WORK HISTORY
*In Mar/2017 the occurrence was moved slightly north and east to the approximate mid-point of the 2011 diamond drill program.
Staked as Rod cl 1-100 (YA15176) in Jun/77 by McIntyre Mines Ltd, which carried out prospecting and reconnaissance scale geological mapping, silt and soil sampling later in the summer. In Jul/79, McIntyre entered into a joint venture with Canadian Superior Exploration Ltd, which conducted hand trenching, detailed geological mapping and grid soil sampling during the summer and drilled four diamond drill holes (325 m) in 1980. In 1982, the claims were transferred to SEREM Inc, which performed minor soil sampling and mapping in 1983 and hand trenching in 1984.
Restaked as JRS cl 1-25 (YC09924) in Aug/2001 by Manson Creek Resources Ltd which carried out a small scale reconnaissance mapping and sampling later in the season. In 2002 the company drilled 3 drill holes (384.5 m) to test the source of a large gossan.
Restaked as Rod cl 1-8 (YC98411) in Oct/2009 by Strategic Metals Ltd which added Rod cl 9-60 (YD33529) in Mar/2010. The company carried out prospecting, rock sampling, grid soil sampling and reconnaissance soil and silt sampling programs during the latter half of August.
Between September and Dec/2010 Strategic Metal staked Rod cl 61-735 (YD71951) and cl 770-890 (YD01690). The Rod claims are part of the company’s larger Midas Touch project.
In 2011 Strategic Metals carried out a 3 month exploration program (June 7 to September 1) on the property. Work carried out included property wide prospecting, geological mapping, and rock, soil and silt sampling. The company also collared 12 diamond drill holes (2 213.02 m) of which 10 holes (1 918.88 m) tested for mineralization in and around the Odysseus zone and two holes (294.14 m) tested individual soil anomalies located 3.4 and 5.2 km to the west.
In 2014 Strategic Metals dug five hand trenches, prospected and carried out further rock and soil sampling.
GEOLOGY
The area is located approximately 112 km northeast of the town of Mayo and 5 km northwest of Mount Mervyn in east-central Yukon. Access to the occurrence area is by float plane to McQuesten Lake located approximately 70 km to the west and then helicoptering to the property or utilizing aircraft to ATAC Resources Rau airstrip located 9.5 km to the west and then employing a helicopter.
The area was geologically mapped in the early 1970’s by S Blusson of the Geological Survey of Canada (1974 – 1:250 000 scale) as part of Operation Stewart. Blusson’s maps were used by most geologists and exploration companies until 2010 when the Yukon Geological Survey initiated the Rackla Belt project to better understand the geology of the area, following the discovery of Carlin-type gold mineralization on ATAC Resources’ Rackla Gold Project located to the north. J. Chakungal and V. Bennett of the Yukon Geological Survey (YGS) initially re-mapped topographic map sheet 106C 04 in 2010 but left the survey the following spring. M. Colpron continued the project by mapping topographic map sheet 106C 03 in 2011. In 2012 Colpron et al. mapped topographic map sheets 106C 02 and 01 and published a structural and stratigraphic compilation of topographic map sheets 106C 1-4 and 106D 01 in 2013. The 2013 compilation included an updated version of topographic map sheets 106C 04 and 106D 01.
The occurrence area lies on the northern edge of the Selwyn Basin. The area of main interest straddles the Dawson Thrust which separates mainly Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran) to Lower Cambrian Hyland Group siliciclastic and carbonates to the south from mainly younger Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian Earn Group clastic rocks to the north. Detailed mapping by Strategic Metals and Yukon Geological Survey geologists shows that the Dawson Thrust in this area is an imbricate zone comprising up to four thrust faults that shorten and imbricate Hyland Group, Earn Group and possible Cambrian to Triassic strata.
Prospecting carried out by McIntyre Mines prior to claim staking located several lead-zinc-silver mineralized showings on ridge tops straddling the Dawson Thrust. The best mineralization was found on the locally named Discovery Ridge. Follow-up prospecting, geological mapping and reconnaissance scale soil and silt sampling outlined numerous anomalies and mineralized showings across the claim group most of which were related to black shales containing anomalous background values for zinc, lead and silver.
