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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  18-Dec-2014 by Sarah Meredith-Jones (SMJ)

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NMI 104M9 Au1
Name BIGHORN CREEK, SPOKANE, GOLD CUP, BIRDIE, LAWSAN, LAWSON, TONYA 1-4, MOHAWK, EDWIN, BLACKSMITH, PETER, INCLINE, NORM, SEPHIL, BLACKSMITH ADIT, PETER'S ADIT Mining Division Atlin
BCGS Map 104M058
Status Developed Prospect NTS Map 104M09W
Latitude 059º 32' 14'' UTM 08 (NAD 83)
Longitude 134º 27' 07'' Northing 6600002
Easting 530995
Commodities Gold, Silver, Zinc, Lead, Copper Deposit Types I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Stikine
Capsule Geology

The Bighorn Creek prospect is located on the west side of Bighorn Creek approximately 45 kilometres west of the town of Atlin and is accessed by helicopter from Atlin.

The area is underlain by schistose gneisses (actinolite schist?) and amphibolites of the Devonian to Permian and older Boundary Ranges Metamorphic Suite intruded by andesite and feldspar porphyry dikes.

The Lawson vein, a gold-bearing quartz sulphide vein, has been traced intermittently over a horizontal length of 920 metres and a vertical distance of 460 metres. The vein averages 1.1 metres in width, striking 100 degrees and dipping 70 to 85 degrees north. Mineralization consists of pyrite, minor chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite and native gold. The vein is confined to a narrow, persistent fissure zone which cuts the sequence of schistose gneisses and amphibolites at right angles. Coarse, pitted and comb-like textures in the quartz suggest open-space filling. Feldspar porphyry dikes cut the Lawson vein. Sulphide mineralization in the vein appears to be localized along intersections with oblique fracture zones. Gold correlates well with pyrite which is more abundant than other sulphides. Gold values increase with increasing elevation; the highest gold values came from the upper drifts.

Two channel samples across 0.75 metre in the upper adit, the Incline, averaged 23.31 grams per tonne gold and 6.17 grams per tonne silver (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1933, page 80). At about 1220 metres elevation, a north-south fault cuts the vein, displacing it 75 metres horizontally.

The average weighted grade from sampling in 1991 in the Incline drift was 6.86 grams per tonne gold across 1 metre (Assessment Report 21816). Results in 1991 indicate a limited tonnage potential for ore grade material above 1035 metres elevation, between the Blacksmith and Incline adits. Indicated possible geologic reserves are 69,000 tonnes grading 5.83 grams per tonne gold (based on 1 metre average width) (Assessment Report 21816).

Work History

This property is located on the east side of Mount Lawson, extending up the slope from Bighorn Creek. The showing was discovered i n 1898 and staked as the Birdie and Gold Cup claims, owned respectively by Wm. Powell and F. Lawson. Underground development work was begun in two adits. The property was apparently abandoned and in later years restaked as the Spokane group, consisting of the Spokane, Mohawk, and Edwin claims. In 1921, the property was owned by Mrs. Lawson & associates, who apparently carried out further development work at this time. In 1921-1934, open cuts and three drifts (Peter's, Blacksmith and Incline) were completed. Norgold Mines Ltd. acquired the property from Mrs. Lawson & associates early in 1934 and staked an additional 10 claims. The company name was changed later in the year to Atlin Pacific Mining Co. Ltd. The property was enlarged to 39 claims and a program of exploration and development begun. In 1934, Bobjo Mines Ltd. assumed management of the property. Bojo Mines Ltd. assisted in the exploration work from late in 1934 to February 1935. The results of the underground work were discouraging and the mine closed in 1935 or 1936. About 609 metres of development work has been done in four adits over a vertical range of 457 metres. In the Blacksmith adit, at the 1079 metre elevation, an orebody 36 metres long and 1.2 metres wide with an average content of 13 grams per tonne gold is reported to have been opened up. In 1975, Lobell Mines Ltd. conducted a geological examination and sampling program. In 1981, Silver Ice Mines Ltd. conducted prospecting and sampling. In 1991, C. Baldys collected 29 samples from the Pit claim and conducted geological mapping at the request of the directors of 489166 Alberta Limited. In 1993, L. Carlyle was retained by L. Whelan and Associates to review all available information regarding the Bighorn Creek Property on behalf of Micrex Development Corporation. In addition to data review, Carlyle also conducted geological and geophysical exploration over the Lawson vein, which included chip sampling of the existing adits and grab sampling of the adit dumps. Additionally, he conducted a short (6 line) VLF-EM geophysical survey over the Incline drift. In total, 2400 metres of VLF-EM surveying was completed at 10 metre stations and 50 metre line spacing. In 2004, APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, completed preliminary prospecting and sampling. In 2006, APEX Geoscience Ltd. conducted additional prospecting and sampling on several of the claims comprising the Bighorn Property in order to evaluate the potential for economic precious metal mineralization. A total of 32 rock samples and 10 stream silt sediment samples was collected on the property.

In 2006 and 2007, Apex Geoscience Ltd. was contracted by Micrex to explore the property. The 2006 program was cut short due to inclement weather, resulting in 32 rock grab samples and 10 silt samples with no significant gold assays (Assessment Report 30762).

The 2007 program ended with more success, resulting in 91 rock grab samples, 13 heavy mineral concentrations, and 5silt samples. Assays revealed several samples anomalous in commodities other than gold, such as silver, copper, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, and tungsten. In addition, there were two new showings were discovered that were anomalous in gold. (Assessment Report 30762)

Also in 2007, a total of 544.4 line-km of airborne geophysical surveying, comprising magnetics and electromagnetics (EM), was completed over the Bighorn Property that included the Bighorn Creek showing (Lawson vein) (104M 006) and the Bighorn showing (104M 007). The 2007 Airborne Geophysical Survey identified a number of magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies of interest that will require 'ground truthing' by prospecting in the field. Further prospecting and detailed sampling and mapping is required along the east side of Bighorn Creek east and south of the historic workings at the Lawson vein where an interesting pattern of radiating magnetic anomalies (many with corresponding EM anomalies). Also, a large north-south linear magnetic feature was identified on the west side of the survey area with some coincident EM features. The Lawson Vein appears to have been identified as a very subtle east-west anomaly in the 1st Vertical Derivative magnetic data and as a small but discreet conductive anomaly in the EM data.

In 2011, Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd conducted a exploration program on the Bighorn Property on behalf of operator Micrex Development collecting a total of 5 rock samples. The owner was indicated to be Gee Cee mines Ltd of Edmonton Alberta.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1921-78; *1933-79; 1934-B34
EMPR ASS RPT *5910, *10069, *21816, 27527, 27828, 28780, 29131, 29296, *30762
EMPR BULL 105
EMPR EXPL 1976-E195; 1981-194
EMPR FIELDWORK *1985, p. 187; 1988, pp. 293-310; 1990, pp. 139-144, 153-159
EMPR GEOS MAP 1997-1
EMPR OF 1989-13
EMPR PF (In 104M General File - Claim map of 104M, 1970; Claim map of 104M 08 and 09, 1970)
EMPR RGS 37, 1993
GSC MAP 19-1957; 94A; 711; 1418A; 1426
GSC MEM 37, p. 99
GSC OF 427; 2225, p. 42
GSC P 69-01A, pp. 23-27; 78-01A, pp. 69-70; 91-01A, pp. 147-153; 92-01A
GSC SUM RPT 1906, pp. 26-32; 1911, pp. 27-58

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