The Knight occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1960 metres on a southeast–facing slope, southwest of the Toodoggone River and approximately 4 kilometres southeast of the east end of Toodoggone Lake.
Regionally, the area is situated within a Mesozoic volcanic arc assemblage, which lies along the eastern margin of the Intermontane Belt, a northwest-trending belt of Paleozoic to Paleogene sediments, volcanics and intrusions bounded to the east by the Omineca Belt and to the west and southwest by the Sustut and Bowser basins.
Permian Asitka Group crystalline limestones are the oldest rocks exposed in the region. They are commonly in thrust contact with Upper Triassic Stuhini Group andesite flows and pyroclastic rocks, and marine sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Lower to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group. These rocks have been intruded by plutons and other bodies of the mainly granodiorite to quartz monzonite Early Jurassic Black Lake Suite and are in turn unconformably overlain by or faulted against Lower Jurassic calc-alkaline volcanics of the Toodoggone Formation (Hazelton Group).
The dominant structures in the area are steeply dipping faults that define a prominent regional northwest structural fabric trending 140 to 170 degrees. In turn, high-angle, northeast-striking faults (approximately 060 degrees) appear to truncate and displace northwest-striking faults. Collectively these faults form a boundary for variably rotated and tilted blocks underlain by monoclinal strata.
The occurrence area is underlain by regionally undivided Hazelton Group volcanics. On a property scale, four units have been delineated from the volcanic stratigraphy. These consist of light-grey to green plagioclase and hornblende plagioclase tuffs and breccias; grey-green, orange and brown, fine- to coarse-grained plagioclase porphyry, including minor quartz-eye porphyry; felsic tuffs and breccias; and thin-bedded, well-cleaved rhyolite. Indications are that this stratigraphy is continuous with the Toodoggone Formation rocks immediately to the west. These rocks have been intruded by three varieties of plutonic rocks: syenite to syenodiorite; granodiorite and quartz diorite that has been subject to moderate to intense kaolinite and pyrite alteration (up to 40 per cent) and secondary silicification. The silicification is commonly so intense that all primary textures are obliterated. Three major fault systems intersect just east of the occurrence.
Locally, several quartz±carbonate veins in volcanics occur on the Knight claim, one of which contains the Knight occurrence. The veins vary in width from a few centimetres to 2 metres. The surface trace, up to 40 metres, indicates that these veins strike north and dip steeply to the east and west. Some of the veins contain chalcopyrite, pyrite, minor galena and barite with malachite and azurite staining.
In 1988, 8 of 58 rock samples taken from the Knight occurrence area yielded anomalous results. Sample 32762, of rusty, siliceous rock containing chalcopyrite and pyrite over 0.25 metre, assayed 16.8 grams per tonne silver and 0.527 per cent copper, whereas samples 33239 and 32754, of quartz-barite-andesite breccia vein with galena and an andesite porphyry with quartz stringers, malachite and pyrite, taken 400 metres to the west of the previous sample , yielded 4.8 grams per tonne silver and 5.010 per cent lead over 0.15 metre, and 0.77 per cent copper with 0.10 gram per tonne gold over 0.30 metre, respectively (Assessment Report 18535).
In 1999, an outcrop sample (S99-003A) of oxidized and fractured intermediate feldspar crystal ash tuff hosting possible chalcopyrite with azurite and malachite staining assayed 0.123 per cent copper and 0.205 per cent zinc, whereas two float samples (S99-004A and -006A) of quartz veining with galena and minor malachite yielded 3.8 and 88.8 grams per tonne silver, 0.051 and greater than 1.0 per cent zinc and greater than 1.0 per cent each of lead, respectively (Assessment Report 26222).
In 2004, a sample of quartz and quartz-carbonate veins, varying from 1 to 20 centimetres in width, with chalcopyrite-galena-sphalerite and pyrite mineralization yielded up to 44.6 grams per tonne silver whereas a float sample (148559) assayed 9.52 grams per tonne gold and 451 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 27790). Also at this time, a 30-centimetre wide sample (RSPW-21) of a quartz vein with pyrite and sphalerite hosted by volcaniclastic rock assayed 3.08 grams per tonne gold, 2 grams per tonne silver, 0.08 per cent lead and 0.012 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 27602).
Work History
In 1982, Newmont Exploration of Canada completed a program of geological mapping and rock, silt and soil sampling on the area immediately west as the Sun 1-2 claims.
In February 1986, an airborne VLF-EM and magnetometer survey was flown over the claims by Western Geophysical Aero Data Ltd. on behalf of Peralto Resources Corp. The close association of magnetometer highs and lows was interpreted as fault related.
In October, 1986, Hi-Tec Resource Management Ltd., on behalf of Peralto Resources, carried out a program of soil, rock, and silt sampling; geological mapping; prospecting and a ground geophysical survey on the Bishop, Castle, Kevin and Knight claims. They collected 89 rock, 30 silt and 522 soil samples and conducted an 8.5-kilometre ground VLF survey and a 6.2-kilometre magnetic survey. Several zones of silicification and pyritization were identified on the property. Geochemical and geophysical surveys have delineated a northwest-trending structure with zones of secondary silicification and faulting.
In 1988, Peralto Resources Corp. completed a geochemical sampling program, primarily on the Bishop and Knight claims. The work consisted of two contour soil sampling lines at approximately 1700 and 1900 metres above sea level, one downhill soil traverse, one silt sampling line and rock sampling. A total of 58 rock chip and grab samples were collected.
During 1997 through 1999, Electrum Resources Corp. completed programs of rock, silt and soil sampling and a 2.5 line-kilometre ground magnetic and electromagnetic (VLF) survey on the area as the Spruce claim.
In 1999, Stealth Minerals staked the initial claims in the area of what is now known as the Sickle-Sofia property and, later that year Standard Metals conducted a small-scale geochemical program on the area on behalf of Stealth Minerals.
In 2004, Stealth Minerals expanded the Sickle-Sofia property package by staking additional claims in the area, conducted a grid-based soil survey over 27 square kilometres and collected 728 rock samples. Also at this time, sampling by Finlay Minerals Ltd. occurred on their Spruce claims in the vicinity of the occurrence.
In 2005, a program of geological mapping and a 21 line-kilometre induced polarization and ground magnetic geophysical survey was completed over the lower, glacial-fluvial covered portion of the Sofia (MINFILE 094E 238) copper-gold porphyry target.
In 2006, Stealth Minerals completed further programs of rock sampling, geological mapping and ground geophysical surveys on the area.
In 2015, a program of geophysical review completed for Cazador Resources Ltd. on the Sofia property identified five target areas.
See Sickle Creek (MINFILE 094E 237) occurrence for further details of the Stealth Minerals Limited Sickle-Sophia property.
