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Occurrence Details


Occurrence Number
115P 023
Occurrence Name
Clear Creek Project
Occurrence Type
Hard-rock
Status
Prospect


General Information

Secondary Commodities: gold
Aliases: Bear Paw, Lewis, Sleet
Deposit Type(s): Plutonic Related Au
Location(s): 63.842220 N, -137.116940 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 115P14
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No

Capsule

Work History

The first record of staking in the area is in Oct/02 when E.D. Priest staked Mineral Hill, Red Fox, etc (2412) 22.4 km above the mouth of Left Clear Creek straddling a main fork (possibly Lewis Gulch). Another claim group (Uranus, etc (2415)) was located between the Left Fork and 65 Pup. Old hand pits are common in this area.
Restaked as Gulch cl (Y82480) in May/74 by Asarco Exploration Company of Canada Ltd which carried out geological mapping and geochemical soil sampling. Restaked on the southeast side as Mike cl (YA10868) in Oct/77 by T. Hutton and on the southwest side as Wind cl (YA31854) in Oct/78 by N. Harper, who trenched in 1979 and 1987.
Restaked as part of a large block of 762 CC cl (YA53506) between Sep/80 and Aug/81 by Canada Tungsten Mining Corporation Ltd which carried out property wide geological mapping and geochemical sampling of an area 2 km to the east (Minfile Occurrence #105K 012) in 1981.
Restaked as part of a block of 125 Sleet cl (YB4262) between September and Oct/87 by N. Harper and Blackstone Placer Mining Ltd, which optioned them to Secret Pass Minerals Ltd later that year. Secret Pass carried out sampling, surveying and drilling on the adjoining claims in 1988 and 1989. N. Harper performed stripping and trenching on the Sleet claims in 1992.
In late 1992 Ivanhoe Goldfields Ltd optioned all of the Clear Creek claims including the Sleet and adjoining Wind and Rain claims. Ivanhoe added the CC 1-96 cl (YB45087) to the west in Jun/93, carried out contour soil geochemical sampling across the claims block in Aug/93 and added CC 97-131 cl (YB47963) in Nov/93. In 1994, Ivanhoe was acquired by First Dynasty Mines Ltd. D. Trudeau and D. Jackson staked the Hail cl 1-26 (YB52339) 2.5 km south-southwest of the occurrence in Jul/94.
In Jun/95 Kennecott Canada Inc optioned the Clear Creek area claims (including the Sleet claims) and carried out a large exploration program including reverse circulation drilling on the Rhosgobel stock (Minfile Occurrence #115P 012) and soil sampling, geological mapping, trenching and road building throughout the claim block. In Nov/95 the Kennecott dropped its option.
New Millennium, a wholly owned subsidiary of First Dynasty, took over as operator of the Clear Creak project in May/97 and carried out machine trenching on the CC claims (Minfile Occurrence #115P 013) later in the year.
In 1998 Newmont Exploration Ltd acquired an option from New Millennium on the CC, Dum, Rain, Rum, Rye, Sleet, Wet and Wind claims, forming a contiguous block with the BZ cl 1-79 (YB94420), 7.5 km to the northwest, and Jo cl 1-70 (YB94499), 7.5 km to the northeast, which Newmont had staked in Aug/96. The company carried out geochemical rock and soil sampling and geological mapping across the northern third and the south-central part of the claim block in Jul/98. This was followed by airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveying of the entire claims block and surrounding areas in Aug/98.
In 1999 Redstar Resources Corporation entered an option agreement with Newmont to acquire an interest in their Clear Creek claim holdings. During June and Jul/99 Redstar carried out geochemical rock and soil sampling south of this occurrence and of the eastern portions of the Clear Creek claim group. In Nov/99 the company drilled 2 holes (219.2 m) on Sleet cl 18 (YB04273) 2 km to the south and added Snow cl 1-36 (YC17791) in Dec/99 to the west and south of this area. Redstar carried out followup geochemical sampling in this area (Bear Paw zone) and drilled 9 more holes (1 211 m) on the zone between August and Sep/2000. Redstar terminated it's option agreement on the Clear Creek property in 2002.
First Dynasty changed its name to Sterlite Gold Ltd in Jul/2002.
In Oct/2004, StrataGold Corporation entered into a binding agreement to acquire all of Sterlite's interest in the Clear Creek property. The agreement is subject to a satisfactory due diligence review by StrataGold and receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

