General Information
Secondary Commodities: uranium, copper
Deposit Type(s): Iron Oxide Breccias & Veins (Wernecke Breccias)
Location(s): 64.956110 N, -133.756110 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 106C13
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
Work History
Staked as Tyana cl (Y6997) in Oct/67 by L. Brown and optioned to Hercules Exploration Corporation Ltd, a subsidiary of Cyprus Exploration Corporation Ltd, which conducted a program of mapping, soil sampling and mag and IP surveys in 1969, then did some bulldozer trenching on IP anomalies.
Restaked as Fair cl (Y87521) in Mar/74 by Magni Devolpment Ltd, which performed a VLF-EM survey and drilled 2 holes (138 m) later in the year and transferred the property to Menika Mining Ltd in 1975.
Restaked as Fair cl (YA30243) in May/78 by Energex Minerals Ltd, which explored with mapping, geochem and radiometric surveys in 1978, hand trenching in 1979, and orthophoto map preparation, geology and geophysics in 1981.
Restaked as Fair 1-78 cl (YB29152) in Oct/92 by a joint venture consisting of Pamicon Developments Ltd and Equity Engineering Ltd. The following summer, the companies explored with geological mapping, lithogeochemistry and soil sampling. In Sept/93 Newmont Exploration Ltd conducted an airborne geophysical survey over the area using proprietary company equipment. Pamicon and Equity added Fair cl 79-94 (YB42289) to the southeast end of the claim block in Oct/93.
In Jan/94 Pamicon and Equity transferred 100% interest in the Fair claims to Westmin Resources Ltd which then formed the Fairchild Joint Venture with Newmont. In the summer of 1994, the Fairchild Joint Venture contracted Pamicon and Equity to carry out preliminary geological mapping, prospecting, grid cutting and soil geochemical sampling. Equity carried out additional geological mapping, rock and soil sampling in the summer of 1995.
In Oct/92 Pamicon Development Ltd and Equity Engineering Ltd staked Whale cl 1-10 (YB29152) 1.5 km to the east. In early 1993, Pamicon and Equity optioned the claims to International Prism Exploration Ltd. In Jul/93 International Prism retained Pamicon and Equity to carry out a brief exploration program consisting of preliminary geological mapping, lithochemical sampling and soil geochemistry.
Capsule Geology
The region is underlain by a metamorphosed and altered sequence of Early Proterozoic Wernecke Supergroup clastic and carbonate rocks (Fairchild Lake Group, Quartet Group and Gillespie Lake Group, from oldest to youngest) that are intruded by Early to Middle Proterozoic mafic sills and dykes, and cut by Middle Proterozoic hematitic Wernecke Breccia. According to Thorkelson (2000), Wernecke Breccia development is best modeled as a set of hydrothermal and/or phreatic breccias; brecciation being caused by explosive expanson of volatile-rich fluids. Hunt (2005) attributed Wernecke Breccia formation to periodic over-pressuring of dominantly basinal fluids, which lead to repeated brecciation of host strata and mineral precipitation.
The original showing consists of a small outcrop of mafic igneous (interpreted as volcanic) rocks containing minor copper oxide and bornite. Representative samples over an outcrop length of 107 m averaged 0.17% Cu. Trenches dug by Hercules showed the IP chargeability anomalies were caused by shale. A magnetic anomaly trends northwest across the grid and is apparently caused by the disseminated magnetite in the mafic rock. No significant geochemical response was obtained.
Work carried out by Energex uncovered mineralization in an altered porphyritic mafic dyke cutting Early Proterozoic limy argillite of the Fairchild Lake Group. Surrounding rocks are strongly faulted, contain zones of breccia, and exhibit chloritic alteration and enrichment in magnetite and hematite. Minor brannerite was located in eight feldspathized and hematized areas within the limy argillite. The best assays were 0.061% U3O8 across 0.9 m and 0.072% from a selected specimen, and 0.38% Cu across 13 m of fractured hornfels.
