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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  10-Jun-2020 by Nicole Barlow (NB)

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NMI
Name STAR (L.3687), ALMA N (L.9174), GREAT WESTERN STAR, GOLD EAGLE, RON, JA, PB, BEE (L.14630) Mining Division Nelson
BCGS Map 082F044
Status Past Producer NTS Map 082F06W
Latitude 049º 26' 55'' UTM 11 (NAD 83)
Longitude 117º 21' 49'' Northing 5477391
Easting 473644
Commodities Gold, Copper, Silver, Lead Deposit Types L03 : Alkalic porphyry Cu-Au
I01 : Au-quartz veins
Tectonic Belt Omineca Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Star and Alma N. occurrences are situated on a narrow plateau between Eagle and Sandy creeks, approximately 8.3 kilometres southwest of Nelson. The Alma N. claim is situated at approximately 1524 metres elevation on the western side of Sandy Creek. The Star claim is situated between 1363 and 1818 metres elevation.

Regionally, the area is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Lower Jurassic Elise Formation, of the Rossland Group. These comprise mafic to intermediate flows, tuffs, breccia and quartz feldspar porphyry. Porphyritic to equigranular zoned diorite-monzodiorite stocks of the co-magnetic Eagle Creek Plutonic Complex and Silver King Intrusive Complex intrude the Elise Formation. These units are then cut by younger lamprophyre dikes and Eocene aged Coryell alkalic intrusions. The units are deformed by the Silver King Shear Zone, a northwest striking shear zone. The contact between the Elise Formation and the Eagle Creek Plutonic Complex marks an up to 200-metre wide breccia and fault zone containing fragmentation and alteration of local units. The contact contains k-feldspar, sericite, quartz, chlorite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and magnetite mineralization.

A mineralized shear zone occurs within Lower Jurassic Elise Formation (unit Je1) volcanics of the Rossland Group at and near the contact with Jurassic pseudodiorite (possibly monzonite) and pyroxenite of unknown affinity (possibly Eagle Creek). The Elise Formation consists of augite basalt flows, flow breccias and subvolcanic intrusions. The zone and showings occur at the northern extension of the Silver King shear zone (Silver King mine, MINFILE 082FSW176).

The Star occurrence consists of an irregular quartz vein that is a few centimetres to 1 metre wide, which follows the shear zone striking 010 degrees with a vertical dip. The quartz is mineralized with pyrite, chalcopyrite, some malachite and traces of galena. Sulphides are also disseminated within the sheared country rock on either side of the quartz vein. The vein is hosted in sheared and potassically altered monzonite (?). Mineralization occurs over an 800 by 200-metre area. A grab sample of highly sheared sericitic volcanic rock containing trace pyrite from the shaft assayed 0.76 gram per tonne gold, 0.0623 per cent copper, 0.0085 per cent zinc and 0.0145 per cent lead (Assessment Report 19503).

The Alma N. showing, approximately 800 metres southeast of the Star, is reported to consist of a mineralized zone approximately 12 metres wide hosted in potassically altered monzonite (?) at the contact. Two shafts were sunk on the showing and a small shipment of sorted ore is thought to have come from this showing. A grab sample of siliceous grey rock containing 2 to 3 per cent pyrite and 3 per cent malachite staining collected from the dump by the shaft assayed 0.66 gram per tonne gold, 0.0944 per cent copper, 0.02 per cent lead and 0.035 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 19503).

The Star, Alma N, and Gold Eagle occurrence is identified in a summary of historically significant drill intercepts on the Star-Toughnut Property. Highlighted zones include but are not limited to a grade of 12.87 grams per tonne gold, and 9.67 grams per tonne silver over 4.43 metres in hole 89-01, and 18.77 grams per tonne gold, and 11.55 grams per tonne silver over 4.00 metres in hole VST08-006. Both intersections occur at the Alma-N zone. Highlighted result at the Star zone include but are not limited to an 8.00 metre section in hole 90-22 grading 3.23 grams per tonne gold, 6.08 grams per tonne silver, and 0.42 percent copper, and a 1.52 metre section in hole SRC88-08 grading 9.45 grams per tonne gold, 13.20 grams per tonne silver, and 0.28 percent copper. At the Gold Eagle zone, significant interceptions include 24.33 metres grading 4.02 grams per tonne gold, and 9.51 grams per tonne silver in hole VTN10-008, and 1.53 metres grading 90.00 grams per tonne gold, and 80.90 grams per tonne silver in hole S88-43 (Payne, C. (2011-03-11): NI43-101 Technical Report – Compilation Report on the Star-Toughnut Property).

