The Root (True Fissure) occurrence is located on a ridge east of Connor Creek, approximately 15 kilometres southwest of Nelson.
The area is underlain by argillite, siltstone and limestone of the Lower Jurassic Ymir Group, which have been intruded by granodiorite of the Middle Jurassic Bonnington Pluton.
The True Fissure is a fissure vein, hosted in schist, on the same property. The nearly vertical vein, exposed on surface, is a nearly continuous streak of ore material for 30 metres. Mineralization consists of galena and sphalerite. A sample across 0.06 metre on the surface assayed 4.11 grams per tonne gold, 6982.84 grams per tonne silver, 15.3 per cent lead and 32 per cent zinc (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1927, page 318).
The main Root occurrence appears stratabound on a large scale but locally there is evidence of crosscutting relationships and brecciation within the chloritic and silicified sediments, suggesting a hydrothermal origin. Mineralization is in the form of bands of semi-massive and massive pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite intercalated with silicified sediments containing disseminated sulphides. The main showing is 3 to 8 metres wide and 111 metres long. The close spatial relationship of pyrite bearing granodiorite is observed at every mineralized outcrop on the Root property.
In 1984, a drillhole (84-4) intersected chloritic, silicified limestone with minor intersections of porphyritic intrusive and graphitic schist, yielding up 12.45 grams per tonne gold over 0.15 metre. Mineralization was observed as zones of disseminated to massive pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in silicified limestone, and disseminated pyrrhotite and pyrite within chloritic limestone (Assessment Report 12937). Another hole (84-5) intercepted a mineralized zone below the shaft, yielding 5.8 grams per tonne gold over 0.75 metre (Property File - Davidson, A. J. [1985-09-11]: Root Gold Copper Prospect, Nelson MD).
In 1985, surface samples from the Root zone were reported to average 6.8 grams per tonne gold over a width of 6 metres and up to 34.9 grams per tonne gold, 10.9 grams per tonne silver and 0.21 per cent copper over 0.9 metre (Property File - Davidson, A. J. [1985-09-11]: Root Gold Copper Prospect, Nelson MD).
In 1997, samples from roadcuts returned values of up to 5.7 per cent zinc, 1 per cent lead, 0.3 per cent copper, 0.35 per cent cobalt, 0.09 per cent nickel and 0.5 gram per tonne gold (Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. Website, February, 1999). Samples from the Root zone are reported to have yielded up to 92.4 grams per tonne gold, 0.2 per cent cobalt and 0.34 per cent copper (Property File - Paul Wilton [1998-01-09]: Weekly Report - January 9th 1998 - Connor).
In 2004, a grab sample from the dump of massive pyrrhotite/chalcopyrite mineralization assayed 4.34 grams per tonne gold and 0.31 per cent copper (Assessment Report 27738).
The area has been explored since the early 1900s in conjunction with the nearby Hungry Man (MINFILE 082FSW235) occurrence. Old workings comprise a shaft, several shallow trenches and some short adits on the True Fissure vein. In 1927, 23.6 tonnes of ore was shipped but the grade is not recorded. Some skarn material was observed in old drillcore but the actual location of the drillholes is not recorded
In 1979, the area was prospected and a ground magnetic survey was completed on the area as the Root claims. During 1983 through 1985, Noramex Minerals Inc. completed programs of geochemical sampling, geological mapping, ground geophysical survey and seven diamond drill holes, totalling 424.6 metres, on the area as the Jo-Anne, Root and Twin claims. During 1987 through 1989, Cream Silver Mines, in conjunction with Noramex Minerals Inc., completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical sampling, trenching and ground geophysical surveys on the area.
In the late 1990s, Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. and Miner River Resources Ltd. held the property. The Conrau property was owned and prospected by Tom Kennedy in 2003. The property is reported by Kennedy to cover two occurrences—Debbie (MINFILE 082FSW356) and Root—and surrounds a third, the Hungry Man (MINIFILE 082FSW235) occurrence. The property also hosts many undocumented small adits and pits, presumably worked on from the turn of the last century.
In 2004, Kootenay Gold Corp. collected 39 rock on the Conrau property (presumably optioned from Kennedy) and analyzed for gold and trace elements. At the end of 2003, all shares of Kootenay Gold Corp. were purchased by First Integrated Enterprises. In 2005, Amador Gold Corp entered an option agreement with Kootenay Gold Inc. to earn a 50-per-cent undivided interest in the Connor Creek property.