Mapping carried out by Pamicon and Equity in 1993 revealed north-northwest, north and northeast trending lineaments transect the claims. Copper mineralization was found in three modes: (1) chalcopyrite in isolated veins and stringers and disseminations in the Fairchild Lake Group, (2) chalcopyrite with magnetite, albite and iron carbonate in alteration zones adjacent to sodic-rich hetrolithic breccia, and (3) fracture-controlled bornite and lesser chalcopyrite in mafic flows(?) and intrusive units.
References
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1978. Assessment Report *#090445 by C.K. Ikona and M. Stammers.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1980. Assessment Report *#090596 by C.K. Ikona and D.A. Yeager.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1981. Assessment Report *#090830 by C.K. Ikona and D.A. Yeager.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, Dec/81. Assessment Report #091026 by K.V. Campbell & C.K. Ikona.
EQUITY ENGINEERING LTD, Feb/95. Assessment Report #093264 by D.A. Caulfield.
GORDEY, S.P. AND MAKEPEACE, A.J., 2003. Yukon Digital Geology, version 2.0, S.P. Gordey and A.J. Makepeace (comp); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1749 and Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2003-9 (D).
HERCULES EXPLORATION CORP. LTD, Aug/68. Assessment Report #019049 by J.G. Baird.
MINERAL INDUSTRY REPORT 1978, p. 11-12.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Feb/94. Assessment Report #093180 by M.A. Stammers.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Jan/96. Assessment Report #093381 by M.A. Stammers.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1994. Geological Setting of mineral occurrences in Fairchild Lake map area, (106C/13), Wernecke Mountains, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology, 1993, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 79-92.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 2000. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Slats Creek, Fairchild Lake and ¿Dolores Creek¿ areas, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon (106D/16, 106C/13, 106C/14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 10, 73 p.
WESTMIN RESOURCES LTD, Jan/94. Assessment Report #093168 by M.A. Stammers.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80, p. 223.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1982, p. 175-176.
Staked as Tyana cl (Y6997) in Oct/67 by L. Brown and optioned to Hercules Exploration Corporation Ltd, a subsidiary of Cyprus Exploration Corporation Ltd, which conducted a program of mapping, soil sampling and mag and IP surveys in 1969, then did some bulldozer trenching on IP anomalies.
Restaked as Fair cl (Y87521) in Mar/74 by Magni Devolpment Ltd, which performed a VLF-EM survey and drilled 2 holes (138 m) later in the year and transferred the property to Menika Mining Ltd in 1975.
Restaked as Fair cl (YA30243) in May/78 by Energex Minerals Ltd, which explored with mapping, geochem and radiometric surveys in 1978, hand trenching in 1979, and orthophoto map preparation, geology and geophysics in 1981.
Restaked as Fair 1-78 cl (YB29152) in Oct/92 by a joint venture consisting of Pamicon Developments Ltd and Equity Engineering Ltd. The following summer, the companies explored with geological mapping, lithogeochemistry and soil sampling. In Sept/93 Newmont Exploration Ltd conducted an airborne geophysical survey over the area using proprietary company equipment. Pamicon and Equity added Fair cl 79-94 (YB42289) to the southeast end of the claim block in Oct/93.
In Jan/94 Pamicon and Equity transferred 100% interest in the Fair claims to Westmin Resources Ltd which then formed the Fairchild Joint Venture with Newmont. In the summer of 1994, the Fairchild Joint Venture contracted Pamicon and Equity to carry out preliminary geological mapping, prospecting, grid cutting and soil geochemical sampling. Equity carried out additional geological mapping, rock and soil sampling in the summer of 1995.
In Oct/92 Pamicon Development Ltd and Equity Engineering Ltd staked Whale cl 1-10 (YB29152) 1.5 km to the east. In early 1993, Pamicon and Equity optioned the claims to International Prism Exploration Ltd. In Jul/93 International Prism retained Pamicon and Equity to carry out a brief exploration program consisting of preliminary geological mapping, lithochemical sampling and soil geochemistry.
