Proof Location
Looking west into the eastern edge of the Goldtree Zone at the centre of the Proof Property
2018 rock grab sample, north of the gold-in-twig anomaly, with >500 ppm antimony and discrete orange crystals
2022 rock grab sample of bladed quartz north of the gold-in-twig anomaly
Proof Gold Project
(available for option)
Executive Summary
Located south of Francois Lake, approximately 10 km southeast of the Endako Molybdenum Mine and 25 km southeast of the Village of Fraser Lake, British Columbia, Canada, is the Proof Gold Project. Local First Nations include the Skin Tyee Nation, the Nee-Tahi-Buhn Indian Band, the Nadleh Whut'en Band and the Stellat'en First Nation (list is preliminary based on current government information and is not conclusive).
Regionally, the area is underlain by Late Cretaceous Kalsalka Group andesitic volcanic rocks. To the southwest are the Lower Jurassic Hazelton Group volcanic rocks and to the southeast is the Late Cretaceous Holy Cross feldspar porphyritic pluton.
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The area was staked in 2007 by Nation River Resources Ltd., but no work was filed and the claim was forfeited in 2008. No other mineral exploration work is known to have occurred in the project area.
In 2017, a Ph.D. thesis by Diana Benz was published and a large, 30 kilometre in length, caesium anomaly was identified within lodgepole pine outer bark samples collected during governmental regional geological surveys in the 1990's. The data within this area was further researched by Takom Exploration Ltd. and a 3 kilometre in length centre of the caesium anomaly was staked in 2018 resulting in the 905 hectare Proof Project.
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In July of 2018, a reconnaissance exploration program was conducted and a total of 13 rock, 5 silt and 21 new growth twigs from lodgepole pine were collected.
A five sample, 935 metre in length, gold-in-twig anomaly was discovered within the centre of the Property, the Goldtree Zone, with values ranging from 21 to 38.8 ppb gold and background values less than 6 ppb gold. Within the twig samples, vanadium values exhibited a broader halo ranging from 160 to 290 ppb within the Goldtree Zone and from 110 to 180 ppb surrounding the Zone. One twig sample, within the Zone, returned 8.3 ppb thallium (background levels < 0.5 ppb). A significant rock sample was found north of the Goldtree Zone twig samples, collected from a shear zone within a recent road cut, and returned >500 ppm antimony, 503 ppm arsenic, 50.5 ppm caesium, 660 ppm vanadium and 1.63 ppm thallium. A pit rock sample dug within the Goldtree Zone revealed a maroon crystal tuff with 0.427 ppm Ag, 17 ppm Sb, 18.8 ppm Cs, 0.34 ppm Tl and 0.08 ppm Te.
Haloing the Goldtree zone were elements that displayed notable values and/or geochemical contrast:
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Based on the data collected to-date, the Proof Project is thought to represent a hydrothermal deposit although similarities with the atypical, mesozonal-orogenic, disseminated-replacement-stockwork Hemlo Gold Deposit are noted: nearby feldspar porphyritic pluton, located within volcanic rocks and local enrichment of gold, caesium, antimony, arsenic, thallium and vanadium, as well as molybdenum.
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Link to 2022 assessment report:
Geochemical and Geological Survey on the Proof Property
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Link to 2020 assessment report:
Geochemical and Geological Survey on the Proof Property
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Link to 2018 assessment report:
Geochemical Survey on the Proof Property
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Location & Access
The Proof Property is situated within the Omineca Mining Division of west-central British Columbia, Canada. The Property is approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Fraser Lake, 155 kilometres west of Prince George and 340 kilometres southeast from Prince Rupert. Local First Nations include the Skin Tyee Nation, the Nee-Tahi-Buhn Indian Band, the Nadleh Whut'en Band and the Stellat'en First Nation (list is preliminary based on current government information and is not conclusive). The project area is nestled between Francois and Borel Lakes, approximately 10 kilometres southeast of the Endako Molybdenum Mine and 90 kilometres northeast of the Blackwater Gold Mine.
