The Falcon occurrence is situated just south of the Swannell Ranges (Omineca Mountains) near the shores of Tchentlo Lake, approximately 64 kilometres southeast of Takla Landing. The area was explored for copper and molybdenum between 1969 and 1970, and is now undergoing re-evaluation as a result of interest generated by the Mount Milligan deposit (MINFILE 093N 194), 65 kilometres to the east.
The area is underlain by mesozonal plutonic rocks assigned to the Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous Hogem Intrusive Complex that have been emplaced into volcanic rocks of the Middle Triassic-Lower Jurassic Takla Group, east of the Pinchi fault zone. Refer to the Lorraine occurrence (MINFILE 093N 002) for a more detailed geological description of the complex.
Of the three phases comprising the Hogem Intrusive Complex, only rocks of the Late Triassic to Lower Jurassic Hogem basic suite underlie the area of the occurrence. These rocks include syenodiorite, monzonite, diorite and gabbro, whose mafic minerals possess a strong alignment parallel to the Pinchi fault zone to the west. In addition, a variable, but well-developed joint pattern parallel to the major structure presumed to underlie Tchentlo Lake is evident in the area.
A 350- by 400-metre zone of pyritized hornblende syenodiorite occurs north of the lake. Within this zone, a quartz-potassium feldspar-epidote-pyrite stockwork system has developed. The potassic altered intrusive rocks host massive pyrite veins and disseminations comprising up to 15 per cent of the rock and are locally gossanous (jarosite and/or hematite). Minor chalcopyrite, molybdenite and galena have also been noted within quartz stockwork veins.
Three of the better chip samples taken from trenches exposing this mineralization in the southwest part of the zone assayed as seen on the map in Assessment Report 20825, Figure 5. In Assessment Report 20272, Appendix A, sample 414105 assayed 947 parts per million copper, 832 parts per million molybdenum and 250 parts per million tungsten, sample 414114 assayed 645 parts per million copper, 416 parts per million molybdenum and 680 parts per million tungsten, and sample 414115 assayed 4440 parts per million copper, 131 parts per million molybdenum and 330 parts per million tungsten.
Scattered occurrences of disseminated chalcopyrite, pyrite and magnetite occur in altered syeno/monzodiorite to the north of the trenches.
At the Falcon zone, molybdenum mineralization occurs as molybdenite in a variety of quartz vein types including narrow molybdenite-only veinlets, as disseminations. All styles of mineralization occur within the quartz monzonite porphyry and the granodiorite. High molybdenum grades (greater than 0.05 per cent molybdenum) over significant widths tend to occur within or adjacent to the widest dike and favour the footwall over the hangingwall of the dike. Copper mineralization occurs as chalcopyrite in quartz veins and disseminations and is largely restricted to the granodiorite. The pervasive distribution of chalcopyrite mineralization and elevated copper values (500 to 1000 parts per million) in the granodiorite is notable and above regional background levels.
Work History
Surface exploration is known to have been carried out in the area of the Bal group from 1940 to 1944 but no details of this work exist.
The Bal 1-16 and PJ 1-20 claims were owned by Tchentlo Mines in 1969 when a soil survey and trenching was done. The HI claim group was staked in 1969 for the N.B.C. Syndicate, adjacent to the Bal. These claims were primarily north and adjacent the Bal claims but were also staked immediately west and south (along the shore). Geological mapping, soil geochemistry, ground electromagnetic and magnetometer surveys were carried out in 1969 and 1970. In late 1970, Tchentlo Lake Mines acquired the HI group from N.B.C., the TC group from A.K. Anderson and the J group from R.W. Jackson. Work during 1970 included soil geochemistry, trenching and stripping. An anomalous molybdenum and copper zone was indicated on the Bal 4 claim, extending onto the HI 27 fraction. This is the area of the Falcon prospect (MINFILE 093N 068). The best of three grab samples from the Bal 4 claim yielded 0.14 per cent copper, 0.16 per cent molybdenum and 20.6 grams per tonne silver (Property File Cyprus Anvil - Sinclair, A.J., 1971).
In 1971, Lomita Mining Corporation and Nation Lakes Mines Limited conducted a program of geological mapping, geochemical soil and ground geophysical surveys. These outline a coincidental geochemical and induced polarization copper-molybdenum anomaly centred on an area of intense fracturing and pyritization in a dioritic complex. Seven BQ drillholes, totalling 1536 metres, were completed on the anomalous zone and identified an unexposed dike-like tonalite or alaskite intrusion as being the mineralizing agent. The tonalite intrusion was found to carry high background values of molybdenum. A drillhole (C166-71-1) that intersected the tonalite graded 0.09 per cent molybdenum over 63.0 metres and yielded a further 54 metres at 0.045 per cent molybdenum (Property File Cyprus Anvil - Swanson, M.R., 1971).
In June 1981, Placer Development Limited explored the JP 1 claim (later held as the Falcon 3 and in part Tbor) with geochemical and geophysical surveys. The JP 1 claim is located approximately 3 kilometres north-northwest of the plotted Falcon occurrence (MINFILE 093N 068). A 1-kilometre long copper anomaly was outlined by widely spaced sample stations (Assessment Report 9403). A sample of outcrop yielded 0.5 per cent copper. A new MINFILE number was issued for this showing area (Bor, MINFILE 093 231) based on this assay and the description from Warren’s work in 2000.
In 1981, work on the OVB claim (Falcon 2) by Placer included a heavy mineral soil and stream survey and very low frequency electromagnetic survey. The OVB covers the area of the Fal occurrence. A small number of soil and stream samples were taken over the property (Assessment Report 10077). In 1982, Placer returned to carry out a very low frequency electromagnetic and magnetometer survey over the geochemical anomaly. A coincident magnetic high was partially outlined by the survey.
