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File Created: 10-May-1985 by Dani J. Alldrick (DJA)
Last Edit:  04-Apr-2022 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

Summary Help Help

NMI
Name BLUEBERRY, ORO GRANDE, BIG M, SIXTIES, ROAD, SUMMIT, SUMMIT LAKE Mining Division Skeena
BCGS Map 104B030
Status Prospect NTS Map 104B01E
Latitude 056º 14' 13'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 130º 04' 29'' Northing 6232971
Easting 433384
Commodities Gold, Silver, Copper, Molybdenum Deposit Types I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
I02 : Intrusion-related Au pyrrhotite veins
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Blueberry occurrence lies south of the Granduc mine site, 2.5 kilometres northeast of the Scottie Gold deposit (104B 034). It is hosted by andesite lapilli tuff of the Lower Jurassic Unuk River Formation, Hazelton Group. These are overlain by epiclastic sediments, mostly siltstone and lesser argillite and andesite crystal tuff. The Lower Jurassic Summit Lake Stock, comprised of hornblende quartz monzonite and/or hornblende granodiorite, intrudes the rocks to the west. All rocks are cut by lamprophyre and microdiorite dikes.

The strata strike north-northwest and dip from vertical to 50 degrees east and 70 degrees west. Propylitic alteration is widespread in the volcanics and sediments, and potassium feldspar alteration occurs locally in the granodiorite and andesite.

The Blueberry vein is a 0.2 to 2.0-metre-wide, 70-metre-long massive sulphide vein, emplaced in a minor shear. The vein strikes 023 degrees and dips 52 degrees northwest. Mineralization consists of pyrrhotite-pyrite and minor chalcopyrite, with black chlorite gangue.

In 1984, five short diamond drill holes tested the Blueberry Vein. One hole (SJV-11) intersected 1.59 metres of 26.56 grams per tonne gold and 21.83 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 13593).

Several small pyrrhotite-pyrite-chlorite north-trending quartz veins occur along the Granduc road for 500 metres, west of the Blueberry vein.

The Oro Grande zone (formerly Road showing) is located approximately 300 metres northwest of the Blueberry Vein occurring to the immediate east of the Granduc Mine road. The Zone is hosted by Unuk Formation Upper Siltstone Member Rocks. Prior to 2004 little was known about the zone. A 1990 report stated the showing consisted of a singular outcrop in which sulphide bearing quartz-carbonate (pyrrhotite/pyrite with minor chalcopyrite and galena) veins trending 160 degrees occur. Mapping completed in 2004 shows pyrite to be the dominant sulphide forming as disseminations and semi-massive occurrences within the veins in association with minor disseminated pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. In addition, up to 10 per cent pyrite along with minor pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is found disseminated within the host sediments. Pyrite also occurs as narrow discontinuous stringers. In 2012, Rotation Minerals collected a grab sample from the Road showing which assayed 2.89 grams per tonne gold (Press Release, Rotation Minerals Ltd, December 4, 2012).

The newly discovered Big M zone (or the Big M vein) discovered in 2013) is a north trending zone of arsenopyrite-pyrite-pyrrhotite-minor chalcopyrite-molybdenite and fine visible gold occurring several metres south of the Blueberry vein structure. The zone is entirely within argillites along the east contact with andesitic volcanics. The vein is up to 4.5-metre-wide and was traced over 25 metres with gold values obtained along the entire length. The vein intersects with the Blueberry at the north exposure of this vein. The Big M vein was exposed during pad building for drilling on the north end of the Blueberry vein. Mineralization occurs as stringers up to 15 centimetres wide across 4.5 metres of width. In 2016 Decade Resources reported that chip sampling along 20 metres of the Big M zone was conducted at the north end on an area of vein exposed by melting snow. The zone is over three metres wide with two metres of quartz/molybdenite/sparse arsenopyrite and one metre of highly sericite altered rocks with stringers of massive arsenopyrite. In the quartz material, assays gave 0.21 per cent and 0.37 per cent molybdenum in association with high gold assays (Decade Resources Ltd. News Release May 12, 2015).

DDH-14-4 tested the Sixties Zone in the area of DDH-14-1 intersected over 40 metres of pyrrhotite mineralization similar to that in DDH-14-1. Both DDH-14-1 and 4 were drilled north of the Blueberry Structure. DDH-14-5 and 6 tested the Sixties Zone south of the Blueberry Structure. Hole DDH-Bow-1 assayed 15.25 grams per tonne over 49.6 metres (from 44.60 to 94.21 metres depth) on the Sixties zone and; DDH-14-Bow-2 assayed 39.43 grams per tonne gold over 12.66 metres (from 31.55 to 44.21 metres depth) (Decade Resources Ltd. News Release June 23, 2016).

