Eskay Mining Corp (TSX-V:ESK, OTCQX:ESKYF) said it has completed 29,500 metres of diamond core drilling, putting it on target for its 2022 property-wide exploration campaign in the Eskay Creek area.
Over the past four months, the company said drilling was done at multiple volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) targets including Jeff, Jeff North, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley, and Tarn Lake. With drilling complete, the company said it is demobilizing.
Eskay Mining's vice president of exploration Dr. John DeDecker said the company met all of its primary objectives in prospecting for gold in the Unuk and Iskut River region on the north coastal mountains of British Columbia.
"We have now drill tested the full extent of the TV-Jeff trend, conducted systematic mapping and extensive rock chip sampling of the Scarlet Ridge-Tarn Lake trend, and conducted exploratory drilling at three highly prospective and previously undrilled targets, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley and Tarn Lake,” DeDecker said in a statement.
“Our prospecting and mapping teams have also conducted reconnaissance level work at Spearhead, Vermillion, Tet, SIB-Lulu, Excelsior, and Harrymel Valley, laying the groundwork for an expansive push to drill test numerous additional targets in 2023," he said.
Step-out drilling of the upper massive sulfide zone confirmed that semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization overlies the entire stockwork zone at TV, which significantly expands the along-strike and down-dip extent of this body of mineralization, according to Eskay Mining.
Maiden drilling at Scarlet Valley and Tarn Lake yielded cores, which display intense stockwork and replacement-style sulfide mineralization and hydrothermal alteration focused along east-west trending andesite dikes. Replacement-style mineralization and hydrothermal alteration of volcaniclastic debris flow breccia at Scarlet Valley provide an encouraging sign that the VMS feeder structures may have fed laterally extensive replacement-style mineralization along favorable stratigraphic horizons, the company said.
TV update
The last to be undertaken this season was at TV, and focused on extensions of the upper massive sulfide zone discovered in 2021. All new drill holes have intercepted semi-massive to massive sulfide over intervals ranging from four to 18 metres and tens of metres of additional footwall replacement-style and stockwork sulfide mineralization hosted by andesite and dacite breccia, and silicified mudstone, the company said.
Extensions of the upper massive sulfide zone lie over intensely silicified mudstones in the stockwork zone, consistent with a near-seafloor position.
Handheld XRF analyses of massive and semi-massive sulfides hosted by carbonaceous mudstone show strongly anomalous concentrations of pathfinder elements silver, arsenic, and antimony. Stockwork mineralization shows strongly elevated levels of gold pathfinder elements arsenic and antimony. The company also said that readings from massive sulfide show very high concentrations of gold pathfinder elements. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure gold concentrations, according to Eskay Mining.
Tarn Lake update
Drilling at Tarn Lake focused on a large gossanous outcrop associated with visible sulfide and sulfosalt mineralization hosted within Eskay rhyolite. Sulfide mineralization is concentrated around east-west trending andesitic dikes that are interpreted to have exploited the same syn-volcanic structure that fed VMS forming fluids. Nine drill holes were completed at Tarn Lake, according to Eskay Mining.
Hole TN22-10 intercepted approximately 10m of semi-massive replacement style mineralization and ubiquitous disseminated sulfide mineralization associated with sulfide stockwork.
Early results show pervasive stockwork and disseminated sulfide mineralization in all drill holes completed at Tarn Lake. Handheld XRF readings display very high concentrations of pathfinder elements silver, arsenic, and antimony within stockwork and semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization. Again, handheld XRF cannot reliably measure gold concentrations, according to Eskay Mining.
Rhyolite-hosted sulfide mineralization at Scarlet Knob, situated approximately one kilometre to the northeast of Tarn Lake, is likely structurally offset from the Tarn Lake VMS system, displaced along a dextral shear zone, the company said.
Scarlet Valley update
Drilling at Scarlet Valley targeted a large east-west trending gossan associated with intense stockwork sulfide mineralization. Mineralization is focused along east-west trending andesite dikes that crosscut volcaniclastic debris flow breccia. Debris flow breccia in the western part of Scarlet Valley contains rhyolite clasts, while debris flow breccia to the east is dominated by andesite clasts. Both andesite and the debris flow breccia exhibit replacement-style sulfide mineralization. In some cases, the sulfide replacement is intense, the company said.
Core from hole SV22-05 displays intense silicification and sulfide replacement of volcaniclastic debris flows, a promising sign that permeable sedimentary horizons may host lateral extensions of replacement-style mineralization, Eskay Mining said.
Handheld XRF analyses of sulfide minerals in drill core display high concentrations of pathfinder elements silver, arsenic, and antimony, but cannot reliably measure gold concentrations, the company said.
Eskay Mining is focused on the exploration and development of precious metal volcanogenic massive sulfide targets along the Eskay rift in a prolific region of northwest British Columbia known as the Golden Triangle.
Contact the author at susie@proactiveinvestors.com