The Winter Creek area is underlain by a sequence of steeply dipping undifferentiated intermediate volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic Stuhini Group. These rocks are intruded to the north by a Triassic to Jurassic plutons consisting granodiorite, diorites, and leucogranite. The property contains primarily augite andesite porphyry and feldspar andesite porphyry of varying composition and texture, as well as minor rhyolite-dacite tuffs, massive pyritiferous andesite, syenite and monzonite.
Mineralization is related to a late-stage fracture-shear system that is parallel or sub-parallel to the regional trend of the volcanic units. Sulphide minerals observed are pyrite, chalcopoyrite and pyrrhotite. Chalcopyrite occurs as fracture fillings in the volcanics and pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite occurs in minor lenses, up to 10 metres long. Brecciated calcareous gangue has been observed with these lenses. Blebby chalcopyrite is noted in minor quantities along heavily serpentinized shear surfaces in massive andesites. Mineralization is local and inconsistent throughout. Malachite staining is also observed.
Analysis of pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite lenses taken in 1929 indicated a high value of 10.97 grams per tonne gold, 72.0 grams per tonne silver and 9.7 per cent copper. Samples from 1976 trenching contained highs of only 3.77 grams per tonne gold, 18.86 grams per tonne silver and 3.9 per cent copper. Generally samples contained values of less than 0.24 gram per tonne gold.
By 2010, Strategic Metals had defined five showing or zones (WC 1, WC 2, WC 3, Hungry Bear and Baby Bear showings) within the Winter Creek prospect. These occur over and area of 1000 by 750 metres on the south-facing slope of Winter Creek valley. Mineralization occurs within Stuhini Group rock and is predominantly structurally controlled but some replacement-style mineralization is also present. Typical sulphide assemblage is pyrite-chalcopyrite plus/minus pyrrhotite with secondary malachite and limonite.
WC 1 is the easternmost showing and is located at approximately 1550 metres elevation. It consists of lenticular replacement-style mineralization with lenses of massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite intermixed with quartz-carbonate veins.
WC 2 is located 600 metres west of WC 1. Mineralization comprises disseminated and blebby chalcopyrite with weak to moderate malachite, which occur along faults, shear zones and prominent fractures. Serpentinized shear surfaces host most of the observed mineralization.
WC 3 is the westernmost showing and is located 500 metres southwest of WC 2. Geology comprises a pyritiferous rhyolite-dacite tuff horizon cut by two, 2 to 5 metre wide lamprophyre dikes. The rhyolite-dacite tuff horizon is offset by faults, which are marked by gouge and brecciation. Mineralization is dominantly pyrite, which occurs as finely disseminated grains comprising about 2.5 per cent of the rock and in numerous 0.2 to 1 centimetre wide fractures
Hungry Bear is situated approximately midway between WC 1 and WC 2 showings, but further uphill. It lies outside of the main pyritiferous gossans and is largely covered by soil and talus. The Hungry Bear showing consists of a limonite plus/minus pyrite plus/minus pyrrhotite plus/minus chalcopyrite plus/minus malachite bearing, locally decomposed calcite vein that was discovered in 2009 beneath rusty soil. It has been intermittently exposed over a 68 metres length in hand trenches and ranges from 0.45 to 1.9 metre in width. To the east it projects under talus cover and to the west it branches out into several narrower, but better mineralized veins that were traced for an additional 19 m before they too were covered by talus. In 2010, another sub-parallel, decomposed limonite vein was discovered 30 metres northwest of the Hungry Bear vein. This new vein was traced along strike for 15 metres.
Baby Bear is situated about 90 metre downhill of Hungry Bear. It comprises an area of mineralized vein float and two 15 centimetre thick veins that are partially exposed below soil and talus cover. These veins are similar in mineralogy to the vein at the Hungry Bear showing.
In 2010, eight rock and chip samples were taken from talus and outcrop at the Goldilocks Showing, which lies at the base of the Winter Creek zone. Six chip samples of locally quartz-carbonate altered volcanics with disseminated and fracture-filling pyrite and pyrrhotite yielded an average of 0.118 gram per tonne gold over 1.05 metre with background values for copper and silver (Assessment Report 31838).
A two hole, diamond drill program was completed on the GK property in 2010 to test parts of Winter Creek zone. Neither drill hole intersected a broad zone of porphyry style mineralization but some short intervals were encountered. The best mineralization was cut in hole DDH 10-01 vertically beneath the Hungry Bear vein. DDH 10-01 hosts weak pyrite and magnetite with rare chalcopyrite and chalcocite in some fault and shear zones. Low grade gold and copper values were associated with three such zones throughout the hole. The Hungry Bear vein was intersected between 164.42 and 173.56 metres, which is approximately 75 metres vertically below surface. The vein and its wallrocks averaged 1.38 grams per tonne gold and 0.62 per cent copper over 9.14 metres, including 13.1 grams per tonne gold and 6.05 per cent copper over 0.74 metre (Assessment Report 31838).
WORK HISTORY (sourced mainly from Assessment Report 31838)
In 1930, Mining Corp explored in the area of to the later Glenora and King claims. The work program was not described; however, discontinuous massive pyrrhotite with restricted lenses of chalcopyrite was reportedly tested (Annual Report 1930, page 119).
In 1974, Ecstall Mining Ltd. staked the Kit 1 to 26 claims based on anomalous results from a line of nine soil samples that it had collected near the Winter Creek zone (Assessment Report 05509). The subsequent work program consisted of geological mapping and geochemical sampling. An additional 80 soil samples were collected from two more contour lines spaced about 350 metres apart.
In 1976, Texas Gulf of Canada Ltd. performed 37 metres of blast trenching near some of the anomalous 1974 soil sample sites (Assessment Report 6010). Chip samples taken from the trenches yielded mixed results.
