The Tets area is mainly underlain by Jurassic Hazelton Group rocks consisting of volcanic flows, volcanic tuffs and volcanic breccias and possibly hypabyssal intrusions.
Mineralization on the Tets property consists of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, bornite, chalcocite, native copper and pyrite in breccia zones, fractures and as open space fillings in the volcanics. Historic samples assayed as high as 15.4 per cent copper and 438.86 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 4580).
Sulphides occur in nearly all the rock types and do not seem to favour any distinct rock unit. A pulsating of the "ore" solutions has occurred; pyrite was formed first, and then replaced by chalcopyrite; both of these minerals are rimmed by sphalerite; a late galena- calcite phase cuts all. Copper minerals have been found throughout the property and indicate a mineral rich source. All rocks have undergone prehnite-pumpellyite facies metamorphism and this event is probably important in concentrating copper mineralization." Sulphides occur in breccia zones, in fractures and as open space fillings within a wide volcanic suite.
Geochemical surveys completed in the early 1970s have shown that there exist highly anomalous base metal values over a 600 by 1300 metre area in B-horizon soils on the Tets property. The long axis of the anomaly trends in a north-north-easterly direction. Geological mapping and Geophysical surveys completed at that time also suggest a similar trend to structure and lithology on the property.
WORK HISTORY
The original Tets claims were staked by J. Shelford, of Burns Lake, in 1969 to cover showings of copper and zinc mineralization that he had discovered north of what is now the Huckleberry mine road. The property was optioned to Sibola Copper Mines Ltd, of Burns Lake in 1970 and in turn to Granges Exploration of Vancouver in 1973. Granges completed geochemical surveys, prospecting and magnetic surveys in 1973. The company discovered anomalous base and precious metal (silver) mineralization in B-horizon soils over an area roughly 600m x 1300m and located bedrock showings assaying up to 15.4 per cent copper and 438.86 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 4580).
The following year, Granges completed road construction into the area, minor blast trenching and soil sampling prior to returning the property to Sibola Mines Ltd. That same year, Sibola completed 33 holes and pits on the Granges (zinc) Showing, stripping along the access trails, geological mapping, petrographic studies and geophysical (VLF-EM, IP, CEM) surveys. Mineralization was found in nearly all rock types on the property in breccia zones, in fractures and as open space fillings. Sulphides were often difficult to detect in similar coloured host rocks and were suspected to be deposited in several pulses. Primary pyrite was often replaced by chalcopyrite and rimmed by later sphalerite with a late galena-calcite phase cutting everything. Several resistivity and chargeability anomalies were found. One narrow north-northeast trending zone, was thought to represent disseminated metallic mineralization or magnetite, while a second anomaly was thought to be caused by semi-massive to massive mineralization Numerous, narrow, north and north-northeast trending VLF-EM anomalies were suspected to represent sub-parallel faults, primarily in the western end of the surveyed area. Magnetic data correlated well with this structural interpretation.
Between 1975 and 1979 numerous trenches and pits were blasted, stripped and sampled. A 3 by 3 metre trench named “Jim’s Pit” is stated to have uncovered massive bornite. The “Hill Top Show” is reported to contain zinc, copper, silver and lead, replacing shattered pyrite. Blasting and trenching is noted to have uncovered native copper and chalcocite in small quartz-calcite veinlets. In 1979, 29 Winky holes for a total of 548.64 metres were drilled with generally disappointing results, despite drilling beneath mineralized trenches. Assays yielded values from 0.01 to 0.77 per cent copper and 35.3 grams per tonne silver over 1.52 metres. Sibola Mines returned the property after the 1979 program (reported in Assessment Report 34316).
From 1980 to 1988 John Shelford trenched and completed numerous small diameter drill holes into the various showings located on the Tets property. Results were generally low and ranged from nil to 0.31 per cent copper; one grab sample from the property assayed 754 parts per million silver (Assessment Report 34316).
In 2013, Ken Galambos conducted a one day reconnaissance survey onto his Tets property in an effort to locate the trenches and pits dug between 1973 and 1988 by previous operators. A traverse was completed into the general area of the Tets location without success. The trail into the historic trenches was located at the end of the day.
