The Big Showing occurrence is located on the northwest slope of Mount Goldsmith (Goat Mountain), east of Incomappleux River and 10 kilometres northeast of Camborne. The mineralized zones outcrop on the west side of the Goldsmith Creek canyon and can be traced for about 1400 metres, following the southeasterly trend of the metasediments.
Underlying rocks are chloritic schist or phyllites and limestones of the Cambrian to Devonian Lardeau Group (Index Formation).
Locally, two mineralized zones have been identified and consist of pyrite, galena and sphalerite with associated silicification and associated manganiferous siderite with massive magnetite and hematite. The two major mineralized areas are within hinge zones in anticlinal folds. The lower showing occurs as patches and disseminations over a width of 5 to 7 metres and is exposed from 1403 to 1433 metres elevation. The upper showing ranges from 3 to 12 metres wide and exposed from 1463 to 1509 metres elevation over a length of 30 metres. The mineralization is stratiform, at the contact between the phyllite and limestone. At the contact metachert is associated with the manganiferous siderite.
A sample of galena assayed 55 grams per tonne silver, trace gold, 25.3 per cent lead and 1.5 per cent zinc (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1919, page 143). A more recent 3-metre chip sample assayed 11 grams per tonne silver, 6.14 per cent lead and 0.78 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 7996).
In 2006, and 2007, assessment work was completed on the property by Discovery Consultants, R. I. Thompson for Silver Phoenix Resources Inc. including mapping and sampling the area. Chip sampling returned values including but not limited to 0.5 metres graded 0.185 percent lead, 0.20 percent zinc, 1.5 grams per tonne silver, 0.01 grams per tonne gold, and 0.158 percent copper in sample 07TW-292 (Turner, J. (2008-05-08): Technical Report on the Mammoth, Scout, and the Big Showing Property).
In 2007, chip sampling of the Lower Zone yielded:
--------------------------------------------------------------Sample Length Lead Zinc Gold (No.) (m) (%) (%) (g/t) 07TW-288 1.0 0.187 0.420 2.0 07TW-289 0.5 0.839 0.299 0.6 07TW-291 0.5 0.217 0.105 2.7 07TW-292 0.5 0.185 0.200 8.4 07TW-293 1.0 >1.000 0.111 1.1 07TW-294 1.0 0.136 0.038 2.5 ------------------------------------------------------------- |
(Assessment Report 29602)
In 2012, a select grab sample from the Lower Zone assayed 25 per cent lead, 0.6 per cent zinc and 95.2 grams per tonne silver. A chip sample (BS122508) from the Upper Zone assayed 21 per cent lead and 61 grams per tonne silver; while grab samples ranged from 2 to 38.6 per cent combined lead-zinc and 3.6 to 98 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 34013).
Big Showing was discovered in 1906 and the property was held by John Leask from 1914, when 64 metres of adit and crosscut were completed. Cominco held an option in 1913 and 1926. The property was restaked by the Leask Syndicate in 1973 and again in 1979 as the Ruby Silver and Goldy, when mapping and prospecting was done. The property was acquired by Summer 90 Resources Ltd. New Campbell Island Mines Limited optioned the property including the Mammoth (082KNW077) and Scout (082FNW139) in 1984. From 1984 to 1986, New Campbell Island Mines Limited conducted geological mapping, geochemical surveys and property evaluations. In 1988 and 1989, Consolidated Trout Lake Mines completed programs of geochemical sampling and airborne geophysical surveys on the area as apart of the Lexington Creek property. During 2005 through 2012, Silver Phoenix Resources completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, rock sampling and airborne geophysical surveys on the area.
Reserves are reported as probable 217,620 tonnes at 754 grams per tonne silver and possible 398,883 tonnes at 480 grams per tonne silver, both with associated values in gold, lead and zinc (New Campbell Island Mines Limited, 1987 Annual Report).
