The Decano molybdenum occurrence is exposed in several roadcuts on both sides of Camp Creek, approximately 500 metres southwest of the mouth of Chapman Creek and 6.4 kilometres northeast of the east end of Thirsk Lake.
The area along Camp Creek, in the vicinity of Chapman Creek, is underlain by medium- to coarse-grained, light-grey granodiorite of the Lower Jurassic Pennask Batholith. Pink orthoclase porphyritic granite of the Middle Jurassic Osprey Lake Batholith outcrops approximately 800 metres south of the occurrence.
The granodiorite is cut by several dikes of altered feldspar porphyritic quartz monzonite, which may have been emplaced along previously existing faults striking west-northwest. The largest dike strikes 125 degrees and is 750 metres long and up to 1690 metres wide. The dikes have been strongly altered and reduced to a fractured and vuggy mixture of quartz (primary) and sericite (secondary) accompanied by variable amounts of pyrite. Quartz also forms veins and stringers. Kaolinized feldspar phenocrysts are visible in less-altered dikes. The granodiorite wallrock exhibits some alteration along fractures, where sericite and pyrite are developed in thin envelopes along such fractures.
The dikes are mineralized with molybdenite and ferrimolybdite, as fine-grained disseminations in the quartz-sericite matrix, and to a lesser extent in fractures, quartz veins and vugs. Traces of chalcopyrite occur in the granodiorite in the vicinity of the dikes.
Another zone or a continuation of the main zone of molybdenite mineralization is reported to be exposed along Chapman Creek, approximately 600 metres northwest of the main zone on Camp Creek.
In 1967, a grab sample assayed 0.48 per cent molybdenite, whereas chip samples from trenches yielded 0.057 per cent molybdenite over 6.0 metres and cuttings from percussion drilling assayed 0.025 to 0.051 per cent molybdenite (Assessment Report 7788, page 3).
In 1991, three rock samples of siliceous material from altered and sheared dike rock assayed less than 0.005 gram per tonne gold, up to 1 gram per tonne silver, 0.002 to 0.006 per cent copper and 0.003 to 0.009 per cent molybdenum, whereas stream silt samples yielded up to 1725 parts per billion gold (Assessment Report 21951, page 3).
In 1997, a chip sample (DEC-2) of quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration in a granodiorite along a roadcut yielded 0.036 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 25288).
In 2015, surface rock samples yielded up to 0.015 per cent molybdenum (Sample DC-15-13; Assessment Report 35624).
Work History
The occurrence was intensely explored during 1965 through 1969 as the Decano claims of the Glen Lake property. In 1965, numerous rotary drill holes were completed by Maverick Mines Ltd. In 1967, Juniper Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and a 23.5 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area. In 1968, additional drilling was conducted by Juniper Mines Ltd., with the completion of 15 percussion holes, totalling 785 metres. In 1969, Juniper Mines Ltd. completed a 14.9 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the property. The two companies also conducted trenching during this time. No drilling results were reported.
In 1977, a program of geological mapping was completed on the area as the Spirit claim. Other programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, trenching and ground geophysical surveys were completed by Eagle Resources Ltd., Petco Enterprises Ltd. and J. Maekevitch during 1978 through 1980.
The area was re-staked as the Camp claims and prospected in 1990 and 1991 by D.B. Wagner after stream silt samples from Camp Creek yielded anomalous gold values.
In 1997, Verstone Gold Corp. and Molycor Gold Corp. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area as the Decano 1-6 claims.
In 2008, Almaden Minerals Ltd. completed a program of silt sampling on the area as the Munro Lake property.
In 2013, Green Swan Capitol Corp. completed a 222.7 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area as the Mikayla property.
In 2015, DGS Minerals Inc. completed a minor program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area as the Decano 1-2 claims.
In 2018 and 2019, CBLT Inc. completed a program of soil sampling and airborne geophysical interpretation on the Mikayla property.
