The Upper Paleozoic Stikine Assemblage forms the structurally and stratigraphically lowest rocks in the area. It is sub-divided into five major units, which includes deformed intermediate to mafic metavolcanic tuff, flows, diorite and gabbro, quartz schists, volcanic flows and tuffs, limestones and cherty dolomitic carbonate. Stikine rocks also may include massive greenstone, chloritic phyllite, chlorite schist and minor greywacke. Unconformably overlying the Stikine Assemblage is a thick sequence of Lower to Middle Jurassic clastic sediments of the Hazelton Group comprised of polymictic conglomerate, arkosic sandstone and argillites.
These rocks are intruded by the Triassic and Jurassic rock which consist of from quartz diorite to quartz monzonite and/or granite.
The Bam 10 prospect consists of fault and shear-hosted gold±copper±silver veins. Gold-bearing quartz veins are hosted within Upper Paleozoic granites, which intrude Devonian volcanics (schistose flows and tuffs) and lesser carbonates.
The mineralized zones are podiform and associated with carbonate and sericite alteration, along with zones of silicification along north and northeast trending faults in the granite. Mineralization consists of native gold and fine-grained pyrite, with lesser chalcopyrite, galena and rare molybdenite within quartz and carbonate veinlets
The gold mineralization in the granitic rocks occurs as fine to coarse-grained pyrite within grey quartz veins. Native gold has been observed in polished thin sections. The quartz veins are discontinuous and tend to pinch out and disperse into the highly fractured granite. In 1986, resampling the discovery showing indicated values of 200.80 grams per tonne gold. In the same year samples from trenches contained values of 8.2 grams per tonne gold over 18.9 metres, and 25.0 grams per tonne gold over 3 metres (George Cross Newsletter #80, April 27, 1987). Anomalous gold is almost always associated with abundant pyrite and dark orange limonitic alteration. These samples are also anomalous in silver, bismuth, and antimony.
The granite is pale orange and hosts chloritized mafics. Adjacent to the quartz veining the granite is intensely silicified. The granite is locally very heavy due to small barite stringers. The mineralized veins generally trend 140 to 150 degrees. Mineralization occurs mainly in dark grey quartz veins with yellow subhedral cubes and blebs of fine to medium-grained pyrite.
Work History (from Assessment Report 32027)
The Jan 1-2 (a.k.a. Bam 8) copper prospect was discovered in 1963 by Hudson Bay Exploration and Development Company Ltd. The company carried out a limited 3-hole drilling program the following year. In 1965, Kennecott Copper carried out a regional mapping program in the area (Assessment Report 695).
In 1967, Shawinigan Mining and Smelting Company Ltd. drilled 3,532 metres in 31 holes on several targets in the Arctic Lake area, and outlined an unclassified resource on the Jan 1-2 prospect of 330,000 tonnes grading of 0.76 per cent copper within brecciated carbonates. The following year, Mitsui Mining carried out a regional mapping and silt sampling program over the area (Assessment Report 1675).
In 1972, Phelps Dodge completed a program of geological mapping, silt and soil sampling in the area of the Jan prospect, targeting possible extensions of copper mineralization (Assessment Report 4290).
In 1979, the Jan #1 and Jan #2 claims were staked by J.N. Anderson to cover the Jan prospect. These claims were maintained until August 2003 when they were forfeited. In September 2003, the prospect was re-staked as the BAM 1-4 claims by another party.
In 1984, exploration for precious metals began with Homestake Mineral Development Company (“Homestake”) carrying out a regional mapping, prospecting and rock sampling program, focusing on ground northeast of the Jan prospect (Assessment Report 12561). Chevron Canada Resources discovered gold mineralization 1 kilometre to the south of the Jan prospect, named the Bam 10 prospect, in 1985 (Assessment Report 14859). The mineralization was found in an area of quartz veining and yielded up top 212.9 grams per tonne gold and 15.6 grams per tonne gold in chip samples. The following year, the company completed a program of mapping, soil sampling, geophysics and trenching (Assessment Report 15827).
In 1987, Radcliffe Resources optioned the Property from Chevron and continued the work with a program of backhoe trenching (1,000 metres), rock and soil sampling, a small geophysical IP program and 837 metres of diamond drilling in 9 holes, in the area of the Bam 10 prospect (Assessment Report 17570).
Eurus Resource Corp. conducted reconnaissance work in 1990 consisting of silt and grid soil sampling with minor rock sampling west of the Jan prospect along the steep western escarpment above the Mess Creek valley (Assessment Report 20802).
The Bam 1-6 claims, located to cover the Bam 10 prospect, were staked in 1995 for the Phoenix Syndicate, of Vernon, BC, and a limited program of heavy mineral stream sediment sampling, combined with rock sampling, was carried out (Assessment Report 24423). The land position was expanded in 1996 with the staking of the More 1 and 2 claims, which included the Bam 1-6 claims and continued north of the Jan showing. At this point the Jan prospect was still held under separate title by J.N. Anderson.
Later in 1996, Everest Mines and Minerals Ltd. optioned the property and performed a 603 metres diamond drilling program in 6 holes in the area of the Bam 10 prospect. Best intercepts were 0.55 gram per tonne gold across 5.65 metres and 0.29 gram per tonne gold across 18.29 metres (Assessment Report 25218). They also carried out a soil sampling program, analysing for gold only. A large gold-in-soil anomaly was outlined in the north end of the Property, with gold values up to 2,550 parts per billion gold.
Bearclaw Capital Corporation acquired the Property from the Phoenix Syndicate in 2004. The following year, the 1996 soils were re-analysed for base metals and other elements in a limited geochemical program by Discovery Consultants on behalf of Bearclaw (Assessment Report 27925).
Later in 2005 the BAM 1 to 4 claims, which covered the Jan prospect, were allowed to lapse. These four claims had been owned by another party and were surrounded by the Property. Under the new Mineral Titles Online staking system, these claims automatically became part of the Property. This also meant that both the Jan and the Bam 10 prospects, along the gold mineralization at the north end of the property, were consolidated under mineral tenure 512807.
In 2010, Bearclaw, collected a total of 236 soil samples and 31 rock samples. The main objective was to evaluate the potential of the north end of the property to host gold and copper mineralization, and to prospect around the Jan showing. Eight follow-up grids were established, centred at the sites of 1996 gold-in-soil anomalies. Part of the Jan prospect is covered by grid 8, which outlined a copper–antimony–arsenic-gold±silver geochemical anomaly. The area south of Hook Lake (grids 1 and 3) is also covered by a gold–antimony–arsenic±copper anomaly.
