All Case Studies
Categories:

Quartz Rise Project, Seabridge Gold Inc.

Northern BC

Overview

Dias Geophysical successfully imaged geological structure, lithology and mineralization at the Quartz Rise project in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle region. A rolling 3D DIAS32 survey images the epithermal vein systems in the near-surface, and when combined with geology and magnetic data, identifies a potential porphyry source at depth.

Situation

Three years of exploration work at Quartz Rise have isolated a promising source of the lithocap above the old, high-grade Johnny Mountain Mine. Further geophysical, geochemical and geological mapping surveys have been completed, and an initial grill program totaling up to 8,000 m has been designed to test the large intrusive system that is likely responsible for the lithocap and elevated gold and copper concentration. This area has a geological environment astonishingly similar to KSM.

  • Imaged resistive features that were successfully tested for epithermal vein mineralization
  • Imaged a deep conductive and chargeable feature currently being tested as a possible porphyry source
  • The DIAS32 data set assisted in upgrading the geologic knowledge of this project, moving from epithermal to porphyry

DIAS32 Solution

A rolling 3D survey with CVR was completed over the 1.5 km X 0.8 km survey area with the DIAS32 system. A line spacing of 50 m and a reciever spacing of 25 m provided detailed 3D imaging of the subsurface given the epithermal vein target. The CVR data set provided multi-scale and multi-azimuthal data for 3D inversion. The final 3D resistivity and chargeability models were resolved to 5 m.

Outcome

The DIAS32 3D survey imaged the vein system and identified an unexpected east-west trend. Drill targeting of the high resistivity features was successful, and analysis of the core identified a breccia vein, which suggests the presence of a proximal porphyry source. A successive DIAS32 survey was completed in 2019 to close out the chargeability anomaly, and integration of this data with geology, geochemistry and magnetic data interpreted a priority target for the potential porphyry source and is currently being drill tested.