The 1989 Ron grid, situated to the west, hosts similar mineralization to these workings. This is possibly a "conformable gold" occurrence.

The Star and Alma N. occurrences were discovered circa 1897. In November 1899, the Star claim was Crown granted to John Bloomberg and associates.

For a portion of 1904, the Star property was operated under lease and bond by the Sharpless Mining Company. A 27.4-metre shaft was opened up and some drifting had been carried forward. In the drift, a 0.6 to 1.2-metre-wide gold-bearing quartz vein was exposed and mined. Milling of an ore sample at the Granite mill yielded slightly more than $10 CAD. Sharpless Mining then entered into a contract to deliver 36.3 tonnes of ore per day to the Granite mill. Approximately 1088.6 tonnes of material were shipped to the mill, but the average recovery was quite poor and the operation was suspended after a few weeks.

In May 1911, the Alma M. (Alma N.) claim was Crown granted to Nels Lowering, John Ostin, George Matthews, John J. Malone and William Gosnell. Toward the end of 1926, George Matthews and associates began work on the Alma N. gold property with the intention of starting development in the spring of 1927. By 1930, Matthews had carried out several short intervals of prospecting work on the property. The workings were situated on a bench at approximately 1524 metres elevation and consisted of a 9.1-metre vertical shaft with a 22.9-metre drift, a 7.6-metre open cut and some trenches. The collar of the shaft was approximately 9.1 metres northeast of the open cut. At the bottom of the shaft, the 22.9-metre drift had been driven southwest at an approximately right angle to the surface trend of the contact between Nelson granite and Rossland volcanics. The tunnel developed a crushed silicified zone within schists bearing pyrite and iron oxide.

As of 1934, the Alma N. property was owned by the Alma N. Mining Company.

In 1956, Copper Leaf Mines Limited conducted work in the vicinity of the old Star shaft while carrying out exploration on their Eureka (MINFILE 082FSW084) property to the north. The old shaft had been sunk on an orebody similar to that developed in the south end of the Eureka 250 level, 457.2 metres to the north on strike. Four holes totalling 487.68 metres were drilled in an effort to correlate results obtained from two holes drilled in 1938. The ore encountered in the drillholes was reported to be similar in grade but in greater widths than ore at the Eureka workings.

In 1980, Asarco Exploration Company of Canada Limited carried out geophysical and geochemical surveys over the 40-claim Aberdeen group to the east.

Between 1983 and 1984, Ryan Exploration Company Limited began acquiring the Star property, including the Star, Alma N. and Eureka (MINFILE 082FSW083) workings. Between 1984 and 1988, Ryan Exploration conducted extensive geophysical and geochemical surveying, trenching and rotary–reverse circulation drilling. Approximately 30 drillholes were completed over the Star, Alma N., Eureka and Bee claims.

In the 1980s, limited exploration was conducted on the Ron Gold claim group to the west of the Star workings. In 1985, property owners Eric and Jack Denny leased the Ron Gold claim group to Ryan Exploration Company Limited. Exploration that year consisted of geochemical rock and soil sampling. The following year, Ryan Exploration conducted a very low-frequency geophysical survey over the claim group.

From 1983 to 1988, U.S. Borax conducted an exploration program from an option agreement with Reymont Gold Mines Limited on the areas of Star, Alma N, and Gold Eagle. The program included soil surveys, IP surveys, reverse circulation, and drilling. Highlighted results include an intersection grading 1.82 grams per tonne gold, 5.04 grams per tonne silver, and 0.42 percent copper over 27.44 metres in drillhole SRC86-10 at the Star zone. At the Alma N zone, an intersection of 36.59 metres in hole SRC85-03 graded 3.09 grams per tonne gold, and 1.98 grams per tonne silver. This hole also intersected a mineralized zone at 28.96 metres depth for 6.10 metres grading 7.51 grams per tonne gold, and 3.03 grams per tonne silver (Payne, C. (2011-03-11): NI43-101 Technical Report – Compilation Report on the Star-Toughnut Property).

