The Kwanika deposits are located along the western margin of the Quesnel Terrane, a Late Paleozoic to Early Jurassic island arc that hosts numerous calc-alkalic to alkalic Cu-Au porphyry deposits including the Copper Mountain, Mount Milligan and New Afton Cu-Au mines, the giant Highland Valley Cu-Mo mine, and NorthWest’s Lorraine – Top Cat Cu-Au-Ag±PGE porphyry project (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Location of the Kwanika-Stardust Project on the geological terrane map of British Columbia
Kwanika geology is dominated by Jurassic intrusions that are part of the Hogem batholith, to which Kwanika mineralization is related, emplaced into favourable Triassic Takla Group volcanic rocks. The Kwanika hydrothermal system and the Hogem intrusions are truncated on their west side by the Pinchi fault, a regional-scale dextral strike-slip structure. Mineral resources at Kwanika are hosted by the Central Zone, and the South Zone is located just 1.5 km to the southeast (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Map of the Kwanika-Stardust Project showing claim boundaries, geology, exploration targets, and location of Mineral Resources.
Kwanika Central: Mineralization in the Central deposit is hosted by Early Jurassic monzodiorite porphyry to diorite intrusions emplaced into Triassic-aged Takla Group volcanic rocks, which are cut by late-mineral diorite porphyry dykes. The deposit has a structurally controlled core of very high-grade Cu-Au-Ag mineralization characterized by disseminated and vein-hosted chalcopyrite ± bornite within intense K-feldspar alteration related to abundant quartz-sulphide veins (Figure 5). High-grade Cu-Au-Ag mineralization begins at top of bedrock in an open pit resource that extends continuously to depth to the west where bulk underground mining may be feasible. An extensive zone of Cu-Au-Ag mineralization of more moderate grade occurs in diorite intrusions and Takla Group volcanic rocks that surround the high-grade core. The western part of the Central Zone is overlain nonconformably by Cretaceous-aged sedimentary rocks, which preserved a small tonnage of paleo-supergene copper mineralization at the top of the deposit.

Figure 5. Example of High-Grade Mineralization with Chalcopyrite and Bornite from the Kwanika Central Zone. KW-180 388.4 metres depth
Kwanika South: The South Zone deposit is a discrete Cu-Au-Mo-Ag porphyry deposit that is located approximately 1.5 km southeast of the Central Deposit open pit resource. In comparison to the Central deposit, the South Zone deposit is slightly younger, has a more polymetallic metal signature that includes significant molybdenum, and is hosted by a distinct, equigranular quartz monzonite intrusion. The South Zone deposit has an open pit resource that adds tonnage to the Kwanika-Stardust Project and remains open to expansion.
Stardust: The road-accessible Stardust deposit is located only 7 km northwest of the Kwanika Central deposit. It is hosted by the Late Paleozoic Cache Creek Terrane, which occurs west of the Pinchi Fault. Mineralization at Stardust deposit is related to the Eocene Glover Stock, a multiphase felsic intrusion emplaced into Cache Creek limestones and clastic sedimentary rocks.
Stardust is a high-grade Cu-Au carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) with significant opportunity for growth. Stardust occurs in one part of a 2.2 km long corridor that exhibits classic CRD zoning progressing from the northwest to the southeast through:
- Proximal Cu-Mo porphyry mineralization in the Glover Stock.
- High-grade Cu-Au resources in the 421 Zone and overlying Canyon Creek Zone skarns that replaced limestone and calcareous sedimentary rocks along the eastern margin of the Glover stock.
- Zn-Pb-Ag mantos and chimneys in the 4b, No. 3 and No. 2 Manto Zones.
- Peripheral Ag-Au epithermal mineralization in the No.1 Ag-Au ±Zn±Cu Vein Zone.