Further exploration work carried out by McIntyre Mines/Canadian Superior Exploration in 1979 identified two principal types of mineralization: galena-sphalerite fracture filling in Hyland Group carbonates situated in the hang wall of the thrust and argentiferous galena cobbles in Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian Earn Group black shales located in the footwall of the thrust. A 4.56 m long trench dug along the slope of a ridge exposed broken dolomitized limestone (Hyland Group) containing massive coarse galena clusters and platy masses and minor sphalerite. A channel sample collected along the entire length of the trench (# 1) returned an assay of 236.6 g/t silver, 13.25 % zinc and 1.15 % zinc (Assessment Report #090611, pg. 8).
The companies also dug a 1.2 m deep trench approximately 436 m to the north, on the footwall side of the thrust to investigate hundreds of solid galena cobbles scattered across the slope of a ridge. The trench did not reach bedrock but did return tens of fist-size galena cobbles similar in composition to the boulders seen at surface. A typical cobble assayed 2 314 g/t silver, 66 % lead and 0.38 % zinc (Figure # 4, Assessment Report #00687).
Three of the 1980 drill holes tested the galena-sphalerite mineralization hosted in the Hyland Group rocks. The holes intersected a number of highly oxidized but poorly mineralized zones. The best intersection returned 0.03 % lead, 1.79 % zinc and 3.8 g/t silver over 1.8 m (hole CSR-2). The remaining hole (CRS-3) tested for mineralization beneath the mineralized cobble field. The hole was abandoned due to difficult drilling condition before it intersected the desired depth.
The 1984 trenching program investigated the area hosting the argentiferous galena cobbles on the footwall side of the thrust. Two trenches were blasted with dynamite and mucked out by hand. Trench #1 was channel sampled for approximately 26.5 m and Trench #2 for 18.2 m. Both trenches exposed narrow northwest trending quartz veins stained with yellow oxide (plumbojarosite?). One complex vein-fault exposed in Trench # 2 reached a width of 1.3 m, including a 20 cm wide central zone of massive, fine-grained galena. Many of the channel samples returned high values for lead and silver with the highest assays returning 80.7 % lead and 2 340 g/t silver.
Manson Creek Resources staked the JRS claims to explore for volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization similar to that present at the Marg deposit (Minfile Occurrence #106D 009) located approximately 25 km to the southwest. The drill holes targeted a broad oxidation zone located at the interface between Earn Group black shales and underlying quartz sericite schist, interpreted to be metamorphosed felsic volcanics or siliceous tuffs in the footwall of the thrust. The oxidation zone forms a prominent gossan and silt samples collected downstream of the zone returned values up to 8 730 ppm zinc, 450 ppm copper. The zone is exposed discontinuously over a strike length of about 150 m and has an apparent thickness of between 0.5 and 2 m. Grab samples of pyrite bearing quartz sericite schists overlying the oxidation zone have returned values up to 0.8 g/t gold and 0.39% copper.
Diamond drilling conducted in 2002 on the newly named JRS zone (UTM 550250 E, 7116665 N, approximate center of zone) intersected numerous intervals of pyrite dominated syngenetic volcanic massive sulphide that returned values up to 0.38 g/t gold in massive sulphides, 27.6 g/t silver, 0.42 % zinc and 0.28% copper. The massive sulphide intervals ranged between 2 and 50 centimeters in thickness.
The diamond drilling also intersected a quartz-barite vein with abundant pyrite and arsenopyrite in black shales which returned an assay value of 0.30 g/t gold over 0.45 meter. The mineralization is reported to match a surface showing discovered in 2001 in another area of the claim block (no co-ordinates given) in which a grab samples assayed up to 4.27 g/t gold and 10.6 g/t silver (Yukon Exploration and Geology 2002, pg. 19 also Annual Report 2003 pg. 3, archived on company web site). Further work on the property was proposed, to vector into thicker and richer intervals or feeder zones. However no further work was carried out.
