The Bearnx occurrence, on the Peteka 2 claim, is located approximately 1.5 kilometres east of Peteyaz Peak.
The Peteka 1-4 claim group is underlain by Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group) volcanics. The volcanics are predominantly tuffs, agglomerates and grey to green andesites. Minor porphyritic (plagioclase and/or hornblende) flows and interflow sedimentary rocks are also present. The volcanic rocks are intruded by narrow quartz feldspar porphyry dikes which are 1 to 3 metres wide and strike northeast. The dikes, fine to medium-grained, are possibly related to the Eocene Kastberg Intrusions. Alteration consists of minor chloritization of the mafic to intermediate volcanics, moderate epidote alteration of the tuffs and agglomerates, and hematization of the intermediate volcanics. The attitudes of major joints in this area are 1) 140 to 150 degrees strike, 50 to 60 degrees southwest dip and 2) 40 to 45 degrees strike, 60 to 70 degrees northwest dip. Minor shears strike 170 to 175 degrees and dip 40 to 50 degrees west. Flow directions are thought to strike 150 to 160 degrees and dip 30 to 50 degrees northeast.
Mineralization consists of chalcopyrite and pyrite associated with carbonate-filled (and lesser quartz-carbonate filled) fractures. Malachite staining on the fractures is common. These veins are hosted in aphanitic andesites which contain up to 10 per cent disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite (Assessment Report 14424). Silicification is associated with shear zones, quartz stringers and veinlets. Small carbonate veins occur within 500 metres to the north of this occurrence. One of the best samples assayed 5.97 grams per tonne gold and 4.40 per cent copper (Assessment Report 14424).
One fault zone, following the dominant joint trend, hosts the Bearnx showing. Drilling intersected carbonate-quartz fault bounded breccia zone structures. The host rocks were described as intercalated units of latite flows and hematitic andesitic tuff and agglomerate and lapilli tuff. Mineralization, as seen in 1996 drillholes, consists of 5 to 8 per cent chalcopyrite and 5 to 10 per cent specular hematite over narrow widths of 10-20 centimetres in quartz flooded sections within carbonate veins. Hole CB-97-6 encountered a succession of shallow to moderately east dipping massive and amygdaloidal andesite flows and lesser flow breccias. These flows are generally dark grey to green, locally red to maroon where hematized and are fine to medium-grained. A feldspar porphyritic flow breccia encountered between 73.70 and 79.57 metres correlated well with a similarly described unit in the upper intervals of CB-96-3 and CB-96-4.
The Bearnix was the focus of the 1996 drill program and was re-examined in 1997. Surface sampling of the Bearnx Zone was completed in 1996. One composite sample graded 1.5 grams per tonne gold, 14.7 grams per tonne silver, and 0.58 per cent copper over 7 metres (from an average of 7, 1-metre chip samples (Chip Line samples 4201-4207) (Figure 6a, Assessment Report 24882). Subsequent drilling of five holes, CB 96-1 through CB-96-5 tested the zone and a related electromagnetic target. The location of both 1996 and 1997 drill holes are shown on Figure 24 (Assessment Report 25270).
WORK HISTORY
1948 - Area is mapped as part of a regional survey of the McConnell Creek Area by C. S. Lord, Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 251.
1968 - Cominco stakes the Dave claims over a portion of the present-day claims and completed electromagnetic (horizontal loop) geophysical surveys totalling 7.8 line-miles (Assessment Report 1616). The survey was unsuccessful in locating any conductive zones. It was concluded that the highly oxidized nature of the sulphides in the limited area of the survey insulated the sulphide grains from their contiguous neighbours and accordingly would not respond well to EM induction effects. Cominco abandoned the claims thereafter.
1984 - Suncor Inc. Resources Group of Calgary, Alberta, stakes the Peteka 1-4 claims and completes preliminary stream sediment sampling and prospecting. The surveys outline anomalous gold and copper values in the stream sediments collected from the Driftwood River valley as well as from the rock samples.
1985 - Suncor Inc. Resources Group completes further detailed exploration surveys consisting of prospecting, geological mapping, soil geochemical surveys, rock sampling, and magnetic and VLF-EM geophysical surveys (Assessment Report 14424, 14678). Most of the work was completed over a 15.25-line kilometre grid along the Driftwood River valley over the central portion of the Chaco Bear 3 claim. The surveys were successful in locating several areas of anomalous soil and rock geochemistry as well as zones of anomalous magnetics and several VLF-EM conductors. Suncor Inc. abandoned the property after ceasing operation on their mineral exploration division.
In 1992, J. M. Ashton acquired the property by staking; and completed a shallow-probe reconnaissance, induced-polarization survey over the northeastern part of the alteration zone (Assessment Report 22958). A high-chargeability, low-resistivity anomaly striking north-northwest was found which coincided with a strong linear VLF-EM anomaly, and the strongest copper-zinc-lead-gold geochemical anomaly known on the property. The target structure identified by the three coincidental anomalies has a strike length of about 1,200 metres. A geological examination of the property by a specialist geologist working with Ashton confirmed the extensive zone of alteration and identified classic alteration facies and zonation symmetry of a transitional geological environment with the potential for discovery of mineralization from epithermal to a high-level porphyry system. Potential economic minerals include gold-rich porphyry copper, high sulphidation copper-gold lodes, and low sulphidation gold lodes.