Capsule Geology

Narrow, gold-bearing quartz-arsenopyrite veins and extensive gold geochemical anomalies are likely associated with parts of a buried mid-Cretaceous granodiorite stock of the Tombstone Plutonic Suite and its contact with metasedimentary rocks of the Yusezyu Formation of the Late Proterozoic to Early Cambrian Hyland Group.
In June 1987, placer operations encountered nearly massive pyrite-sericite mineralization on both sides of a steeply dipping east-trending gouge-filled fault in the creek bed just west of this occurrence location. Massive pyrite bands up to 1 m thick contain 50 to 80% pyrite in a quartz gangue and dip 20° north, parallel to bedding in the host sericite-biotite phyllite. Samples contained up to 9.22 g/t Au across 1.0 m. The area of interest coincides with a 500 x 200 m IP anomaly, but VLF response is flat.
All of the 1989 drillholes encountered thick sections of graphitic argillite with pyrite along the schistosity. Drillholes RWS-89-1 and 89-4 intersected the fault zone. Hole 89-1 returned 18.71 g/t Au over 0.49 m of pyrite-sericite-quartz-clay gouge in the fault. No evidence of stratabound mineralization was seen in the drillholes.
Kennecott mapped along Left Clear Creek where it had incomplete information but did no other work in this part of the Clear Creek claim group.
Newmont's sampling confirmed anomalous gold values reported by previous operators and outlined existing areas of anomalous gold and arsenic geochemistry. Magnetic data from the airborne survey defined dominant structural trends in the area and partially outlined some of the intrusive stocks. Other nearby areas of radiometric highs are observed and possibly represent the expression of unmapped intrusive bodies and/or possible occurrences of potassic alteration.
Rock and soil sampling carried out by Redstar identified anomalous gold, arsenic and bismuth geochemistry coincident with an area of radiometric highs that straddles the ridge crest between upper Left Clear and Clear Creek. The zone, subsequently named the Bear Paw (breccia) zone was the focus of exploration efforts in 2000. Gold mineralization occurs in hydrothermal breccias with stockwork quartz + potassium-feldspar + sulfide veins that overprint earlier intrusives and tectonic breccias. Drilling in 1999 returned a significant intersection of 2 g/t Au over 26.7 m including 3.35 g/t Au over 10.5 m, while definition drilling of the zone in 2000 intersected varying amounts of breccia with a best result of 2.3 g/t Au over 31.8 m in hole BP00-10.

References

ALLEN, T.L., HART, C.J.R. AND MARSH, E.E., 1999. Placer gold and associated heavy minerals of the Clear Creek drainage, central Yukon: Past to present. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1998, C.F. Roots and D.S. Emond (eds), Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 197-214.

CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORPORATION LTD, Dec/81. Assessment Report #090926 by R.H. Rainbird and D.A. Kelly.

KENNECOTT CANADA INC, Feb/96. Assessment Report #093372 by S. Coombes.

IVANHOE GOLDFIELDS LTD, Jan/94. Assessment Report #093161 by D.B. Flemming.

MARSH, E.E., HART, C.J., GOLDFARB, R.J. AND ALLEN, T.L., 1999. Geology and geochemistry of the Clear Creek gold occurrences, Tombstone gold belt, central Yukon Territory. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1998, C.F. Roots and D.S. Emond (eds), Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 185-196.

MURPHY, D.C., HÉON, D., AND HUNT, J., 1993a. Geological overview of Clear Creek map area, western Selwyn Basin (NTS 115P/14). In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1992, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

MURPHY, D.C., HÉON, D., AND HUNT, J., 1993b. Geological map of Clear Creek map area, western Selwyn Basin (NTS 115P/14). In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1992, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Open File 1993-1(G), 1:50 000.

MURPHY, D.C., 1997. Geology of the McQuesten River region, northern McQuesten and Mayo map area, Yukon Territory (115P/14, 15, 16; 105M/13, 14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 6, 122 p.

NEW MILLENNIUM MINING LTD, Dec/97. Assessment Report #093763 by R.A. Doherty.

NEWMONT EXPLORATION LTD, Oct/98. Assessment Report #093937 by M.A. Stammers.

REDSTAR RESOURCES CORPORATION, Jan/2000. Assessment Report #094058 by M.A. Stammers.

REDSTAR RESOURCES CORPORATION, Jan/2001. Assessment Report #094165 by S. Weeks and R. Falls.

