Work History

Staked as Nite cl 1-64 (Y64042) in Aug/71 by Wolf Lake Joint Venture (Rayrock Mines Ltd, Ashland Oil Ltd, and Caltor Syndicate), which staked Mid cl 1-29 (Y64349) to the west in Sep/71 and explored with bulldozer trenching and 8 drill holes (476.5 m) later in the year. The claims reverted to Archer, Cathro & Associates Ltd in 1976. In 1985 Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Ltd sold the remaining Nite claims to Nordac Mining Corporation, which optioned it briefly to Gyro Energy & Minerals Corporation. Nordac changed its name to Big Creek Resources Ltd and performed sampling and trenching in 1988. The Nite claims were then allowed to lapse.
A. Hyde tied on a large block of CMC claims (approx. 136. #1 = YA56623) to the west and south of the Nite claims in Sep/80 and Jul/81. McDame Project (BRX Mining & Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Eldorado Minerals & Petroleum Corporation and Highmark Resources Ltd) tied on Mar cl 1-23 (YA68221) to the east in May/82 and Butler Mountain Minerals Corporation Ltd tied on Oth cl 1-29 (YA68246) to the north in Mar/82. The Oth group was restaked in Dec/84 as Sh cl 1-96 (YA72587) by Silver Hart Mines Ltd, which optioned the CMC group earlier that year and performed bulldozer trenching in 1987, and further trenching and environmental restoration in Jul and Aug/92. The CMC claims were later returned to A. Hyde, B. Preston and T. McCrory (60%, 20% and 20%, respectively) who performed environmental reclamation, road construction and bedrock stripping from June to Aug/93.
In Sep/91, the W4 Joint Venture staked a single Blue cl (YB34257) south of the occurrence and south of the former Nite claim group. In Jul/92 W4 staked Blue cl 1-2 (YB34963) and H cl 1-2 (YB34965) to the west and south of the Blue claim and Orly cl 1-2 (YB34967) 3 km to the west, to cover showings previously discovered on the CMC claims by Silver Hart Mines. W4 prospected the claims in Aug and Sep/92 and in Jun/94 staked Glory cl 1-14 (YB49431) south and west of the occurrence, thus surrounding the Blue, H and Orly claims. W4 carried out a small mapping and sampling program on the claims in June and Jul/94.
In Feb/98 Nordac Resources Ltd restaked the Glory, and Orly claims as Heaven cl 1-80 (YB91140) and optioned Blue cl 1-2 and H cl 1-2 from the W4 Joint Venture. During the summer of 1998 the company carried out geological mapping, prospecting, grid and reconnaissance soil sampling, ground magnetics surveys, hand trenching and 1 759 m of excavator trenching in 39 trenches. The company also surveyed their claims using a portable GPS unit, the results of which showed that the Night occurrence is located in the northeast corner of the Heaven claim group. Between July and Sep/98 Nordac staked Heaven cl 81-92 (YB91396), 93-102 (YB91552) and 103-114 (YB91360) to cover the possible extensions of various mineralized zones.
During Jul and Aug/99 Nordac trenched, bulk sampled and reclaimed numerous trenches in the Blue and H zones. A total of 51.47 tonnes of dried ore was shipped to the Cominco Ltd smelter in Trail, British Columbia. In 2000, the company drilled one diamond drill hole (91.44 m) to test carbonate replacement mineralization located at the Desire Zone.
In Jun/2001 Nordac re-organized and changed its name to Strategic Metals Ltd. The following year Strategic carried out power auger sampling over the Mor zone, prospected numerous northeast trending recessive linears for high grade silver-lead-zinc veins similar to those bulk sampled in 1999 and hand trenched the newly discovered Hall vein. All exploration work was carried out in the vicinity of this occurrence and no work was carried out on the adjoining Roy occurrence (Minfile Occurrence #105B 057).