Capsule Geology
The region is underlain by a metamorphosed and altered sequence of Early Proterozoic Wernecke Supergroup clastic and carbonate rocks (Fairchild Lake Group, Quartet Group and Gillespie Lake Group, from oldest to youngest) that are intruded by Early to Middle Proterozoic mafic sills and dykes, and cut by Middle Proterozoic hematitic Wernecke Breccia. According to Thorkelson (2000), Wernecke Breccia development is best modeled as a set of hydrothermal and/or phreatic breccias; brecciation being caused by explosive expanson of volatile-rich fluids. Hunt (2005) attributed Wernecke Breccia formation to periodic over-pressuring of dominantly basinal fluids, which lead to repeated brecciation of host strata and mineral precipitation.
The original showing consists of a small outcrop of mafic igneous (interpreted as volcanic) rocks containing minor copper oxide and bornite. Representative samples over an outcrop length of 107 m averaged 0.17% Cu. Trenches dug by Hercules showed the IP chargeability anomalies were caused by shale. A magnetic anomaly trends northwest across the grid and is apparently caused by the disseminated magnetite in the mafic rock. No significant geochemical response was obtained.
Work carried out by Energex uncovered mineralization in an altered porphyritic mafic dyke cutting Early Proterozoic limy argillite of the Fairchild Lake Group. Surrounding rocks are strongly faulted, contain zones of breccia, and exhibit chloritic alteration and enrichment in magnetite and hematite. Minor brannerite was located in eight feldspathized and hematized areas within the limy argillite. The best assays were 0.061% U3O8 across 0.9 m and 0.072% from a selected specimen, and 0.38% Cu across 13 m of fractured hornfels.
Mapping carried out by Pamicon and Equity in 1993 revealed north-northwest, north and northeast trending lineaments transect the claims. Copper mineralization was found in three modes: (1) chalcopyrite in isolated veins and stringers and disseminations in the Fairchild Lake Group, (2) chalcopyrite with magnetite, albite and iron carbonate in alteration zones adjacent to sodic-rich hetrolithic breccia, and (3) fracture-controlled bornite and lesser chalcopyrite in mafic flows(?) and intrusive units.
References
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1978. Assessment Report *#090445 by C.K. Ikona and M. Stammers.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1980. Assessment Report *#090596 by C.K. Ikona and D.A. Yeager.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, 1981. Assessment Report *#090830 by C.K. Ikona and D.A. Yeager.
ENERGEX MINERALS LTD, Dec/81. Assessment Report #091026 by K.V. Campbell & C.K. Ikona.
EQUITY ENGINEERING LTD, Feb/95. Assessment Report #093264 by D.A. Caulfield.
GORDEY, S.P. AND MAKEPEACE, A.J., 2003. Yukon Digital Geology, version 2.0, S.P. Gordey and A.J. Makepeace (comp); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1749 and Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2003-9 (D).
HERCULES EXPLORATION CORP. LTD, Aug/68. Assessment Report #019049 by J.G. Baird.
MINERAL INDUSTRY REPORT 1978, p. 11-12.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Feb/94. Assessment Report #093180 by M.A. Stammers.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Jan/96. Assessment Report #093381 by M.A. Stammers.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1994. Geological Setting of mineral occurrences in Fairchild Lake map area, (106C/13), Wernecke Mountains, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology, 1993, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 79-92.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 2000. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Slats Creek, Fairchild Lake and ¿Dolores Creek¿ areas, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon (106D/16, 106C/13, 106C/14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 10, 73 p.
WESTMIN RESOURCES LTD, Jan/94. Assessment Report #093168 by M.A. Stammers.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80, p. 223.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1982, p. 175-176.
