly fractured zones (Assessment Report 5976).
BP subsequently allowed all but three of their BAP claims to lapse and the lapsed claims were restaked in 1981 as the KC claims by Golden Rule Resources, who also carried out work on the southeastern corner of the Kliyul property. Golden Rule discovered several 0.3 to 2.0 metre wide, northwestern-striking quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite-galena veins with 2.3 to 36.4 grams per tonne gold and 2.6 to 150 grams tonne silver located within 200 metres of the Kliyul property’s southern border. They also relocated the Independence vein and re-sampled it in three trenches over a strike-length of greater than 300 metres, returning gold values of 0.46 gram per tonne and 1.35 grams per tonne (Assessment Report 10346). To maintain their three BAP claims, BP reanalyzed their 1974/1975 soil and talus fine samples for gold; the majority of these samples exceeded 70 parts per billion gold, to a maximum of 1750 parts per billion gold (Assessment Report 10950).
By 1981, Vital Mines had acquired Sumac's interest in the Kli claims and drilled 4 diamond drillholes (totaling 602.9 metres) on the Kliyul Main zone. They reported a “near-vertical stockwork of calcite-epidote-magnetite veinlets” cutting volcanic rocks with chalcopyrite noted in veinlets and disseminated in the host rock (Assessment Report 9464).
In 1984, BP Resources Canada optioned the KLI property from Kennco and Vital. They re-logged and selectively re-sampled 1,593 metres of previously-drilled core. They interpreted the main zone as an “irregular 200 by 100 metre zone of magnetite-rich skarn mineralization” (Assessment Report 13258). They also completed mapping at a 1:5,000 scale and collected reconnaissance rock and soil samples.
In 1984, Golden Rule Resources, explored the potential of gold-bearing quartz veins on their KC claims which included Independence (094D 028) and Banjo (Bap) (094D 029). They reported an extensive 70 degree striking, variably silicified, fracture zone hosting 0.2 to 1.3 metre-wide quartz veins in regions of intense fracturing and silicification. Cross-fracturing in the quartz veins were described as mineralized with up to 30 per cent pyrite and lesser galena, chalcopyrite and sphalerite; float samples assayed up to 122 grams per tonne gold and 70 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 13580).
Ritz Resources optioned the KC claims which included Independence (094D 028) and Banjo (Bap) (094D 029). They completed geochemical and geophysical surveys over two small grids in the northwestern corner of the property investigating the gold potential (Assessment Report 15583).
In 1986, Lemming Resources optioned the remaining BAP claims from BP Resources and collected 90 grid-based talus fine samples on the Bap Ridge area to refine location of gold anomalies previously reported.
In 1990, Placer Dome optioned the KLI claims from Kennco and Vital Pacific and completed a geochemical grid sampling program concurrent with VLF-EM and ground magnetic geophysical surveys. A total of 748 soil and 36 rock samples were collected. The sampling identified three anomalies: Anomaly A, measuring 400 by 400 metres over Kennco’s previously drilled magnetic high and copper in-soil anomaly (gold-copper with spotty silver); an elongate, 600 meter-long Anomaly B along BAP ridge which extends towards BP’s BAP claims (gold-silver-arsenic-zinc-lead), and; Anomaly C, associated with a diorite stock at the northwestern end of the grid (arsenic-molybdenum-zinc-copper with lesser silver and lead). The geophysics found several conductors which were interpreted as sulphide-rich shale beds and did not outline any magnetic anomalies other than the previously drilled magnetite-rich zone (Assessment Report 20578).
In 1990, Gold Rule Resources staked the JO claims and carried out reconnaissance silt sampling and prospecting. They reported several gold-bearing silt samples draining the Dortatelle Fault near the western end of the KLI claims (Assessment Report 21502).
In 1992, Swannell Minerals staked the Darb property and carried out mapping and soil grid sampling on the Joh claims. The sampling yielded a number of anomalous copper, molybdenum and gold results (Assessment Report 21782). The claims also covered the headwaters of Darb Creek, including the northern portion of the current Kliyul property.
