Work History

Staked by Canex Placer Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Placer Development Ltd, within a block of 450 claims ((X claims etc, #1 = Y64526) in the Yukon and Y claims etc. (#1 = A41901) in the Northwest Territories) between Jul and Oct/72, following extensive reconnaissance and grid geochemical and geological mapping programs in 1968, 1971 and 1972.

The discovery prompted a staking rush and the recording of some 4,400 claims from Oct/1972 to Apr/1973, including the Ton cl 1-16 staked immediately to the west of this occurrence by Renton Management Ltd. Renton carried out geological mapping and geochemical soil sampling in 1973.

Canex Placer conducted limited bulldozer trenching and sampling in late 1972, built a winter road, an airstrip and extensive tote roads on the property, and carried out extensive trenching, mapping, grid soil sampling, test geophysical work and claim surveys and drilled 26 diamond drill holes (4,267.2 m) in 1973, and 12 holes (1,981.2 m) in 1974.

In 1975, Canex entered a joint venture with Essex Minerals Company (a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Steel Corporation) and drilled 10 diamond drill holes (3,657.6 m) in 1975, 37 holes (6,242.0 m) in 1976, and 14 holes (5,059.7 m) in 1977, when an access road was built north to the camp from the Cantung Tungsten mine (Tungsten, Northwest Territories).

Following road repairs and winter freighting in 1979, an adit was driven 581 m in 1980 and 713 m in 1981, and 34 underground diamond drill holes (960 m) were drilled in 1981. Essex's interest in the property was transferred to Cygnus Mines Ltd in Apr/1982.
An economic analysis completed at the end of 1982 by Placer and Cygnus concluded that mining was not economically viable at that time. Placer reported a historical reserve at the end of 1982 for the XY deposit (comprising the XY Central, East and Nose zones) of approximately 59 million tonnes grading 2.1% lead and 5.4% zinc (using a 4% lead-zinc cut-off). The company also reported an higher grade underground reserve within the deposit of approximately 8.2 million tonnes grading 5.5% lead and 10.6% zinc, (employing a 10% lead-zinc cut-off). These calculations pre-date National Instrument 43-101 standards.

Placer Development Ltd was amalgamated into Placer Dome Inc. in Aug/87. Placer Dome performed cleanup work on the property in 1991.

In Jul/2000 Copper Ridge Explorations Inc acquired an option to purchase a 100% interest in the Howard's Pass property, including this occurrence. The agreement called for a 150 day due diligence followed by a pre-feasibility study. In Sep/2000 Copper Ridge signed a letter of agreement with Billiton Metals Canada Inc for a joint evaluation and possible development of the property. Billiton provided Copper Ridge with $200,000.00 through a private placement, which Copper Ridge used to fund a diamond drill program. Copper Ridge collared 8 diamond drill holes (717 m) on the Anniv Central and Don showings as part of their due diligence. In Nov/2000 Billiton informed Copper Ridge that they would not proceed with the proposed joint venture. In Dec/2000 Copper Ridge failed to make a payment as required by the option agreement and the agreement was cancelled.

In May/2005 Pacifica Resources Ltd entered into a Letter of Intent to purchase a 100% interest in the Howard's Pass property for the sum of $10,000,000 spread over 7 years and a commitment to spend a minimum of $3,500,000.00 in exploration expenditures. The agreement was signed between Pacifica and Placer Dome (CLA) a wholly owned subsidiary of Placer Dome Inc (51% owner) and Cygnus Mines Ltd (49% owner). The agreement was formally approved in Aug/2005.

In Jun/2005 A.A. Burgoyne prepared A Technical Evaluation Report on the Howard's Pass Project, for Pacifica Resources Ltd that included a Indicated Mineral Inventory for the XY open pit. The open pit's size was calculated using the XY Central, East and Nose zones. Employing a 4% lead-zinc cut-off, Burgoyne reported a Indicated Mineral Inventory of 60,002,000 tonnes grading 5.46% zinc and 2.36% lead. Burgoyne also reported an Inferred Mineral Inventory comprised of the Northeast - XY Central, Northwest XY Central, XY East, Nose and Northeast zones of 107,089,000 tonnes grading 4.85% zinc and 2.32% lead (employing 4% lead-zinc cut-off). These calculations pre-date National Instrument 43-101 standards.

Pacifica Resources drilled 53 diamond drill holes (8,286.9 m) on the Howard's Pass property in 2005. Six holes (783 m) were collared on the XY Central zone (formerly the XY zone) to provide additional information and to further define surface resources in the area. The company also carried out Dense Media Separation test work on grab samples collected during previous underground mining programs and from diamond drill core samples. Elsewhere on the property the company carried out regional mapping and soil sampling programs.