Location Map
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2018
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1995 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1995 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1994 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1994 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1994 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1994 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1993 | Airborne Geophysics: Magnetic | Also radiometric survey. |
| 1993 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1993 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1993 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1981 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1981 | Pre-existing Data: Data Compilation | Re-analyzed previous geophysics data. |
| 1981 | Studies: Photogrammatic | |
| 1979 | Trenching: Hand | |
| 1978 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1978 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1978 | Ground Geophysics: Radiometric Survey | |
| 1978 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1974 | Drilling: Diamond | Two holes, 138 m. |
| 1974 | Ground Geophysics: EM | Also VLF survey. |
| 1974 | Airborne Geophysics: Electromagnetic | Also magnetic survey. |
| 1969 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1969 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1969 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics | Also I.P. survey. |
| 1969 | Trenching: Mechanical | Trenched I.P. anomalies. |
Regional Geology - Terrane
Group: Ancestral North America
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: North America - platformal strata
Realm: Laurentia
Regional Geology - Bedrock
Supergroup: Wernecke
Group/Suite: Fairchild Lake
Formation:
Member:
Terrane: Laurentia
Period Max: Statherian
Age Max: 1800 MA
Period Min: Statherian
Age Min: 1600 MA
Rock Major: siltstone, sandstone
Rock Minor:
Reference: Thorkelson et al. (2002) - YGS GM 2002-2
Geological Unit (1M): lPFL
Geological Unit (250K): lPFL1
Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence
| Report Number | Year | Title | Worktypes | Holes Drilled | Meters Drilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 095646 | 2007 | 2007 Geological, Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Werneckes Project | Diamond - Drilling, Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Regional Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Magnetics - Ground Geophysics, Scintillometer - Ground Geophysics, Prospecting - Other, Backhoe - Trenching, Hand - Trenching, Handblast - Trenching | 28 | 6537.96 |
| 094956 | 2006 | 2006 Geological, Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Werneckes Project | Reverse Circulation - Airborne Geophysics, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Scintillometer - Ground Geophysics, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 093381 | 1995 | 1995 Geological and Geochemical Assessment Report on the Fair Claim Group | Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 093168 | 1993 | 1993 Summary Report on the Fair 1-78 Claims | Orthophoto - Airphotography, Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 091026 | 1981 | Report on Geological Mapping, Soil Sampling and Rock Sampling of the Fair Property | Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 090830 | 1981 | Compilation Report on the Fair Mineral Claims | Orthophoto - Airphotography, Process/Interpret - Pre-existing Data | ||
| 090445 | 1978 | Geological Report on the Fair Mineral Claims | Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Property Evaluation - Other | ||
| 019049 | 1968 | Report on Induced Polarization Survey, Fairchild Lake | IP - Ground Geophysics |
Related References
| Number | Title | Page(s) | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARMC010147 | Geochemical map - Fairchild Lake | Geochemical Map | |
| ARMC010157 | Geology map - Tyana claim group - Fairchild Lake | Geoscience Map (Geological - Bedrock) | |
| ARMC010158 | Soil sampling plan map - Tyana claim group - Fairchild Lake | Geochemical Map | |
| ARMC010159 | Magnetometer survey map - Tyana claim group - Fairchild Lake | Geophysical Map | |
| ARMC010166 | Fairchild Lake trenching plan map | Geoscience Map (General) | |
| ARMC013545 | Geology map - Tyana claim group - Fairchild Lake | Geoscience Map (Geological - Bedrock) | |
| ARMC011915 | Map of Copper, Cobalt, and Uranium showings in Helikian shales - Fairchild Lake area - Reef project - Figure 27 | Geoscience Map (General) | |
| ARMC013546 | Ground magnetometer survey - Tyana claims, Fairchild Lake - Map no. E133-1 | Geophysical Map | |
| ARMC013547 | Geochemical results map - Tyana claim group - Fairchild Lake | Geochemical Map |
| Citations |
|---|
Drill Core at YGS Core Library
| Number | Property | Year Drilled | Core Size | Photos | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDH-1 | Fairchild | 1974 | AQ | 0 | 1 |
| DDH-2 | Fairchild | 1974 | AQ | 0 | 1 |
