General Information
Primary Commodities: iron
Secondary Commodities: copper, gold
Aliases: Steel
Deposit Type(s): Iron Oxide Breccias & Veins (Wernecke Breccias)
Location(s): 64.834170 N, -134.2825 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 106D16
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
Work History
Hematite float was noted at the mouth of Bear River in 1898. The source was first staked as GS cl 1-16 (82283) in Jul/62 and Bear cl 1-10 (Y6272) in May/66 by A. Jellinek and P. Runer, who formed a new company in 1964, Pacific Giant Steel Ores Ltd, to develop the showing. The company's main effort was devoted to marketing and transportation studies until 1967, when a marketing agreement was signed with C. Itoh Company Ltd. A winter road and airstrip were constructed and the property was explored with a magnetometer survey and 15 diamond drill holes (1 448.7 m). The south edge of the property was restaked as Kurt cl 1-6 (Y32521) in Jun/69 by Yucan Silver Mines Ltd.
Restaked as Iron cl 1-14 (YA41857) and cl 17-22 (YA418878 in Jul/80 and cl 23-30 (YA42301) by Zelon Enterprises Ltd for Texaco Canada Resources Ltd. The company carried out radiometric surveying, rock geochemical sampling, prospecting and hand trenching in 1981 and 1982.
Restaked as Steel cl 1-16 (YB03020) in Apr/89 by Chevron Mines Ltd which mapped later that year and relogged and sampled old drill core. Chevron added Steel cl 17-34 (YB03532) in Jun/90. Steel cl 17-34 expired at the end of Jun/92 and Archer Cathro and Associates (1981) Ltd purchased the remaining Steel claims from Chevron.
The Bear cl 1-8 (YB22485) were staked over the airstrip by Pamicon Developments Ltd in Aug/93. In Jan/94 the Bear claims were transferred to Westmin Resources Ltd.
Nordac Resources Ltd purchased the remaining 16 Steel claims from Archer Cathro in 1996. Steel claims 1, 3 and 5-16 expired at the end of Apr/2001. Steel claims 2 (YB03021) and 4 (YB03023) which cover the main deposit were kept in good standing. In Jun/2001 Nordac Resources changed its name to Strategic Metals Ltd.
Restaked as Steel cl 1 (YC10395), cl 3 (YC10396), cl 5-28 (YC10397) in Jun/2002 by Strategic Metals Ltd. Strategic carried out a ground total magnetic field and gravity geophysical surveys in February and Mar/2004.
The Bear claims were allowed to lapse at the end of Sep/2004.
In Jan/2005 Twenty-Seven Capital Corporation acquired a 50% interest in the Steel claims from Strategic Metals subject to various financial and work commitments. In Feb/2005 Cash Minerals Ltd purchased the remaining 50% interest in the Steel claims. Cash Minerals and Twenty-Seven Capital formed a Joint Venture to explore the Steel and other commonly owned claim blocks. The Joint Venture drilled 3 diamond drill holes (581 m) on the Steel claims in the summer of 2005 and enlarged the claim block by staking Steel cl 29-44 (YC42810) in May/2006 and Steel cl 45-54 in Aug/2006. In Feb/2007 Twenty-Seven Capital was purchased by Mega Uranium Ltd.
Capsule Geology
The region is underlain by a metamorphosed and altered sequence of Lower 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 expansion 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.
Massive hematite with disseminated chalcopyrite forms much of the matrix of a fault-bounded Wernecke Breccia body which outcrops discontinuously over a 270 by 170 m area. The breccia body cuts Lower Proterozoic Quartet Group argillite. The clasts are composed of rounded breccia fragments. The matrix, in addition to hematite and chalcopyrite, contains barite, chlorite and iron carbonate.
Drilling showed that the mineralization is not extensive or continuous, and reserves were estimated at only 1 000 000 tonnes grading 29.2% soluble iron (Archer and Schmidt, 1978). Core samples analyzed by Chevron for rare earth elements returned low values (up to 267 ppm lanthanum, 226 ppm cerium). A specimen of carbonate-rich breccia contained 25.8% barium oxide (BaO).
Radioactive float discovered in 1981 immediately south of the hematite mineralization assayed between 0.178 and 0.244% uranium oxide (U308). Most of these specimens also returned elevated gold values, ranging up to 610 ppb (Cash Mineral press release April 21 2005).
