Toronto-based exploration company Eskay Mining announced in October that it had completed 29 500m of diamond core drilling, substantially fulfilling its planned meterage for the 2022 propertywide exploration campaign for the development of precious and base metals projects along the Eskay rift in the prolific region of northwest British Columbia, known as the “Golden Triangle”.

Over the past four months, drilling has been conducted at multiple volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) targets including Jeff, Jeff North, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley, and Tarn Lake. Drilling has now been completed and the company is currently demobilising.

“As the 2022 exploration season is drawing to a close, we have met all our primary objectives,” commented Eskay Mining exploration VP John DeDecker.

“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. 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.”

Step-out drilling of the Upper Massive Sulphide Zone has confirmed that semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralisation overlies the entire stockwork zone at TV, thus significantly expanding the along-strike and down-dip extent of this important body of mineralisation.

Maiden drilling at Scarlet Valley and Tarn Lake yielded core displaying intense stockwork and replacement-style sulphide mineralisation and hydrothermal alteration focused along east-west trending andesite dykes.

Replacement-style mineralisation 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 mineralisation along favourable stratigraphic horizons.

TV Drilling

Drilling at TV, the last to be undertaken this season, focused on extensions of the Upper Massive Sulphide Zone discovered in 2021.

Drill holes TV22-105, 107, 109, 110, 111, and 113 target areas east and up-section from the large stockwork zone defined by drilling in 2021.

All these holes have intercepted semi-massive to massive sulphide over intervals ranging from 4 m to 18 m, and tens of meters of additional footwall replacement-style and stockwork sulphide mineralisation hosted by andesite and dacite breccia, and silicified mudstone.

Extensions of the Upper Massive Sulphide Zone overlie intensely silicified mudstones in the stockwork zone, consistent with a near-seafloor position.

Handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses of massive and semi-massive sulphides hosted by carbonaceous mudstone display strongly anomalous concentrations of pathfinder elements silver, arsenic, and antimony; stockwork mineralisation displays strongly elevated levels of pathfinder elements arsenic and antimony; and readings from massive sulphide display very high concentrations of pathfinder elements for sliver, arsenic, and antimony.

Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure gold concentrations.

Tarn Lake Drilling

Drilling at Tarn Lake focused on a large gossanous outcrop associated with visible sulphide and sulfosalt mineralisation hosted within Eskay rhyolite. Sulphide mineralisation is focused around east-west trending andesitic dykes that are interpreted to have exploited the same syn-volcanic structure that fed VMS forming fluids. Nine drill holes were completed at Tarn Lake.

Hole TN22-10 intercepted about 10m of semi-massive replacement style mineralisation, and ubiquitous disseminated sulphide mineralisation associated with sulphide stockwork.

Early results show pervasive stockwork and disseminated sulphide mineralisation 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 sulphide mineralisation.

Rhyolite-hosted sulphide mineralisation at Scarlet Knob, situated about 1km to the northeast of Tarn Lake, is likely structurally offset from the Tarn Lake VMS system, displaced along a dextral shear zone.

Scarlet Valley drilling

Drilling at Scarlet Valley targeted a large east-west trending gossan associated with intense stockwork sulphide mineralisation.

Mineralisation is focused along east-west trending andesite dykes 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 sulphide mineralisation, in some cases, sulphide replacement being intense.

Core from hole SV22-05 displays intense silicification and sulphide replacement of volcaniclastic debris flows, a promising sign that permeable sedimentary horizons may host lateral extensions of replacement-style mineralisation.

Handheld XRF analyses of sulphide minerals in drill core display high concentrations of pathfinder elements silver, arsenic, and antimony.