In Feb/2006 Pacifica released an updated, National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the XY Central and Nose open pit deposits. Using a 2% zinc cut-off the XY Central deposit hosts an indicated resource of 20.91 million tonnes grading 5.9% zinc and 2.37% lead and an inferred resource of 54.13 million tonnes grading 6.15% zinc and 2.77% lead. The XY Nose deposit hosts an inferred resource of 7.32 million tonnes grading 4.08% zinc and 2.20% lead.

In Mar/2006 Barrick Gold Corporation acquired Placer Dome Inc. In May 2006 Barrick sold Placer Dome's 51% interest and other mines and exploration properties to Goldcorp Inc. In Jul/2006 Goldcorp sold Placer Dome's 51% interest in the Howard's Pass property to Terrane Metals Corp.

In 2006, Pacifica reorganized and renamed the various zones which comprised the XY zone. As of 2006 the XY deposit was restricted to the XY Central zone. The Nose Zone which is located entirely in the Northwest Territories and the XY West zone were broken out into separated deposits. During 2006 the company completed 191 diamond drill holes (131,550.2 4 m) of which 44 holes (10,980 m) targeted the XY Central open pit and underground resource. The company also continued Dense Media Separation test work, geochemical sampling, commenced baseline environmental and engineering studies and surveyed all previous drill hole locations, roads and grids in order to digitize and compile all historical geological data.

In Jan/2007 Pacifica released a preliminary assessment report for the development of the Howard's Pass project. The assessment indicates excellent potential for a long life mine, having large-scale, low cost zinc and lead production. The company used the results to help plan future exploration and engineering work.

On January 29, 2007 Pacifica Resources announced a plan of re-organization in which the Howard's Pass project would be spun off to a new company, Selwyn Resources Ltd and the company's remaining properties would be transferred to a new company Savant Exploration Ltd. Pacifica shareholders received shares in Savant Exploration as compensation for the transfer of assets from Pacifica to Savant. The agreement was approved on May 31, 2007 and completed on June 6, 2007 at which time control of the Howard's Pass property, commonly referred to as the Selwyn Project was transferred to Selwyn Resources and the charter of Pacifica Resources was cancelled.

At the beginning of Apr/2007 Selwyn announced an updated National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the XY Central deposit. Using a 2% zinc cut-off grade the XY Central open pit hosts an indicated mineral resource of 36.27 million tonnes grading 5.77% zinc and 2.35% lead and an inferred mineral resource of 46.64 million tonnes grading 5.38% zinc and 2.08% lead. Within this resource Selwyn identified a higher grade underground resource consisting of an indicated mineral resource measuring 7,394,860 tonnes grading 9.88% zinc and 4.32% lead and an inferred mineral resource of 1,856,500 tonnes grading 10.41% zinc and 3.71% lead. The mineral resource for the XY Nose deposit which did not receive any drilling remains the same.

In 2007 Selwyn collared 106 diamond drill holes (37,208.6 m) on the Selwyn Project. Twelve holes (2,592.1 m) targeted the XY Central zone's open pit and six holes (5,097.2 m) targeted the underground reserve. The company continued environmental and engineering studies, opened a new camp in the Don Valley and closed the camp located near the XY central zone.

The results from the 2007 drilling season on the YX Central deposit allowed Selwyn to recalculate the mineral resources for the XY Central deposit. At the end of Jan/2008 Selwyn announced that XY Central deposit hosted an indicated mineral resource of 44,450,000 tonnes grading 6.17% zinc and 2.64% lead and an inferred mineral resource of 45,940,000 tonnes grading 4.2% zinc and 1.32% lead (using 2% zinc cut-off). Within this resource Selwyn identified a high grade resource suitable for underground mining. The underground deposit hosts an indicated mineral resource of 10,738,000 tonnes grading 10.38% zinc and 4.41% lead and an inferred mineral resource of 2,849,000 tonnes grading 10.86% zinc and 4.41% lead (using 2% cut-off).

In Jun/2008, shortly after beginning exploration for the season Selwyn received a Land Use Permit from the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board to rehabilitate the all-season access road that joins the Howard's Pass area with the existing Nahanni Range Road and ultimately the town of Watson Lake, Yukon. The use of this road will significantly reduce the cost of access to Selwyn's various exploration zones located in the Howard's Pass area.