In 1983, Atlantic Mineral Explorations Ltd. restaked the property and continued exploration. It focused on mapping and chip sampling in an area west of the Texas Gulf trenches, where gossanous tuff is reportedly cut by two lamprophyre dikes. Chip sampling yielded low to moderate results; however, three silt samples collected up-drainage from the gossan returned highly anomalous values that were not explained (Assessment Report 11316).
In 1988, Teck Corporation staked the original claims of the Grass Mountain Property to cover anomalous copper and gold results from the GSC stream sediment survey (Assessment Report 19312.).
In 1989, exploration programs were conducted on four different properties within the GK tenure block of the 2000s (of Strategic Minerals). These programs are summarized in the following four paragraphs.
Homestake Mineral Development Company and Equity Silver Mines Ltd. carried out one day of rock, stream sediment and soil sampling on the Gran property (Assessment Report 19071). Later that same year, additional rock and soil sampling was completed (Assessment Report 20147). Several areas of anomalous, fault-related gold and copper mineralization within hornfelsed mafic volcanic rocks were discovered. Highlight results from this program include 1.7 and 3.0 gram per tonne gold and 0.96 and 2.90 per cent copper from two grab samples.
Gulf International Minerals Ltd. staked the TMH property on the basis of anomalous GSC stream sediment samples (Assessment Report 19308). Gulf International carried out a program of rock and stream sediment sampling, during which it identified a prominent pyritiferous gossan associated with breccia and fracture zones within volcanic host rocks. Although samples taken from this gossan returned low gold and silver values, a Geological Survey of Canada stream sediment sample collected downstream of it yielded 92 parts per billion gold.
Teck Corporation completed reconnaissance surface evaluation of its Grass Mountain property. This work consisted of prospecting and rock and stream sediment sampling (Assessment Report 19312). Rock sampling outlined two main areas of largely structurally-controlled copper-gold-silver mineralization.
Kestrel Resources Ltd. staked the Tin property and completed rock and pan concentrate sampling (Assessment Report 19911). An up to 10 metre wide, northwest trending gossan was traced for several hundred metres in andesitic volcanic rocks. Samples taken in several locations from the gossan contained disseminated and fracture-filling pyrite with minor chalcopyrite.
In 1990, exploration programs were conducted on two different properties. These programs are summarized in the following two paragraphs.
Teck Corporation staked additional claims and completed more systematic exploration of the Grass Mountain property, which included geochemical stream sediment and soil surveying, magnetometer surveying, limited self-potential surveying and trenching (Assessment Report 20550). The soil survey identified two areas of anomalous copper and gold geochemistry (defined as greater than 100 parts per billion gold and 1000 parts per million copper). Five hand trenches were dug to test a mineralized showing that was discovered during soil sampling. Four of these trenches averaged 7.44 grams per tonne gold and 3.24 per cent copper over an average width of 2.9 metres along a 20 metre strike length. The self-potential survey was performed after the trenching was completed, and it delineated several other targets nearby, which were not trenched.
Yukon Minerals Corporation carried out prospecting and contour soil sampling on the Gran claims (Assessment Report 21478). Disseminated to massive lenses of pyrite were observed in faults and at volcanic-intrusive contacts; however, rock sample values were low to background for gold and silver, with weakly to moderately anomalous copper values.
In 1991, Teck Corporation conducted follow-up geological mapping, rock and soil sampling, magnetometer surveying and hand trenching on the Grass Mountain property (Assessment Report 22028). Teck Corporation focussed primarily on a broad, northeast trending zone of enhanced gold and copper mineralization associated with rhyodacite dikes, quartz-carbonate veins and faults. This zone corresponds to a broad copper-gold plus or minus silver soil geochemical anomaly.
In 2005, Strategic Metals staked the GK 1 to 4 mineral tenures. Work that year was limited to one day of prospecting and stream sediment sampling. Three drainages were sampled and returned promising geochemical results.
In August 2008, Geotech Ltd. conducted helicopter-borne magnetic and variable time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) surveys across the GK property on behalf of Strategic Metals (Assessment Report 30802).
In spring 2009, results of the VTEM and magnetic surveys were reprocessed and interpreted by Condor Consulting, Inc. Strategic Metals staked two additional mineral tenures (GK 5 and 6).
In August 2009, Strategic Metals carried out a program of geological mapping, prospecting and geochemical sampling in areas that overlap with the historical Grass Mountain, Gran, Tin and King properties. This work confirmed the extent and grade of the Winter Creek Zone and several historical soil anomalies. A well-mineralized vein (Hungry Bear Showing) was discovered within the Winter Creek Zone. This vein was chip sampled intermittently along a strike length of 68 metres and returned 6.22 grams per tonne gold, 1.67 per cent copper and 4.4 grams per tonne silver over an average width of 1.0 metre, including one sample that yielded 12.9 grams per tonne gold, 4.76 per cent copper and 12.6 grams per tonne silver over 1.9 metres. A silver-rich soil anomaly was also identified in 2009 (Assessment Report 31561). Two samples collected near the top of this anomaly returned 43.5 and 59.9 parts per million.
In fall 2009 and spring 2010, Strategic Metals expanded the property to twenty-two mineral tenures after completing a compilation of encouraging historical data from ground adjacent to the original six GK mineral tenures. Strategic collected 94 rock samples and 1242 soil samples. A two hole, diamond drill program totalling 927.8 metres was completed on the GK property in 2010 to test parts of Winter Creek zone (104B 003), where soil and rock geochemical sampling done in 2009 and earlier had returned encouraging results (Assessment Report 31838).
In 2013, Strategic Metals completed a program of geological mapping, prospecting and geochemical (rock, soil and silt) sampling on the area. In 2018, a further program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling was completed.
