The Mount Sidney Williams (Upper zone) occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1500 metres in the headwaters of Van Decar Creek and downstream of the informally named Tear Drop Lake, approximately 2 kilometres northwest of the summit of Mount Sidney Williams.

The Mount Sidney Williams showing occurs within ultramafic rocks of the Permian to Triassic Trembleur Intrusions. This suite of rocks is probably of ophiolitic affinity, related to the oceanic Mississippian to Triassic Cache Creek Complex on which it lies.

The area is underlain by rocks informally referred to as the Mount Sidney Williams ultramafic massif, which consist of serpentinized peridotite and harzburgite with pods of dunite and Cache Creek Complex andesitic volcanics and argillaceous schist. There are 17 recognized zones of alteration on the Mount Sidney Williams property: Upper, Stibnite, Camp, Zero, No Name, Arua, B.S., Cirque, RJS, Sedna, Oro, Middle, JNSQ, Reno, Eddy, Palmy and West. Alteration consists of listwanites and the cryptocrystalline quartz replacement of the listwanites. The listwanites form a horizontally and vertically zoned package surrounding the norite intrusion.

Mineralization at Mount Sidney Williams consists of asbestos, chromite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, stibnite and poor-quality jade. Low gold and silver values are associated with the poor-quality jade and listwanite alteration zones consisting of quartz, carbonate, mariposite and locally up to 5 per cent disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite. Massive sulphides (10 to 20 per cent) occur in the contact zone of the norite intrusive rocks, as pyritic fracture fillings or coarse-grained acicular arsenopyrite. One outcrop of listwanite was observed to contain coarse-grained stibnite. Chromite occurs in harzburgite in small, massive pods, fine-grained clots and as veinlets that occasionally form a stockwork (see also Mt. Sidney Williams Cr, 093K 039 and Sidney, 093K 072). Cross-fibre chrysotile asbestos occurs in a 7.6-metre-wide zone in serpentinized peridotite on the former Robin claims. Stringers vary in width from 0.3 to 3.8 centimetres and are from 0.3 to 30 centimetres apart. The asbestos fibres are brittle and of poor commercial quality (see also Van Decar Asbestos, 093K 068).

The Upper zone lies in the creek draining Tear Drop Lake, approximately 200 metres northwest of the lake; it has been traced for approximately 85 metres along strike of 290 degrees and dips moderately to the northwest. The zone is also reported to be dislocated by faulting. The Upper zone also contains arsenopyrite veins, mariposite and a 2- metre wide fault zone containing significant gold values.

The Camp zone is located immediately south of Tear Drop Lake and strikes north 60 degrees east over approximately 50 metres. The Camp zone also contains local areas of quartz-listwanite breccia with magnetite veins and significant mariposite. A fault zone and felsite dike with gold values have also been identified by drilling on the Camp zone.

The RJS (No Name and Zero) zone is located on a northwest-facing slope, approximately 500 metres south-southwest of Tear Drop Lake and comprises a 10-metre-wide carbonate listwanite with a complex mixture of serpentinite, norite and altered harzburgite/listwanite.

The Middle and Lower zones are located downstream of the Upper zone.

The Oro and/or JNSQ zone is located approximately 200 hundred metres northeast of the Upper zone. The zone has been traced for approximately 300 metres along an approximate 290-degree trend. The West zone is located approximately 450 metres northeast of the Upper zone.

The Stibnite zone is located west of the main tributary of Van Decar Creek, approximately 700 metres west of Tear Drop Lake, and comprises a vertically dipping zone of brecciated listwanite with stibnite, arsenopyrite, pyrite and mariposite associated with serpentine and talc. The zone has been traced for approximately 90 metres along a trend of north 20 degrees east and has a width of approximately 35 metres.