Local infrastructure includes an 8.5 kilometre long, 69 kilovolt BC Hydro power line that runs from the Village of Endako to the Endako Molybdenum Mine approximately 10 kilometres northwest of the Property. Railway lines are located approximately 25 kilometres northeast at Fraser Lake. The Kitimat Deep Water Port Railway Connection is situated 230 km west and the Prince Rupert Deep Water Port Railway Connection is 340 km west.
The Proof Property is accessible via resource roads from the Village of Fraser Lake. Directions to the Property are as follows: approximately 6 kilometres east of Fraser Lake along Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) is the junction with the Holy Cross FSR. Drive 12.6 kilometres south along the Holy Cross FSR to the Holy Cross-Binta FSR (200 Road). Turn right onto the Holy Cross-Binta FSR (200 Road). Between 7.5 and 9.5 kilometres along the Holy Cross-Binta FSR are resource roads that lead north and provide access to the Property.
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Property Status & History
The Proof Property is comprised of three mineral tenures. The tenures cover approximately 905 hectares of land within NTS map sheets 093F/14 and 15. The Property is located between latitudes 53.937° and 53.958° North and longitudes 125.051° and 124.983° West. The centre of the claim block is located at 53.950° North and 125.0129° West.
All of the tenures are 100%-owned. The tenure good-to-dates are January 24, 2026.
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This region continues to rely on active logging and has a long history of mineral exploration. One porphyry-molybdenum mine, the current Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.-Centerra Gold Inc.-Sojitz Corporation joint venture Endako Mine, has been operating within this area since 1965. It suspended production at the end of 2014 and has been under care and maintenance since July of 2015 due to the poor molybdenum market. Two porphyry copper ± molybdenum ± gold mines were also active in this area: Granisle (1966-1982) and Bell (1972-1991) (Baker, 2002). This area also saw the establishment of two mercury mines: Pinchi Lake (1940-1944 and 1968-1975) and Bralorne-Takla (1944-nine months in operation) (Baker, 2002).
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Most notably is the establishment of the Blackwater Gold-Silver Mine approximately 86 kilometers southeast that is currently under construction. This project is a volcanic-hosted (Kasalka Group), epithermal-style gold-silver deposit. A 2020 Mineral Reserve Estimate includes 8 million ounces of gold and 60 million ounces of silver.
Other past producers and developed prospects commonly include the following deposit types: surficial placer, jade/nephrite, limestone, polymetallic veins and porphyry copper ± molybdenum ± gold. This area is mainly prospected for molybdenum and gold, although a number of copper and lead prospects are recorded in the BC MINFILE Mineral Inventory database: 093F 032-Boss with 1.7% Cu and 33,962 ppm Pb and 093F 076-Goodwin with 2.5% Cu. No recorded historical work was found on the Proof Property.
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Geology
The Proof Property lies within the Intermontane Tectonic Belt of British Columbia. The Intermontane Belt is a partly collisional tectonic belt comprised of a series of accreted terranes. The largest of these terranes is Stikinia, which underlies a large portion of central British Columbia.
Stikinia consists of a series of Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary magmatic arcs and successor basins which unconformably overlie Permian sedimentary basement rocks. In central BC, the Stikinia is mainly comprised of Paleozoic arc and associated rocks collectively called the Stikine Assemblage. In the regionally mapped area of the Proof Property, the Stikinia consists of Lower to Middle Jurassic Hazleton Group undivided, maroon, maroon-grey, and green, heterogeneous, fine- to coarse-grained, feldspar-phyric basaltic, andesitic and rhyolitic pyroclastic and flow rocks; heterolithic and monolithic volcaniclastic and epiclastic volcanic rocks, and tuffaceous rocks.