Capsule Geology

The original occurrence consists of scheelite and minor molybdenite in garnet-pyroxene-quartz-wollastonite skarn near the contact between the mid-Cretaceous Cassiar Batholith and a sequence of marble and quartz-biotite-schist of Lower Cambrian age. The mineralized skarn strikes 045 and dips 45 to the northeast, and is cut by narrow late stage veins containing sphalerite. Scheelite occurs mainly with pyroxene and quartz interstitial to coarse-grained garnet. Iron sulphides are uncommon.
The mineralized skarn was traced in surface trenches over a length of 1 100 m, and is still open in both directions. The best section averaged 0.17% WO3 across a width of 23 m for a length of 335 m. Hole 4, (1971) located on the Nite 8 claim, intersected 0.17% WO3 across 18.3 m and 0.38% WO3 across 1.5 m.
An airborne radiometric survey conducted in 1977 located several anomalies on the property, and follow-up work on the ground turned up minor uraninite in a quartz vein cutting across skarn on the Nite 10 claim. A specimen from the vein assayed 0.205% U3O8
Exploration work carried out by Silver Hart on the CMC claims outlined an extensive vein system covering the Night claims (this occurrence) and the adjoining Roy occurrence (Minfile Occurrence #105B 057) located 5 km to the southwest. However none of these targets received serious exploration.
At the time of acquisition by the W4 joint venture, it was felt that the numerous high grade Ag, Pb and Zn veins held the most economic potential thus they received the most exploration work. The group identified 3 vein zones; 1) Blue zone, 2) H zone and 3) Orly zone. The Orly zone is located on the adjoining Roy occurrence (Minfile Occurrence #105B 057).
The Blue zone is located approximately 1.5 km south of the Night occurrence (this occurrence) and consists of a quartz-sulphide vein cutting a small granite stock. The main vein averages 90 cm wide, strikes 051 and dips 57 northwest. It is exposed in a bulldozer trench over a length of 90 m and is open at both ends. A series of narrower (40 cm) veins splay off the main structure, striking 085 and dipping 60-65 to the north. The veins contain up to 10% sulphides, including finely disseminated pyrite, arsenopyrite, tetrahedrite, galena and sphalerite in a quartz-siderite matrix. A chip sample taken by Silver Hart Mines Ltd in 1987 returned 1 947.4 g/t Ag over 85 cm. Seven chip samples taken across the main vein in 1994 returned disappointedly low values ranging from trace to 456 g/t Ag over true widths of 7 to 45 cm. Silver to lead ratios are high, averaging about 140 g/t Ag for each percent Pb.
Prospecting by W4 in 1992 located an area of galena-bearing quartz float 40 m northeast along strike of the main trench. A specimen of galena float collected from this zone in 1994 assayed 3 463 g/t Ag and 52.2% Pb. Prospecting in 1992 also uncovered a new vein of massive galena 24 m northwest of the main vein which assayed 12 445.4 g/t Ag and 73% Pb.
The H zone lies about 400 m southeast of the Blue zone and is exposed over a strike length of 51.8 m in a 1987 trench. Silver Hart described the zone as a series of en echelon veins striking 020 to 040 and dipping 50 to 63 west, cutting a large pendant of quartz-sericite schist. An assay of 2 969.1 g/t Ag over 1.3 m was reported. A specimen of massive sulphide float taken by W4 from the south end of the trench in 1992 contained 6.3 g/t Au, 2 050.2 g/t Ag, 21.0% Pb and 17.5% Zn.
Remapping carried out in 1994 suggests that the H zone is composed of two, sub parallel veins about 20 m apart. The stronger and better mineralized footwall vein (H1) cut obliquely across the lower part of the trench while the Hanging wall vein (H2) is exposed in a roadcut and in the top part of the trench. The footwall vein is about 50 to 70 cm wide and contains varying amounts of banded and disseminated sphalerite, arsenopyrite and tetrahedrite. Siderite and quartz are the main gangue minerals. The best mineralization occurs in a 3m long lens comprised of nearly massive galena, sphalerite and minor tetrahedrite. A chip sample across the widest part of the lens assayed 11 869 g/t Ag and 49.9% Pb over a true width of 47 cm. The hanging wall vein averages about 20 cm wide and consists primarily of quartz with arsenopyrite, pyrite and sphalerite. A well mineralized chip sample from this vein assayed only 3.4 g/t Ag. Both the hanging wall and footwall veins contain minor amounts of gold with samples returning between 0.34 and 1.37 g/t Au.
Nordac Resource¿s 1998 exploration program included a compilation study of all data and results to the end of 1998. This study showed that the Blue Heaven property hosted 3 kinds of mineralization; 1) W-Cu skarn mineralization. 2) Ag, Pb and Zn in northeast-trending quartz veins and 3) Carbonate Replacement deposits, defined as Pb, Zn and Ag replacement mineralization which occurs at the intersection of the northeast-trending veins and a thick, southeast-trending belt of carbonate rich metasediments. The company identified 5 high priority targets; The H and Blue zones comprising high grade Ag, Pb and Zn veins and the Desire, Triumph and Faith zones comprising Pb, Zn and Ag replacement mineralization.
