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File Created: 27-Oct-1992 by Gerry Ray (GR)
Last Edit:  24-Jun-2022 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

Summary Help Help

NMI
Name SNOWLINE 2, BLACKBIRD Mining Division Alberni, Nanaimo
BCGS Map 092L034
Status Prospect NTS Map 092L06W
Latitude 050º 21' 14'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 127º 15' 00'' Northing 5579443
Easting 624491
Commodities Copper, Zinc, Gold, Cobalt, Silver Deposit Types
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The Snowline 2 occurrence is located on a ridge north of Merry Widow Creek, approximately 1.1 kilometres south of Newt Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by basaltic volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation (Vancouver Group), which are overlain sequentially by limestone of the Upper Triassic Quatsino Formation (Vancouver Group), limestone, mudstone and siltstone of the Upper Triassic Parson Bay Formation (Bonanza Group) and mixed volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Lower Jurassic LeMare Lake volcanic unit (Bonanza Group). The volcanic and sedimentary rocks have been intruded by diabase and basaltic intrusive rocks of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Bonanza Group to the north and gabbro to quartz diorite of the Lower to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite to the west.

Mineralization at the Snowline 2 occurrence consists of massive pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite with lesser magnetite, chalcopyrite and black sphalerite. Small quantities of garnet and chlorite occur within the sulphide mass.

The mineralization resembles that of the Marten occurrence (MINFILE 092L 050) and probably represents sulphide-rich manto mineralization related to the iron skarns in the area (Merry Widow (MINFILE 092L 044), Kingfisher (MINFILE 092L 045)). However, unlike the Marten occurrence, the narrow sulphide zone is subvertical and may represent a chimney. The southern margin of the zone is in contact with marble, whereas the northern margin lies adjacent to a thin, altered greenstone dike.

In 2020, a channel sample yielded 5.37 grams per tonne gold, 3.3 grams per tonne silver, 0.32 per cent cobalt and 0.08 per cent copper over 1.0 metre (Assessment Report 39420).

Another zone of magnetite mineralization, referred to as the Blackbird zone, is located approximately 250 metres to the southeast.

Work History

The area has been explored in conjunction with the Merry Widow (MINFILE 092L 044) deposits since the early 1900’s. In 1968, Quatsino Copper Gold completed a program of airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveys on the area. In 1970, Alice Lake Minerals completed an aeromagnetic survey. During 1989, through 1992, Taywin Resources completed programs of geological mapping, trenching and surface sampling on the area. During 2005 through 2012, Grande Portage Resources completed programs of rock, silt and soil sampling, geological mapping, airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys, a ground magnetometer survey and two diamond drill holes, totalling 182 metres, on the area. In 2016 and 2017, Bridgeland Minerals completed a radar satellite and LiDAR orthophoto geological interpretation program on the area as the Blue Gold/Merry Widow property. In 2019, Mirva Properties Ltd. completed a rock sampling program on the Merry Widow property. In 2020, Roughrider Exploration Ltd. completed a program of rock, silt and soil sampling on the area as the Empire Mine property.

Bibliography
EMPR OF 1991-8
GSC P 69-1A; 70-1A; 71-36; 72-44; 74-8
GSC OF 9; 170; 463
GSC MAP 255A; 4-1974; 1552A
Sangster, D.F. (1964): The Contact Metasomatic Magnetite Deposits of Southwestern British Columbia, Ph.D. Thesis, University of British Columbia
Carson, D.J.T. (1968): Metallogenic Study of Vancouver Island with emphasis on the Relationship of Plutonic Rocks to Mineral Deposits, Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University, Ottawa
*Giroux, G.H. (2007-09-04): Technical Report on the Copper-Gold Resource for the Merry Widow Property
Giroux, G.H. (2008-11-30): Technical Report on the Copper-Gold Resource for the Merry Widow Property

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