The D.S. occurrence, located on the 1975 ZD #1 diamond drill hole, is located west of the Ingenika River approximately 18 kilometres northwest of Johanson Lake.
The regional geology is similar to that of the Copper King occurrence (094D 149), located approximately 1 kilometre to the northwest.
Stratigraphically, the oldest rocks in the area are pyroxene porphyry flows overlain by bladed feldspar porphyry flows, both of the Upper Triassic Savage Mountain Formation (Takla Group). These are overlain by a mixed package of pyroclastics, possibly of the Lower Jurassic Telkwa Formation (Hazelton Group). The pyroclastics consist of a well-bedded waterlain sequence, agglomerates, breccias and lapilli tuffs (Assessment Report 5256). These successions are intruded by an unnamed Early Jurassic quartz diorite.
The flows are moderately fractured and jointed. Local faulting and shearing generally trends northeast and west.
The ZD #1 drill hole intercepted bladed feldspar porphyry and lapilli tuffs. Some of the lapilli tuffs are waterlain and exhibit graded bedding. The tuffs and porphyry flows contain disseminated hematite and magnetite in varying concentrations, up to an estimated 3 per cent. Epidote and zeolite commonly occur in fracture fillings and, where the rock is porphyritic, in amygdules.
Disseminated native copper and possibly minor cuprite occurs in bladed feldspar porphyry (Assessment Report 5662). In the tuffs, chalcocite and minor bornite are associated with an epidote-altered zone. A 3-metre drill interval, from this altered zone, assayed 0.34 per cent copper (Assessment Report 5662). Hole ZD-1 also intersected locally epidote-altered intermediate to mafic flows and tuffs. Anomalous copper mineralization was associated with epidotized zones. From 112.8 m to 131.1 metres, an interval of 0.11 per cent copper over 18.3 metres was reported (Assessment Report 5662).
Surface mineralization occurs in numerous locations within 1 kilometre east of the drill hole. Mineralization consists of bornite, chalcocite and minor chalcopyrite in veinlets, fractures, and shears. These mineralized structures occur in the pyroclastics, porphyritic flows and intrusives. The intrusive rocks are locally malachite-stained.
In 2018, Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (PEMC) conducted a Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program on their Copper King property consisting of 459 metres. Three holes (RC 001, 003 and 004) targeted magnetic highs and coincident chargeability highs; RC in 3 of 4 RC holes, with significant mineralization being encountered in hole RC18COP003 where disseminated chalcocite was intermittent from surface to a depth of 138.7 metres. Hole 002 targeted a magnetic low and coincident chargeability highs. Drilling intersected anomalous copper mineralization, a significant interval encountered in RC18COP003 was 64.0 metre grading 0.17 per cent copper (Assessment Report 37698). RC holes 001 and 002 were located about 400 and 175 metres north of the D.S. occurrence (094D 004), respectively. RC holes 003 and 004 were located about 350 metres south and 400 metres south-southeast of the D.S. occurrence, respectively.
WORK HISTORY.
D.S. Lord of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) conducted geological mapping of the 94D sheet in 1941, 1944 and 1945, locating the copper, silver, gold occurrences of D.S. (094D 004) Bornite (094D 037) and many others (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 251).
The D.S. group of claims was held in 1962 by W.D. Savage and G.L. Bolbrooke. The surrounding area was staked by Texore Mines Limited in 1965. In 1965, Texore Mines Limited staked 42 claims in the Am and Jim groups. Additional staking was done in 1966 to a total of 126 claims, extending the property northward to surround the D.S. group and southward across Johanson Creek; adjoining ground to the south was staked by an associate company, Black Giant Mines Limited, as the Sil and Jim groups. Work by Texore during 1966 included geological mapping, trenching, and 303 metres of diamond drilling. Results were disappointing and the claims were allowed to lapse in 1968.
In the mid-1970's, Canadian Superior and BP Minerals explored the Z claims, over what is now the Copper King 2 claim and adjacent ground to the south, for Sustut-style copper replacement in porous Takla Group tuffs. Numerous copper occurrences over narrow, discontinuous epidote/chalcocite/bornite veinlets were located. Canadian Superior Exploration Limited held the Z 1-60 claims in this vicinity. Work during 1973 included geological mapping and a reconnaissance geochemical survey comprising 80 soil and 40 silt samples over 6.4 line-kilometres. Silt geochemistry showed generally high copper background values in the 200 to 500 parts per million copper range (Assessment Report 4593). Numerous creeks were anomalous, particularly in the east-central and north-west portion of the Z claims. In addition, 80 soil samples were collected at 200-foot intervals along 5 reconnaissance lines and the samples were analyzed for copper. The results showed widespread copper mineralization, values ranging from 15 parts per million to 660 parts per million with the anomalous threshold at 100 parts per million copper (Assessment Report 4593).
