The Dove showing is located on the Dove 4 claim, approximately 165 metres above the Yellowhead Highway (now covered by B.C. Hydro pole 67-1) and 24 kilometres southeast of Valemount.
Regionally, the area is underlain by Upper Proterozoic rocks of the Malton Gneiss Complex. These comprise quartz mica schist, amphibolite, hornblende and/or biotite quartz-feldspathic gneiss, quartzite, granitic orthogneiss and feldspar augen gneiss. The rocks on the property are predominantly quartz mica schist, amphibolite and hornblende gneiss. All rock types contain numerous massive white quartz veins and stringers. There have been several folding episodes, resulting in a fold with a west-northwest axis. The North Thompson Valley fault runs from Valemount to Blue River. The strata generally dip south-southwest but is variable.
The Dove occurrence consists of two vertically adjacent mineralized zones, containing gold and copper, and two mineralized stratiform units. The subsurface stratiform units are indicated by diamond drilling. Mineralization consists of native gold, malachite, bornite and some hematite and chalcopyrite. Mineralization occurs along fractures and foliation surfaces and in quartz veins associated with biotite schist and hornblende gneiss.
The lower zone comprises a 70-metre exposure, approximately 3 metres wide, consisting mainly of quartz veins, hornblende-quartz gneiss, quartz-biotite-muscovite gneiss and biotite schist.
The upper zone comprises a 20-metre exposure, approximately 4 to 5 metres wide, consisting mainly of quartz veins, hornblende-biotite-quartz gneiss, mica schist and quartz-mica gneiss.
In general, drilling indicated low grades even in some sections that contain visible native gold. The most encouraging values occurred along trend of slickenside lineations, which suggests that the deposit is, to some extent, structurally controlled. Mineralization, proven by drilling, occurs over an area of approximately 200 square metres.
Mineralization occurred relatively late and was associated with zones of deformation that apparently were confined mainly to less competent mafic rich units. Quartz veins, some mica schists and epidote rich layers in hornblende gneiss exhibit the highest degree of gold mineralization.
In 1986, a sample of malachite-stained, banded, silicified, epidote-bearing hornblendite is reported to have yielded 8.30 grams per tonne gold, 28.3 grams per tonne silver and greater than 0.5 per cent copper (Assessment Report 15916).
In 1987, assay values from samples from the lower zone ranged from 0.10 to 8.64 grams per tonne gold 0.2 to 51.9 grams per tonne silver and less than 0.01 to 1.82 per cent copper, whereas values from samples taken from the upper zone ranged from 0.18 to 7.45 grams per tonne gold, 0.1 to 60.5 grams per tonne silver and 0.01 to 1.77 per cent copper (Assessment Report 17427).
Work History
In the early 1970s, a stream sediment sampling program was done in the area by Hudson's Bay Minerals, who were exploring for copper. The area received some interest in 1977 during exploration of the nearby Lempierre (MINFILE 083D 005) uranium deposit. In 1978, the Ingrid 1-4 claims (formerly WM 1-4 claims) were staked by V. Trarup to cover malachite mineralization discovered while putting in the hydro line and four short diamond drill holes, totalling 20.0 metres, were completed. In 1983, a single diamond drill hole, totalling 7.5 metres, was completed.
Redbird optioned the Ingrid claims and staked the Dove 1-6 claims in about 1985 andconducted a geochemical survey in 1986. The following year, a program of geological mapping, geochemical (soil and rock) sampling, 14 diamond drill holes, totalling 283.0 metres, and a 6.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey was completed. This work outlined two mineralized zones (upper and lower). Also at this time, programs of geochemical (rock, soil and silt) sampling were completed on the Expo 1-2 claims immediately to the south-southeast and the Cariboo 1-2 claims to the north-northwest. In 1988, Pundata Gold Corp. conducted further programs of geochemical (rock, soil and silt) sampling on the Expo 1-2 and Cariboo 1-2 claims.
In 2008, the area was prospected as the Champion property by Richard T. Walker.