Strategic Metals staked the Rod claims to explore for Carlin-type gold mineralization and re-evaluate the lead-zinc silver mineralization of the Earn Group black shales. The company began their project by exploring the Discovery Ridge and surrounding areas where mineralization had previously been discovered. The company named/renamed many of the historic showings in order to simplify identification. During the following years the company expanded outwards until the most of the claim block had been prospected and soil and silt sampled. However the eastern third of the claim block has seen only cursory exploration.
The Odysseus zone (occurrence location) marks a roughly 850 by 350 m arc that straddles the northern part of Discovery Ridge. It covers mainly Earn Group black shales located in the footwall of the Dawson Thrust. Mineralization appears to be structurally and stratigraphically controlled and consists of northeast trending quartz veins containing galena hosted within black shales. Some black shales which appear barren sometimes contain secondary oxide on fractures.
The host unit is a dusty grey weathering black shale which locally exhibits a pale green hue on weathered surfaces. The unit weathers recessively and outcrops are rare, but are abundantly represented as near-source fine talus within vegetative kill zones up to several tens of metres in diameter. Quartz vein and massive galena float up to cobble size is scattered throughout the zone, in some places occurring with strong malachite staining. The single 1980 drill hole (CRS-3) targeted an area of massive galena float within this zone and the two 1984 trenches exposed northwest trending quartz veins and veinlets containing fine grained galena and yellow oxide, possibly plumbojarosite along rock surfaces.
A selective grab sample collected in 2010 from a seam of galena in outcrop returned 1 855 g/t silver, 43.03 % lead and 1 820 ppm molybdenum while a composite sample composed of moderately abundant fragments of green stained quartz vein and quartz breccia collected from a kill zone assayed 1 760 g/t silver and 6.12 % lead. A grab sample collected in 2011 of massive galena collected from an historic trench located about 100 m east of a kill zone assayed 2 370 g/t silver and 76.85 % lead. Rock samples collected from the Odysseus zone generally returned low levels for zinc.
Ten diamond drill holes were completed in 2011 at the Odysseus zone. The holes were collared on five parallel north-south lines spaced 100 m apart and targeted the down dip and strike extension of mineralization exposed on surface in and around a kill zone. The holes reached a maximum depth of 360 m below surface. All holes intersected black shales containing syngenetic pyrite and varying degrees of graphitic alteration. Mineralization was confined to narrow quartz veins and consisted of pyrite, galena and sphalerite. The best results were obtained from ROD-11-12 which returned a 10.67 m intersection that assayed 3.36 g/t silver, 0.002 % lead and 0.098 % zinc from a depth of 30.48 m to 41.15 m. The hole also returned a 4.58 m intersection which assayed 18.95 g/t silver, 1.150 % lead and 0.844 % zinc from a depth of 131.06 to 135.64 m.
The Calypso vein (UTM 551270 E, 7116515 N, approximate location of 3 of the 1979 drill holes) is situated on Discovery Ridge in the hanging wall of the Dawson Thrust. It consists of a 2 to 4 m thick northeast trending siderite vein exposed in two trenches spaced 250 m apart. The trace of the vein between trenches is marked by abundant, mineralized sub-crop and talus. The vein contains blebby galena and sphalerite, with smaller isolated occurrences of oxidized zinc and weathered galena. The vein is coincident with a northeast trending fault structure lying within Hyland Group limestone and shale. Three 1980 diamond drill holes (CRS-1-2, 4) tested the depth extension of this structure. All three holes encountered numerous highly oxidized but poorly mineralized zones.
Chip sampling by Strategic Metals in 2010 from a historic trench dug on the vein returned 256 g/t silver, 10.7 % lead and 4.4 % zinc over 2.01 m. Trenching in 2014 extended the vein’s strike length by 190 m to 440 m. Samples collected during trenching returned values up to 1 855 g/t silver, 60.74 % lead, 18.95 % zinc, 10 700 ppm copper, 8 000 ppm arsenic and > 10 000 antimony. The vein cross cuts stratigraphy suggesting that it post-dates movement along the Dawson Thrust.
