Origin of tungsten-molybdenum mineralization at the Fox property, British Columbia

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Tungsten and molybdenum mineralization was discovered on the Fox property in central British Columbia in 1999 in the vicinity of a previously unknown granitic intrusion. Subsequent exploration identified the presence of high-grade mineralization. The available information suggests a skarn-type deposit formed through the interaction of granitic magma with carbonate-rich rocks. Drilling by the current owners of the Fox property, Happy Creek Minerals Ltd., intersected sill- or dike-like bodies of granitic rock (1-10 m thick) between the mineralized intervals. This suggests that the granite may not be a typical ovoid intrusion but rather forms sill-like bodies interfingered with mineralized host rocks. Confirmation of this has implications for exploration and for the economic viability of the property. The purpose of this study is to determine the origin and geometry of the mineralization at the Fox property. The approach encompasses (1) geological mapping, in particular of local structural features that may control the distribution of the mineralization; (2) the geochemical and mineralogical composition of the granitc intrusion, to determine the fertility of the magmatic rock with respect to the mineralization potential; (3) the mineralogy of the host rocks; and (4) the stable isotopic composition of calcite from the deposit to determine whether it formed through the interaction of granitic magma with the carbonate-rich rocks, or in some other way. This information will enable the industrial partner to design a more efficient exploration program.