The stratigraphy of the Proof area (NTS 093F/14 and 15) consists of Lower to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group undivided volcanic rocks and Late Cretaceous Kalsakla Group andesitic volcanic rocks. The Kasalka Group rocks, in this area, consist of grey-green or purple, heterolithic andesite lapilli tuff and tuff breccia; some pale-green to green, andesite to dacite, aphanitic to (biotite-, hornblende- and/or chloritized pyroxene-) plagioclase-phyric crystal-rich flows, tuffs, and volcanic rocks. The Late Cretaceous Holy Cross Pluton consisting of feldspar porphyritic rocks is exposed to the southeast.
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Preliminary mapping in the Fall of 2018 revealed greenstone to the northwest and white (talc) schist in the central-south. The greenstone has a dark green and rusty brick red weathered surface with small cm-sized areas of dark grey oxide (magnetite), chlorite and patches of dark black non-magnetic powdery mineral (Mn?). Overall the greenstone is very magnetic. The white (talc) schist consists of large cm-sized powdery pockets of talc and pockets of limonite (3 cm) with a hard black mineral (tourmaline?) as well as mm-width veins of limonite within a harder white matrix. Overall the white (talc) schist is non-magnetic and contains little to no carbonates.
Mapping the ridge above (north) of the Goldtree Zone (Benz, 2022) revealed approximately 800 metres of patchily exposed outcrop and felsenmeer. Rusty, opaque white quartz veins, ranging from sub-millimetre to around 500 millimetres, were found as sheeted emplacement to swarms with breccia towards the east. The veins were emplaced into the grey to tan volcanic rocks consistent with Kasalka Group andesite: grey-green or purple, heterolithic andesite lapilli tuff and tuff breccia; some pale-green to green, andesite to dacite, aphanitic to (biotite-, hornblende- and/or chloritized pyroxene-) plagioclase-phyric crystal-rich flows, tuffs, and volcanic rocks (after Cui et al., 2018). Many veins exhibited wavy layering indicating multiple fluid pulses as well as vuggy patches and occasional pods of limonite.
A new Property Geology map was compiled based on the previous and current rock descriptions (2018-2023); regional bedrock geology (after Cui et al., 2018); geophysical maps (Geoscience BC Quest West, 2009, Block 2, TAU, ZOff, and Total Magnetic Intensity); enhanced satellite imagery (Benz, 2020); as well as the rock, silt, soil and vegetation sample results (2018 to 2023).
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Results
The Proof Project is located at the centre of a 30 kilometre long caesium anomaly discovered in regionally sampled outer lodgepole pine bark (Benz, 2017).
Reconnaissance work in 2018 revealed a 935 metre gold-in-twig anomaly, the Goldtree Zone, with values ranging from 21 to 38.8 ppb gold. This Zone is supported by a halo of twig, silt and rock samples with anomalous caesium, antimony, thallium and vanadium as well as arsenic, silver and molybdenum values.
One rock grab sample of a shear zone, collected north of the Goldtree Zone, returned 50.5 ppm caesium, >500 ppm antimony, 1.62 ppm thallium, 660 ppm vanadium and 503 ppm arsenic. A pit sample dug within the Goldtree Zone, 5 metres from the 38.8 ppb Au twig sample, consisted of maroon crystal tuff with rare sub mm quartz veins and returned 0.427 ppm Ag, 18.8 ppm Cs, 17 ppm Sb and 11 ppb Au (with background values at <0.5 ppb Au).
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Biogeochemical surveying in 2022 announced the Silvertree Zone: a 4-kilometre silver-in-twig anomaly with values ranging from 20 to 34 ppb silver and 0.4 to 2.7 ppb platinum.
The silt samples returned between 0.089 and 0.212 ppm silver, 0.29 and 0.78 ppm molybdenum, 5.1 and 11.3 ppm caesium, 0.6 and 1.29 ppm antimony, 0.09 and 0.34 ppm thallium, as well as between 60 and 129 ppm vanadium.
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