Later work, in the late 2010s, identified the Blueberry (BB) Contact zone, which consists of a 15- to 30-metre-wide zone of strong chlorite-pyrite-carbonate alteration that follows a north-south–striking, steeply dipping, intraformational unit contact between Hazelton Group andesite and siltstone hosting replacement-style gold mineralization. Work in the Blueberry occurrence area indicates that gold mineralization forms a north-plunging shoot that follows the intersection of the Vein and Contact zones. The northeast end of the Blueberry Vein pinches out in the siltstone whereas the southwest end disappears under cover.

In 2019, drilling on the BB Contact zone yielded intercepts of up to 7.4 grams per tonne gold over 34.8 metres in hole SR19-20 (Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. [2021-06-07): Technical Report on the Scottie Gold Mine Property, British Columbia, Canada).

The Road zone, located approximately 350 metres north of the BB Contact zone and in the same lithological unit, consists of a 0.5-metre-wide quartz-carbonate-sulphide vein exposed on surface for 2 metres along strike. The vein strikes 110 degrees and dips 50 degrees to the north.

Work History

In 1984, A 50/50 Joint Venture between Esso Resources Canada and Scottie Gold Mines was formed to evaluate a 37 unit claim block acquired through staking that included the Bow 1 claim.

Property wide mapping and prospecting located three sulphide bearing quartz carbonate veins (Bend, Blueberry and Road). Rock chip sampling, geophysical surveying (magnetic, horizontal loop EM and induced polarization), mechanical stripping and the diamond drilling of 1091 metres of core in 20 holes was completed. Trenching exposed the Bend vein for 60 metres. Average width of the vein at surface is 1.5 metres. Twelve diamond drill holes completed on a 350-metre segment of the structure hosting the Bend vein. Blueberry Vein exposed for 90 metres. Five holes tested the zone from two sites 45 metres apart.

In 1989, Homestake Canada purchased the assets of Esso Resources Canada Limited. In 1991 Homestake competed a ten-hole drill program, totaling 1,261 metres that tested the gold in soil anomaly. Drill results were negative.

In 1990, the Summit Joint Venture did sampling and mapping. Results outlined a 150 by 600 metre alteration zone hosting anomalous in soil gold values in association with a quartz vein stockwork located to the south of the Bend Vein.

In 1991, Homestake completed ten diamond drill holes, totaling 306.4 metres, on a 34-metre section of the Bend Vein. In 2000, Homestake assigned its' interest in the Bow Claim to Tenajon Rsources Corp. In 2002, Tenajon undertook additional soil sampling along the Bend Vein and completed minor reclamation.

The 2004 program on the Be Property (adjacent the Scotty Gold property) consisted of chip sampling and mapping of the Road Showing.

In 2005, Tenajon Resources Corporation drilled 639 metres in 16 holes testing the Bend (MINFILE 104B 132) and Blueberry (MINFILE 104B 133) and Road veins and returned intercepts of 10 to 20 grams per tonne gold over true widths of 1 to 2 metres (Exploration and Mining in British Columbia 2005, page 33). Mapping and sampling were also completed at the Road showing located over three kilometres from the mine workings. Assay results from chip sampling of the showing include a 4.92-foot section averaging 20.8 grams per tonne gold (Northern Miner November 22, 2004). The showing is overburden covered along strike. The Bend location is only roughly given as being near the Blueberry and Bend.

On October 1, 2011, Rotation Minerals Ltd announced that it had entered into an agreement to purchase an 80 per cent interest in the former Scottie Gold mine property. In 2012, Rotation completed a program of preliminary evaluation which included sampling several known vein structures in addition to several newly located gold bearing structures (Press Release, December 4, 2012, Rotation Minerals Ltd). The Company sampled the Bend (104B 132), Oro Grande (formerly Road) (104B 133), Blueberry (104B 133), the “M” vein underground and 3 newly located veins.

Decade reports that during the 2013 field season, an extensive program of mapping, sampling, prospecting, trenching and diamond drilling was completed on the Bow property. In 2013, three main areas were explored; namely the Bend vein and possible east extension, the Oro Grande-Blueberry vein area and the area near the south end of the Bow claim. Work defined 3 new veins.