In 2008 Selwyn drilled 13 diamond drill holes (3,856.9 m) on the Selwyn project. Eight holes (2,338.4 m) targeted the newly discovered XY West underground zone (deposit) located approximately 1.0 km northwest of the XY Central deposit. The company continued comprehensive baseline environmental studies and a technical program focused on metallurgy, mining techniques and project infrastructure. In Feb/2009 Selwyn announced a National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral resource for the XY West underground deposit. The deposit hosts a inferred mineral resource of 1,910,000 tonnes grading 7.70% zinc and 2.45 % lead. The deposit remains open for expansion of its mineral potential.

During the 2009 exploration season Selwyn tested the XY West deposit with 10 diamond drill holes (4,214 m). The company continued engineering and geotechnical work in support of a pre-feasibility study and held discussions with various companies regarding the formation of a possible strategic partnership. In Oct/2009 the company announced that it had received a Class A Land Use Permit from the Sahtu Land and Water Board, Northwest Territories. This permit allows the company to begin diamond drilling and other exploration activities on the XY Nose deposit and other claims and leases located in the Northwest Territories.

In Dec/2009 Selwyn Resources announced that they had signed a binding Framework Agreement with Yunnan Chihong Zinc & Germanium Company Ltd (China), whereby both companies would form a joint venture company to hold all assets associated with the Selwyn project. In return for a 50% interest in the joint venture Yunnan Chihong deposited 100 million dollars in cash irrevocably to a bank account for the joint venture to use to fund development of the Selwyn project. As part of the agreement Yunnan Chihong agreed to fund all of Selwyn Resources direct costs incurred from July 1, 2009 on the Selwyn project. 

On January 5, 2010 Selwyn Resources announced that they had engaged Wardrop Engineering Inc to start a Phase 1 work program leading to the completion of a National Instrument 43-101 compliant feasibility study on the Selwyn project. The company hopes to complete the study by the end of 2010.

On August 18, 2010 Selwyn announced the completion of the joint venture with Yunnan Chihong and the formation of a new company Selwyn Chihong Mining Ltd. Selwyn Resources transferred all Selwyn Project claims, equipment, permits and licenses to the new company. At the same time the joint management committee approved in principle a predevelopment budget of 89 million dollars for 2010 and 2011. The money will be directed to the advancement of permitting, completion of the feasibility study and related engineering and resource definition drilling from both surface and underground.

2009-2012 not updated yet except for 2012 resource estimate for XY West and 2012 Global Resource statement.

A resource estimate for the XY Central deposit was released in a report dated October 2011 by Pearson Geological Services Ltd and Kirkham Geosystems Ltd. This resource remains current as of March 2014. A subsequent report by Kirkahm Geosystems, dated June 2012, contained an updated resource for the XY West deposit. The Sept 2012 report by Kirkham Geosystems includes an updated global resource for whole Selwyn Project.


Capsule Geology

The Selwyn project (Howard’s Pass project) is located in eastern Yukon and straddles the Northwest Territories border, approximately 350 km northeast of Whitehorse, Yukon and approximately 80 km north-northwest of the former mining town of Tungsten. Over ninety percent of the property lies in the Yukon. To date Selwyn Resources Ltd has identified 15 lead-zinc deposits over a strike length of 37.5 km.

The Selwyn Basin is a region of deep-water offshelf sedimentation that persisted from Late Precambrian to Middle Devonian time. Its basal deposits consist of late Precambrian rift (-) clastics; it is overlain by rift clastics of late Devonian age. On its north-eastern side are time-equivalent shallow shelf strata of Mackenzie Platform. Along its southwestern margin there developed in the Silurian to Devonian a carbonate-clastic shelf the Cassiar Platform. Its southwestern limit is essentially the limit of the miogeocline as presently preserved in the Yukon.

Geological mapping in the Howard’s Pass area has changed significantly since Pacifica/Selwyn Resources Ltd has acquired control of the entire area. Based on various reports released by the companies stratigraphy in the Howard’s Pass area can be summarized as follows. Regionally, Selwyn Basin stratigraphy overlies a basement of Upper Proterozoic to Lower Cambrian maroon to dark blue-grey weathering shale assigned to the Narchilla Formation of the Hyland Group. This unit is conformably overlain by the Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Rabbitkettle Formation. The Rabbitkettle Formation is comprised of an Upper member consisting of grey weathering fine crystalline nodular limestone and a Lower member consisting of grey orange weathering, argillaceous to silty limestones usually limited to beds of less than 10 cm.

