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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  14-Oct-2015 by Garry J. Payie (GJP)

Summary Help Help

NMI 093E11 Pb1
Name EMERALD GLACIER, MIYA, EMERALD GLACIER MINE, EMERALD-GLACIER, EMERALD, GLACIER Mining Division Omineca
BCGS Map 093E074
Status Past Producer NTS Map 093E11W
Latitude 053º 44' 19'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 127º 15' 37'' Northing 5955845
Easting 614746
Commodities Zinc, Silver, Lead, Copper, Gold, Cadmium, Molybdenum Deposit Types I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Emerald Glacier mine area is underlain by the Lower-Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group (Telkwa and Smithers formations) which consists of a sedimentary member of feldspathic sandstone with minor siltstone and silty tuffaceous shale, and an overlying volcanic member of andesitic and dacitic breccias, tuffs and some massive volcanic rocks. Mineralization is hosted primarily by sedimentary rocks in a zone of transition between the two members. These rocks include intercalated sandstone, tuff, tuffaceous sandstone, siltstone and shale. Dacite, basalt and rhyolite dikes cut the stratified rocks.

En echelon quartz veining extends for at least 1200 metres and is associated with shears striking about 170 degrees and dipping 60 degrees to 75 degrees east. The main mineralization occurs in one of these shears and is associated with quartz veining up to 3 metres wide that is variously stockwork, massive, banded, brecciated and drusy in form. Sulphide mineralization includes galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and pyrite in order of decreasing abundance. Smaller veins in the vicinity are dominated by sphalerite.

The Emerald Glacier zone consists primarily of the Main and No. 2 veins that trend 345 degrees with variably steep dips to the east or west. Vein widths range from 1 to 3 metres. Vein textures range from massive, banded sulphides to brecciated and re-cemented vein material to stockwork zones. The Main vein (sometimes referred to as the ‘A’ or No. 1 vein) is exposed for a length of 150 meters on the 6400 level drift and two narrow veins, possibly an extension of the Main vein and No. 2 vein, are exposed for 60 metres on the 6000 level drift.

Mining of a limited tonnage of the Main vein, particularly from the 6400 level, took place between 1951 and 1968. The ore produced was from a series of en echelon, polymetallic quartz veins cutting feldspathic sandstone, lesser siltstone and tuffaceous shale found near the contact of the overlying andestitic volcanic rocks. Approximately 4180 tonnes of sorted ore, from a 66 metres long by 3.0 to 3.6 metres wide segment of the Main Vein, was stoped above the 6400 level from 1951 to 1953. Additional mining took place in the mid-1960s after a 68-tonne per day mill and camp were constructed.

In 2012, 26 holes in the Emerald Glacier area targeted the Miya vein, two holes targeted the Marmot Zone, and two holes targeted the gap between the two zones. Drilling yielded elevated values in gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc. Significant assay results from drillcore values that ranged up to 7.03 grams per tonne gold, with 37 results greater than 1 gram per tonne gold; silver ranged to a maximum of 1180 grams per tonne silver, with 19 results of greater than 200 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 34241).

In 2012, excavator trenching was undertaken on the “Marmot Zone” where drusy quartz veining with pyrolusite coating had previously been observed in the debris pile. Sheared, broken, limonitized quartz veining was exposed, striking 125 degrees, surrounded by strongly altered wallrock. About 8 metres of vein length was exposed.

A second trenching area was immediately east of the north-trending trench on the surface exposure of the Emerald Glacier Vein, and east-trending vein previously interpreted as offset of Miya Vein. This was between Trenches #1, 4 and 5 in an area known as the “Soup Pot Zone”. Depth to bedrock was less than a metre. An approximately 5 by 6 metre area was exposed and a pod of massive galena, with streaks of chalcopyrite and minor vuggy quartz was exposed.

Unclassified reserves are 40,800 tonnes grading 355 grams per tonne silver, 8.23 per cent lead, 9.49 per cent zinc and 1.13 grams per tonne gold (CIM Special Volume 37, page 186).

WORK HISTORY

In 1915, the property staked by W.J. Sweeney, D.J. Benson and F. Madigan and the Main vein exposed.

In 1917, James Cronin leased the property; the Main vein is traced for 450 metres with silver and lead values obtained.

In 1919, the 6400 level adit was collared and underground development advanced 37 metres. No significant silver or copper values were encountered and the property option was dropped.

1927 Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. optioned the property.

From 1928 to 1931, Consolidated Mining and Smelting advanced the 6400 adit and collared the 6000 and 5400 adits. Lower level crosscuts were also added at this time. The option was dropped in 1931 and the property lay dormant until 1951.

