The oldest rocks in the area consist of complexly folded and metamorphosed schists and gneisses of Devonian age belonging to the Paleozoic Stikine Assemblage.the The metamorphic rock is overlain by a white to grey crystalline limestone, probably Permian in age. This Paleozoic sedimentary sequence also includes minor greenstones.
This sequence is overlain by a Mesozoic volcanic and sedimentary sequence. This is regarded as an Upper Triassic sequence due to the presence of Monotis fossils on the north slope of Snippaker Peak. These rocks are correlative with the Stuhini Group volcanics.
The Mesozoic sequences are intruded by plutonic rocks of quartz monzonite to quartz diorite composition. These intrusions are Upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary in age and are related to the Coast Plutonic Complex.
The claims are underlain by a sequence of sedimentary and volcanic rocks which have been intruded by several small stocks of various compositions. The dominant lithology west of the Verrett River is comprised of an andesitic volcanic unit with characteristic rounded inclusions of plagioclase. This volcanic porphyry hosts abundant magnetite and is pervasively altered with epidote and chlor-ite.
Volcanic rocks are relatively rare on the claims east of the Verrett River. Argillite is the most common sedimentary rock on the property. It is dark grey to black in color, homogeneous and is intensely fractured. There are zones of intensely silicified material adjacent to the volcanics. Hornfels occur in argillites peripheral to some of the intrusives and intense silicification and minor chloritization is associated with the hornfelsed zones. Oxidation is pro-nounced locally, forming gossanous zones.
Limestone is frequently interbedded with the argillites and outcrops of siltstone and chert are found in the northern part of the Ian 4 claim. The crystalline limestone is buff-colored and resistant and may be unconformable with the other volcanic and sedimentary lithologies.
There are a number of small, medium-grained intrusives which out- crop on the Ian 4 claim. These represent a variety of lithologies ranging in composition from granitic to syenitic to dioritic.
Mineralization occurs near the middle of the Ian 4 claim at an elevation of about 580 metres. There is a minor development of skarn in a limestone outcrop which is in close proximity to intermediate volcanics. In 1987, a grab sample of this material, which contained a significant amount of pyrite and sphalerite assayed 3.05 per cent zinc, 0.27 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16953). Follow-up work in 1990 determined that this was float material from the area later found on the Joy 2 claimed and called Joy 2NE (MINFILE number pending).
Trace amounts of disseminated pyrite is common to most rock types. The disseminations are found in amounts up to 3 per cent in the cherty ash tuffs, which form interbeds with the limestones. Sulphides are occasionally concentrated within the few, discontinuous shear structures noted within the volcanics. These structures are narrow (40 cm wide) and locally, contain irregular quartz (carbonate) lenses, some of which are mineralized. Pyrite disseminations and fracture fillings, up to 25 per cent, and minor chalcopyrite and malachite have been observed locally. In the northwest corner of the property, field personnel noted a hornfelsed sediment, with up to 25 per cent pyrite-pyrrhotite, which appears to be related to diorite dyking. A 0.31 metre chip sample (90R111C005) assayed 50 ppb gold, 13.1 grams per tonne silver and 0.13 per cent copper (Assessment Report 21045).
Mineralization occurs near the middle of the Ian 4 claim at an elevation of about 580 metres. There is a minor development of skarn in a limestone outcrop which is in close proximity to intermediate volcanics. In 1987, a grab sample of this material, which contained a significant amount of pyrite and sphalerite assayed 3.05 per cent zinc, 0.27 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16953). Follow-up work in 1990 determined that this was in fact float material from the area a few hundred metres north on the Joy 2 claim. See Joy 2NE (MINFILE number pending).
Work History
In 1980, DuPont of Canada Exploration Limited staked the BAX claim which covered part of the present Ian property. The claim was to cover an anomalous gold result obtained from a small creek during their regional heavy mineral stream sediment survey. The claim was allowed to lapse in spite of only completing two days of follow-up work. This was probably the result of the dramatic drop in the price of gold and the subsequent demise of the company.
The Ian 1-4 claims were staked in December of 1986.
During 1987, the property was optioned to Ashhurton Oil Ltd. who carried out prospecting, geologic mapping and geochemical sampling. The geochemistry consisted of the collection of a total of 36 rock, 18 silt and 2 pan concentrate stream sediment samples.
During 1988, the property was optioned to Big M Petroleum Inc. who conducted a limited geologic mapping, geochemical sampling and prospecting survey. The geochemical survey consisted of the collection of 21 rock, 14 silt and 579 contour soil samples. An Aerodat Limited airborne VLF-EM and Mag survey was flown over the property during the spring.
During 1989, Big M carried out a very limited exploration program on the property. This consisted of prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical sampling. A total of 5 rock and 43 soil samples were collected and analyzed for faa gold and a 29 element ICP package.
During the period 1990, Keewatin personnel carried out geological mapping, prospecting and geochemical surveys on the property on behalf of Big M. The east side of the property was designated as the focus of exploration. This work included soil (424 samples), rock (50 samples) and silt (3 samples) sampling, as well as grid and helipad establishment. A number of geochemical anomalies and several previously discovered mineral occurrences were investigated.