Pacifica/Selwyn Resources report the presence of a Transition Formation between the Rabbitkettle Formation and the overlying Duo Formation. This unit identified in drill core, consists of thin interlaminations of grey limestone and buff coloured shale, generally well cleaved.

The Transition Formation is overlain by the Ordovician to Middle Silurian Road River Group which is divided into the Duo Lake and Steel Formations. Various operators working in the area have locally renamed the Duo Formation the Howard’s Pass Formation and have subdivided it into various units. Currently Pacifica/Selwyn Resources have divided the Dou Formation into five member units measuring 300 m thick. The lowest member is a pyritic siliceous shale member, which is overlain by a calcareous mudstone member and a lower cherty mudstone member. These members are overlain by the Active member, a heterogeneous mudstone, limestone, chert that hosts the region’s abundant sulphide mineralization in lamella within a poorly preserved graptolite horizon. An upper siliceous mudstone member tops the formation. The Steel Formation which measures approximately 140 m thick and consisting of a flaggy mudstone containing orange weathered siliceous argillite in beds 10 – 80 cm thick overlies the Howard’s Pass Formation.

The Road River Group is overlain by the Lower to Upper Devonian Portrait Lake Formation of the Lower Earn Group. The Portrait Lake Formation is comprised of a Lower, Middle and Upper member. The Lower Member consists of a dark brown weathering, silty shale and shale in beds up to 420 m thick. The Middle member consists of a black weathering, massive pebble conglomerate up to 195 m thick and the Upper Member consists of a gun-blue weathering black platy siltstone up to 260 m thick.

The Portrait Lake Formation is overlain by the Upper Devonian to Middle Mississippian Prevost Formation of the Upper Earn Group. It also divided into Lower, Middle and Upper members. The Lower member consists of a grey weathering, dark grey, medium- to coarse-grained chert-quartz sandstone up to 160 m thick. The Middle member consists of brown weathering, dark grey, thin bedded shale and siltstone measuring up to 90 m thick and an Upper member consisting of coarse-grained, poorly sorted, chert-quartz sandstone and conglomerate in beds up to 300 m thick. The entire sequence is intruded by various Middle to Late Cretaceous stocks and batholiths ranging in composition from intermediate to granitic assigned to the Selwyn plutonic suite.

Historical drilling and geological mapping carried out by Placer Development suggested that the XY and Anniv (Minfile Occurrence 105I 037) sedimentary-exhalative deposits occurred in separate sub-basins along the base of a paleo-slope of the eastern Selwyn Basin. New geological mapping and diamond drilling carried by Pacifica/Selwyn Resources indicates the lead-zinc mineralization on the Howard’s Pass property was part of a long-lived, single mineralizing event. As proof of this theory the companies report that the sulphide textures, mineralogy and thickness are similar in each of the 15 deposits identified to date. The hydrothermal fluids that formed the different deposits are also isotopically identical throughout the property. The companies believe the strataform and tabular Active Member was affected by post-depositional structural deformation. At least two generations of brittle faults offset the tabular geometry of the Active Member within the Don Valley (located to the west of this occurrence) which likely accounts for the thickening and thinning of the Active Member across the property. Understanding the timing of the faults with respect to each other will aid future exploration programs in locating extensions of the known deposits and locating new resources.

Zinc and lead mineralization is hosted in the Active Member and consists of alternating layers of carbonaceous mudstone, limestone and chert, interlayered with stratobound laminated sulphide rich bands. The sulphides are fine grained and dominantly sphalerite and galena with minor pyrite. The mineralized horizon is generally 20 to 30 m thick and is texturally and mineralogically consistent throughout the property.

Metallurgical test work has confirmed that high-grade zinc and lead concentrate can be achieved. These concentrates have low levels of deleterious elements. Floatation test work indicates that a zinc concentrate grading 55 to 57% can be produced with an overall recovery of about 80% and a lead concentrate grading 65 to 70% lead with a recovery of approximately 70%. The ore will require fine grinding and floatation processing which will include the removal of carbon prior to producing high grade concentrates. Test work completed to date on the application of dense media separation indicates that simple gravity processing could provide an effective means of upgrading run-of-mine ores.

This occurrence comprises 3 separate deposits; XY Central = A, XY Nose = B and XY West = C. The XY Nose deposit is located entirely in the Northwest Territories. Between 1973 and 1981 Placer Development collared 102 diamond drillholes (22,387.0 m) on the surface portion of the XY deposit and 35 drillholes (933.0 m) on the underground portion of the deposit. The holes targeted the XY Central, East and Nose zones. At the end of 1982 Placer Development reported a historical reserve for the XY deposit (comprised of the XY Central, East and Nose zones) of approximately 59 million tonnes grading 2.1% lead and 5.4% zinc (using a 4% lead-zinc cut-off). The company also reported an higher grade underground reserve within the deposit of approximately 8.2 million tonnes grading 5.5% lead and 10.6% zinc, (employing a 10% lead-zinc cut-off). These calculations pre-date National Instrument 43-101 standards.

