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File Created: 18-Jul-1992 by Peter S. Fischl (PSF)
Last Edit:  09-Jun-2020 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

Summary Help Help

NMI 092H16 Ag1,Pb1
Name RENFREW, CLAREMONT, AMANDA, SIWASH SILVER, SNOWSTORM Mining Division Similkameen
BCGS Map 092H079
Status Prospect NTS Map 092H16W
Latitude 049º 46' 57'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 120º 19' 33'' Northing 5517880
Easting 692501
Commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold Deposit Types I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Renfrew occurrence is on the east bank of Siwash Creek, 2.4 kilometres north of the creek's confluence with Tepee Creek and 38 kilometres north-northeast of Princeton.

This prospect is hosted in a stock of quartz porphyritic monzonite, granite and quartz syenite, intruding granite of the Middle Jurassic Osprey Lake batholith. This stock is one of a series of small granitic bodies of early Tertiary age referred to as the Otter intrusions. It is strongly altered to a soft watery green to buff rock, possibly the product of kaolinite-sericite alteration. Silicification accompanies this alteration in areas of shearing.

A quartz vein, 15 to 35 centimetres wide, strikes 041 to 089 degrees and dips 45 to 55 degrees southeast. The vein has been traced downdip for 72 metres and along strike for 140 metres in three levels of adits spaced over a vertical elevation of 50 metres. A black fine grained basaltic dike follows the footwall of the faulted vein in the upper two adits.

Mineralization consists of galena, pyrite, argentite, tetrahedrite and arsenopyrite. Realgar forms small segregations in sheared granite near the vein. A sample taken across the vein in the uppermost tunnel assayed 3.4 grams per tonne gold and 9250 grams per tonne silver (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1917, page 206).

Various shear zones, several centimetres to 1.5 metres wide, and striking northeast, occur in the vicinity of the vein. Quartz veins are commonly developed along the shears. These veins and areas of silicification are mineralized with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite.

Three adits totalling 119 metres in length, were excavated in 1916 and 1917. In 1926, 24.5 tonnes of ore grading 3.81 grams per tonne gold, 4291 grams per tonne silver and 2.92 per cent lead were mined and shipped to the smelter in Trail (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1927, page 247). Recent work in the area by various operators, including Brenda Mines Ltd. (1979-1981), Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (1988) and Inel Resources Ltd. (1989), appears to have failed to relocate this occurrence. (Note: this prospect is not to be confused with the Snowstorm showing to the south (092HNE032), whose underground workings have been relocated).

The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Snowstorm (MINFILE 092HNE032) occurrence and completed exploration history can be found there.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1916-262; *1917-206,207,216,217; 1926-443; *1927-247
EMPR ASS RPT 2798, 3282, 4969, 7547, 7992, 8696, 8926, 15863, 18211
19472
EMPR EXPL 1979-159,160; 1980-210
EMPR GEM 1970-389,390; 1971-276,277; 1972-141; 1973-160
EMR MP CORPFILE (Diana Explorations Ltd.)
GSC MAP 888A; 889A; 1386A; 41-1989
GSC MEM *243, p. 108
GSC P 85-1A, pp. 349-358; 91-2, pp. 87-107
Besserer, D.J. (2007-05-27): Technical report on the precious and base metal potential of the Siwash Creek Property
Besserer, D.J. (2008-06-12): Technical report on the precious and base metal potential of the Siwash Creek Property
Besserer, D.J. (2010-08-30): Technical report on the precious and base metal potential of the Siwash Creek Property
Moroney, D.M. (2012-06-04): Technical Report on the Siwash Creek and River Wild Properties

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