General Information
Secondary Commodities: copper, tin, silver
Aliases: Alpine
Deposit Type(s): Vein and Greisens Sn
Location(s): 63.793330 N, -136.958890 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 115P15
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: Yes
Capsule
Work History
Staked as Jabberwock cl 1-24 (YA37978) in Aug/78 by CCH Resources Ltd (a subsidiary Campbell Chibougamau Mines Ltd) and Inco Ltd in Aug/78 and completed reconaissance geochemical surveying. In 1979, Billiton Exploration Canada Ltd joined CCH and Inco to form the Cortin Joint Venture, which carried out grid soil sampling and geological mapping in 1979 and 1980. The Joint Venture carried out limited prospecting and geological mapping in 1981.
Restaked as Cari cl 1-50 (YB02331) in Jun/88 by Wahala Exploration Ltd; as part of Van cl 1-158 in Nov/91 by Placer Dome Inc, who carried out grid soil sampling and geological mapping in 1992; and as FP cl 1-12 (YB43260) in Feb/94 by R. Wondga.
B. Lueck staked the TP cl 2, 4-8 (YB48042) 3km to the west in Feb/94 and surrounded them with JD cl 1-91 (YB48278) in Mar/94 and added the EFP cl 1-44 (YB42583) on the southwest boundary of the FP claims at the same time. In the summer of 1994 Thor Explorations Ltd carried out prospecting and grid soil sampling on the eastern half of the TP claims and the adjoining JD claims.
Restaked as Alpine cl 1-38 (YC01901) in Aug/99 by S.Ryan, within a block of claims that includes Minfile Occurrence #115P 010 to the east. Ryan added Callum cl 1-4 (YC01939) 1.5 km to the south at the same time and carried out prospecting and geochemical sampling on both claim groups later that year. Ryan staked Callum cl 5-8 (YC02339) to the south in Aug/2000, forming a contiguous block with the previously staked Alpine and Callum claims. Magnetometer surveying and geochemical soil sampling in the central portion of the Alpine claims and on the Callum cl 1-6 was subsequently carried out. VLF-EM surveying of the Callum claims was also carried out at this time.
Capsule Geology
The area is underlain regionally by variably deformed and metamorphosed low to very low-grade metasedimentary rocks of the Yusezyu Formation of the Upper Proterozoic to Lower Cambrian Hyland Group. These are intruded and hornfelsed by unfoliated felsic rocks that range in composition from granite to granodiorite. The majority of felsic intrusions are mid-Cretaceous in age but work by Murphy and Heon (1994) show that a Late Cretaceous suite is also present.
The area was originally explored for tin and tungsten bearing veins. Emond (1992) and Emond and Lynch (1992) reported that regionally, cassiterite occurs in brecciated tourmaline-pyrrhotite-arsenopyrite veins cutting Hyland Group (Upper Proterozoic to Lower Cambrian) quartzite, quartz-muscovite schist and graphitic quartz-biotite-chlorite schist. The showings are associated with a porphyritic biotite-hornblende rhyodacite intrusion and biotite K-feldspar porphyry dykes of probable Cretaceous age.
At the Jabberwock showing, higher grade black cassiterite occurs in dry fractures or veinlets while the most common tin-bearing structures are vuggy quartz veinlets with iron oxide coatings and euhedral, dark brown to translucent cassiterite crystals and traces of chalcopyrite. Individual veins are up to 15 cm wide and specimens have assayed up to 8.8% Sn and 64 ppm Ag.
In the early 1990's, the announcement of the discovery of the Fort Knox porphyry gold deposit near Fairbanks, Alaska resulted in the area being examined for its porphyry gold potential. In 1992 Placer Dome explored the Van claims for Fort Knox-type gold mineralization however results were disappointing and the claims were allowed to lapse.
Thor Explorations' program followed up previous reports by placer miners of gold occurring in stockwork stringers in bedrock. Grid soil sampling returned a spotty and erratic Au in soil anomaly which was judged to be insignificant.
Ryan identified replacement style mineralization (?) consisting of massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in calcareous rocks on the central ridge on the Callum claims. A grab sample returned 931 ppb Au and 1 866 ppm Cu. Soil samples collected from the southern portions of the grids established on the Alpine and Callum blocks, revealed anomalously high As (up to 301 ppm) with no values for Au reported for the Alpine grid and anomalous Au (up to 261 ppm) and As (up to 356 ppm) values for the Callum grid. Broad interpretation of the magnetometer surveying in conjunction with field observations possibly suggests that an intrusive body may underlie the northern part of the claim block.
References
CCH RESOURCES LTD, Apr/81. Assessment Report #090796 by B. Paul.
CCH RESOURCES LTD, Apr/82. Assessment Report #091008 by B. Paul and D. Rota.
CORTIN PROJECT, May/79. Assessment Report #090474 by A.E. Woodsend.
EMOND, D.S., 1992. Petrology and geochemistry of tin and tungsten mineralized plutons, McQuesten River Region, Central Yukon. In: Yukon Geology, Vol. 3, Exploration and Geological Services Division, DIAND, p. 167-195.
EMOND, D.S., and LYNCH, T., 1992. Geology, mineralogy and geochemistry of tin and tungsten veins, breccias and skarns, McQuesten River region (115P (North) and 105M 13), Yukon. In: Yukon Geology, Vol. 3, Exploration and Geological Services Division, DIAND, p. 133-159.
MINERAL INDUSTRY REPORT 1978, p. 22-23.
MURPHY, D.C., AND HÉON, D., 1994. Geology and Mineral Occurrences of Sprague Creek Map Area (NTS 115P/15), western Selwyn Basin, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1993, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 29-46.
MURPHY, D.C., AND HÉON, D., 1996. Geological Map of Sprague Creek Map Area, western Selwyn Basin, Yukon (NTS 115P/15). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Geoscience Map 1996-2, scale 1:50 000.
MURPHY, D. C., 1997. Geology of the McQuesten River Region, Northern McQuesten and Mayo Map Areas, Yukon Territory (115P/14, 15, 16; 105M/13, 14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 6, 122p.
RYAN, S., Jan/2001. Assessment Report #094166 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Jan/2001. Assessment Report #094178 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Feb/2002. Assessment Report #094279 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Feb/2003. Assessment Report #094401 by S. Ryan.
THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD, Mar/95. Assessment Reports #093270 by B.A. Lueck.
THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD, Mar/95. Assessment Reports #093271 by B.A. Lueck.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1981, p. 230; 1999, p. .25.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80, p. 278.
Staked as Jabberwock cl 1-24 (YA37978) in Aug/78 by CCH Resources Ltd (a subsidiary Campbell Chibougamau Mines Ltd) and Inco Ltd in Aug/78 and completed reconaissance geochemical surveying. In 1979, Billiton Exploration Canada Ltd joined CCH and Inco to form the Cortin Joint Venture, which carried out grid soil sampling and geological mapping in 1979 and 1980. The Joint Venture carried out limited prospecting and geological mapping in 1981.
Restaked as Cari cl 1-50 (YB02331) in Jun/88 by Wahala Exploration Ltd; as part of Van cl 1-158 in Nov/91 by Placer Dome Inc, who carried out grid soil sampling and geological mapping in 1992; and as FP cl 1-12 (YB43260) in Feb/94 by R. Wondga.
B. Lueck staked the TP cl 2, 4-8 (YB48042) 3km to the west in Feb/94 and surrounded them with JD cl 1-91 (YB48278) in Mar/94 and added the EFP cl 1-44 (YB42583) on the southwest boundary of the FP claims at the same time. In the summer of 1994 Thor Explorations Ltd carried out prospecting and grid soil sampling on the eastern half of the TP claims and the adjoining JD claims.
Restaked as Alpine cl 1-38 (YC01901) in Aug/99 by S.Ryan, within a block of claims that includes Minfile Occurrence #115P 010 to the east. Ryan added Callum cl 1-4 (YC01939) 1.5 km to the south at the same time and carried out prospecting and geochemical sampling on both claim groups later that year. Ryan staked Callum cl 5-8 (YC02339) to the south in Aug/2000, forming a contiguous block with the previously staked Alpine and Callum claims. Magnetometer surveying and geochemical soil sampling in the central portion of the Alpine claims and on the Callum cl 1-6 was subsequently carried out. VLF-EM surveying of the Callum claims was also carried out at this time.
Capsule Geology
The area is underlain regionally by variably deformed and metamorphosed low to very low-grade metasedimentary rocks of the Yusezyu Formation of the Upper Proterozoic to Lower Cambrian Hyland Group. These are intruded and hornfelsed by unfoliated felsic rocks that range in composition from granite to granodiorite. The majority of felsic intrusions are mid-Cretaceous in age but work by Murphy and Heon (1994) show that a Late Cretaceous suite is also present.
The area was originally explored for tin and tungsten bearing veins. Emond (1992) and Emond and Lynch (1992) reported that regionally, cassiterite occurs in brecciated tourmaline-pyrrhotite-arsenopyrite veins cutting Hyland Group (Upper Proterozoic to Lower Cambrian) quartzite, quartz-muscovite schist and graphitic quartz-biotite-chlorite schist. The showings are associated with a porphyritic biotite-hornblende rhyodacite intrusion and biotite K-feldspar porphyry dykes of probable Cretaceous age.
