The KC occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1350 metres on an east facing slope, approximately 12.5 kilometres east of the junction of West Kwanika and Kwanika creeks.
The occurrence is located at the contact between two intrusive phases of the Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous Hogem Intrusive Complex. The older phase is a composite mafic body referred to as the Valleau Creek Complex (Open Files 1993-3, 4). It is comprised of hornblende gabbro, pyroxenite, hornblende diorite, fine-grained to porphyritic diorite and hornblendite. Its strong linear nature, to the south near Valleau Creek, with a coincident aeromagnetic high suggests a strong structural control on emplacement and is probably Late Triassic to Early Jurassic in age. Early Jurassic monzodiorite and quartz monzonite of the Hogem Intrusive Complex cuts the Valleau Creek Complex at its northern extension.
A 30-centimetre-wide rusty quartz vein striking 162 degrees and dipping 45 degrees southwest occurs in fractured hornblende diorite. A rock sample collected in 1992 (Open File 1993-4) yielded no anomalous values. Previous assessment work reports pyrite and chalcopyrite-bearing quartz veins and stringers at the same locality that assayed 530 parts per million copper and 107 parts per million zinc (Assessment Report 19868, page 11). The diorite is locally limonitic and malachite stained.
Another zone of minor mineralization is reported in a small gully approximately 2.5 kilometres east-southeast of the KC occurrence on the former Kwan 1 claim. The zone comprises traces of chalcopyrite associated with hematite, calcite, and chlorite in a sheared diorite.
Work History
The area was assessed by Noranda Exploration in the early 1970s (see San, 093N 102) and by Westmin Mines in 1990. In 1971 and 1972 Noranda defined a 4000-metre-long copper-soil geochemical anomaly on the property.
In 1984, BP Resources Canada Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling on the area as the Kwan 1 claim.
A detailed airborne geophysical survey (Mag-HEM-VLF) was undertaken over the Kwanika-Valleau property (KC claims) in 1989 by Westmin Resources. The total magnetics survey defined a series of attractive, strong anomalies associated Hogem Batholith intrusions. The HEM survey defined a 1.2 by 2.4 kilometre area of interest. Also in 1989, 143 silt and 806 soil samples were collected. In 1990, Westmin collected a further 250 silt and 1750 soil samples on the claims. In 1992 Westmin collected 7 rock, 73 soil and conducted 7.9 kilometres of induced polarization surveying.
In 2005, Serengeti Resources Inc. carried out a 530-kilometre airborne magnetic/radiometric survey and collected 12 rock samples on their Valleau and Germansen properties, which covers the Valley Girl, Valleau Creek (093N 053) and KC (093N 006) MINFILE occurrences. The airborne survey identified eight magnetic anomalies. At least one of these rock samples was taken in the KC area. In 2007, Serengeti undertook magnetic (10.6 kilometres) and induced polarization (10.6 kilometres) surveying on the Germansen property. A zone of high chargeability is discernable across the grid and is more or less coincident with the geochemical response.
In 2009, a total of 69 mobile metal ion (MMI) soil samples were collected by Serengeti from the Germansen property in the vicinity of the KC showing on their Ger claims. Copper results show considerable enrichment in the valley floor and break in slope environments (Assessment Report 31706). In 2011, Serengeti collected 250 soil samples and 4 rock samples for analysis in the vicinity of the KC showing on their Ger claims (Assessment Report 33158). Coincident copper-gold-molybdenum anomalies occur directly above a northwest trending chargeability anomaly, located in a soil/till covered valley bottom. This induced polarization and soil target was considered a high priority drill target by Serengeti.
In 2010 and 2012, Serengeti Resources Inc. completed soil sampling programs on the property.
During 2005 through 2014, Redton Resources Inc. (later Kiska Metals Corp.) completed programs of prospecting, geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling, geological mapping and ground and airborne geophysical surveys on the regionally extensive Redton property, located immediately to the east. Refer to the North Kwanika (MINFILE 093N 077) occurrence for a complete summary of this work.