The acquisition of the Howard’s Pass property in 2005 by Pacifica/Selwyn Resources saw the new owners concentrate on increasing the reserves in the XY Central deposit. The XY Central deposit included Placer Development’s XY Central and East deposits. The XY nose deposit saw little exploration because it was located entirely in the Northwest Territories and any work performed on it required a separate work permit from the Government of Northwest Territories. Between 2005 and 2007 Pacifica/Selwyn Resources collared 68 diamond drill holes (19,448.4 m) on the XY Central deposit. The holes targeted both the surface and underground portions of the deposit. Diamond drilling carried out in 2008 and 2009 (19 holes 6,552.4 m) lead to the discovery of the XY West underground deposit located approximately 1 km northwest of the Central deposit.

The XY Central deposit (Occurrence A) has a strike length of 2.5 km and strikes 295 to 300° and dips from 22 to 60° becoming steeper towards the west. The deposit is structurally controlled and is subdivided into five ore panels due to faulting. The deposit is truncated to the south by a large fault but remains open to the west east and north. The XY Central deposit is interpreted to be on the south limb of the large regional syncline defined by Placer Development in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The syncline is a relatively open fold with a wavelength of 1,500 m. The fold axis is not clearly defined but runs approximately parallel to foliation. The north limb of the syncline defines the HP deposit (Minfile Occurrence 105G 032).

The XY Nose deposit (Occurrence B) represents the extension of the XY Central deposit to the east. The deposit is flat lying feature that is thought to be a surface expression of the large synclinal fold Placer Development, defined in the 1970s.

The XY West deposit (Occurrence C) was discovered in 2008 through structural/stratigraphy interpretation. It is interpreted to be on the southern limb of the XY syncline. To date 19 diamond drillholes have defined a strike length of 250 m with an approximate true thickness of 6 to 24 m for the Active Member. Insufficient drilling has been carried out to adequately define the dip length of the deposit. The deposit remains open for expansion of its mineral potential.

Pacifica/Selwyn Resources used diamond drill results to regularly update the mineral resource estimates for the various deposits identified in the Howard’s Pass area. As of Feb 25, 2009 mineral resource estimates for the three deposits stood at (using 2% zinc cut-off);

Deposit Resource Tonnes %Zinc %Lead
Class

XY Central Indicated 44,450,000; 6.17; 2.64
Inferred 45,940,000; 4.20; 1.32

Including an high-grade underground resource of

Indicated 10,738,000; 10.38; 4.41
Inferred 2,849,000; 10.86; 4.41

XY West
(Underground) Inferred 1,910,000; 7.70; 2.45

XY Nose Inferred 7,320,000; 4.08; 2.20

The entire Howard’s Pass property (consisting of 15 individual deposits) hosts an indicated resource (using a 2% zinc cut-off) of 154,350,000 tonnes grading 5.35% zinc and 1.86% lead and an inferred resource of 234,150,000 tonnes grading 4.54% zinc and 1.41% lead.

2009-2012 not updated yet except for 2011 estimate for XY Central and 2012 resource estimate for XY West.

A report dated Oct 2011 by Pearson Geological Services and Kirkham Geosystems contains an updated resource for the XY Central deposit for lenses 93-94-95 only: the INDICATED resource is calculated at 29.93M tonnes grading 6.35% Zn and 2.69% Pb. This resource remains current as of March 2014.

A resource estimate for the XY West deposit was produced in June 2012 by Kirkham Geosystems for Selwyn Resources. The INFERRED resource is listed at 12,754,416 tonnes grading4.42% Zn and 1.4% Pb.

A report by the same authors in Sept 2012 lists the  Global Selwyn Resource at a 2% Zn cut-off grade. The INDICATED Mineral Resource for the Selwyn Project is 185,570,000 tonnes grading 5.2% Zn and 1.79% Pb for a contained total of 21.26B lbs(9.64B kg) Zn and 7.3Blbs (3.3B kg) Pb. The Global INFERRED resource is listed at 237,860,000 tonnes grading 4.47% Zn and 1.38% Pb for a contained total of 23.45B lbs (10.63B kg) Zn and 7.22Blbs (3.27B kg) Pb.