The Commonwealth-Champion (Lots 277, 276) prospect is located 2.5 kilometres southwest from the head of Fanny Bay on Phillips Arm.
The area is underlain by a persistent band, greater than 12 kilometres long, of stratified metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic Quatsino and Karmutsen formations (Vancouver Group). The band trends north- west and separates Jurassic to Cretaceous Coast Plutonic Complex rock of two different compositions, diorite and granodiorite.
The Commonwealth-Champion occurrence straddles the sheared contact between diorite to the southwest and metamorphosed rocks to the northeast. The shear zone dips approximately 75 degrees to the southwest and locally truncates the contact. It has been traced from the Alexandria (MINFILE 092K 028) through the Enid-Julie (MINFILE 092K 024) and Doratha Morton (MINFILE 092K 023) occurrences and on to the Commonwealth-Champion, for a distance of 6.5 kilometres.
Locally, the shear zone is evident for approximately 75 metres on either side of the main creek drainage. Quartz veins are found parallel to foliation and host the mineralization. Pyrite is the dominant sulphide mineral in the area, with only rare traces of galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite.
A channel sample from the old workings (2 adits) assayed 10.5 grams per tonne gold over 0.9 metre and dump samples assayed up to 146.7 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 15952).
The area was originally explored in the late 1890’s in conjunction with the nearby Doratha Morton (MINFILE 092K 023) mine. In 1899, two adits were completed, one on the north western corner of the Commonwealth claim known as the “Upper Adit”, and a second, the “Lower Adit“, located down slope on the adjacent Champion claim. The “Lower Adit” extends for approximately 67 metres to the south east. There are no records of production.
In 1980, Corpac Minerals Limited optioned the Alexandra group and the adjacent Enid-Julie property. Work by Corpac in 1980 included a geochemical soil survey (105 samples) and rock sampling. The following year, a program of geological mapping and soil sampling was completed. This work traced the mineralized Doratha Morton vein south east along strike to the Enid-Julie (MINFILE 092K 024) adits and identified quartz veins along strike to the northwest towards the Commonwealth occurrence.
In November 1982, Charlemagne Resources Ltd. optioned 17 reverted Crown grants. Falconbridge Limited entered into an agreement with Charlemagne and in 1985 and 1986 carried out geochemical surveys comprising 1687 soil and 440 rock samples, airborne magnetometer and electro-magnetic surveys over 300 kilometres, and a ground electromagnetic survey over 200 kilometres on the Alexandra and adjacent ground. In 1985, a geophysical anomaly was identified approximately 550 metres to the west of the adits on the Commonwealth claim during a geophysical program conducted by Falconbridge on the nearby Alexandria mine (MINFILE 092K 028) and adjacent ground. In 1986, Charlemagne Resources, on behalf of Falconbridge, completed two diamond drill holes, totalling 152.72 metres, to test the anomaly. See the Champion-Commonwealth West occurrence for drill results.
The area was prospected as the Cordero property in 1991 and 1992 by Ripple Creek Resources. During 1997 through 2000, Thurlow Resources conducted exploration programs on the area, renamed the DM and Picton properties, on the HY, LO, and FILL 2-19 claims. The programs consisted of soil sampling, rock sampling, and geological mapping. In 2008, Cuda Capital completed a 561.4 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey on the area.
