The Sidney occurrence is based on the symbol on Geological Survey of Canada Map 907A and is located approximately 90 kilometres northwest of Fort St. James.
The Sidney showing occurs in a region underlain mainly by Mississippian to Triassic Cache Creek Complex sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Into these, ultramafic rocks of the Trembleur Intrusions have been emplaced.
The showing comprises chromite mineralization within Trembleur peridotite-dunite. Although recorded on Geological Survey of Canada Map 907A, no detailed information is available on the nature of this occurrence. Awaruite mineralization has been identified in outcrop and scree over an area of approximately 300 by 340 metres, while drilling has identified mineralization over an area of 450 metres long and up to 345 metres deep.
Other areas of awaruite and chromite mineralization ± anomalous gold values in harzburgite, dunite, and peridotite, referred to as the Baptise Spur, South Face and North Ridge zones, are located approximately 700 to 1100 metres south-southeast, 700 to 2000 metres west and 1400 metres northwest of the plotted location of the Sidney zone, respectively.
Work History
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 Tsitutl 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. The survey was performed 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 1987, the Mount Sidney Williams area was explored by Lacana Mining Corporation under option agreement from Ursula Mowat. Rock, soil, silt, and heavy mineral samples were taken over the Van 1-2, Klone 1-2 and Mid claims; Klone 3-8 and One-Eye 1 claims were also staked at this time. In 1988, Lacana Mining Corporation carried out an exploration program on the Klone Group and Van Group. Line cutting, geochemical (soil, silt, and rock) sampling, prospecting, geological mapping, and trenching were performed on the property.
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. In 1991, Minnova Inc. completed a program of geological mapping and five diamond drill holes, totalling 511.4 metres. 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. These work programs were centred on the One Eye 1 and Klone 1 (MINFILE 093K 043) claims.
In 1996 and 1997, First Point Minerals Corp. explored the area for nickel-iron alloy (awaruite) potential. See the Mount Sidney Williams (MINFILE 093K 043) occurrence for further information on this work. Two rock samples (96RMB-41 and -42) from the Baptiste Spur zone yielded values of up to 0.221 gram per tonne gold, 0.164 per cent nickel and 0.103 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 24906).
In 1997, extensive sampling was completed on the ridge to the northeast of the Sidney occurrence, along the south face of Mount Sidney Williams (South Face zone) to the west of the Sidney occurrence and along a north-trending ridge of Mount Sidney Williams (North Ridge zone) northwest of the Sidney Occurrence. Sampling of these zones yielded values of up to 0.213 per cent nickel with 0.151 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 25278). Also at this time, 14 rock samples (11812 through 11826) from the Baptiste Spur zone yielded from 0.131 to 0.155 per cent nickel and 0.022 to 0.115 per cent chromium (Assessment Report 25278).
During 1998 through 2008, programs of geological mapping and sampling were completed on the Mount Sidney Williams property by Ursula Mowat.
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 (093K 040) and from the Van Decar Creek (093K 041) occurrences. In 2008, a further program of rock and silt sampling was completed on the Decar property.
In 2009, First Point Minerals entered into a joint-venture option agreement with Cliffs Natural Resources Exploration Canada Inc. 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.
In 2010, surface rock samples yielded from 0.145 to 0.197 per cent nickel, while drill core samples average 0.137 per cent nickel with intercepts of up to 282.0 metres grading 0.235 per cent nickel, 0.011 per cent cobalt, 0.139 per cent chromium and 5.4 per cent iron in hole no. 10 (Verley, C.G. (2011-02-14): Report on the Decar Nickel Property (Pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators) Trembleur Lake Area).
During 2013 through 2018, further exploration programs were completed on the Decar property and focused on the Baptise (MINFILE 093K 116) occurrence.