Work History

Early exploration in the Mount Sidney Williams area started in the 1930s and early 1940s, with ultramafic bodies being explored for and evaluated for their chrome potential. In 1954, the first reported fibre discovery was made on Mount Sidney Williams. By 1972, Cyprus Exploration Corporation Limited was examining the Robin claims for chrysotile asbestos exposures. The Robin claims are located at an elevation of 1590 metres on Mount Sidney Williams. The claims are in a cirque at the head of the north-flowing tributary of Van Decar Creek.

In 1979, Mountaineer Mines Ltd. conducted reconnaissance prospecting on the CR 1-5 claims with the goal of establishing the location of chromite showings. A serpentinized peridotite-dunite batholith (the Trembleur Intrusions) was found to underlie Mount Sidney Williams, with several serpentinized peridotite-dunite sills outcropping both at Mount Sidney Williams and Tsitsutl Mountain.

In 1982, Western Geophysical Aero Data Ltd., on behalf of Northgane Minerals Ltd., conducted an airborne very low frequency electromagnetic and magnetometer survey of approximately 310 line-kilometres on the Cr 1-6 claims to define boundaries of the ultrabasic rocks and identify trends for further chromite exploration. Two areas of magnetic highs were determined to be striking northwest, separated by a prominent northwest-trending low. The highs were interpreted to be zones of ultrabasic rocks. Anomalies of very high magnetic intensity within the magnetic high zones were interpreted to be serpentinized phases.

In 1986, gold was discovered on the north flank of Mount Sidney Williams and the property was acquired by Lacana Mining Corporation. The following year, Lacana conducted a reconnaissance exploration program consisting of rock, soil and stream sediment sampling, magnetometer and induced polarization surveys, 52 metres of trenching and 816.7 metres of diamond drilling over 12 holes. Rock, soil, silt, and heavy mineral samples were taken over the Van 1-2, Klone 1-2 and Mid claims; the Klone 3-8 and One-Eye 1 claims were also staked at this time. No records of the drilling are known. Grab samples (7278 and 6594) from the Upper listwanite zone yielded 1.02 and 1.43 grams per tonne gold, respectively, whereas a rock sample (8912) and a 1.0-metre chip sample (60510) from the Stibnite zone yielded 3.78 and 3.26 grams per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 17173). Also at this time, a sample (6801) of quartz-listwanite breccia with magnetite veins from the Camp zone assayed 3.56 grams per tonne gold, whereas three 1.0-metre chip samples (60506 to 60508) of listwanite from the RJS zone yielded from 0.105 to 0.390 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 17173).

In 1988, Lacana Mining Corporation carried out an exploration program on the Klone Group and Van Group. Linecutting, geochemical (soil, silt, and rock) sampling, prospecting, geological mapping, and trenching were performed on the property. Some prospecting and soil sampling were also conducted on the Mid claim. Two 2.0-metre chip samples (60622 and 60623) from the Stibnite zone yielded 1.92 and 2.15 grams per tonne gold, respectively, whereas five 1.0 metre long samples (C11351 to C11355) from a fault gouge zone exposed in trench no. 1 on the Upper zone yielded from 14.7 to 44.1 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 18089). Also at this time, a 3-metre chip sample (11193) from the RJS zone yielded 1.07 grams per tonne gold, whereas two 1.0-metre chip samples (60563 and 60564) from the Camp zone yielded 1.14 and 1.01 grams per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 18089).

Viceroy Resources Corporation optioned the property in 1989 and the following year completed an extensive program of soil, silt, and rock sampling; geological mapping and seven diamond drill holes, totalling 305.3 metres. Drilling yielded intercepts including 3.93 and 5.03 grams per tonne gold over 9.2 and 0.3 metres (0 to 9.2 and 23.2 to 23.5 metres down hole) from a fault zone and felsite dike, respectively, in hole 90-3 on the Camp zone; 5.16 grams per tonne gold over 2.2 metres (3.7 to 5.8 metres down hole) in hole 90-4 also on the Camp zone; 1.50 and 5.16 grams per tonne gold over 3.0 and 0.4 metres (16.2 to 19.2 and 6.9 to 7.3 metres down hole), respectively, in holes 90-5 and 90-6 on the Upper zone and 2.69 grams per tonne gold over 2.1 metres (47.9 to 49.0 metres down hole) in hole 90-2, which tested the vertical extent of the Stibnite zone (Assessment Report 20541). In 1996, re-sampling of the core samples yielded values up to 0.152 per cent nickel over 31.1 metres in hole 90-1 from the west extension of the Camp zone (Property File 520942).

