The Galore Creek region is mainly underlain by Upper Triassic volcanics and sediments of the Stuhini Group. This area is flanked to the west by Juro-Cretaceous quartz diorite to granodiorite of the Coast Plutonic Complex. Middle Triassic sediments, with Permian sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, form the northern and eastern limit of the area with Permian limestone being the dominant rock. North trending faults define boundaries between Upper and Middle Triassic rocks and between Paleozoic and Triassic rocks. Strata is folded into a series of anticlines and synclines with west or north- west trending axes. Younger folds with north-northwest trending axes transect the earlier formed structure. Syenite (orthoclase porphyry) intrusions of Juro-Triassic Age disrupt the stratigraphy and structural trends. These intrusions form a series of dykes, sheets and two or more stocks. Eocene Age quartz monzonite stocks are the youngest rocks in the area.
The Ann is hosted by an intrusion of fine-grained porphyritic diorite to granodiorite within fine to medium-grained andesitic tuffs and altered greenstones. These rocks are so similar in appearance that distinguishing intrusive from extrusive is difficult. Propylitic alteration has extensively affected both the intrusive and the host volcanics. Disseminated pyrite mineralization is ubiquitous and chalcopyrite sparse. Specks of chalcopyrite occur close to some north to northwest trending faults and elsewhere in fractures with magnetite.
In 1975, Great Plains diamond drillhole number 2 was reported to have given the longest section of mineralization with between 0.10 and 0.20 per cent copper recovered from almost the whole length of the hole, which was 221 metres in length (Assessment Report 5615). The mineralization noted in this hole was associated directly with quartz veining and moderate accumulations of magnetite. This hole was located about half way between Split Creeks 1 and 2.
In 1990, the area between Split Creek 1 and Split Creek 2 was explored on behalf of Pacific Century Explorations and Ticker Tape Resources.
Disseminated chalcopyrite (1 per cent) with zones of strong malachite-azurite staining within andesite tuffs are located in upper Split 1 Creek and in the canyon in the lower reaches of Split Creek.
Several diabase dykes within the Split 1 and Split 2 Creek drainages contain up to 1 per cent chalcopyrite and are stained with malachite and minor hematite. Other diabase dikes, coated with thick malachite-azurite stain do not contain visible sulphides, however high copper assays (2.3 per cent over 2.0 metres in #PD-90-R-30) indicate the presence of very fine grained copper sulphides (Assessment Report 21410).
A small outcrop at 950 metres elevation to the west of Split 2 Creek contains 20 per cent disseminated pyrite as well as 25 per cent massive pyrite stringers and veins up to 10 centimetres wide, in a chloritic andesite which assayed up to 0.62 gram per tonne gold and 0.37 per cent copper (Assessment Report 21410).
Work History
Julian Mining Company staked the property in 1963 and conducted a mapping, I.P. survey, trenching and 7,000 foot diamond drilling program on the copper occurrences, in the area of Split 1 and Split 2 Creeks. Results of this work indicated widespread low grade copper values. The claims were then allowed to lapse in 1969.
Silver Standard Mines restaked the property in 1969 and held it for two years however no work was recorded during this period.
In 1974 the ground was restaked by Great Plains Development Co. who conducted further geochemical surveys and mapping programs over the copper porphyry area.
Teck Explorations Ltd. restaked the copper zone in 1981 and conducted a program of line cutting, silt, soil and rock sampling, magnetic surveys, trenching and Winkie drilling. This work was undertaken to follow up and delineate the source of a gold anomaly in stream sediment samples from Discovery Creek, collected approximately 1 km up Split Creek from the copper showing. The source was determined to be a strongly siliceous and pyritic shear zone (Paydirt deposit (104G 108) with abundant limonite and clay alteration which on surface returned an average grade of 5.48 grams per tonne gold over 16 metres (Assessment Report 21410).
In 1985 the property was acquired by Consolidated Silver Standard Mines Ltd. who undertook a mapping, soil sampling, trenching and 760 m diamond drilling program. The drilling was concentrated on the Paydirt gold zone in Discovery Creek.
Consolidated Silver Standard continued work on the property in 1986 with additional rock and soil sampling, mapping and trenching in the area between Split #2 and Split #3 Creeks. This work was designed to evaluate other siliceous, pyritic and sericitic occurrences southwest of the main gold zone.
The property was optioned by Longreach Resources Ltd. in 1987, and 55 metres of exploration adit was driven to test the Paydirt gold zone underground. Due to a lack of funding the adit never reached the target zone. Four underground holes were drilled from the adit, totalling 38 metres, with no anomalous gold values encountered.
The 1990 work program on behalf of Pacific Century Explorations and Ticker Tape Resources consisted of geological mapping at a scale of 1:5,000, prospecting, silt sample traverses, line cutting, soil and rock geochemistry and geophysics. A total of 124 rock, 53 silt and 553 soil samples were collected. An IP survey was done over 4.3 kilometres and a VLF and ground magnetic surveying was completed over 12.8 kilometres. Several areas of significant mineralization were located and examined on the property during the field program. Only limited time was spent on the Main Paydirt zone in this area during the 1990. Most work was done on the Scotsimpson Vein, a series of sulphide bearing diabase dikes, strongly anomalous gold in silt samples northeast of Discovery Creek, and coincident gold and copper soil anomalies within the grid area. Also examined was the northern extension of the Deluxe Zone, which occurs immediately south of the property on the adjoining ground. The geophysical surveys outlined magnetic, electromagnetic and I.P. anomalies within the grid areas, with the magnetic and IP anomalies partially coincident with geochemical anomalies.
