Other Projects
McKellar (Au, Ag, Zn, Cu, REE)
At a glance
Numerous historical gold, silver, and base metal showing
Anomalous REE levels reported in underexplored diatreme
Project overview
McKellar covers 11km² in a prime geological location adjacent to Generation Mining’s Marathon palladium project. The area boasts encouraging mineral potential, indicated primarily by historic showings and past exploration.
For example, McKellar contains the Gold Bar Lake showing, where sampling in 1981 returned 2.5% Cu, 1.1% Zn, 47ppm Ag and 140ppm Au. Meanwhile, a four-tonne bulk sample processed at the Little Pic silver mine in 1875 returned 10% Cu and 1.77oz/ton Ag.
Almost a century later, Noranda Exploration reported a channel sample of 1.4m @ 13% Zn, 7.1% Pb & 678g/t Ag along with a trench sample of 1.1m @ 32.3% Zn, 1.1% Pb and 68.4g/t Ag.
Encouragingly, VMS style mineralisation has been reportedly traced over a 600m strike at McKellar while a diatreme was also been reported with anomalous levels of REEs. This REE potential is of priority interest to First Class Metals.
There are also a significant number of showings within the vicinity of McKellar. These include the Prairie River West showing, which returned 1.13g/t Au and 45g/t Ag, as well as the Marhill Prospect to the west with values up to 18.5g/t Ag. These showings are hosted in the mafic to intermediate metavolcanics identified in the property’s western extension.
Progress so far
First Class Metals began its exploration of McKellar by mobilising a field crew to complete 'first pass' review of the diatreme area to examine the project’s REE potential.
The team identified the outcrop and collected 10 rock samples. Of these, nine were grab samples of outcrop in the vicinity of an identified drill hole, while the other was a boulder sample in a creek immediately to the south west. The work encountered distinct diatreme breccia.
Next steps
The samples taken have been collected for assay, the results of which will be followed with further exploration.
Magical (Au)
At a glance
Surrounded by land held by Barrick
Anomalous quantities of gold, silver, zinc, and lead reported
Volcanic unit interpreted across property
Project overview
Located only 9km NW of the Barrick Hemlo gold mine, this 14 claim, ~2.9km² block is situated on a compelling geological contact.
the enigmatic ‘Valley Float’ boulder is less than 1km off the property to the NE has reported >16g/t Au,
whilst the Gowan Lake showing to the SW, also on the inferred contact, reports ~1.5g/t Au and
the Kusins showing also associated with the contact reports 70.87 g/t Ag, 10.7% Zn and 8.9% Pb.
Geologically, the area contains a northeast trending sequence of clastic sediments, plus subordinate amphibolite. These are bounded by the Gowan Lake Pluton in the northwest and the Cedar Lake Pluton in the southeast.
The contact between the GL Pluton and metavolcanics is found in the east and southern areas of the property and, on the basis of nearology / vector,
Progress so far
Available geophysics suggests a mafic volcanic unit crosses Magical. Reported samples to the SW and NE of the interpreted strike total 1.5g/t gold and 70g/t silver as well as 10% zinc and almost 9% lead. One sample found 600m north of the property assayed 16.2g/t gold.
Next steps
During the 2022 field season: a soil sampling programme was completed comprising 56 MMI soil samples and 11 rock chip samples
It is proposed that the soils lines are extended as well as further lines to the SW in order to validate the anomalism associated with the contact / shear.
Coco East (Au)
At a glance
8km east of Metallum’s Superior Lake Zinc project
Contains eastern extension of Big Duck Lake porphyry
Big Birch showing returns gold and silve
Project overview
The Coco East block of 30 claims covering ~6.3km² is located on the eastern sector of the Big Duck Lake Porphyry, which contains a number of historic showings as well as the Coco Estelle deposit.
This porphyry, as well as other similar intrusions, are strongly spatially associated with Archean lode gold deposits.
There is only one showing located within the Coco East property boundary, the Big Birch Occurrence.
The geology was described as mafic metavolcanics, which display epidote alteration. Two pits were observed with a 5m spacing, striking east-west. The main pit exposes a 10 cm wide quartz and calcite vein and contains pyrite and possible chalcopyrite mineralisation.
Progress so far
Assay results have returned values of 0.56 g/t Au and 2.83 g/t Ag.
47 rock samples were collected during the field season predominantly in the area of the Big Birch occurrence and historical drilling. Assays returned gold and silver grades that were generally in order of the historic samples.
The collection of 6 lake sediment samples, mostly from the eastern sector, retuned weak anomalism.
Next steps
• Additional reconnaissance work along the contact of the porphyry.
• Explore the NW of the claim block where a significant geophysical anomaly centred off the property extends into the claim block.
• Follow-up of any lake sediment anomalies as required.
Enable (Au, Ag)
At a glance
Inferred dissection by important regional geological feature
Historical gold and silver showings confirmed and expanded
Addition sampling underway and drilling planned
Fully permitted.
Project overview
Covering 16.4km², Enable is dissected by an important geological feature that can be traced off property to more than 30 historical gold showings. Examples in surrounding claims include Hays Lake (9.64 g/t Au and 20g/t Ag) and Joa Walton (192.7g/t Au and 401g/t Silver).
Many of these regional showings are associated with a geological feature called “Terrace Bay batholith contact”. First Class Metals is working to establish this contact could continue through its own claim block, opening up gold potential.
Progress so far
In 2022 over 80 rock samples were collected on the property by FCM.
Not only has the sampling by FCM confirmed the historic showing at Perch Lake West it has also been enhanced and the gold bearing area extended to Zone 1.
Furthermore, additional sampling to the NE has identified a completely new discovery with gold values over 7.0ppm. This new discovery is hosted in a zone of quartz veining in strained, silicified granodiorite with disseminated sulphides, Zone 2.
Work conducted in 2023 included:
Lake sediment sampling to the east and west of the gold occurrences, (6 samples collected) retuned values considered (weak) anomalism
Soil sampling along the perceived strike extension of the mineralised trend also returned weak anomalism
Additionally samples have been sent for petrographic studies.
Next steps
FCM is very encouraged by this discovery and as the property is now fully Permitted for stripping and drilling significant exploration could be undertaken
Future work would include:
Intensive ground exploration in the area of Zone ! and “ including possibly more soil sample traverses.
Further exploration along the inferred contact through the property.
Sugar Cube (Au)
At a glance
Second-largest property in First Class Metals’ portfolio
Located near Silver Lake’s large Sugar Zone gold mine
New greenstone belt interpreted on licence area
Project overview
The 43km² Sugar Cube block is contiguous to the NW of Silver Lake Resources’ 1Moz-plus Sugar Zone gold mine. It lies on the next greenstone package to Sugar Zone, which was delineated with an airborne VTEM survey that highlighted significant structures and magnetic anomalism.
Progress so far
First Class Metals’ analysis of historic geological data led it to the interpretation that Sugar Cube contains the remnants of a greenstone belt along similar contact to Sugar Zone. During recent ground reconnaissance, previously-unmapped, sulphide-rich metasediments were located off property while greenstone boulders were located on the claim block.
Next steps
First Class Metals is planning extensive ground rock sampling to evidence and extend the new proposed greenstone belt underlying Sugar Cube. A high-resolution drone survey will also be completed to confirm the presence of greenstone-style geology.