The Mentor showing (UTM 550970 E, 7116665 N) is an 8 m by 6 m area of gossanous shale exposed in two small trenches dug on the southern end of Discovery Ridge. Numerous cobble sized fragments of highly oxidized zinc and galena-rich vein material was recovered from one of the trenches. A grab sample of high grade vein material collected in 2010 assayed 722 g/t silver, 29.5 % lead and 7.95 % zinc. A grab sample of limonite and weathered galena-bearing material collected from a hand pit in 2014 returned 834 g/t silver, 38.97 % lead and 7.53 % zinc. The high zinc values and proximity to the Dawson Thrust distinguishes this showing from the Odysseus zone.
The JRS zone was first identified by Manson Creek Resources which tested it with 3 diamond drill holes in 2002. Most of the rock samples collected by Strategic Metals did not return anomalous values. One acorn sized rock sample collected in 2010 and described as black shale with crackle breccia texture containing malachite in its matrix assayed 301 g/t silver, and 6.14 % lead. The sample was collected from a steep shale talus slope located near historical drill hole JRS-1.
In 2011 Strategic Metals located the Hermes zone (UTM 553785 E, 7117605 N) approximately 2 160 m northeast of the Odysseus zone. The Hermes zone is located in the immediate footwall of the Dawson Thrust and is likely underlain by Earn Group rocks. A grab sample described as dark grey silicified breccia with chert and siltstone clasts containing limonite and arsenic staining assayed 5.3 % lead, 3.2 % zinc, and 1.21 g/t gold. A second grab sample of a quartz vein cutting breccia and containing minor galena and sphalerite assayed 5.1 % lead, 15.4 % zinc and 3.28 g/t gold. Although recommended, no follow-up work was performed on this zone.
Prospecting and soil sampling carried out in 2011 and 2014 outlined 3 mineralized zones; Pearl, Rose and Violet, on the west end of the claim block (on topographic map sheet 106D 01). All three zones have only received minimum exploration. The Pearl zone (UTM 547635 E, 7116090 N) is underlain by Earn Group strata in the immediate footwall of the Dawson Thrust. Rock samples collected in 2014 were comprised of variably graphitic black shales and shale breccia containing quartz, barite and witherite vein material. A grab sample of massive galena cobbles, with sparse encrusting anglesite assayed 4 410 g/t silver and 79.48 % lead while two samples of barite vein material containing coarse grained sphalerite assayed 3.91 % and 2.34 % zinc.
The Rose zone (UTM 546635 E, 7116850 N) covers a southwest trending fault and associated gully likely underlain by Earn Group rocks. It appears no outcrop was found but a 2011 quartz boulder containing galena and trace malachite assayed 229 g/t silver and 7.59 % lead while nearby rusty quartz float assayed 539 g/t silver, 1.15 % lead, 0.69 % zinc, 4 950 ppm vanadium and 456 ppm molybdenum.
The Violet zone (UTM 545605 E, 7116755 N) covers a 325 m long by 270 m wide molybdenum soil anomaly. Strategic Metals tested the anomaly with a single diamond drill hole (ROD-11-12) in 2011. The hole intersected black graphitic shale and a 6.5 m band of pitted volcanic rock containing an orange oxide material. A 10.65 m wide interval, which included the volcanic horizon averaged 1 512 ppm nickel, 195 ppm molybdenum and 2 386 ppm vanadium, including a sub-interval that graded 4 870 ppm nickel and 376 ppm molybdenum over 1.52 m. A rock sample collected in 2014 and consisting of dark, porous and sugary volcanic (?) rock with rare white precipitate returned values of 3.53 % zinc and 3 860 ppm nickel.
To date Strategic Metals has identified 3 distinct styles of mineralization on the property; late stage silver-bearing veins that cross-cut regional structures and stratigraphy, syngenetic and stratiform massive sulphide and barite occurrences and volcanic-related (?) nickel-molybdenum +/- zinc mineralization.