At the Blue zone trenching exposed the B3 vein, where 4 massive galena lenses were discovered at the junction where narrow east-striking hanging wall quartz veins intersect the main northeast trending structure. The lenses average 7 750.8 g/t Ag and 63% Pb over an average width of 9 cm for lengths of 4 to 8 m. Trenching at the H zone exposed approximately 25 m of the main zone. Chip sampling of the best mineralization returned average grades of 6 264.3 g/t Ag, 44.5% Pb and 17.6% Zn over an average width of 58.5 cm. Samples collected to the southwest were much lower while samples collected to the northeast were lower but still encouraging.
The Desire zone (located 700 m northwest of the Blue zone) was identified by strongly anomalous soil samples and a 30 x 30 m kill zone containing mineralized float. The zone marks the location where northeast-trending structures intersect a belt of skarn and carbonate rich metasedimentary rocks. Strong weathering of the mineralized rocks hampered detailed mapping, however several trenches exposed hard and blocky skarnified limestone on either side of dark brown to black strongly weathered manganiferous siderite and jasperiod material containing disseminated grains of residual galena and sphalerite. The mineralized exposure averaged 4.2% Pb, 3.4% Zn and 115.6 g/t over 24.1 m.
The Triump zone lies about 600 m south of the Blue zone and was found through soil sampling and is marked by a 20 x 20 m kill zone hosting mineralized float. Three trench were dug over it of which only one succeeded in reaching bedrock . The other two trenches did not penetrate the overburden. The third trench dug, up ice, from the mineralized float exposed a wide band of strongly weathered manganiferous siderite and jasperiod material containing boxwork texture and minor disseminated sphalerite and galena. Samples from the trench returned 0.28% Pb, 2.04% Zn and 5.7 g/t Ag over 52.5 m.
The Faith zone located 1.6 km from the Blue Zone was found by following up a single soil sample. A piece of mineralized float collected in the vicinity of the anomaly returned 7.6% Pb, 0.96% Zn and 3.66 g/t Ag. A single trench dug to test the anomaly intersected a zone of weathered material with finely disseminated galena and sphalerite. The zone returned 2.01 % Pb, 2.22% Zn and 99.3 g/t Ag. Nordac also confirmed the location of the Night occurrence and several other mineralized zones. The ground magnetic survey was successful in delineating mineralized zones hosting massive pyrrhotite and pyrite.
Nordac hand sorted 49 bags of high grade ore from the B2, B3 and H veins. The bulk sample graded 8 563 g/t Ag, 56% Pb, 9.5% Zn and 1.2 g/t Au. The 2000 drill hole was collared to test for carbonate mineralization located down plunge of the Desire zone. It mostly intersected chemically unreactive skarn. The mineralized zone returned 6.0 g/t Ag, 0.10% Pb and 2.67% Zn from a 3.11 m interval of intensely weathered dark brown to black manganiferous siderite with abundant limonite rimmed pits plus rare partially oxidized galena and sphalerite as disseminations and veinlets.
The Mor zone was discovered in 1998 during a property wide soil sampling program and was field tested the same field season with two excavator trenches and a ground magnetic geophysical survey. The geophysical survey outlined a 200m long northwest trending magnetic anomaly that appears to represent a stratabound pyrrhotite rich replacement skarn zone in calcareous metasedimentary rocks. A massive sulphide outcrop exposed under the roots of a blown over tree returned assays up to 1.32% WO3 and 0.11% Cu. The outcrop area was not trenched because it was too difficult to access with an excavator. A trench cut across the centre of the strongest magnetic response exposed a 12.3 m wide band of garnet diopside skarn that contains a 3.5 m wide zone of interlayered pyrite-pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite mixed with skarn. A chip sample across the sulphide zone returned 0.31% WO3 and 0.31% Cu.
The Mor zone was sampled with a power auger in 2002. The samples were split in two with one split screened, then panned by hand to approximately two tablespoons of material and then inspected under a UV light for a scheelite grain count. The second split was retained for future analysis. The results of the scheelite grain counts indicates that the tungsten bearing skarn probably extends uphill some distance from the southern end of magnetic anomaly.
Prospecting in 2002 uncovered a narrow quartz vein zone in weakly altered diorite located approximately 750 m southwest of the original occurrence. The vein which Strategic named the ¿Hall vein¿ was traced by trenching for a distance of 10 m. It consists of a strong fault or fracture controlled quartz vein that trends west-northwest and dips steeply north. Mineralization consists of a gangue of quartz and lesser siderite with thin bands or patches of fine grained galena that is oxidized to cerussite near surface. One or more parallel footwall fault zones are only weakly mineralized. High grade sections of the vein returned up to 1 3010 g/t Ag, 1.420 g/t Au, 23.3 % Pb and 0.72% Cu over 15 cm. Although the current exposures were judged too narrow to be of direct economic interest, Strategic recommended that further exploration be carried out in the immediate area to determine whether there are potentially economic widths along strike or within parallel structures.
Prospecting and power auger sampling over various potential targets failed to detect any new mineralization.