In 1951, Emerald Glacier Mines Ltd. re-opened the 6400 level adit and completed 120 metres of drifting and crosscutting, 45 metres of raising and 330 metres of diamond drilling. A total of 1542 tonnes of ore were mined and trucked 160 kilometres to Burns Lake where it was transported to Nelson, BC for processing.

In 1952, Emerald Glacier Mines produced 2640 tonnes of ore, completed 90 metres of drifting and 14 metres of crosscutting on the 6400 level, and completed 198 metres of drifting, 140 metres of crosscutting and 985 metres of diamond drilling on the 6000 level.

In 1953, eleven tonnes of zinc-rich ore were shipped before mine closed due to ownership difficulties. The ore averaged 2.7 grams per tonne gold, 510 grams per tonne silver and 55 per cent zinc and 12 per cent lead (as reported in Assessment Report 34241).

In 1966, M. Robertson acquired the property, expanded the boundary and installed a 68 tonne per day mill and new camp. Approximately 360 tonnes of ore were mined from the backs of the Main vein on the 6400 level and milled, producing 120 tonnes of concentrate. This concentrate was shipped to Trail and gave a net smelter return of $9,097 (Assessment Report 34241).

From 1967 to 1968, a total of 3778 tonnes or ore was mined and milled; operations ceased following the 1968 seasonal shut-down.

From 1970 to 1971, the 6275 level was advanced and a limited amount of stoping was completed. A raise was driven from the back of the 6275 level to intersect the adit drift on the 6400 level.

In 1981, Ryan Exploration Company Ltd staked the Crag claim to encompass the reverted crown grants of the inactive Emerald Glacier mine. Geological mapping suggested that the property covers a favourable environment for the formation of “Kuroko-type” VMS mineralization.

In 2003, G. Thompson (Lowprofile Ventures Ltd) acquired the property and conducted 1.5 line-kilometers of VLF-EM geophysical survey. Prospecting and reconnaissance outcrop sampling by Thompson and Ogryzlo re-located the Roymac, Rhine View, Glacier Bluff and Grandview zones. Sampling of these zones and of surface showings at the Emerald Glacier mine workings yielded significant gold values (Assessment Report 27446).

In 2008, small property-scale bedrock mapping and sampling program conducted for Lowprofile Ventures Ltd was completed by All North Consultants Ltd to determine areas for follow-up exploration. In 2008 mineralization was discovered along the north face and areas around the Glacier in the northwest corner of the project. This area is referred to as the Lower Grand View and Whiting Creek North zones

In 2010 Lowerprofile Ventures conducted 9.6 kilometres of ground electromagnetic surveying and collected 3 samples for metallurgical testing. The work areas were referred to as the 1916 Benson Camp in the possible areas of the Dominion (093E 073) and Grandview (093E 0075).

In 2012, Lowprofile Ventures drilled 1574.78 metres in 30 diamond-drill holes and excavated 260 metres in 5 trenches. Work largely targeted the Miya Vein which appears to be a west-northwest trending vein that intersects the Emerald vein system. Documentation of the vein remains vague. Gary Thompson undertook a prospecting traverse in October, in a basin 0.5 kilometre southwest of and below the drilling area. Two silicified areas with quartz veining were discovered, and a chip sample taken at each site.

Bibliography
EMPR AR *1916-K164; 1918-K126; 1919-N105; 1927-C154; 1929-C183; 1945-A68; 1951-A117; 1952-A97; 1966-105; *1967-110-113; 1968-141
EMPR ASS RPT 10679, *27446, *30715, 32206, *34241
EMPR BC METAL MM00476
EMPR BULL *75, pp. 53,68
EMPR GEM 1969-92; 1970-107; 1971-145; 1973-321
EMPR OF 1992-1; 1994-14; 1998-10
EMPR PF (*Campbell, D.D. (1967): Report on the Emerald Glacier Mine, Emerald Glacier Mine Prospectus; *Crowhurst, J.J. (1974): Report on the Emerald Glacier Mines Ltd. Property)
EMPR PF Rimfire (Hawthorne, N. (1967-01-01): List of Projects and notes - Whitesail Lake Project)
EMR MIN BULL MR 223 B.C. 213
EMR MRI 80-7, p. 213
GSC MAP 1064A
GSC MEM *299, pp. 84-86
GSC OF 708
GSC P 72-1A; 79-1A
GSC SUM RPT *1924, part A, pp. 56A-57A

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