SECRET PASS MINERALS CORPORATION, Nov/87. Assessment Report #062292 by D.G. Allen.

SECRET PASS MINERALS CORPORATION, Jul/89. Assessment Report #092752 by J.C. Stephen and S. Feulgen.

STEPHENS, J.R., OLIVER, N.H.S., BAKER, T. AND HART, C.J.R., 2000. Structural evolution and controls on gold mineralization at Clear Creek, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1999, D.S. Emond and L.H. Weston (eds), Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 151-163.

STEPHENS, J.R. AND WEEKES, S., 2001. Intrusive breccia-hosted gold mineralization associated with ca. 92 Ma Tombstone Plutonic Suite magmatism: An example from the Bear Paw breccia zone, Clear Creek, Tintina gold belt, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2000, D.S. Emond and L.H. Weston (eds), Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 347-353.

STERLITE GOLD LIMITED, New Release, 05 Jul/2002.

STRATAGOLD CORPORATION, News Release, 18 Oct/2004.

YUKON EXPLORATION 1988, p. 224-229; 1989, p. 134.

YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1981, p. 228-229; 1982, p. 216; 1995, p. 13-14, 16; 1999, p. 8-9; 2000, p. 16-18.

Location Map

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2018

Work History

Year Work Type Comment
2000 Drilling: Diamond Nine holes, 1,211 m.
2000 Geochemistry: Soil
1999 Drilling: Diamond Two holes, 219.2 m.
1999 Geochemistry: Rock Also soil sampling.
1998 Airborne Geophysics: Magnetic Also radiometric survey.
1998 Geochemistry: Rock Also soil sampling.
1998 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1995 Development, Surface: Access Road
1995 Geochemistry: Soil
1995 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1993 Geochemistry: Soil
1992 Trenching
1981 Geochemistry: Soil Also silt sampling.
1981 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1974 Geochemistry: Soil
1974 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1902 Trenching: Hand

Regional Geology - Terrane

Group: Ancestral North America
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: North America - basinal strata
Realm: Laurentia


Regional Geology - Bedrock

Supergroup: Windermere
Group/Suite: Hyland
Formation: Yusezyu
Member:
Terrane: Laurentia
Period Max: Ediacaran
Age Max: 635 MA
Period Min: Ediacaran
Age Min: 542 MA
Rock Major: phyllite/shale/sandstone/grit/conglomerate/limestone
Rock Minor: marble
Reference: Green & Roddick (1972) - GSC Map 1283A
Geological Unit (1M): PCH
Geological Unit (250K): PCH6

Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence

Report Number Year Title Worktypes Holes Drilled Meters Drilled
097169 2017 Assessment Report on the Clear Creek Claims 2017 Remote Sensing Programs Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, LIDAR - Remote Sensing
096886 2015 Assessment Report on the Clear Creek Claims Geological and Geochemical Exploration Program-2015 Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Process/Interpret - Pre-existing Data
095984 2011 Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property Diamond - Drilling, Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry, Drill Core - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry 36 7258.80
095031 2004 2004 Clear Creek Property-Orthophoto Acquisition and Satellite Imagery Report Orthophoto - Airphotography, Landsat - Remote Sensing
094058 1999 1999 Geochemical and Diamond Drilling Assessment Report on the Clear Creek Property Diamond - Drilling, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Line Cutting - Other 2 219.15
093937 1998 Geophysical, Geological and Geochemical Assessment Report on the Clear Creek Property Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Line Cutting - Other
093161 1993 1993 Clear Creek Geochemical Assessment Report Soil - Geochemistry
092752 1989 Initial Diamond Drilling Report on the Rain, Wind, Sleet Claims Left Clear Creek, Yukon Diamond - Drilling 4 275.84
062292 1987 Geological Report on the Wind, Rain and Sleet Claims (Left Clear Creek Property) Rock - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, IP - Ground Geophysics, Line Cutting - Other
090926 1981 Geological and Geochemical Assessment Report on the C.C. 1-860 (Fractions included), SLUGGO 1-20, Rain 1-30 and BEE 1-14 Claim Groups Muck - Geochemistry, Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Regional Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Line Cutting - Other, Prospecting - Other

Related References

Number Title Page(s) Document Type
ARMC016643 Geology map with legend -115P/14 - Clear Creek Geoscience Map (Geological - Bedrock)
ARMC016642 Geochemistry map - 115P/14 - Clear Creek Geochemical Map
Citations

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