General Information
Secondary Commodities: uranium, copper
Deposit Type(s): Iron Oxide Breccias & Veins (Wernecke Breccias)
Location(s): 64.822780 N, -133.874720 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 106C13
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
Work History
Discovered by Cyprus Exploration Corporation Ltd in 1968 and first staked as QMY cl (Y97812) in Jul/75 by Corval Resources Ltd. Adjacent Olympic 1-98 cl (YB28634) were staked between July and November, 1992 by a joint venture consisting of Pamicon Developments Ltd, Equity Engineering Ltd and Westmin Resources Ltd, which performed mapping, prospecting and geochemical sampling and a reconnaissance mag-VLF survey in 1992. In Jan/94 the joint venture partners transferred 100 % interest in the claims to Westmin Resources Ltd. Between Jun. and Jul/94 Pamicon drilled four holes (785 m) on Olympic claims 42,45 and 60 to test a geophysical anomaly, a soil geochemical anomaly and the mineralization potential of a lense of Wernecke Breccia. The company assayed for Au, Cu, Co and Ag and measured for magnetic susceptibility and ionizing radiation (counts/sec using a scintillometer). None of the holes returned economic values.
Restaked as the Joli 1-126 cl (YB22161) in Jun/93 by Archer, Cathro and Associates (1981) Ltd and optioned briefly to Kennecott Canada Inc. Kennecott tied on 158 Cord claims (YB22287) to the west in June and July, 1993 and explored both the Joli and Cord claims with mapping and 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 Wernecke Breccia. To the east, Wernecke Supergroup rocks are unconformably overlain by Middle Proterozoic Pinguicula Group rocks. 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.
Minor chalcopyrite and uranium minerals occur in narrow veinlets associated with two closely spaced faults in Gillespie Lake Group orange dolostone.
References
ELDORADO NUCLEAR LTD, Nov/79. Assessment Report #090517 by C.J. Riley.
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).
HUNT, J., 2005. The geology and genesis of iron oxide-copper-gold mineralisation associated with Wernecke Breccia, Yukon Canada, PhD thesis, James Cook University, Australia, 2 volumes, 120 p.
KENNECOTT CANADA INC., Mar/94. Assessment Report #093193 by R. Hulstein.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENT LTD., Oct/94. Assessment Report #093222 by D. Caulfield.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1994b. 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, Dec/92. Assessment Report #093116 by D.A. Caulfield.
Discovered by Cyprus Exploration Corporation Ltd in 1968 and first staked as QMY cl (Y97812) in Jul/75 by Corval Resources Ltd. Adjacent Olympic 1-98 cl (YB28634) were staked between July and November, 1992 by a joint venture consisting of Pamicon Developments Ltd, Equity Engineering Ltd and Westmin Resources Ltd, which performed mapping, prospecting and geochemical sampling and a reconnaissance mag-VLF survey in 1992. In Jan/94 the joint venture partners transferred 100 % interest in the claims to Westmin Resources Ltd. Between Jun. and Jul/94 Pamicon drilled four holes (785 m) on Olympic claims 42,45 and 60 to test a geophysical anomaly, a soil geochemical anomaly and the mineralization potential of a lense of Wernecke Breccia. The company assayed for Au, Cu, Co and Ag and measured for magnetic susceptibility and ionizing radiation (counts/sec using a scintillometer). None of the holes returned economic values.
Restaked as the Joli 1-126 cl (YB22161) in Jun/93 by Archer, Cathro and Associates (1981) Ltd and optioned briefly to Kennecott Canada Inc. Kennecott tied on 158 Cord claims (YB22287) to the west in June and July, 1993 and explored both the Joli and Cord claims with mapping and 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 Wernecke Breccia. To the east, Wernecke Supergroup rocks are unconformably overlain by Middle Proterozoic Pinguicula Group rocks. 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.
Minor chalcopyrite and uranium minerals occur in narrow veinlets associated with two closely spaced faults in Gillespie Lake Group orange dolostone.
References
ELDORADO NUCLEAR LTD, Nov/79. Assessment Report #090517 by C.J. Riley.
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).
HUNT, J., 2005. The geology and genesis of iron oxide-copper-gold mineralisation associated with Wernecke Breccia, Yukon Canada, PhD thesis, James Cook University, Australia, 2 volumes, 120 p.
KENNECOTT CANADA INC., Mar/94. Assessment Report #093193 by R. Hulstein.
PAMICON DEVELOPMENT LTD., Oct/94. Assessment Report #093222 by D. Caulfield.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1994b. 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, Dec/92. Assessment Report #093116 by D.A. Caulfield.
Location Map
Last Updated: Jun 26, 2018
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Drilling: Diamond | Four holes, 785 m. Work carried out on Olympic cl 42, 45 and 60. |
| 1993 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1993 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1992 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1992 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1992 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics | Also VLF survey. |
| 1992 | Other: Prospecting |
Regional Geology - Terrane
Group: Ancestral North America
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: North America - platformal strata
Realm: Laurentia
Regional Geology - Bedrock
Supergroup: Wernecke
Group/Suite: Gillespie Lake
Formation:
Member:
Terrane: Laurentia
Period Max: Statherian
Age Max: 1800 MA
Period Min: Statherian
Age Min: 1600 MA
Rock Major: mudstone/shale/siltstone/sandstone/conglo/dolostone
Rock Minor:
Reference: Thorkelson & Wallace (1998) - YGS GM 1998-10
Geological Unit (1M): lPG
Geological Unit (250K): lPG
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 | ||
| 093193 | 1993 | Assessment Report on the 1993 Geological and Geochemical Investigation of the Jolly Property | Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 091442 | 1983 | Geological and Geochemical Report Jolly 1-10 Claims | Interpretation - Airphotography, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Hand - Trenching | ||
| 090517 | 1978 | Report on Airborne Radiometric Survey and Prospecting Tow 1-6 Claims | Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics |
