Mineral Exploration is the official publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration British Columbia.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1319479
W inte r 2020 15 Precious metal projects Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd. is exploring its American Creek project, where fieldwork included a property-wide lidar survey, an IP geophysical survey and 4,000 m of drilling. Drilling tested the geological model and the extent of known mineralized prospects near historic mining operations. Using results from a recent ZTEM geophysical survey and geological mapping and geochemical sampling, a 2,800 m reverse circulation drilling program was initiated by Libero Copper & Gold Corporation to test the Ridge and ME-18 targets at the Big Red project. Surface sampling at the Ridge prospect returned a highlight assay of 104.0 g/t Au. San Marco Resources Inc. carried out geological mapping, geochemical sampling and ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys at its Buck project. These data, used in conjunction with historic geological, geochemical and geophysical data, were used to define drill targets. Initial drilling, which included 1,806 m of core, yielded highlights of 91 m grading 0.75 g/t Au within 156 m of 0.59 g/t Au. By the end of this year, the company anticipates drilling an additional 5,000 m to test the extent of structurally controlled Au-Ag epithermal-veins. The Casper Au-bearing quartz vein, discovered late in 2019 by Garibaldi Resources Corp., is 13 km north of the company's Nickel Mountain project. Highlights from this past season include a channel sample assaying 93.3 g/t Au and a trench sample returning 5.69 g/t Au across 52 m. A 5,000 m drill program is underway on the Cassiar Gold project, where Cassiar Gold Corp. is focusing drilling on infill, extension and exploration targets near the Taurus resource area. Mapping and sampling are also being done to further guide target generation. At the Dome Mountain project, Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. is completing 3,000 m of drilling to upgrade Inferred resources into the Indicated category. Property- wide radiometric, electromagnetic, and magnetic airborne geophysical surveys were also completed. A $7.5-million private placement was recently completed and will be used to further exploration. Mineralized surface rock samples returning 10 - 43.4 g/t Au, 29.2 - 46.0 g/t Ag, and 1.3 - 4.6 per cent Cu are guiding a drill program at Aben Resources Ltd.'s Forrest Kerr project testing Boundary Valley targets. A drill hole in 2019 intersected a mineralized horizon more than 19 m directly below the surface samples. At the Georgia project, AUX Resources Corporation is completing 3,500 m of drilling near the past-producing Georgia River mine. Drilling is being used to extend and assess known mineralization at the mine and to test newly developed targets outside of the known mineralization. Enduro Metals Corporation continues to focus exploration at its Newmont Lake project, where geophysics, hyperspectral, geochemical rock and soil sampling, and alteration mapping are underway. In addition, 6,000 m of diamond drilling will be completed on targets along the McLymont fault. Ascot Resources Ltd. continues to explore its Premier project, focusing on the Premier West, Silver Hill, Lost Valley and Woodbine zones, with prospecting, geophysics and diamond drilling. The company anticipates drilling 15,000 m of core; early drill highlights include 40.78 g/t Au across 6.0 m at the Premier West zone. An updated Feasibility Study was also prepared for the Premier and Red Mountain projects earlier this year. Scottie Resources Corp. continues to explore the Scottie Gold project, which includes the past-producing Scottie Gold mine, with 7,000 m of drilling to test zones such as the Bend, Bow and Blueberry. Several zones at the Scottie Gold mine are also being targeted to delineate the lateral and vertical mineralized extents. The recently discovered Domino zone, where a grab sample previously taken from a gossanous east-trending shear zone assayed 536 g/t Au, is also being drilled. An underground-constrained mineral resource estimate was announced in July for Skeena Resources Limited's Snip project. Indicated resources of 244,000 oz of Au are in 539,000 t at 14.0 g/t Au, and Inferred resources of 402,000 oz of Au are in 942,000 t grading 13.3 g/t Au. Expansion drilling at the 200 Footwall Corridor and other near-mine targets will be the near-term drilling focus. Cu-Mo, Cu-Au-Ag, Mo (porphyry) projects Doubleview Capital Corp. continues to explore its wholly owned Hat project in the northern reaches of the Golden Triangle. An initial 4,000 m drill program will focus on the Lisle zone and follow up a diamond drill hole from 2019 that returned 235 m grading 1.04 g/t AuEq. This zone was first targeted from a deep-penetrating 3D induced polarization survey completed in 2018. Imperial Metals Corporation is re- exploring the limits of mineralization at the past-producing Huckleberry mine and testing below the East zone pit at depth. Historic drilling previously ended in Cu-mineralization; approximately 2,400 m of initial drilling will be used to test the mineralized extents of the system. Seabridge Gold Inc. slated 8,000 m of drilling to test below the Quartz Rise lithocap at its wholly owned Iskut project. Geophysics, surface mapping and sampling, and preliminary drilling guided the program, which was mainly designed to evaluate an 800 m-deep IP geophysical anomaly approximately 750 m long. Also, geotechnical drilling commenced at the KSM project in July, where 4,000 m will be drilled in 10 holes to obtain geotechnical information along the proposed route of the Mitchell Treaty tunnels. These tunnels will serve to transfer ore from the mine to the mill and transport consumables to the mine site. Metallis Resources Inc. conducted field mapping, drill-core relogging and short-wave infrared analysis on its Kirkham project. Preliminary data will help guide planned 5,000 m of drilling focused on the southern section of the Hawilson monzonite porphyry. Two drill programs were underway in October at the Red Chris mine, a joint venture between Newcrest Mining Limited and Imperial Metals Corporation, with resource definition on East Zone and brownfields exploration along the Red Chris porphyry corridor. Discrete pods of Au-Cu mineralization were intersected in the definition drilling, including highlights of 232 m grading 2.6 g/t Au and 1.5 per cent Cu that included a 122 m interval grading 4.5 g/t Au and 2.3 per cent Cu. Evergold Corp. completed 2,800 m of drilling at the Snoball project, focusing NORTHWEST REGION