Early Jurassic hornblende granodiorite of the Cone Mountain Plutonic Suite has intruded Permian limestone of the Stikine Assemblage resulting in skarn mineralization at the contact. Two long, narrow masses of limestone form rafts in trough-like depressions in the roof of the intrusion.
The limestone has been altered to marble, garnet and other calc-silicate minerals over widths from a few centimetres to three metres. Lenses of chalcopyrite, less than a metre in thickness and with limited length, occur in the skarn. Sphalerite, galena, hematite, magnetite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, malachite and azurite are also present. A sample of 35 centimetres of quartz and siderite on the footwall contained a trace of gold and 55 grams per tonne silver (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1930, page A118).
The Drapich showing was also relocated and sampled in 1989. Both adits completed in the 1930s were found, re-opened, and systematically sampled. The location of the Drapich showing is noted on Map 1 (Assessment Report 18134). Surface and underground plan maps of the showing along with rock geochemical results are illustrated on Figures 4 to 6. Essentially, this showing consists of shear-controlled sulphide mineralization along the contact between granodiorite and recrystallized Permian 1imestone. Lenses and pods of massive sulphides including pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and trace galena were 1ocated a1ong these shears. Secondary ma1achite and azurite were locally abundant, particularly in underground workings shears. Secondary ma1achite and azurite were locally abundant, particularly in underground workings. The best gold result was obtained from the upper Adit 2, from one of the massive sulphide lenses that yielded values of 1.12 grams per tonne gold, 45.8 grams per tonne silver, and 0.30 per cent copper (Assessment Report 18134).
WORK HISTORY (including other showings on the larger MJ property)
Within the 1988-1991 MJ claims, a skarn containing copper/lead/zinc/silver was staked by S. Barrington in 1930 and called the Drapich occurrence (MINFILE 104G 011). Development work during 1930 and 1931 consisted of stripping and 2 adits.
The Lucky Strike occurrence (MINFILE 104G 020) was staked in 1931. Some prospecting, stripping, and open cutting was done on the occurrence by the S. Barrington interests of Wrangell, Alaska, in 1931 and 1932.
Kerr (1948) reported quartz-calcite veins with chalcopyrite on Conover Mountain (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 246).
In 1980 and 1981, Du Pont of Canada Exploration Limited collected a total of 34 stream sediment 176 soil, 36 rock and 21 stream sediment samples were obtained from across the Mist 1 and 2 claims (Assessment Report 9218, 10476).
In 1988, International Phoenix Energy Corp and Prolific Resources Ltd prospected the MJ 1 to 15. The claims cover the Mist (104G 065), Conover Mountain (104G 064), Drapich (104G 011) and Lucky Strike (104G 020). The Drapich and Lucky Strike were relocated and sampled. Both Drapich adits completed in the 1930s were found, re-opened, and systematically sampled. These adits were geologically mapped and chip samples were taken at one-metre intervals from the side walls. Reconnaissance prospecting and geochemical sampling were completed over most upland areas of the claims where rock exposures are relatively abundant. Toward the west, on the MJ 15 claim, the 15 claim, the "JR" showing was discovered.
During September 1991, 28 man-days were spent exploring the MJ claims by Skeena Resources Ltd (formerly Prolific Resources) (Assessment Report 21883). The exploration program consisted of soil and rock geochemical sampling and reconnaissance geological mapping on the MJ 1, 3, 13, 14, 15, and 16 mineral claims. Skeena Resources documentation (Map 1) shows work done in the area of all these previously documented showings.