In 1991, Minnova Inc. completed a program of geological mapping and five diamond drill holes, totalling 511.4 metres. Drilling yielded intercepts including 3.07 grams per tonne gold over 0.4 metre (51.8 to 52.2 metres down hole) in hole 91-1 on the Stibnite zone; 4.91 and 0.78 grams per tonne gold over 0.5 and 13.9 metres (15.5 to 16.0 and 81.0 to 94.9 metres down hole) in holes 91-3 and 91-4, respectively, on the Upper zone (Assessment Report 21870). Also at this time, two samples taken from listwanite showings on the Upper zone yielded 1.41 grams per tonne gold over 4.0 metres and 0.96 gram per tonne over 7.6 metres, respectively, whereas a 9.2-metre sample of listwanite from the Camp zone assayed 3.96 grams per tonne gold (Property File Rimfire - Mowat, U., 1992). The best assay for the Stibnite zone returned 1.60 grams per tonne gold over 0.69 metre, including 3.11 grams per tonne gold over 0.23 metre (Property File Rimfire, 1991). In 1996, re-sampling of the core samples yielded values up to 0.175 per cent nickel over 52.1 metres in hole 91-3, 0.161 per cent nickel over 36.4 metres in hole 91-4 and 0.173 per cent nickel over 106.6 metres in hole 91-5 (Property File 520942).

In 1994, Teryl Resources Corp. conducted a program of drilling and minor soil sampling on the Mount Sidney Williams property, which was 100 per cent owned by U. Mowat. Ten holes, totalling 742.7 metres, were drilled. No significant gold intercepts were reported. In 1996, re-sampling of the drillcore yielded intercepts including 0.220 per cent nickel over 73.2 metres (3.1 to 76.3 metres down hole), including 0.472 gram per tonne gold, 0.182 per cent nickel and 0.189 per cent chromium over 5.79 metres (65.58 to 71.37 metres down hole) in hole CZ94-9 and 0.216 per cent nickel over 33.9 metres in hole CZ94-8, both on the Camp zone; 0.184 per cent nickel 104.7 metres (2.1 to 106.8 metres down hole) in hole MZ94-6 on the JNSQ zone; 0.209 per cent nickel over 57.3 metres (22.0 to 79.3 metres down hole) in hole BC94-4 on the West zone and 0.168 per cent nickel over 79.3 metres in hole MZ94-7 on the Oro zone (Assessment Report 24906 and Property File 520942). The drilling intercepts were from zones of dense harzburgite and peridotite.

In July 1996, First Point Minerals Corporation collected outcrop grab samples as well as core samples from previous drilling from the Mount Sidney Williams property in order to perform geochemical and petrographical analysis to assess the property prior to entering into an option agreement with Ursula Mowat. Results from these analyses revealed that nickel that had been previously discovered in rock and soil samples was from either disseminated awaruite or nickel-iron alloy rather than from nickel in silicates. A rock sample (96RMB-46) from the no. 1 trench of the Camp zone yielded 2.53 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 24906).

