The HRC 15 occurrence is located about 44 kilometers southeast of the town of Fernie, about 1 kilometre north of Twentynine Mile Creek.
The HRC-15 occurrence area is underlain by dolomite and limestone of the Devonian Fairholme Group. These are in contact to the west with coarse clastic sediments of the Cambrian Flathead and Elko formations. The panel containing these rocks is overthrust on its eastern contact by a sedimentary package of the Upper Cretaceous Alberta Group.
On the Howell property, at the HRC-15 occurrence, a third of four mineralization types occurs as base metal (precious metal enriched) replacement in limestone, dolomite and limy sediments in proximity to syenite intrusive units. This style of mineralization has recently been referred to as CRD (carbonate replacement deposit) mineralization or manto-type.
From 1988-1989 Placer Dome Inc. drilled 25 reverse circulation holes, 15 of these holes were drilled in the Eastern Outlier area with several drilled along the ridge to the southeast, including hole HRC-15 (Assessment Reports 18318 and 18629). Ten holes (1-10) were drilled on the Howe Grid A about 2 kilometres south of the Eastern Outlier zone.
A reverse circulation drillhole (HRC-15) intercept graded 1.98 per cent lead, 1.87 per cent zinc, 51.5 grams per tonne silver, and 0.32 grams per tonne gold over 7.6 metres (Assessment Reports 18318 and 30526 (page 15)). Elevated copper values were also obtained. Drill logs, for this high-grade interval record only rare malachite and common limonitic (gossanous) chips and limonite on fractures. This drillhole was located at the eastern end of the Howell "A" grid. Another example of this carbonate replacement (manto-type) is found at the new Ysoo occurrence (082GSE079) about 2 kilometres south of the HRC-15 showing in the Howe Grid A area.
For expanded work history, refer to the Eastern Outlier occurrence (082GSE078), newly documented in MINFILE as of December 2022. See the nearby Ysoo prospect (082GSE079), also documented in MINFILE in December of 2022.
