A total of 23 rock samples were collected returning up to 31.6% Cu, 1525 g/t Ag, and 1.42 g/t Au with five samples assaying greater than 1% Cu. Quartz veins with semi-massive pyrite-chalcopyrite are found within Stikine Assemblage Paleozoic volcanic rocks. New areas of copper mineralization were uncovered during the 2024 field season in the Trapper area, approximately 5 km east of the main area of drilling at the epithermal gold target.
Prospecting was completed proximal to an illite-dickite-kaolinite alteration zone previously identified by Barrick Gold in 2005. Widespread copper oxides accompanied by pyrite and rare chalcopyrite were sampled in both upper Triassic and upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks. Of the 22 samples from this area, three returned greater than 1% Cu with values of up to 3.76% Cu.
The clay minerals identified from SWIR results, accompanied by areas of sodium and calcium depletion suggest the potential presence of a lithocap environment that forms at the upper levels of porphyry systems. Mapping in 2025 will assess the prospectivity of this area. To the south of main drilling, a previously unsampled area of quartz-carbonate-sulphide veins in upper Triassic volcanic rocks returned values of up to 11.9% Cu. A soil grid was completed approximately 700 m southeast of the main area of drilling in an area with no outcrop to assist in undercover targeting of gold mineralization along trend of the main Trapper system.
Of the 51 samples collected, seven samples assayed greater than 100 ppb Au with values up to 1680 ppb Au. The Plum Target is an early-stage, porphyry-epithermal target located 30 km southeast of Thorn Camp bordering Brixton?s Metla Target to the west as well as the historic Golden Bear Mine claims to the south. Plum is characterized by a large iron-oxide clay alteration footprint that extends over 10 km2 and is largely comprised of Stikine Assemblage volcaniclastic rocks and Triassic age intrusive units.
The area has seen both historical and recent exploration work including mapping, prospecting, and soil sampling. Field work was carried out in areas with little to no historic sampling to better define the target potential for both porphyry-copper and epithermal-gold mineralization. A total of 92 rock samples were collected with 11 samples returning greater than 1% Cu and one sample returning 5.79 g/t Au with copper dominant mineralization found in quartz-carbonate veins.
The North Target is located approximately 10 km north of Thorn Camp and was actively explored for its porphyry Cu-Au-Ag-Mo potential during the 2024 field season. The North Target hosts upper Triassic volcanic rocks, lower Jurassic sedimentary rocks and Late Cretaceous to Eocene porphyritic intrusions. Geological mapping, rock and soil sampling was completed to support the 2024 drill program with four holes drilled at the North Target for a total of 2,266m.
A total of 257 rock and 71 soil samples were collected. Mapping and sampling were successful in outlining the extents of numerous alteration zones across the target area. Rock samples returned up to 3.92 g/t Au, 542 g/t Ag, and 6.0% Cu, and soils up to 0.12% Cu and 160 ppm Mo.
Rock and soil geochemistry, geophysics, SWIR results, and mapping data will be utilized for further targeting within the 11 km by 4 km trend of porphyry to epithermal alteration that spans across the target area. Further exploration efforts were conducted proximal to Camp Creek with geological mapping and rock sampling completed at the Trifecta and Cirque porphyry targets to support the 2024 drill campaign. A total of 167 rock samples were collected, with samples at Cirque returning up to 1.66% Cu and 3.12 g/t Au.
At Trifecta, quartz-carbonate-barite veins occur in a 1-3 m thick vein breccia within upper Triassic volcanic rocks and returned values of 4.09% Cu and 221 g/t Ag. The veins sit within a larger 400m x 400m Cu-in-soil anomaly that was drill tested during the 2024 field season. Prospecting and mapping was followed up with drilling at both targets.
Initial drill results from the Cirque Target were released on September 17, 2024. The remaining hole, THN24-299 was drilled at an azimuth of 214.9 degrees and a dip of ?55.0 degrees to a final depth of 686.00m. Hole 299 was planned to target sheeted porphyry-style veins containing chalcopyrite and molybdenite mineralization identified at surface, approximately 3 km northeast of the Camp Creek porphyry.
The porphyry-style veins are hosted in Cretaceous age felsic to intermediate volcanics of the Windy Table Group with moderate to strong quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration. While THN24-299 intersected narrow intervals of porphyry-style veining and mineralization resulting in only modest grades, drilling confirmed the presence of a mineralizing porphyry system nearby to which hole 299 is interpreted to have drilled along the margins of the phyllic alteration halo. At Trifecta, THN24-314 was drilled at an azimuth of 325 degrees and a dip of ?75 degrees to a final depth of 466.0m and did not return any significant assays.
Trace occurences of chalcopyrite and molybedenite mineralization were observed within sparse quartz veins hosted in a dominantly chlorite altered lapilli tuff of the Triassic Stuhini Group. Copper Equivalent (CuEq) is calculated based on USD 4.02/lb Cu, USD 2105.6/oz Au, USD 25.16/oz Ag, USD 20.99/lb Mo. These prices represent the approximate metal prices and calculations assume 95% metal recoveries.
CuEq % = (Cu % + (0.764486* Au g/t) + (0.009134 * Ag g/t) + (0.000523 * Mo ppm)) * 0.95.