Shell Creek
Yukon Territory, Canada
Overview:
- property lies along the edge of the Tintina Fault
- situated on the largest gravity anomaly in the Yukon and associated with a 600 km2 magnetic anomaly
- volcanic redbed copper target
- copper soil geochemical anomaly covering 24 km2
- grab samples assayed up to 2.77% copper and 9.08 g/t gold
- visible gold documented in a in a gold-bearing quartz saddle reef structure at Shell Creek. Four other saddle reef structures have been identified on the property.
- new gold target discovered in 2007: an untested 750m long hydrothermal breccia zone
Location & Ownership:
- 100%-owned (subject to a 2% NSR)
- approximately 75 km northwest of Dawson City, Yukon
- 628 claims covering 110 kmē
- situated proximal to historic gold camps (e.g. Fortymile Placer Gold Mining District)
Exploration Target:
- excellent potential to host a volcanic redbed copper deposit, which are known for their significant grade and tonnage potential
- banded iron formation at Shell Creek traced for 8 kmē along strike- may represent a concentrated redbed sedimentary sequence.
- Click here to view map
Recently identified geophysical anomalies to the north require follow-up by soil sampling, mapping and prospecting.
Upcoming exploration plans include trenching, soil geochemistry and diamond drilling.
Deposit Potential: Redbed Copper Model
Shell Creek exhibits potential to host multi-element mineralization, including significant copper and gold.
Gold potential:
At Shell Creek, shale hosted gold-copper bearing quartz veins are related to five saddle reef structures over a 6 km distance. Visible gold occurs within boulders of the quartz veins with values of 3.8 g/t to 9.3 g/t Au from quartz float, and up to 2.7 g/t Au in soil. Visible gold has been documented in 1 of 5 of the gold-bearing quartz saddle reef structures.
Copper potential:
The geological model for the copper mineralization is consistent with redbed copper systems such as the Keweenaw Peninsula deposits (Michigan, USA), the Coppermine River area (Northwest Territories), the Sustut copper deposit (British Columbia) (Minfile 094D 064), and the Mountain Grill and Radovan occurrences (Alaska).
Click here for comparison of the characteristics of Shell Creek to the typical redbed copper deposit model.
Exploration Developments at Shell Creek to Date
- 17 kilometers of IP survey
- Over 1100 soil samples were collected and assayed for 35 different elements
- Ground magnetic surveys
- A gravity survey
- Geological mapping
- An aeromagnetic survey was flown over the property
- Additional staking
The technical work carried out on the Shell Creek property resulted in the identification of several high priority drill targets that will be diamond drilled.
Property History
2007 exploration program:
- Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey outlined five new radiometric anomalies, several with associated magnetic signatures suggestive of underlying sulphide mineralization.
- Diamond drilling (1,535 m in 10 holes), mapping, prospecting, additional soil sampling, and securing access to the Yukon River.
- Successfully outlined an inferred stratabound copper-bearing horizon with characteristics of redbed copper systems
- New gold target identified: a 750m long hydrothermal breccia, proximal to high arsenic values in soils (commonly a pathfinder for gold).
2006: A detailed soil geochemical survey (2,260 samples) completed over northeastern portion of the property expanded the total anomalous copper area to cover 13.4 km by 1.8 km (24 kmē), with values up to 620 ppm Cu. Gold in outcrop assayed 3.4 g/t Au coincident with higher copper soil geochemical results. Three holes were drilled to test an IP target. The induced polarization (IP) target remains unexplained as the holes did not reach the target depths.
2005: Exploration consisted of airborne magnetic, gravity and orientation induced polarization (IP) geophysical surveys, a soil geochemical survey (1,054 samples), and geological mapping. Activities were focused on assessing the property for Olympic Dam type mineralization. Soil geochemical surveys indicated widespread anomalous copper, gold, uranium and rare earths (lanthanum) in soils along Shell Creek ridge.
2004: A preliminary field assessment was carried out with geological mapping, hand trenching and 200 stream sediment samples, outlining the five gold-bearing quartz saddle reef structures.
2003: Prospector Shawn Ryan discovered gold-bearing quartz vein float in the vicinity of Shell Creek and staked the property. Logan Resources subsequently acquired the property from Mr. Ryan.
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