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File Created: 07-Apr-1997 by Dani J. Alldrick (DJA)
Last Edit:  11-Apr-2012 by George Owsiacki (GO)

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NMI
Name RESERVE QUARTZ, GRANBY POINT, RESERVE Mining Division Skeena
BCGS Map 103P042
Status Past Producer NTS Map 103P05W
Latitude 055º 24' 54'' UTM 09 (NAD 83)
Longitude 129º 47' 38'' Northing 6141260
Easting 449742
Commodities Silica, Gold, Silver, Lead, Copper, Zinc Deposit Types I07 : Silica veins
I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Coast Crystalline Terrane Stikine, Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The Granby Point (103P 022) and Reserve Quartz mines are located on the northern end of Granby Peninsula on Observatory Inlet, approximately 1.5 kilometres east of Anyox. Gold and silver-bearing quartz veins were mined periodically between 1915 and 1935 as a source of silica flux. Two underground mines were developed, the Reserve Quartz mine at Granby Point on the northern tip of Granby Peninsula, and the more extensive Granby Point Quartz mine 500 metres southeast of the Reserve Quartz mine along the eastern shore of the Granby Peninsula.

The Anyox region is underlain by a roof pendant, consisting of volcanic and sedimentary rocks, within the Eocene Coast Plutonic Complex. These rocks have been correlated with the Middle-Upper Jurassic Hazelton Group and the Middle Jurassic Bowser Lake Group (Evenchick and McNicol, 2002). The volcanics consist of variably chloritized pillow and massive basalt with minor mafic tuffs. The overlying sediments consist of argillite, siltstone and sandstone with minor chert and limestone. There are two observable phases of folding in the area, an initial north-northeast trending phase followed by a later east-northeast trending phase.

The Granby Point and Reserve Quartz mines are developed in the same vein system. Quartz veins ranging from a few centimetres to 4 metres thick are developed along bedding planes in argillite. The argillite and quartz veins dip gently to the southeast with dips averaging 20 degrees and never exceeding 40 degrees. Numerous quartz stringers extend for up to 10 metres into the hangingwall of the veins.

Mineralization consists of pyrite, sphalerite and galena with traces of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. The mineralization occurs as disseminations and blebs scattered erratically through the quartz veins and more commonly along the margins. Gold is associated with pyrite and chalcopyrite and silver is associated with sphalerite.

The Granby Point mine contains a small unexploited mass of moderately sulphide-rich, potentially high grade vein material in the southwestern part of the mine area. The mine area is mainly dry and stable. The probable extension of the vein is the Quarry vein system, 50 to 150 metres south of the mine portal.

The Reserve Quartz vein is hosted by black argillite and siltstone. It is estimated that 20 to 25 per cent of the vein system remains largely in the form of pillars. The ground at the mine is unstable and underground examination difficult. A sample taken across 0.75 metre assayed 699.3 grams per tonne silver and 4.97 grams per tonne gold (Property File - Fox, 1988). The probable extension of this vein, Jean's vein, was located 200 metres south of the mine portal. Surface grab samples assayed up to 1.16 grams per tonne gold and 6.4 grams per tonne silver (Property File - Fox, 1988).

The mines periodically supplied the copper smelter at Anyox with silica flux. Between 1915 and 1938, 121,245 tonnes (production records for 1918 include some production from the Macy mine (103P 112), with an average grade of 2.33 grams per tonne gold and 85.7 grams per tonne silver, were mined (Property File - Burton, 1987). Mineral Policy records state that 79 kilograms of copper and 429 kilograms of lead were produced from 1936 to 1938. The adits of the Reserve Quartz mine can only be entered at low tide.

A drillhole intersection across 3.0 metres in the area of the Granby Point and Reserve veins assayed 2.7 grams per tonne gold and 200.2 grams per tonne silver (Property File - Fox, 1988).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1916-K252,K253; 1917-F370,F447; 1918-K55; 1920-N46; 1929-C49,C431; 1930-A53,A82; 1933-A36,A45,A46,A301; 1934-B12; 1935-A24,G47
EMPR ASS RPT *14484, 23582
EMPR BC METAL MM00748
EMPR BULL 63
EMPR ENG INSP (Mine Plans - 60027, Dec. 1935)
EMPR FIELDWORK 1985, p. 215; 1988, pp. 233-240; 1990, pp. 235-243; 2005, pp. 1-4
EMPR INDEX 3-198
EMPR MAP 8
EMPR OF 1986-2; 1987-15, p. 35; 1994-14; 1998-10
EMPR PF (Pell, J. (1982): Silica Prospects in the Anyox Area, British Columbia; Alldrick, D. (1986): Anyox Map; *Burton, A. (1987): Report in Prospectors Airways Co. Ltd. Prospectus; *Fox, J.S. (1988): First Summary Report of Field Work; Taiga Consultants Ltd. (1992): Geological, Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Anyox Property in 103P 021)
GSC MAP 315A; 317A; 1385A
GSC MEM 175, p. 93
GSC OF 864; 3453
CJES, Vol. 39, pp. 1313-1332.
N MINER Jul.4, 1988
Evenchick, C.A. and McNicol, V.J. (2002): Stratigraphy Structure and Geochronology of the Anyox Pendant, northwest British Columbia, and implications for exploration
Sharp, R.J. (1980): The Geology, Geochemistry & Sulphur Isotopes of The Anyox Massive Sulphide Deposits, University of Alberta, M.Sc. Thesis

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