Horetzky Copper Project

Strategic Location & Accessibility

The Horetzky Copper Project is strategically positioned in the highly prospective Babine Region of central British Columbia, approximately 95 kilometers northeast of the regional hub of Smithers. The Project spans 11 tenures, covering a total of 5,057 hectares, offering a significant land package in a prolific mining district.

The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure, with access via Provincial highways and Forest Service roads, facilitating efficient exploration and potential future development. Elevations range from 900 to 1,620 meters, providing a diverse geological landscape ideal for copper-gold exploration.

High-Potential Geological Setting

The Babine porphyry copper belt, extending approximately 80 kilometers, hosts several major porphyry copper deposits, including the past-producing Bell and Granisle mines. Recognized as one of British Columbia’s most important mineral camps, the belt is characterized by Eocene Babine intrusions and Late Cretaceous Bulkley intrusions, both known for their strong mineralization potential.

The Eocene Babine intrusions occur as irregular dikes, dike swarms, and plugs, consisting of various intrusive types, including biotite-feldspar porphyries. These formations serve as the primary host rocks for significant porphyry copper-gold mineralization in the region, reinforcing the exploration potential of the Horetzky Project.

With a compelling geological setting, strong infrastructure, and strategic positioning in a proven mineral belt, the Horetzky Copper Project presents an attractive opportunity for discovery and development, aligning with Northern Lights Resources' commitment to advancing high-value assets in top-tier mining jurisdictions.

Geological Potential & Historical Exploration

The Horetzky Copper Project exhibits strong geological similarities to other significant targets within the Babine porphyry copper belt. The presence of an Eocene-aged Babine plutonic suite intrusive and coeval dykes has resulted in widespread hornfels and alteration within the surrounding volcanics and sediments. Notable mineralization identified includes chalcopyrite, molybdenite, bornite, and chalcocite, reinforcing the project’s potential for a significant copper-gold system.

Exploration for porphyry-style copper deposits in the Babine Lake area began in the early 1960s, leading to the discovery and definition of the Bell and Granisle copper deposits by the late 1960s. This discovery spurred extensive regional exploration, including the staking of the Mount Horetzky property in 1965 by Falconbridge Mines.

Subsequent exploration conducted by Hecla Mining from 1967-1968 included geological mapping, prospecting, and soil sampling, which led to the identification of several copper-in-soil anomalies. An airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey further outlined a strong semi-circular magnetic anomaly, coinciding with the Cu-Mo soil geochemical anomaly and multiple EM conductors, indicating a promising target for future exploration.

Historic Drilling & Mineralization

A limited diamond drill program consisting of eight holes was initiated to test positive IP chargeability anomalies within hornfels and diorite. Available drill logs for three holes (1, 2, and 7) revealed encouraging signs of alteration and mineralization:

• DDH-1 (129m depth) encountered sericite and chlorite-altered, weakly quartz stockworked diorite with minor sulphides, including pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, and trace bornite.
• DDH-2 (186m depth) intersected a mixed sequence of stockworked hornfels and porphyry dykes with minor amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, and molybdenite, along with weak sericite, moderate chlorite alteration, and epidote.
• DDH-7 (185m depth), the southeasternmost hole, encountered predominantly diorite cut by a feldspar porphyry body with trace to minor disseminated and fracture-controlled pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcocite, accompanied by epidote and traces of pink potassium feldspar.

Interpretation of Historic Work on Horetzky Project

Historic exploration at Mount Horetzky has delineated a compelling 3.0 km² copper-in-soil geochemical anomaly, with numerous samples exceeding 1,000 ppm copper. This anomaly remains open for expansion to the southeast and southwest, where it coincides with a strong, positive magnetic signature—an indicator of potential subsurface mineralization.

Drilling conducted by Hecla Mines in 1973 confirmed anomalous copper values, with key highlights including:

• 4,370 ppm Cu over 0.91m
• 1,345 ppm Cu over 10.67m

All drill holes intersected copper mineralization, with widespread phyllic and propylitic alteration, suggesting that prior drilling was located outside the core of a potential porphyry copper system—leaving significant discovery upside.

Gold Upside & Growing Anomalies

Although historical programs did not consistently assay for gold, later exploration has identified a promising gold-in-soil anomaly with values ranging from 25 ppb to 440 ppb gold. This gold trend aligns with expanding copper mineralization, indicating the presence of a multi-metal system with untapped potential.

Geophysical & Geological Indicators Support a Robust System

• Copper mineralization is widespread in both surface sampling and historical drill holes, with alteration styles indicative of a large porphyry target.
• Elevated pyrite content in phyllic alteration zones correlates with a strong Induced Polarization (IP) anomaly, further supporting the presence of a well-developed mineral system.
• Mount Horetzky is a largely intact geological system, shielded from glacial erosion by resistant, altered, and hornfelsed rock—an uncommon advantage that preserves mineralization.

Open for Expansion

A potentially significant copper-gold soil anomaly has been identified on the southwest slope of Mount Horetzky, coinciding with a strong positive magnetic signature—potentially representing high-value potassic alteration. This anomaly remains open to the west, south, and east, with increasing gold values along the eastern trend.

With a well-documented history of exploration, a favorable geological setting, a well-defined, expanding anomaly, historical drill-confirmed copper mineralization, and strong geophysical indicators of a robust porphyry system the Horetzky Project represents a compelling investment opportunity.