Amarc Resources TSXV:AHR launched a field exploration program at its Joy copper-gold district in British Columbia back in June. The program has been designed to build on the successes the miner saw in 2022, which have helped to define a considerable Cu-Au system.
Amarc’s 100%-owned Joy district is located on the northern extension of the prolific Kemess porphyry Cu-Au District that includes the former Kemess South mine, the permitted and development-stage Kemess North underground deposit, and the advanced-stage Kemess East underground deposit – all currently held by Centerra Gold TSX:CG.
Through its association with Hunter Dickinson, Amarc’s technical team was first to recognise the Kemess District’s true porphyry potential, acquiring Kemess North and Kemess South as early-stage prospects and advancing both to significant porphyry Cu-Au deposits.
Part of the program also included a degree of modernisation, in the shape of work to support further exploration of the company’s Pine deposit, the Canyon Au-Cu discovery also located on the Joy project, and the Twins deposit target. Amarc says it is upgrading existing infrastructure in the form of an historic drill road and a bridge.
Amarc is also active at the Duke Cu-Au porphyry Cu-Au district in central BC. Some 24 core drill holes over 11,000m were completed in 80 drill days between early December 2022 and March 2023. This has helped to delineate the Duke Cu-Mo-Ag-Au deposit.
Highlights of the exploration at Duke included 183 m of 0.43% CuEq (0.31% Cu, 0.019% Mo, 0.07 g/t Au,1.5 g/t Ag) in hole DK22009, and 217 m of 0.45% CuEq (0.33% Cu, 0.018% Mo, 0.08 g/t Au, 1.5 g/t Ag) in hole DK22010.
Duke is located 30 km north of the former Bell Mine. Although explored historically, the extensive porphyry Cu system at the discovery was not fully delineated. Many of the 21 historical shallow and closely-spaced core holes intersected and ended in significant Cu-Mo-Au-Ag mineralisation within a small portion of a robust, 4.7 km2 IP chargeability anomaly.
In 2017 and 2018, Amarc completed seven core holes over an area measuring approximately 400m north-south by 600m east-west at the deposit, successfully intersecting porphyry copper-style mineralisation to a vertical depth of 360m.
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In addition, Amarc has completed a comprehensive compilation of government and historical data over the entire 678 km2 Duke district claim holdings.
This detailed scientific work has provided a new interpretation of the geological, geochemical and geophysical characteristics of the Babine belt, and identified 16 previously unrecognised porphyry Cu deposit-scale targets with exciting potential.
Duke and Joy seem to be where the company is throwing all its active weight at the moment; investors should also note that Amarc holds a 100% interest in the 673 km2 Ike Cu-Au district, located 35 km NW of Gold Bridge in south-central British Columbia. The district hosts two known deposits open for drill expansion and multiple deposit-scale targets ready for drill discovery.
In late 2020 Amarc sold 100% of its interest in its Newton Au discovery, located in south-central BC, to Carlyle Commodities Corp. Amarc retains exposure to the upside Au potential at Newton through its 12% equity position in Carlyle and a retained 2% Net Smelter Return royalty in the property.
Amarc is associated with HDI, a diversified, global mining company with a 35-year history of porphyry Cu deposit discovery and development success. Previous and current HDI projects include some of BC’s and the world’s most important porphyry deposits.