Hitzman et al. (1992) noted a strong resemblance between the Pagisteel occurrence and the giant Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit in Australia.
The 2004 geophysical survey outlined several gravity anomalies the best of which is coincident with known mineralization. Several magnetic anomalies flank the gravity anomaly. None of the 3 diamond drill holes collared in 2005 intersected significant copper or uranium mineralization. The results are enigmatic because they do not explain the large and coincident magnetic and gravity anomalies.
References
ARCHER, A.R. and SCHMIDT, U., 1978. Mineralized Breccias of Early Proterozoic Age, Bonnet Plume River District, Yukon Territory. In: CIM Bulletin, August 1978, p. 53-58.
CASH MINERALS LTD, Annual Report. 2005, 2006
CASH MINERALS LTD, Press Release. 16 Feb/2005. 21 Apr/2005, 7 Sep/2005.
CHEVRON MINERALS LTD, Jun/90. Assessment Report #092852 by M. Hitzmann.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Annual Report 1905, Vol. 16, Part C.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Memoir 364, p. 142-143.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Paper 66-31, p. 21; Paper 68-68, p. 28-30.
GIANT STEEL PROSPECTORS LTD, 1964. Assessment Report *#092068 by L.H. Green.
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).
HITZMAN, M.W., ORESKES, N., AND EINAUDI, M.T., 1992. Geological characteristics and tectonic setting of Proterozoic iron oxide (Cu-U-Au-REE) deposits. Precambrian Research, Vol. 58, p. 1-47.
HUNT, J., 2005. The geology and genesis of iron oxide-copper-gold mineralization associated with Wernecke Breccia, Yukon Canada, PhD thesis, James Cook University, Australia, 2 volumes, 120 p.
MEGA URANIUM LTD. Press Release. 17 Feb/2007.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1965. Assessment Report *#060725 by W. Baillie et al.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, Aug/67. Assessment Report *#092556 by D.C. Findlay and A.D. Oliver.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019056 by D.R. Williamson.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019868 by D.R. Williamson.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019057 by F. Everard.
STRATEGIC METALS LTD, Annual Report. 2004, 2005, 2006.
STRATEGIC METALS LTD, Mar/2005. Assessment Report #094703 by W.D. Eaton.
THORKELSON, D.J., AND WALLACE, C.A., 1993. Development of Wernecke Breccia in Slats Creek (106D/16) map area, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1992, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 77-87.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1998. Geological Map of Slats Creek map area, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon (106D/16). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Geoscience Map 1998-9, 1:50,000 scale.
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.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1981, p. 195; 1983, p. 228-229; 2005, p. 18, 39, 40.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80. p. 244.
Hematite float was noted at the mouth of Bear River in 1898. The source was first staked as GS cl 1-16 (82283) in Jul/62 and Bear cl 1-10 (Y6272) in May/66 by A. Jellinek and P. Runer, who formed a new company in 1964, Pacific Giant Steel Ores Ltd, to develop the showing. The company's main effort was devoted to marketing and transportation studies until 1967, when a marketing agreement was signed with C. Itoh Company Ltd. A winter road and airstrip were constructed and the property was explored with a magnetometer survey and 15 diamond drill holes (1 448.7 m). The south edge of the property was restaked as Kurt cl 1-6 (Y32521) in Jun/69 by Yucan Silver Mines Ltd.
Restaked as Iron cl 1-14 (YA41857) and cl 17-22 (YA418878 in Jul/80 and cl 23-30 (YA42301) by Zelon Enterprises Ltd for Texaco Canada Resources Ltd. The company carried out radiometric surveying, rock geochemical sampling, prospecting and hand trenching in 1981 and 1982.
Restaked as Steel cl 1-16 (YB03020) in Apr/89 by Chevron Mines Ltd which mapped later that year and relogged and sampled old drill core. Chevron added Steel cl 17-34 (YB03532) in Jun/90. Steel cl 17-34 expired at the end of Jun/92 and Archer Cathro and Associates (1981) Ltd purchased the remaining Steel claims from Chevron.
The Bear cl 1-8 (YB22485) were staked over the airstrip by Pamicon Developments Ltd in Aug/93. In Jan/94 the Bear claims were transferred to Westmin Resources Ltd.
