The Zig 3 (Zig-Zag) occurrence is located approximately 1.45 kilometres southwest of the south end of Bluey Lake and 5.65 kilometres northwest of the north end of Missezula Lake.
Regionally, the area is underlain by the Upper Triassic Nicola Group, which regionally consists of alkalic and calc-alkalic volcanics and intrusions of island arc origin, and which is the principal component of the Quesnel terrane in southern British Columbia (Geological Survey of Canada Maps 41-1989, 1713A). The area lies in the Central Belt or facies of the Nicola Group (after Preto, Bulletin 69). This belt of rocks mainly consists of subaerial and submarine, red or purple to green augite plagioclase porphyritic andesitic and basaltic flows, volcanic breccia and tuff, and minor argillites and limestone. The volcanics are intruded by bodies of comagmatic Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic diorite to monzonite. The area is characterized by long-lived, primarily north-striking faults and related fracturing, which originally controlled intrusion emplacement. East-striking faults are subordinate, and commonly offset intrusive contacts.
Locally, disseminated and veinlet-hosted native copper, malachite and chalcocite occur in augite plagioclase porphyritic andesite and red volcanic breccia of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. Epidote and hematite alteration and carbonate veinlets are common. The mineralized zone has been traced over a strike length of approximately 160 metres.
Work in 2015 identified a set of historical trenches, located approximately 180 metres west of the main Zig occurrence and referred to as the Zag zone, exposing clasts, clots and stringers of chalcocite and minor bornite, which were traced along strike for greater than 200 metres. Part of the mineralized tuff sequence also contains strong native copper±chalcocite as irregular clots and thin sheets.
In 1985, analyses of six rock samples, collected along a roadcut 250 metres east of the trench and near a historical shaft, averaged 0.641 per cent copper over a length of 116 metres, whereas a sample (2085) from the trench yielded to 2.49 per cent copper (Assessment Report 14141).
In 1990, a chip sample from a trench assayed 0.3 per cent copper over 25 metres (Assessment Report 21406).
In 1996, a grab sample (28532) of angular float derived from nearby subcrop of agglomeratic basalt breccia or lahar with moderate to intense limonite and pyrolusite staining, chlorite and epidote alteration, and quartz-carbonate veins with trace malachite assayed 0.465 per cent copper and 2.8 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 24522).
In 2013, four representative outcrop and trench grab and chip samples were taken over 160 metres at the Zig 3 zone and assayed 0.251 to 1.265 per cent copper with an average of 0.64 per cent copper and less than 0.2 to 6.4 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 34718; Press Release, West Cirque Resources Ltd., June 11, 2013).
In 2015, a sample (M457970) from the Zig zone yielded 1.72 per cent copper, whereas samples (J486268 and M457304) from the Zag zone assayed up to 1.36 per cent copper and 0.436 gram per tonne palladium (Assessment Report 36184).
Work History
A historical shaft, likely dating to the early 1900s, is reported to have been developed on the occurrence.
In 1972, Noranda Mining and Exploration Inc. completed a program of geological mapping, trenching and ground and airborne geophysical surveys on the area as the Bim, Boss, J, Lo, Gail and Tight claim groups of the Adonis property.
In 1985, Vanco Explorations Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the area as the Bloo, Climax and Thor claims. In 1987, a further program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the claims.
In 1990, Rayrock Yellowknife Resources Inc. and MineQuest Exploration Associated Ltd. completed a 56.2 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Zig 1-4 and Zul 1-3 claims. The following year, nine rotary drill holes, totalling 650.7 metres, were completed on the claims. In 1996 and 1997, Len Harris and later Matrix Energy Inc. completed programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Tom Cat and Climax claims.
In 2002, Gary Brown prospected and completed a 12.6 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Bluey 2 and Boss claims. In 2003, a 27.5 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey was completed on the claims. In 2004, William Richard Bergey completed reconnaissance geological mapping on the Aspen Grove property. Also at this time, Copper Hill Exploration Corp. completed a program of geological mapping on the area as the Ketchan property. In 2005, Copper Belt Resources Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and 13.0 line-kilometres of ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the area as the Central Nicola property.
In 2011, Moag Copper Gold Resources Inc. completed a program of soil sampling on the area as part of the Ketchan property. In 2013, West Cirque Resources Ltd. acquired the Aspen Grove property, which consists of 37 mineral claims, totalling 5629 hectares, including the Zig 3 occurrence, and proceeded to complete an exploration program of geological mapping and rock sampling throughout the property. During 2014 through 2016, KZD Aspen Grove Holding Ltd. and Kaizen Discovery Inc. completed programs of prospecting and geological mapping on the Aspen Grove property.