By 1992, Placer Dome had allowed their option on the KLI claims to lapse. Noranda optioned it and in 1992 to 1995 (inclusive), Noranda Mining and Exploration/Hemlo Gold Mines carried out exploration on several areas as follows:
KLIYUL MAIN ZONE:
In 1992 Noranda carried out 1:5,000 scale geological and alteration mapping and in 1993, they drilled 6 reverse circulation holes on the Kliyul skarn zone (Assessment Report 23033) and followed up with an airborne magnetic, EM, and radiometric survey (Assessment Report 23379). This airborne survey also nearly covered the following MINFILE occurrences: Ginger B (094D 014), Kli (094D 019), Kliyul 094D023), Soup (094D 025), Independence (094D 028), Banjo (094D 029), LadyDiana (094D 092), Soup South (094D 105), Darb (094D 135), KC (094D 140), Mal (094D 141), Denum (094D 142), Critter (094D 143), Moraine (094D 144), Karen Creek (094D 145), Joh 4 (094D 165), Joh 2 (094D 167), Joh 9 (094D 170), Cro 2 (094D 176), DBC (094D 177), Joh 7 (094D 179), KC 1 (094D 180), Pacific Sugar (094D 182), UPC (094D 183), Klip (094D 185).
Noranda optioned Golden Rule’s JO claims to the west and south of the KLI claims, along with ground to the north and southeast of the current Kliyul property. Noranda completed a program of test-pitting in the vicinity of the magnetite. They reported a second magnetite zone near the northern boundary of the property with the best chip sample grading 0.6 per cent copper and 10 grams per tonne gold across 1.5 metres in a melanocratic diorite (Assessment Report 23544). The Ginger B vein was relocated and re-sampled, with the best 2 metre chip sample assaying 13 grams per tonne gold and 15.2 grams per tonne silver across pyritic andesite with 30 to 50 per cent quartz veining (Assessment Report 23544). In 1994, 10 diamond drillholes (totaling 1,120.5 metres) were drilled to test magnetic highs coincident with copper-gold geochemistry from soils and test pits. Drill results were interpreted as potentially being within a propylitic halo surrounding a porphyry system (Assessment Report 23797).
INDEPENDENCE and BAP:
In 1994, Noranda/Hemlo Gold optioned the KC claims and completed a soil and rock sampling program and ground magnetics. They defined a 100 to 750 metre-wide soil anomaly with greater than 100 parts per billion gold that extended northwester for at least 1.6 kilometres onto the KLI claims, remaining open to the northwest. The ground magnetics (8.6 line-kilometres) showed distinct northwest-southeast and north-south magnetic breaks correlating with mapped structural elements such as bedding, foliation, fracturing and shearing (Assessment Report 23680).
JO CLAIMS:
In 1994, Noranda/Hemlo collected soil and rock samples and conducted a ground magnetics survey. The soils showed a 100 to 600 metre wide, 1.7 kilometre-long gold soil anomaly of greater than 50 parts per billion gold and limited rock sampling of the magnetite-pyrite-epidote-garnet skarn showing at the Pacific Sugar Zone (094D 182) defined a mineralized structure 3 to 6 metres thick and covering an area of 40 by 100 metres (Assessment Report 23842). In 1995, Hemlo extended the soil geochemistry grid and increased the sample density (to 50 by 100 metres), to better define the gold soil anomaly. It was noted that the anomaly was parallel to the Kliyul valley floor and a strong glacio-fluvial control of the anomaly was suspected (Assessment Report 23797).
Previous drilling had outlined an indicated 2.3 million tonnes grading 0.45 per cent copper, 1.3 grams per tonne gold and 6.9 grams per tonne silver (Information Circular 1995-1, page 22). The property was owned by Vital Pacific Resources, Athlone Resources and Kennecott Canada. Hemlo Gold Mines acquired interest in the property in 1995.
In 1996, International Conquest Exploration drilled 5 short holes on the Pacific Sugar Zone (094D 182) (totaling 154.83 metres) just to the north of the current Kliyul property on their Joh claims. The best intersection graded 0.27 per cent copper and 0.54 gram per tonne gold across 9.4 metres (Assessment Report 25099).
In 2006, Geoinformatics Exploration Canada Ltd. staked and optioned a large tract of land in the Mesilinka district between the Kemess copper-gold deposit in the north and the Lorraine copper-gold deposit in the south, and acquired the original KLI claims from Kennecott (formerly Kennco). In 2006, Geoinformatics drilled two deeper holes on the Kliyul Main Zone targeting 3D inversions of historical magnetic data. Their best intersection was 0.23 per cent copper and 0.52 gram per tonne gold over 217.8 metres (Assessment Report 29112).
In 2007, Geoinformatics drilled 3 diamond drillholes on the BAP Ridge (totaling 1,247.0 metres). The holes were located 250 metres south of the Kliyul property's southern boundary on the former BAP claims. The holes intersected sericite-pyrite plus/minus chlorite plus/minus quartz alteration, with narrow magnetite-pyrite-chalcopyrite zones at depth but no significant intersections (Assessment Report 29112).
In 2010, Kiska Metals Inc. relogged 8 selected diamond drillholes which showed copper-gold mineralization is preferentially associated with chlorite-epidote-magnetite and sericite-ankerite alteration (Assessment Report 31866). It also noted the monzonite-diorite dikes, gypsum-filled fractures and pyritization are consistent with the presence of a porphyry hydrothermal system as opposed to the earlier interpretation that the Main Zone was a skarn. In 2011 Kiska conducted and IP Survey over Kliyul Main Zone. The 2011 work program measured the chargeability and resistivity of rocks underlying the skarn-bearing phyllic alteration zone, through a 30.6 line-km induced polarization/resistivity (IP/Res) survey (Assessment Report 33031). Parameters of the survey provided measurements to depths of about 500 metres below the surface, significantly deeper than historical drilling. Four man-days of prospecting and geological mapping were also done.
In 2013, Kiska Metals and Teck Resources conducted geological and alteration mapping at a scale of 1:5,000 and detailed (1:1,000) over the Kliyul Main Zone. A 29.9 line-kilometre IP and ground magnetic survey was conducted. Reinterpretation and review of previously drilled core confirmed the porphyry potential of the zone (Assessment Report 34890). In 2015, Teck drilled 4 diamond drillholes totaling 1,908 metres accompanied by IP and magnetometer ground geophysical surveys, geological mapping, rock sampling and re-logging of historic drill core. The work was done on Ginger and BAP during this program. All four holes intersected anomalous copper and gold porphyry-style mineralization including 0.18 per cent copper and 0.53 gram per tonne gold over 245 metres in KLI-15-034 and 162.4 metres of 0.2 per cent and 0.26 gram per tonne gold in KLI-15-033 (Assessment Report 35978).
In the spring of 2017 AuRico Metals acquired Kiska Metals Corporation making it a wholly-owned subsidiary of AuRico Metals. In 2017, in partnership with First Quantum Minerals, AuRico Metals completed a property-scale evaluation of the Kliyul property consisting of constructing a stratigraphic column and property-scale (1:5,000 to 1:10,000) geological and alteration mapping, a 350-metre-spaced rock sampling grid across the whole property, and a ground ELF survey. A total of 383 rock and soil samples were collected on the 350-meter spaced grid. 294 (77 per cent) of the collected samples were from outcrop, 28 (7 per cent) were from subcrop, and 60 (15 per cent) were soil or talus fines (Assessment Report 37284). This work has identified the Kliyul Main Zone and the Bagel IP Anomaly as the most viable targets on the property. The BAP ridge quartz-sericite-pyrite zone remains a potential target, though downgraded from initial assessments. In November of 2017, Centerra Gold Inc. announced its acquisition of AuRico Metals.