References

BIG CREEK RESOURCES LTD, Nov/88. Assessment Report #092605 by C.A. Main.

DAWSON, K.M., and DICK, L.A., 1978. Regional metallogeny of the Northern Cordillera: tungsten and base metal-bearing skarns in southeastern Yukon and southwestern Mackenzie. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 78-1A, p. 287-292.

DICK, L.A., 1980. A comparative study of the geology, mineralogy, and conditions of formation of contact metasomatic mineral deposits in the northeastern Canadian Cordillera. Unpublished PhD thesis, Queen's University, p. 8, 118, 136-143, 163, 409-10.

GEORGE CROSS NEWSLETTER, 11 May/82

MINERAL INDUSTRY REPORT, 1971 and 1972. Volume 1 of 3 Yukon Territory. EGS 1975-6. by D.B. Craig and M.W. Miller. p. 112-113.

MORTENSEN, J.K. AND GABITES, J.E., 2002. Lead isotopic constraints on the metallogeny of the southern Wolf Lake, southeastern Teslin and northern Jennings River map areas, Yukon and British Columbia: Preliminary Results. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2001, D.S. Emond, L.H. Weston and L.L. Lewis (eds.), Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, p. 179-188.

NORDAC RESOURCES LTD, Jun/99. Assessment Report #093997 by T.C. Becker.

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STRATEGIC METALS LTD, May/2002. Web Site: www.strategicmetalsltd.com

STRATEGIC METALS LTD, Mar/2003. Assessment Report #094367 by W.A. Wengzynowski.

WOLF LAKE JOINT VENTURE, Jul/72. Assessment Report #060883 by R.J. Cathro.

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YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 1998, p. 22-23, 27; 1999, p. 20-21, 29; 2000, p. 13-14, 25, 27; 2002, p. 24.

YUKON MINING AND EXPLORATION OVERVIEW, 1988, p.16.