First Point Capital optioned the property as a result of the 1996 sampling. From June to August 1997, Ursula Mowat and First Point Minerals conducted a sampling and metallurgical testing program on Mowat’s Mount Sidney Williams property in order to test the feasibility of an awaruite and/or nickel deposit. Awaruite was found to be present and metallurgical work performed on two samples by Process Research indicated that it may be processed by magnetic separation. The metallurgical tests included magnetic separation, gravity separation, and sulphuric acid leach tests. First Point dropped the option in late 1997. Re-sampling of the 1994 drillhole CZ94-10 from the Camp zone yielded 0.151 per cent nickel over 74.11 metres (2.14 to 76.25 metres down-hole; Assessment Report 25278). Also at this time, rock sampling yielded up to 1.01 grams per tonne gold, 0.176 per cent nickel and 0.109 per cent chromium from the Upper zone; 2.42 grams per tonne gold, 0.231 per cent nickel and 0.107 per cent chromium from the Camp zone; 0.171 per cent nickel and 0.101 per cent chromium from the Middle zone; 0.137 per cent nickel and 0.062 per cent chromium from the Lower zone; 0.173 per cent nickel and 0.118 per cent chromium from the ORO/JNSQ zone(s); 0.197 per cent nickel and 0.114 per cent chromium from the West zone; 0.72 gram per tonne gold, 0.152 per cent nickel and 0.108 per cent chromium from the RJS zone and 0.170 per cent nickel with 0.156 per cent chromium from the Stibnite zone (Assessment Report 25278).

In 1998, Ursula Mowat completed mapping and sampling in the West Peak and Baptiste Creek areas of the Mount Sidney Williams property. Re-sampling and analysis of the 1994 drillhole CZ94-10 from the Camp zone using a finer grind (-150 mesh, in contrast to -100 mesh) yielded a significant increase in nickel grades: an average of 0.202 per cent nickel over 74.11 metres (Assessment Report 26062).

In 1999, U. Mowat commissioned mapping and sampling on the Mid claim and the West Peak area. During August 2000, a previously unexplored area of the West Peak location was mapped and sampled on behalf of Mowat.

In 2002, rock samples were collected and analyzed from selected areas of the Mount Sidney Williams property by Ursula Mowat to try and locate the source of several geochemical anomalies outlined by previous sampling. In July 2003, new clearcuts on the Mid claim and outcrops on the Klone 7 claim were examined and sampled by Mowat. In September 2004, Mowat conducted rock and soil sampling on the One-Eye 1 and Klone 1 claims, west of Van Decar Creek and Mount Sidney Williams. Samples from the RJS zone yielded up to 0.190 per cent nickel and 0.168 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 27605).

In 2006, U. Mowat completed a further program of rock and soil sampling on the Klone 5 and 6 claims.

In 2007, First Point, now FPX Nickel Corp. returned to the area and conducted a regional rock sampling program on the area as the Will 1-15 claims of the Decar property. Assay values from 42 rock samples ranged from 0.12 to 0.28 per cent nickel, with an average of 0.21 per cent nickel (Assessment Report 30499). These samples came from areas northwest of the Sidney (MINFILE 093K 072), east and south of the Pauline (MINFILE 093K 040) and from the Van Decar Creek (093K 041) occurrences.

Also at this time, Amarc Resources Ltd. completed a program of silt sampling on the area immediately south and southwest as the Polymac property.

In 2008, a program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the Klone 5 claim by U. Mowat. Also at this time, a further program of rock and silt sampling was completed on the Decar property by FPX Nickel Corp.

In 2009, First Point Minerals entered into a joint-venture option agreement with Cliffs Natural Resources Exploration Canada Inc.

In 2011 and 2012, U. Mowat prospected and sampled and the One Eye and Klone 1 and 6 claims. In 2011, samples from the Stibnite zone yielded up to 0.159 per cent nickel and 0.166 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 32481). The following year, samples from the Camp zone yielded up to 0.557 gram per tonne gold, 0.236 per cent nickel and 0.140 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 33370).

From 2010 to 2012, drilling, geophysical, and geochemical surveys were conducted on the property delineating a large-scale, low-grade nickel deposit. In 2012, exploration focused on resource definition drilling on the Baptiste (MINFILE 093K 116) zone. Refer to Baptiste (Decar) for a detailed work history of the area.

During 2013 through 2018, further exploration program were completed on the Decar property and focused on the Baptise (MINFILE 093K 116) occurrence.