The Key area is underlain by phyllitic metasediments (quartzite) of the Devonian to Middle Triassic Boundary Range Metamorphic Suite close to the contact with granitic rocks of the Paleocene to Eocene Sloko-Hyder Plutonic Suite. Volcaniclastic, sedimentary and rhyolitic rocks of the Early Eocene Sloko Group occur peripherally to the main Sloko-Hyder stock. Felsic dikes are observed in the vicinity.

In the early 1990s Cyprus Gold reported that a large amount of anomalous float samples and outcrop samples had been found over a two kilometre area along ‘Grissly’ Creek, an area that occurs on the northwestern most section of the present Llewellyn property. Cyprus Gold isolated a prospective area that they called the Key showing, adjacent ‘Grissly’ Creek on its Fill 4 and 6 claims. During 1990, assays of mineralized float (sample JC-90-R-15) in this area yielded up to 584.6 grams per tonne silver, 5.1 per cent lead and 10.6 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 20790). Other rock samples from the Key area indicated a significant enrichment in precious and base metals, as follows (Assessment Report 20790). Sample JC-90-R-18 was taken from an outcrop of highly brecciated and pervasively silicified phyllite beside east trending aplite dike. Approximately 20 per cent coarse and very fine disseminated pyrite with traces of stibnite was observed. This sample assayed 1.3 grams per tonne gold, 7.2 grams per tonne silver and 0.12 per cent arsenic. Another sample (AS-90-R-13) was taken from rusty shear in schist that was brecciated in places and contained vuggy quartz, graphite and trace pyrite. This sample assayed 0.42 gram per tonne gold, 2.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.4 per cent arsenic.

Work History

From 1988 to 1990 Cyprus Gold (Canada) Ltd conducted exploration programs (on their Teepee property (TP, Fill claims) which included the Crine (104M 081) and TP-Main (104M 048) prospects and at the same time conducted prospecting and sampling surveys over areas (such as the Key showing area) later held as the Llewellyn Property by XO Gold. These programs occurred in 1989, (Durfeld, 1989; Assessment Report 18766), 1989 (Cuttle, 1989; Assessment Report 19438) and in 1990, (Cuttle, 1990; Assessment Report 20790).

Further sampling by Cyprus Gold (in the Key vicinity) occurred to the east of ‘Grissly’ Creek in the ‘Silty Lake’ drainage area where the creek draining the lake was found to be anomalous in gold, silver and antimony. Sampling by Cyprus Gold also occurred along the ridge to the immediate west of Grissly Creek and along the ridge in the northwest corner of the property where in 2006 sampling resulted in the discovery of the Tagish Top (MINFILE 104M 094) showing.

On behalf of XO Gold Resources Inc in 2006, limited prospecting and sampling was carried out in the 'Grissly’ Creek area. The area of the 2006 program was based on the targeting and prospecting of Landsat 7 anomalies that displayed significant areas of iron oxide and hydroxyl (clay) alteration. The program resulted in the collection of 8 rock, 10 soil and 4 stream samples (Assessment Report 29929). Two stream samples were considered significantly anomalous. These were collected above the confluence of two branches of 'Grissly’ Creek; sample 06G0W018 yielded 67 parts per billion gold, 0.6 parts per million silver, 164 parts per million arsenic, 53 parts per million copper, 30 parts per million lead and 134 parts per million zinc.

See new MINFILE Bee Lake S6 (just east of Tagish Lake) for further details of the Llewellyn property. Also see Tagish Top (104M 094), which has a related work history.