Rocks in the area belong to the Jurassic Hazelton Group and have been folded on a regional northwest-southeast axis, cut by faults and selective tectonism, locally hydrothermalized and intruded by plugs of both Cenozoic and Mesozoic Age.
Locally, Lower Jurassic Hazelton Group volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Unuk River Formation are unconformably overlain by the Middle Jurassic marine and non-marine volcanics and sediments of the Betty Creek Formation, the volcano-sedimentary Upper Jurassic Salmon River Formation, and the post-accretion fine clastic basinal Nass Formation.
The Unuk River Formation forms a north-northwest trending belt and consists of red, green, and purple volcanic breccia, conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and minor tuff with limestone. Also included are pillow lavas and volcanic flows. These rocks are overlain by both the Betty Creek and Salmon River Formations, respectively.
The Betty Creek Formation consists of pillow lavas, breccias, and andesitic and basaltic flows. The overlying Salmon River Formation consists of banded siltstone, sandstone, calcarenite, limestone, volcanic sediments and flows.
Intrusives are dominated by granodiorite of the Coast Plutonic Complex to the west. Some of the small intrusive plugs on the claims range from quartz monzonite to granite. Small Tertiary feldspar por- phyry dykes, sills, and small plugs intrude the rocks and host related quartz-sulphide and epithermal metalliferous deposits.
Two quartz veins sampled in the southeastern corner of the Theta claim host mineralization over widths from 0.3 to 0.6 metre. The lower quartz vein is in altered andesites, hosts galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and pyrite. In 1986, four samples taken from the vein over 1 to 2 metres ranged between 0.2 to 0.38 gram per tonne gold, 13.4 to 441.8 grams per tonne silver, 0.12 to 7.42 per cent lead, 0.11 to 4.85 per cent zinc, and 0.01 to 2.14 per cent copper. To the north, another quartz vein hosts lensoidal mineralization. A 3 to 4 metre grab sample assayed 0.82 gram per tonne gold, 1520.0 grams per tonne silver, 19.6 per cent lead, 7.75 per cent zinc, and 0.64 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16156).
Mineralization also occurs in the northeast corner of the Eta claim, and consists of a brecciated quartz-calcite vein which marks a contact between fine-grained andesite tuff to the north and pyritic agglomerate to the south. The vein hosts galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, azurite, and malachite. Values obtained from a blasting and trenching program indicate a higher gold/silver ratio than other parts of the property. The average of nine trench samples contained 1.84 grams per tonne gold, 41.41 grams per tonne silver, 0.05 per cent lead, 0.27 per cent zinc, and 0.08 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16156).
One of several rock samples taken in the vicinity by Max Minerals in 2009 assayed greater than 1500 grams per tonne silver and 0.5 to 1 gram per tonne gold (Figure 15 and 16, Assessment Report 31162).
Work History
In 1986, assessment work on the Eta, Theta and Iota claims was conducted by Teuton Resource Corp and Territorial Petroleum Ventures Ltd. A total of 44 rock, 9 trench and 6 heavy mineral samples were collected.
In 1990, a 49 kilometre Airborne Magnetic and Electromagnetic survey was conducted over the Ven and Samba claims on behalf of Amphora Resources. The claims contained the Theta showing that had been found in 1986.
In 2007, Hathor Exploration had an airborne electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric survey conducted on several claim blocks in the 104B mapsheet area including the Delta, Gracey, BJ, Knip, Pearly, Hawlison, Macgold, Flory, Quillan, Sun and King Creek. The survey totalled 5611 kilometres of flight lines (Assessment Report 30282). The Delta claims covered the Delta, Gamma (Fairweather) (104B 169) and Theta showings (104B 169).
In 2009, (owner) Halthor Exploration and (operator) Max Minerals Ltd conducted wide ranging exploration program on their Pac (104B 310) , Delta, Griz and New claim blocks (Assessment Report 31162). Work was done on the Max deposit, Rock and Roll prospect, Fairweather (104B 168), Delta Northeast (104B 289), Gracey Creek area (104B 117), Collagh (104B 352) and the Divelbliss Creek area. In total, 287 rocks, 28 silt and 997 soil samples were collected. In 2009, two showing areas were investigated on the Delta claim group; the Fairweather (MINFILE 104B 168) and Delta Northeast zones (MINFILE 104B 289).
See Fairweather (104B 168) for details of a common property work history.