At the Jabberwock showing, higher grade black cassiterite occurs in dry fractures or veinlets while the most common tin-bearing structures are vuggy quartz veinlets with iron oxide coatings and euhedral, dark brown to translucent cassiterite crystals and traces of chalcopyrite. Individual veins are up to 15 cm wide and specimens have assayed up to 8.8% Sn and 64 ppm Ag.
In the early 1990's, the announcement of the discovery of the Fort Knox porphyry gold deposit near Fairbanks, Alaska resulted in the area being examined for its porphyry gold potential. In 1992 Placer Dome explored the Van claims for Fort Knox-type gold mineralization however results were disappointing and the claims were allowed to lapse.
Thor Explorations' program followed up previous reports by placer miners of gold occurring in stockwork stringers in bedrock. Grid soil sampling returned a spotty and erratic Au in soil anomaly which was judged to be insignificant.
Ryan identified replacement style mineralization (?) consisting of massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in calcareous rocks on the central ridge on the Callum claims. A grab sample returned 931 ppb Au and 1 866 ppm Cu. Soil samples collected from the southern portions of the grids established on the Alpine and Callum blocks, revealed anomalously high As (up to 301 ppm) with no values for Au reported for the Alpine grid and anomalous Au (up to 261 ppm) and As (up to 356 ppm) values for the Callum grid. Broad interpretation of the magnetometer surveying in conjunction with field observations possibly suggests that an intrusive body may underlie the northern part of the claim block.
References
CCH RESOURCES LTD, Apr/81. Assessment Report #090796 by B. Paul.
CCH RESOURCES LTD, Apr/82. Assessment Report #091008 by B. Paul and D. Rota.
CORTIN PROJECT, May/79. Assessment Report #090474 by A.E. Woodsend.
EMOND, D.S., 1992. Petrology and geochemistry of tin and tungsten mineralized plutons, McQuesten River Region, Central Yukon. In: Yukon Geology, Vol. 3, Exploration and Geological Services Division, DIAND, p. 167-195.
EMOND, D.S., and LYNCH, T., 1992. Geology, mineralogy and geochemistry of tin and tungsten veins, breccias and skarns, McQuesten River region (115P (North) and 105M 13), Yukon. In: Yukon Geology, Vol. 3, Exploration and Geological Services Division, DIAND, p. 133-159.
MINERAL INDUSTRY REPORT 1978, p. 22-23.
MURPHY, D.C., AND HÉON, D., 1994. Geology and Mineral Occurrences of Sprague Creek Map Area (NTS 115P/15), western Selwyn Basin, Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 1993, Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 29-46.
MURPHY, D.C., AND HÉON, D., 1996. Geological Map of Sprague Creek Map Area, western Selwyn Basin, Yukon (NTS 115P/15). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Geoscience Map 1996-2, scale 1:50 000.
MURPHY, D. C., 1997. Geology of the McQuesten River Region, Northern McQuesten and Mayo Map Areas, Yukon Territory (115P/14, 15, 16; 105M/13, 14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 6, 122p.
RYAN, S., Jan/2001. Assessment Report #094166 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Jan/2001. Assessment Report #094178 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Feb/2002. Assessment Report #094279 by S. Ryan.
RYAN, S., Feb/2003. Assessment Report #094401 by S. Ryan.
THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD, Mar/95. Assessment Reports #093270 by B.A. Lueck.
THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD, Mar/95. Assessment Reports #093271 by B.A. Lueck.
YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1981, p. 230; 1999, p. .25.
YUKON GEOLOGY AND EXPLORATION 1979-80, p. 278.
Location Map
Last Updated: Sep 5, 2018
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 2000 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics | Also VLF-EM surveys. |
| 1999 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1999 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1994 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1994 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1992 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1992 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1981 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1981 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1979 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1979 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1979 | Geochemistry: Soil |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 096401 | 2013 | Geological and Geochemical Report, Mapping and Soil Surveys on the Mayo Properties | Rock - Geochemistry, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Prospecting - Other, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 096024 | 2011 | Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Mahtin Property | Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics, Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Soil - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry | ||
| 094166 | 1999 | Prospecting and Geochemistry Report Alpine 1-38 Claims | Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 091008 | 1981 | Geological/Lithogeochemical Studies Jabberwock Group | Rock - Geochemistry, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 090796 | 1980 | Geological and Geochemical Surveys Jabberwock Claims 1-24, Jabberwock Claims 31-65 | Soil - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 090417 | 1978 | Report on Snark Claims 1 to 210 | Soil - Geochemistry | ||
| 090474 | 1978 | Regional Geochemical Survey Jabberwock Group 1-24 | Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry |
