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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  07-May-2020 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI 103P6 Mo4
Name BELL MOLY, MOLY, BELL MOLYBDENUM Mining Division Skeena
BCGS Map 103P044
Status Developed Prospect NTS Map 103P06W
Latitude 055º 27' 44'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 129º 20' 06'' Northing 6146280
Easting 478818
Commodities Molybdenum, Lead, Zinc, Silver Deposit Types L05 : Porphyry Mo (Low F- type)
I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Bowser Lake
Capsule Geology

The Bell Moly occurrence is located about 10 kilometres east of Alice Arm. Extensive exploration of this deposit in the past has resulted in the definition of considerable molybdenum reserves.

The deposit is contained in a small elongate Eocene stock of the Alice Arm Plutonic Suite. The stock intrudes folded Middle Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous Bowser Lake Group siltstones and greywackes. These sediments are contact metamorphosed to biotite hornfels 335 to 670 metres outward from the stock. They are overlain by olivine basalts of Pleistocene age to the north and south of the stock.

The stock is a 670 by 335 metre, east-northeast trending body of quartz monzonite that consists of three phases. The main phase is a leucocratic porphyritic quartz monzonite that forms the core and grades into a porphyritic granodiorite-quartz monzonite at the margins. A later, post-mineralization quartz-eye porphyritic quartz monzonite occurs in the southwestern part of the stock. The stock is cut by 0.3 metre wide dikes of fine-grained alaskite. These rocks are all intruded by northeast striking, 0.3 to 0.5 metre wide lamprophyre and basaltic to andesitic dikes. The stock is segmented by several northwest-trending faults.

The stock has undergone several forms of alteration. Sericite-carbonate alteration of plagioclase is most common. Plagioclase is also altered to potassium feldspar, especially along margins of quartz veinlets. Potassic alteration is confined largely to the central leucocratic porphyritic quartz monzonite. In the quartz-eye quartz monzonite and porphyritic granodiorite/quartz monzonite, biotite is altered to a mixture of chlorite and sericite. Argillic and sericitic alteration is common in fault zones.

Mineralization is developed in the porphyritic quartz monzonite and biotite hornfelsed siltstone and greywacke in two zones, the Main zone at the eastern and northern margins of the stock, and the Southwest zone about 1370 metres southwest of the Main zone. Molybdenite occurs as selvages in 0.5 to 1.0 centimetre, steeply dipping quartz veinlets. Mineralized and barren quartz veining has developed in four stages. An initial stage of barren quartz veining is followed by steeply inclined quartz-molybdenite-pyrite veins. These are locally offset by shallow dipping quartz-molybdenite veins and fractures. Quartz-carbonate veins at least 2 centimetres in diameter, containing variable amounts of pyrite, pyrrhotite, galena and sphalerite, form the fourth stage of veining.

Unclassified reserves at Bell Moly are 32,528,606 tonnes grading 0.06 per cent molybdenum; includes 19,183,350 tonnes grading 0.08 per cent molybdenum (or 0.143 per cent MoS2); grade given for total tonnage was 0.11 per cent MoS2; conversion to Mo using a factor of 1.6681; tungsten detected in drill cores is of unknown economic significance (Highland-Bell Ltd. Annual Report 1967).

In 1965, the original Moly group of claims were located following the discovery of molybdenite in hornfelsed sedimentary rocks adjacent to a small granitic stock. Initial exploration work was performed by Mastodon Highland Bell Mines Limited and Leitch Gold Mines Limited and consisted of geochemical silt and soil sampling. In 1966, twelve inclined drillholes totalling 966 metres were drilled to outline the contacts of the granitic stock. Bell Molybdenum Mines Limited was incorporated in September, 1966. Early in the 1967 field season an exploration camp of 15 frame buildings was constructed and two drills began a programme of vertical holes at 122-metre spacings. Most of the holes were drilled to a depth of 152 metres, but some were extended to 305 metres. One drillhole near the central part of the stock was deepened to 427 metres, and in the same area an inclined hole was drilled in a southeast direction. Twenty-four holes were drilled totalling 4497 metres. Other work included a topographic survey and geological mapping. In 1975, Climax Molybdenum Corporation of British Columbia, Limited optioned the property and during the summer months the property was restaked and geologically re-mapped in preparation for a diamond drill program which took place in 1976. During 1976, eight diamond-drill holes were completed, seven of which were located on the Southwest zone of the property. During 1977, Climax Molybdenum Corporation completed 522 metres of diamond drilling in Hole 77B-4 and 153 metres in Hole 77B-7.

Avanti Mining Inc. released updated resources for the Bell Moly property as part of a feasibility study for the Kitsault project. Inferred resources are 109.7 million tonnes grading 0.048 per cent molybdenum, calculated using 0.020 per cent molybdenum cut-off (Press Release - Avanti Mining Inc., February 5, 2013).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1966-48,49; *1967-44-47
EMPR ASS RPT 814, 5949, 6082, 6403, 6447, 29106
EMPR BULL 63; *64, pp. 96-99
EMPR EXPL 1976-165
EMPR FIELDWORK 1976, p. 58; 1977, p. 69; 1985, pp. 219-224; 1988, pp. 233-240; 1990, pp. 235-243
EMPR GEM 1969-69; 1970-95
EMPR INF CIRC 2011-1, p. 13
EMPR GEOLOGY 1976-119; 1977/81-142,143
EMPR MAP 8; 65 (1989)
EMPR OF 1986-2; 1992-1; 1994-14
EMPR PF (*Woodcock, J.R., Carter, N.C. (1976) Paper 46; Bell Molybdenum Mines Ltd. Prospectus, 1967; Bell Molybdenum Mines Annual Report, 1982; *Various maps, sections and core logs)
EMR MIN BULL MR 223 B.C. 304
EMR MP CORPFILE (Highland-Bell Ltd.; Bell Molybdenum Mines Ltd.)
EMR MP RESFILE (Moly)
GSC MAP 307A; 1385A
GSC OF 864; 3272
CMH 72/73, p. 45; 85/86, p. 61
CIM Spec. Vol.*15, pp. 465-466
GCNL #142, 1975; #67, 1976; #88, 1980; #88, 1981; #103, 1982; #114, 1983; #4,#95,#173, 1985; #170, 1986
N MINER Apr.24, 1980; Oct.4, 1984; Jan.10, 1985
PR REL Avanti Mining Inc., Feb.5, 2013
Volk, J. (2009-01-23): Amended NI 43-101 Technical Report on Resources - Kitsault Molybdenum Property
Volk, J. (2009-03-03): NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment - Kitsault Molybdenum Property
Grills, F. (2009-12-15): NI 43-101 Pre-feasibility Study – Kitsault Molybdenum Property
Christie, G., Thomas, D.G.(2013-02-04): NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Feasibility Study
Piésold, K. (2014-03-14): Kitsault Molybdenum Project British Columbia, Canada NI 43-101 Technical Report

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