The Chu occurrence is located in the Nechako Range about 6.5 kilometres west of Chutanli Lake approximately 82 kilometres south-southwest of Vanderhoof.
The region in which the Chu showing occurs is underlain dominantly by Lower to Middle Jurassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Hazelton Group. These assemblages are overlain by the Eocene Ootsa Lake Group intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks and Miocene Chilcotin Group plateau basalt. Intruding Lower Jurassic rocks in the northeastern part of the map sheet is a belt of granodiorite, diorite, and quartz diorite plutons of the Lower Jurassic Topley intrusive suite. Felsic plutons of probable Cretaceous age intrude Lower and Middle Jurassic Hazelton strata.
The Chu property covers the contact zone between an Eocene granitic to granodioritic pluton and hornfelsed Hazelton Group rocks. The Hazelton Group in this area is a mixed assemblage of epiclastic and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks and felsic intrusives. Drilling in 1985 intersected rocks of dacitic, andesitic and rhyolitic compositions along with argillite, graphitic schist, and monzonite.
In outcrop, mineralization consists of molybdenite with minor pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite as disseminations and coatings along fractures in biotite-altered argillite.
Historical diamond drilling indicates a potential grade of approximately 0.1 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 24114).
Work History
Rio Tinto Canadian Explorations Ltd. and Asarco (American Smelting and Refining Company) discovered the Chu molybdenum property independently during 1969 to 1970. In the mid-1970s, Asarco consolidated the project areas and carried out a number of geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys and shallow diamond drilling. In 1979, they were joined by Armco Mineral Exploration Ltd. in a joint venture. They conducted core drilling programs in 1980 (three diamond-drill holes), 1981 (seven diamond-drill holes and 1982 (two diamond-drill holes). This fieldwork has partially outlined a large northwest-trending zone of strong molybdenum-bearing mineralization.
In 1981, Chevron Standard Limited staked the Nechako Range claims to the north of the Chu showing to cover similarly favourable ground. These included the Python claims (1 kilometre north), the Nautical claims (immediately west of Brewster Lakes), the Gypsy claims (on Earhorn Creek, 18.5 kilometres to the northwest) and the B.B. claims (on Big Bend Creek, 14 kilometres to the north). Geological mapping, soil geochemistry and ground geophysical surveys were performed on the properties. An additional program of geochemical soil and sampling and two diamond-drill holes (274.5 metres) were completed on the Python and Gypsy claims.
In 1981 and 1982, Amarco Mineral Exploration completed a limited program of diamond drilling (798 metres) and geological mapping on the Chu property. The best intersection yielded 0.184 per cent MoS2 over 45 metres (Property File Chevron - Ostensoe, E., 1982).
In 1994, the Chu and Chu 2 and 3 claims were staked by Arnex Resources Ltd. when the original property claims lapsed. Sixteen stream sediment and three rock chip samples were taken. The registered owner was Orvana Minerals Corp. Some work may have been done by Orvana in 1995 also.
In 2001 and 2002, C. Delorme completed 47.0 line-kilometres of ground magnetic surveys on the area as the Chua Chua and Chu claims.
In 2003, Nustar Resources Inc. evaluated the Chu porphyry molybdenum prospect. The company sampled and re-assayed core from a 1970 Rio Tinto drilling campaign, and conducted geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys.
In 2004, the work program of owner Omega Exploration Services Inc. consisted of running three self-potential (SP) lines totalling 3600 metres and drilling one vertical drillhole with a hand-held JKS packsack diamond core drill to a total depth of 20.1 metres. The indicated zone of molybdenum mineralization is large and appears to dip into the southwest-facing slope of the hill. The mineral zone was reported to have excellent potential for expansion from its present indicated size toward the northwest, southeast, downdip toward the northeast, and possibly in the apparent width toward the southwest. The approximate dimensions are 840 metres length by 400 metres width by an apparent depth of 600 metres.
In 2005, Omega Exploration Services Inc. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 1.1 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey.
In late 2006 and early 2007, TTM Resources Inc. completed an exploration program including 13 diamond drill holes, totalling 6129 metres. Later in 2007 and in 2008, further drill programs were conducted. In 2009, eight drill holes, totalling 1441 metres, were completed. At this time, a measured resource of 139,920,000 tonnes grading 0.061 per cent molybdenum and 0.036 per cent copper with an indicated resource of 173,340,000 tonnes grading 0.060 per cent molybdenum and 0.037 per cent copper and an inferred resource of 84,400,000 tonnes grading 0.058 per cent molybdenum and 0.043 per cent copper, using a 0.04 per cent molybdenum cut-off grade, was reported (Ostensoe, E.A., Giroux, G.H. (2009-05-28): Second Revised Report and Resource Estimation – Chu Molybdenum Property).
In 2010, five drill holes, totalling 1943 metres, were drilled on the West and East zones.
In May 2010, TTM Resources Inc. announced updated resource figures (Technical Report for TTM Resources dated July 5, 2010 - www.ttmresources.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------Category Amount (tonnes) Mo% Cu% Combined Measured + Indicated 370,640,000 0.059 0.035 Inferred 256,560,000 0.052 0.036 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
In 2016 and 2017, ML Gold Corp. completed programs of soil sampling and a 9.0 line-kilometre induced polarization on the surrounding area as the Aspen property. Anomalous copper-molybdenum values were identified in soil samples from a ridge located approximately 3 kilometres northwest of the Chu occurrence.