Nordac Resources Ltd purchased the remaining 16 Steel claims from Archer Cathro in 1996. Steel claims 1, 3 and 5-16 expired at the end of Apr/2001. Steel claims 2 (YB03021) and 4 (YB03023) which cover the main deposit were kept in good standing. In Jun/2001 Nordac Resources changed its name to Strategic Metals Ltd.
Restaked as Steel cl 1 (YC10395), cl 3 (YC10396), cl 5-28 (YC10397) in Jun/2002 by Strategic Metals Ltd. Strategic carried out a ground total magnetic field and gravity geophysical surveys in February and Mar/2004.
The Bear claims were allowed to lapse at the end of Sep/2004.
In Jan/2005 Twenty-Seven Capital Corporation acquired a 50% interest in the Steel claims from Strategic Metals subject to various financial and work commitments. In Feb/2005 Cash Minerals Ltd purchased the remaining 50% interest in the Steel claims. Cash Minerals and Twenty-Seven Capital formed a Joint Venture to explore the Steel and other commonly owned claim blocks. The Joint Venture drilled 3 diamond drill holes (581 m) on the Steel claims in the summer of 2005 and enlarged the claim block by staking Steel cl 29-44 (YC42810) in May/2006 and Steel cl 45-54 in Aug/2006. In Feb/2007 Twenty-Seven Capital was purchased by Mega Uranium Ltd.
Capsule Geology
The region is underlain by a metamorphosed and altered sequence of Lower 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 expansion 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.
Massive hematite with disseminated chalcopyrite forms much of the matrix of a fault-bounded Wernecke Breccia body which outcrops discontinuously over a 270 by 170 m area. The breccia body cuts Lower Proterozoic Quartet Group argillite. The clasts are composed of rounded breccia fragments. The matrix, in addition to hematite and chalcopyrite, contains barite, chlorite and iron carbonate.
Drilling showed that the mineralization is not extensive or continuous, and reserves were estimated at only 1 000 000 tonnes grading 29.2% soluble iron (Archer and Schmidt, 1978). Core samples analyzed by Chevron for rare earth elements returned low values (up to 267 ppm lanthanum, 226 ppm cerium). A specimen of carbonate-rich breccia contained 25.8% barium oxide (BaO).
Radioactive float discovered in 1981 immediately south of the hematite mineralization assayed between 0.178 and 0.244% uranium oxide (U308). Most of these specimens also returned elevated gold values, ranging up to 610 ppb (Cash Mineral press release April 21 2005).
Hitzman et al. (1992) noted a strong resemblance between the Pagisteel occurrence and the giant Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit in Australia.
The 2004 geophysical survey outlined several gravity anomalies the best of which is coincident with known mineralization. Several magnetic anomalies flank the gravity anomaly. None of the 3 diamond drill holes collared in 2005 intersected significant copper or uranium mineralization. The results are enigmatic because they do not explain the large and coincident magnetic and gravity anomalies.
References
ARCHER, A.R. and SCHMIDT, U., 1978. Mineralized Breccias of Early Proterozoic Age, Bonnet Plume River District, Yukon Territory. In: CIM Bulletin, August 1978, p. 53-58.
CASH MINERALS LTD, Annual Report. 2005, 2006
CASH MINERALS LTD, Press Release. 16 Feb/2005. 21 Apr/2005, 7 Sep/2005.
CHEVRON MINERALS LTD, Jun/90. Assessment Report #092852 by M. Hitzmann.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Annual Report 1905, Vol. 16, Part C.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Memoir 364, p. 142-143.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Paper 66-31, p. 21; Paper 68-68, p. 28-30.
GIANT STEEL PROSPECTORS LTD, 1964. Assessment Report *#092068 by L.H. Green.
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).
HITZMAN, M.W., ORESKES, N., AND EINAUDI, M.T., 1992. Geological characteristics and tectonic setting of Proterozoic iron oxide (Cu-U-Au-REE) deposits. Precambrian Research, Vol. 58, p. 1-47.
HUNT, J., 2005. The geology and genesis of iron oxide-copper-gold mineralization associated with Wernecke Breccia, Yukon Canada, PhD thesis, James Cook University, Australia, 2 volumes, 120 p.