In 1989, Arthur Halleran prospected the Falcon 1-4 claims (Assessment Report 20272). Independence Mining Company Inc. optioned the Falcon claims and conducted a geological and geochemical program in 1990, collecting 690 soil samples (Assessment Report 20825). The Falcon 1 covered the old Bal claim (Falcon, Bal [MINFILE 093N 068]) area and the Falcon 2 surrounded the OVB (MINFILE 093N 069) area.
In the fall of 1999, loggers excavating a rock pit at 20.5 kilometres on the T-road to the north of the Falcon and Fal occurrences, exposed chalcopyrite, iron pyrite and magnetite mineralization. The Bor and Tbor claims were staked by Lorne and Chris Warren and were prospected in the fall of 1999 (Assessment Report 26451). The Tbor covers part of the JP 1 claim of Placer and the HI claims of N.B.C. Three new MINFILE occurrences were documented from this work: the Tbor (093N 230), Bor (093N 231) and Mike (093N 232).
In 2007, Geoinformatics Exploration Canada Inc. undertook work on its regionally extensive Redton property, which covered the old Falcon claims and all the above mentioned areas. They conducted an induced polarization survey and drilled two diamond drill holes, totalling 818 metres, on the Falcon prospect (Assessment Report 29891). The two reconnaissance holes both intersected widespread molybdenum and minor copper mineralization hosted in a quartz monzonite porphyry and monzodiorite-gabbro country rocks. The mineralization has a horizontal extent along a section of approximately 380 metres and a vertical depth of at least 300 metres, with both holes ending in significant mineralization. Eight additional diamond drill holes, totalling 2966 metres, were drilled in 2008, with five of these holes intersecting at least 300 metres with greater than 0.03 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 31012).
The 2007 to 2008 drilling program yielded significant molybdenum mineralization and strongly anomalous copper mineralization in all 10 holes. Significant intercepts include 418 metres of 0.033 per cent molybdenum, 0.06 per cent copper from 23 metres (FN-08-04), 328.4 metres of 0.042 per cent molybdenum, 0.05 per cent copper from 102 metres (FN08-06), and higher-grade zones including 78.0 metres of 0.081 per cent molybdenum and 0.03 per cent copper from 152.0 metres (FN-07-02; Assessment Report 31012). Porphyry mineralization is associated with a northwest-striking and steeply northeast-dipping swarm of quartz biotite monzonite porphyritic dikes, with well-developed crowded porphyritic textures (quartz monzonite porphyry), hosted by a medium- to coarse-grained, equigranular hornblende granodiorite. Both units are considered to be phases of the Hogem Batholith. The quartz monzonite porphyry dikes range from approximately 1 metre wide up to 100 metres wide. This largest dike is open to the southeast, and appears to plunge moderately to the northwest, and may develop into a larger stock at depth. Both the quartz monzonite porphyry and the granodiorite units display strong alteration, molybdenum ± copper mineralization and are cut by minor and narrow post-mineral aplite dikes.
Highlights from diamond drilling in 2008 include a 402-metre intersection grading 0.064 per cent molybdenite (molybdenum disulphide), including high-grade intervals of 138 metres grading 0.079 per cent molybdenite (molybdenum disulphide) and 118 metres grading 0.095 per cent molybdenite (molybdenum disulphide) in hole DDFN-08-08 (Press Release - Geoinformatics Exploration Inc., January 6, 2009).
In 2010, a subsequent AeroTEM survey by Redton Resources identified 65 electromagnetic anomalies (Assessment Report 31933). In 2011, an induced polarization survey was undertaken on the till-covered area of the Eagle North grid, just to the east of the Falcon prospect (Assessment Report 32504).
In 2012, Kiska Metals (previously Rimfire Minerals Corporation) conducted a field program consisting of soil sampling and prospecting (Assessment Report 34050). A total of 568 soil samples were collected in 2012. Grid E was located north of the Falcon prospect and consisted of four lines spaced at 250 metres in an east-west direction. A total of 83 soil samples were collected from this grid.
In 2013, Kiska Metals Corporation made the decision to conduct a detailed geological review of the Falcon prospect to establish the mineral potential of this area and make recommendations for future exploration. The program consisted of a desktop compilation and validation of historical surface samples on the Redton property; compilation and validation of the Falcon zone drilling; a re-examination of Falcon zone drillcore to determine the distribution of rock types, alteration types, vein types and mineralization styles; and the construction of a set of consistent plan maps and cross-sections. The goal of this work was to better understand the distribution, timing and controls on copper-molybdenum mineralization at the Falcon zone, and to place this knowledge in the broader context of the untested geochemical and geophysical anomalies in the greater Falcon area. In 2014, Kiska Metals conducted an orientation survey at Falcon consisting of re-sampling of drillcore and surface rock sampling from outcrops around the Falcon drill area (Assessment Report 34932).
In 2015, the Falcon claim block consisted of 11 contiguous claims covering an area of 2620 hectares and were 100 per cent owned by Redton Resources Inc., the company which originally staked them in 2005. The claims were recently returned to Redton by Kiska Metals Inc., which held them under option for a period of years. The 2015 fieldwork by Redton Resources comprised primarily drone-based photogrammetric surveying, preceded by studies of the property’s geological setting and exploration history, and followed by processing and interpretation of field results.
Redton’s focus during the 2018 to 2019 period moved its attention to the molybdenum/copper targets in the Falcon area. An integration and levelling study of previous geophysical surveys in the Falcon and Contact Zone areas was commissioned from in3D Geosciences Ltd, and Minerva Intelligence Inc. was commissioned to carry out a lithogeochemical study of the Falcon prospect drilling results. The results of this work are reported in Assessment Report 38255.