By 1989, Pacific Sentinel Gold Corporation had acquired the Star and Alma N. claims as part of their Great Western Star property. In the summer of 1989, Lloyd Geophysics Limited carried out geophysical surveys over the Ron and Toughnut grids to the west and southeast, respectively. In 1990, Pacific Sentinel Gold conducted a follow-up program of soil and rock sampling, trenching, geological mapping and geophysical surveying. At the Alma N. claim, work consisted of relogging drillcore and sampling dump material. At the Star claim, three zones were trenched and copper-gold mineralization was traced over a minimum area of 800 by 200 metres on the Star grid. Later that year, 26 NQ and NQ2 diamond drill holes totalling 5880 metres were completed. Drilling on the Alma N. claim assayed significant mineralized intersections.

In 2004, on behalf of owner Jack Denny, Klondike Gold Corporation conducted a geochemical sampling program over the Ron property to the west, later optioning it in 2008. At this time, the property was expanded to include additional claims, including the Eureka (MINFILE 082FSW084) and Star claims. An exploration program of limited geological mapping and prospecting and soil geochemical surveying was carried out on the eastern portion of the claim group. The Ron property was then acquired by Anglo Swiss Resources and amalgamated with the Kenville (MINFILE 082FSW086) property.

In 2009, on behalf of Anglo Swiss Resources, Equity Exploration Consultants Limited undertook an exploration program consisting of 680 line kilometres of airborne electromagnetic geophysical surveying, surface diamond drilling, and underground rehabilitation and drilling. Ten diamond drill holes were completed on the south side of Eagle Creek, approximately 700 metres south of the Kenville mine.

By 2010, the Kenville property had been expanded to include separate claim groups to the north and south. In 2010, on behalf of Anglo Swiss Resources, St. Pierre Geoconsulting Incorporated conducted airborne magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical surveys over the entire Nelson Mining Camp area. Soil sampling was conducted over the central Kenville claim block, though the majority of the sampling was conducted in the area of the Silver Lynx occurrence (MINFILE 082FSW378) to the south.

Samples collected from the Alma N. drift in 1930 reported assays of 17.14 grams per tonne gold and 61.71 grams per tonne silver, and 3.08 grams per tonne gold, 37.71 grams per tonne silver and 0.34 per cent copper, respectively (Ministry of Mines Annual Report, 1930, page 268).

From the 1990 drill program, drillhole GWS-89-01 reported 18.9 metres assaying 4.06 grams per tonne gold, 3.8 grams per tonne silver and 0.027 per cent copper, and 10.87 metres assaying 0.87 gram per tonne gold, 1.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.008 per cent copper (Assessment Report 20063, page 2).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1899-847; 1904-139; 1911-289; 1926-275; *1930-268; 1934-A26
EMPR BC METAL MM01075
EMPR BULL 1, p. 100; 41; 109
EMPR EXPL 1988-B15-B19
EMPR FIELDWORK 1980, pp. 149–158; 1981, pp. 28–32, pp. 176–186; 1987, pp. 19–30; 1988, pp. 33–43; 1989, pp. 247–249; 1990, pp. 291–300
EMPR MAP 7685G; RGS 1977; 8480G
EMPR OF 1988-1; *1989-11; 1991-16
GSC MAP 52-13A; 62A; 1090A; 1091A
GSC MEM *34; 191, p. 69; 308, pp. 155, 172
GSC OF 1195
GSC P 49-22; 52-13
Andrew, K.P.E. and Hoy, T. (1990): Structural models for precious metal deposits in Jurassic Arc volcanic rocks of the Rossland Group, southeastern B.C.; abstract with program, G.A.C.—M.A.C. Annual Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., p. A3.
Hoy, T. and Andrew, K.P.E. (1988): Geology, geochemistry and mineral deposits of the Lower Jurassic Rossland Group, southeastern British Columbia; abstract in Twelfth District 6 Meeting, Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Fernie, B.C., pp. 11–12
*Payne, C. (2011-03-11): NI43-101 Technical Report – Compilation Report on the Star-Toughnut Property.

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