In 1996 Imperials Metals Corporation optioned the Chaco Bear property completing a Phase 1 program consisting of prospecting and sampling, geochemical soils surveying, a small horizontal loop EM survey (Assessment Report 24882 and 24567). A total of 193 rock chip and grab samples were collected in Phase 1. Sampling was carried out on the following zones: Higrade (094D 223), Coccola (094D 067), Bearnx (094D 003), Area A (094D 227), Area B (Baera) (094D 226), Saddle (094D 224), Ferruginate (094D 230), and Gossan (094D 229). In the fall of 1996, Imperial completed a weather-limited diamond drilling program on the Bearnx shear zone in the north part of the claims. The drilling successfully intersected the target with encouraging results. Phase II work consisted of claim staking, grid based geophysical surveys (Max-Min totalling 3.85 line-kilometres and 455.8 metres of BQ-size diamond drill core in five holes (CB-96-1 to 5), all on the Bearnx zone.
In 1997, Imperial Metals completed extensive geological mapping and prospecting of the property not examined in 1996 particularly the Chaco Bear 5-9 claims which were staked in the fall of 1996. In addition, the upper ridges and the western side of the claims were prospected as these areas were never looked at in 1996. In those areas where the 1996 program was successful in proving anomalous gold-silver-copper rock geochemistry, further investigation and sampling was done in 1997; a total of 374 grab and chip samples were collected. The sampling program was conducted on the following zones Round Lake, Higrade, Coccola, Bearnx, Dave/Ron (Chaco Bear showing, 094D 033), Goat Knob Bowl (094D 228), Saddle, Cigar Lake (no significant mineralization), Ferruginate, Gossan and West Ridge (Peteyaz area, 094D 070).
The 1997 program confirmed a large zone of quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration within the central southern section of the property. The bulk of the work focused on the Bearnx, Coccola, Dave/Ron, and Ferruginate and Gossan Zones with all but the Ferruginate Zone being drill tested. Two small VLF-EM surveys totalling about 6.5 line-kilometres were conducted. Four target areas (the Beamx, Dave/Ron, Coccola, and Gosson zones) were tested by diamond drilling with eleven holes drilled from seven sites for a total length of 1382.2 metres. Imperial Metals drilling located heavily altered rhyolite dikes and andesitic wall rocks in the north part of the property. The material intersected in these lithological intersections were fractured and brecciated, containing geochemically anomalous gold values throughout.
In 1997, geological mapping of the Chaco Bear Mineral claims by Dr. Peter Read showed that the lower section of volcanics is made up of an incomplete sequence of the Hazelton Series consisting of a restricted Telkwa Formation which is unconformably overlain by a sequence of felsic extrusives consisting of andesites, dacites, and rhyolites up to 600 metres thick named the "Unnamed Formation" by Dr. Read. Geological mapping showed altered dacitic and rhyolitic flows were extruded at the top of an andesitic succession. This volcanic succession is interpreted to be the Hazelton Series lithology. Rock geochemistry shows shoshonitic or potassic composition. In addition to geological mapping, extensive prospecting and rock sampling was undertaken over several prospective areas across the property.
In 1997, Imperial Metals Corporation relinquished their option on the property.
In 2007, Geotronics Consulting Inc. on behalf of Houston Minerals Inc. completed two Mobile Metal Ion (MMI) Geochemical surveys on the claims, one a gridded survey at the north end of the claims over the Bearnx Zone, and a reconnaissance survey over the hydrothermally altered “Main Zone”. The reconnaissance survey showed several strong MMI gold and coincidental lead anomalies over the Main Zone that coincided with Very Low Frequency (VLF) electromagnetic (EM) anomalies identified by Suncor in 1985. At the west end of the MMI survey, beyond the VLF-EM area surveyed by Suncor, a large MMI gold anomaly with a width of about 400 metres was identified. This MMI gold anomaly is at the western edge of the altered “Main Zone”. The “Main zone” is (roughly) over Rusty Lake and south through the Ferruginate zone (Figure 5, Assessment Report 38636).
In 2012, IP and resistivity surveys were carried out over the “Main Zone” within the Chaco Bear Property. The IP survey revealed 9 anomalies along two survey lines perpendicular to each other and these have been labeled by the upper case letters, A to I, for ease of discussion. These anomalies occur in an area of known mineralization and soil geochemistry anomalies (Assessment Report 33850).
In 2015, Geotronics Consulting (on behalf of owner Sitka Holdings Ltd.) carried out a Mobile Metal Ion (MMI) soil geochemical survey on the Rusty Lake grid, collecting 280 samples along 10 survey lines. The sampling results revealed a number of anomalies throughout the Rusty Lake Grid area. The main ones of exploration interest are copper, gold, and lead. The copper and gold anomalous results occur mainly within three anomalous zones labeled Rusty Lake, West Ridge, and Drift. The Rusty Lake Anomaly occurs on and around Rusty lake within the north central part of the grid. The West Ridge Anomaly occurs along the western part of the Rusty Lake Grid. The Drift Anomaly occurs just to the south of the Rusty Lake Anomaly.
In 2019, Houston Minerals Inc. performed a re-evaluation of all the programs and data towards generating three new drill targets for testing (Assessment Report 38636). These include Area 1, an area of intense silicification that occurs in the form of ribboned quartz veins and is located between ‘Coccola’ and ‘Round’ lake; Area 2, in the Ferruginate-Gossan zones area that could be tested for concealed porphyry copper mineralization at depth; and Area 3, an interpreted maar-diatreme feature in the central zone at Chaco Bear where a strong chargeable anomaly with a coincident moderate resistivity occurs.