MEGA URANIUM LTD. Press Release. 17 Feb/2007.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1965. Assessment Report *#060725 by W. Baillie et al.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, Aug/67. Assessment Report *#092556 by D.C. Findlay and A.D. Oliver.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019056 by D.R. Williamson.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019868 by D.R. Williamson.
PACIFIC GIANT STEEL ORES LTD, 1967. Assessment Report *#019057 by F. Everard.
STRATEGIC METALS LTD, Annual Report. 2004, 2005, 2006.
STRATEGIC METALS LTD, Mar/2005. Assessment Report #094703 by W.D. Eaton.
THORKELSON, D.J., AND WALLACE, C.A., 1993. Development of Wernecke Breccia in Slats Creek (106D/16) map area, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1992, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 77-87.
THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 1998. Geological Map of Slats Creek map area, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon (106D/16). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Geoscience Map 1998-9, 1:50,000 scale.
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.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1981, p. 195; 1983, p. 228-229; 2005, p. 18, 39, 40.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80. p. 244.
Location Map
Last Updated: Oct 1, 2018
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Drilling: Diamond | Three holes, 581 m. |
| 2004 | Ground Geophysics | Ground Survey |
| 1981 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1981 | Ground Geophysics: Scintillometer | |
| 1981 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1981 | Trenching: Hand | |
| 1980 | Airborne Geophysics: Radiometric | Airborne scintillometer survey. |
| 1980 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1980 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1980 | Trenching | |
| 1967 | Development, Surface: Access Road | Winter road. |
| 1967 | Development, Surface: Air Strip | |
| 1967 | Drilling: Diamond | Fifteen holes, 1,448.7 m. |
| 1967 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics |
Regional Geology - Terrane
Group: Ancestral North America
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: North America - platformal strata
Realm: Laurentia
Regional Geology - Bedrock
Supergroup:
Group/Suite: Wernecke breccia
Formation:
Member:
Terrane: Laurentia
Period Max: Calymmian
Age Max: 1600 MA
Period Min: Calymmian
Age Min: 1590 MA
Rock Major: breccia
Rock Minor:
Reference: Thorkelson & Wallace (1998) - YGS GM 1998-9
Geological Unit (1M): mPW
Geological Unit (250K): mPW
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 |
| 095240 | 2006 | Geophysics and Diamond Drilling at the Steel Property | Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Diamond - Drilling | 2 | 914.76 |
| 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 | ||
| 094703 | 2003 | Gravity and Magnetic Survey at the Steel Property | Gravity Survey - Ground Geophysics, Magnetics - Ground Geophysics | ||
| 092852 | 1989 | Exploration on the Steel Claims (Pagisteel Property) | Drill Core - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 091456 | 1983 | Exploration, 1982, Gold, Silver and Uranium Deposits, Glacier Lake Region | Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, EM - Ground Geophysics, Scintillometer - Ground Geophysics, Petrographic - Lab Work/Physical Studies, Prospecting - Other, Hand - Trenching | ||
| 090868 | 1980 | Exploration Report-Year 1980 on the Bear River Properties | Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Regional Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Gamma-ray Spectrometry - Ground Geophysics, Prospecting - Other, Hand - Trenching, Handblast - Trenching | ||
| 019056 | 1967 | Status of Development Studies and Proposed Exploration Bear River Iron Ore Property | Research/Summarize - Pre-existing Data, Pre-feasibility - Studies | ||
| 019057 | 1967 | A Report on Pacific Giant Steel Ores Ltd. | Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Rock - Geochemistry, Research/Summarize - Pre-existing Data | ||
| 060725 | 1967 | A Report on Bear River Iron Ore Project of Pacific Giant Steel Ores Ltd. | Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Feasibility - Studies, Resource Estimate - Studies | ||
| 019868 | 1967 | Memorandum Report on the Bear River Iron Ore Property | Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Hand - Trenching | ||
| 092556 | 1967 | Diamond Drilling on the Pagisteel Property | Diamond - Drilling | 9 | 975.40 |
| 092068 | 1964 | [Summary Report on the Giant Steel Property] | Cursory Property Visit - Other |
Drill Core at YGS Core Library
| Number | Property | Year Drilled | Core Size | Photos | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDH-4 | Pagisteel | 1966 | BQ | 0 | 1 |