BP Minerals Limited held an option on the property in 1974 and carried out an induced potential survey over 4.2 line-kilometres, a ground magnetometer survey over 14 line-kilometres, and a geochemical soil, silt, talus fines survey and seepage samples (1,848 samples) over 14 line-kilometres covering all claims (Assessment Report 5255). An IP anomaly identified in the northwest corner of the grid was possibly caused by disseminated bornite and hematite. Geological mapping, geochemistry work was also conducted on the Z claims by BP (Assessment Report 5256). This sampling survey defined 5 zones of anomalous copper that were characterized by more intensely sheared and mineralized lithologies. In 1975, BP drilled one hole diamond on the D.S. Occurrence totaling 150.3 metres on the Z claims. Hole ZD-1 intersected locally epidote altered intermediate to mafic flows and tuffs. Anomalous copper mineralization was associated with epidotized zones. From 112.8 m to 131.1 metres, an interval of 0.11 per cent copper over 18.3 metres was reported (Assessment Report 5662). In 1976, two additional holes were drilled by BP; DDH ZD 76-1 (106.1 metres) was located about 450 metres east of Bornite (094D 037); and ZD 76-2 (18.6 metres) was located about 750 metres north-northwest of ZD 76-1 (Assessment Report 6034). No assays results were reported but chalcocite plus/minus bornite was noted in the drill logs as being associated with epidotized zones.
In 2015, Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. Two separate exploration programs were completed on the Copper King property. The initial exploration was conducted in July and consisted of rock chip sampling and prospecting. Fifteen rock samples were collected. The second program was carried out over 6 days starting August 31 and consisted of a 4 line-kilometre IP survey over the main target area (Assessment Report 35685). The IP line trended southeast from the Copper King showing (094D 149) towards ING (094D 151). Rock samples were collected southwest of Copper King and D.S. (094D 004) and north and northeast of Bornite (094D 037). Samples about 300 metres south of D.S. graded 7.5 per cent copper, 52.68 grams per tonne silver and 1.51 grams per tonne gold (Sample 2086935, Assessment Report 35685). Sample 21086931, about 900 metres northwest of Bornite (094D 037) graded 39.70 per cent copper, 220 grams per tonne silver and 0.3 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 35685). Samples about 400 metres west were in the 2 to 3 per cent copper range.
In 2016 and 2017, airborne magnetic surveys were flown on behalf of Pacific Empire Minerals Corp over the Copper King Property totaling 109 line-kilometres (Assessment Report 36613, 36815). The survey covered all occurrences on the Copper King Property including D.S. (094D 004), Bornite (094D 037), Copper King (094D 149), Nika (094D 150), ING (094D 151), Geni (094D 152) and Jo (094D 153). The first attempt in 2016 was cut short due to poor weather. The 2017 work completed the survey grid and the datasets were merged. A magnetic low anomaly was outlined in the “North Valley target” area (Target Area A), and an east-northeast trending magnetic anomaly, spatially associated with the east-northeast trending ASTER anomaly outlined in 2017, was outlined in the “NE Valley target” area. The D.S. (094D 004) and Copper King (094D 149) showings occur in the “North Valley target" area.
In early 2017, Pacific Empire completed ASTER data processing and analysis on the Copper King property, covering 4178.2 hectares (Assessment Report 36615). Raw ASTER data was processed and analyzed for several porphyry type alteration assemblages. A spatially coincident phyllic-argillic alteration assemblage ASTER signature was outlined in the northeastern portion of the property. The survey covered all occurrences on the Copper King Property including D.S. (094D 004), Bornite (094D 037), Copper King (094D 149), Nika (094D 150), ING (094D 151), Geni (094D 152) and Jo (094D 153).
In 2018, Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (PEMC) conducted a Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program on their Copper King property consisting of 459 metres (Assessment Report 37698).
See Copper King (094D 149) for further work history details.