Highlights of the surface sampling program include:

- Discovery of a large silicified and pyritic area approximately 200 metres east of the Bend vein.

- Discovery of new veins some of which are up to 2 metres wide along 230 metres of strike that host arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite (Big M).

- Identification of a new strike direction of mineralization.

- Identification of a strong correlation between molybdenite and visible gold mineralization.

- The presence of visible gold in many of the grab samples collected during the program.

In 2014, Decade Resources drilled 15 holes to test high-grade gold mineralization hosted in the Blueberry vein, Big M structures and the Sixties zone. A drill intersection from DDH-14-Bow-1 graded 15.25 grams per tonne gold over 49.6 metres and one from DDH-14-Bow-2 graded 39.43 grams per tonne gold over 12.66 metres (www.decaderesources.ca). Decade reported results from different zones on the Bow property in the 2014 exploration program. Six holes tested the Sixties-Big M vein areas (Blueberry area), three holes tested a stockwork zone of narrow pyrite veining (the CV zone), two holes tested the Oro Grande zone (formerly Road), two holes tested a large gold-copper soil anomaly and two holes tested areas of intense rust staining. The CV zone is located one kilometre north of the recently discovered Big M and Sixties zone. Further work is planned to define the dimensions of the CV gold-bearing area.

In 2015, Decade conducted trenching and prospecting.

In 2016, Decade Resources Ltd. Drilled 10 holes to confirm and expand the area of the Bend vein mineralization. See Bend (104B 132) for details.

In 2016, Triangle Exploration Limited completed a 566-kilometre airborne magnetic and radiometric survey which extends west, north and south from the eastern shore of Summit Lake to the eastern boundary of Eilat Exploration's 2012 airborne survey. The 2016 survey is a continuation of the airborne survey flown for Eilat Exploration in 2012 (Assessment Report 33511). Data collected from the 2016 Summit Lake survey block were merged with data collected in 2012 (Assessment Report 36318). The combined data covers 10 mineral occurrences documented in MINFILE: Scottie Gold (104B 034), St. Eugene (104B 036), Scottie North (104B 074), Blueberry (104B 133), Hicks (104B 139), Summit 5 (104B 436), Summit Gossan (104B 648), Summit Nunatak (104B 649), Glacier Edge (104B 650). Scottie Gold and the outlying areas held by Rotation Minerals Ltd are covered by the combined 2012-2016 airborne survey.

During 2018 through 2020, Scottie Resources Corp. completed programs of rock and auger (tailings) sampling, airborne and ground geophysical surveys and diamond drilling on the Scottie Gold property.

Refer to Scottie Gold (104B 034) for further details of a common work history.

Bibliography
EMPR ASS RPT *13593, *27662, 33511, 36318, *36674, 38246, 39093, 39397
EMPR BULL 58; 63
EMPR MER 2004-13; 2005-11
EXPL 2004-31; 2005-33,34; 2014-105; EXPL 2015-134; 2016-167
EMPR FIELDWORK 1982, pp. 182-195; 1983, pp. 149-164; 1984, pp. 316-341; 1985, pp. 217,218; 1986, pp. *81-102
EMPR OF 1987-22
GSC MAP 9-1957; 1418A
GSC P 89-1E, pp. 145-154
Brown, D.A., (1987): Geological Setting of the Volcanic-Hosted Silbak Premier Mine, Northwestern British Columbia, M.Sc. Thesis, University of British Columbia (in Property File: 104B 054)
Equity Preservation Corp. Compilation: Stewart-Sulphurets-Iskut, Dec. 1988, (Showing No. B85)
*Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. (2021-06-07): Technical Report on the Scottie Gold Mine Property, British Columbia, Canada
Today's Market Line Feb.27, 1984
PR REL Tenajon Resources Corporation, Sept.9, Nov.22, 2004: Rotation Minerals Ltd, Oct.1, 2011; Dec.4, 2012; Decade Resources Ltd. Feb.18, Mar.18, Apr.1, 30, Jun.*23, Jul.*16,24, Sep.*3,*11,*15, Oct.16, *Dec 09, 2014; Mar.*12, Apr.*30, May*7, Jun.*30, 2015; Jun.23, Jul.14, Oct.*18, Nov. *17, 2016
N MINER Nov.22, 29, 2004
EMPR PFD 501707, 501708

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