The Athelstan-Jackpot past-producing mine is located 8.5 kilometres south east of Greenwood and 1.5 kilometres north west of the confluence of Skeff and July creeks. Access to the mine is from an abandoned railway grade at an elevation of 1150 metres, connecting roads from the Winnipeg past-producing mine (MINFILE 082ESE033) and Hartford Junction to the northwest, and Highway 3 to the east.

Ultrabasic rocks and diorite dikes are the main rocks exposed in these workings. Included in the ultrabasic rocks are light-coloured talc-carbonate lenses, known locally as 'listwanites'. These rocks weather brown and contain talc and ferromagnesian carbonate in various proportions. Their outcrops are marked by limonitic gossan produced by the oxidation of the carbonate. The rocks show some variation in lithological character from one locality to another. Sheared varieties consisting largely of talc and serpentine with subordinate amounts of carbonate are common near the contacts of talc-carbonate rocks with serpentine. Massive varieties, largely made up of a brown-coloured ferromagnesian carbonate, probably ankerite, and some calcite, are well exposed around the Athelstan surface workings. Other varieties containing a conspicuous green mica, probably mariposite, are common in the underground workings of the Jackpot mine. Contacts between the talc-carbonate rocks and serpentine are usually gradational. The total extent of exposed talc-carbonate rock is not known, but it extends from an elevation of 1280 metres at the top of the hill above the Athelstan adit, at least as far as the Jackpot adit and outcrops over a maximum width of approximately 168 metres. (GSC Paper 45-20).

The rocks are traversed by an irregular system of pre-mineral fissures that have strongly influenced the rising ore- bearing solutions by providing channel-ways for them, and gouge- filled barriers capable of deflecting them.

The common ore minerals are pyrite and arsenopyrite, which form replacements in the listwanite rocks. Disseminations of chromite occur locally in the sheared listwanite, such as on the adjoining Butte (Lot 1067) claim, where 17.1 per cent chromium has been reported from a 3-metre wide open cut. Near surface the ore is oxidized to limonite and a white arsenous oxide, which attained shipping grade locally. Green fuchsite (or mariposite) commonly occurs adjacent to mineralized zones with in the serpentinite.

The shape and size of several ore bodies that were mined in the early days can be inferred from the accessible workings. At the Jackpot mine the two ore bodies mined from the present adit crosscut were crescentric in plan and plunged from 10 to 40 degrees to the east along their longest axis. They ranged in thickness from 1 to 7.6 metres and probably averaged 3 metres. They were stoped over a length of at least 30.5 metres and across a width of at least 12 metres. Narrower parts of these same ore bodies have been mined in past years. At the Athelstan mine the only accessible stope is approximately 18 metres long, averaging approximately 12 metres wide, and ranging from 1 to 2.4 metres in height. A winze, which was sunk in the floor of this stope to a depth of 3.6 metres during the summer of 1936, is entirely in ore. Ore- grade mineralization is reportedly exposed by pits and trenches on the Butte and Iron Clad Crown grants.

The footwalls and hanging walls of the ore bodies commonly follow well-defined fissures; occasionally such fissures also form the lateral limits of the ore bodies. Sulphides may extend for several centimetres beyond these fissures, but these are extremely erratic.

Chemical composition of the wallrock has also had a marked influence on ore deposition. Those rocks containing a high percentage of carbonates were most susceptible to replacement by the ore- bearing solutions, whereas those containing appreciable amounts of serpentine were apparently the least susceptible.

The ore bodies are displaced by several north west- dipping normal faults, however, movements are not thought to be large. Locally the faulted-off segments of the ore have been found within the mine workings.

Ten principle areas of mineralization, extending over an approximate area of 960 by 240 metres, are known on the property: the Athelstan, Jackpot, A, B, J-11, J-34, Oro, Bay Horse, Butte and Iron Clad zones. A complete description and sampling history of each zone can be found in Assessment Report 27510. There are no available ore reserve estimates for this mine.

Production from the property from 1900 to 1940, resulted in 16,739 tonnes or ore containing 186.7 kilograms of gold, 157.2 kilograms of silver, 50.8 tonnes of copper and 193 kilograms of lead.

In 1978, surface sampling yielded: 19.9 grams per tonne gold and 33.5 grams per tonne silver over 0.6 metre from the Butte zone (sample A-7); 3.8 grams per tonne gold over 0.9 metre and 12.2 grams per tonne gold from a sample of stockpiled ore from the Athelstan zone; 19.9 grams per tonne gold with 176 grams per tonne silver over 0.3 metre of massive sulphides (sample J-2) and 34.1 grams per tonne gold with 180.3 grams per tonne silver from a dump sample near the Jackpot zone and 1.0 gram per tonne gold over 0.9 metre of massive sulphides and 2.1 grams per tonne gold with 43.1 grams per tonne silver from a dump sample on the Iron Clad zone (Property File - A.R. Grant [1978-11-01]: Surface Sampling - Athelstan-Jackpot-Iron Clad).

In 1980, 29 samples taken from the Athelstan stope averaged 3.6 grams per tonne gold, while those from sulphide shear zones yielded from 4.8 to 30.5 grams per tonne gold over 0.30 to 2.0 metres; 23 samples from the Jackpot stope averaged 4.35 grams per tonne gold, while those from sulphide zones yielded from 2.1 to 28.8 grams per tonne gold over 1.0 to 2.2 metres (Property File - Rimacan Resources Ltd. [1983-06-03]: A report on the Athelstan-Jackpot Mineral Property).

In 1981, highlights of underground sampling of the Athelstan stope included: 12.7 grams per tonne gold with 14 grams per tonne silver over 0.95 metre (sample R4) from the south western wall and 6.9 grams per tonne gold over 0.65 metre (sample R17) from the north western end of the stope, while a sample (R10) from a column or pillar yielded 30.4 grams per tonne gold with 17 grams per tonne silver over 0.3 metre (Property File - D.K.W. [1981-06-01]: Detail Map - Athelstan and Jackpot Stopes).

Underground sampling of the Jackpot stope yielded: 11.3 grams per tonne gold with 42.0 grams per tonne silver over 4 metres (sample R78) from drift near the southern shaft; 9.78 grams per tonne gold over 2 metres (sample J17) from a south western wall; 4.48 grams per tonne gold over 2 metres (sample J15) from a north western drift; 6.5 grams per tonne gold over 1.3 metres (sample J7) from a northern wall face and 11.3 grams per tonne gold with 15.7 grams per tonne silver over 2 metres (sample J9) from a column or pillar (Property File - D.K.W. [1981-06-01]: Detail Map - Athelstan and Jackpot Stopes).

Highlights of diamond drilling, in 1981, include: 3.64 grams per tonne gold with 9.8 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres in hole P-81-1; 1.0 gram per tonne gold over 4.5 metres in hole P-81-5; 0.81 gram per tonne gold with 94.4 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres in hole P-81-9A; 2.2 grams per tonne gold with 14.0 grams per tonne silver over 6 metres, including 5.17 grams per tonne gold with 25.0 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres, in hole P-81-10; 6.45 grams per tonne gold with 9.7 grams per tonne silver over 1.5 metres in hole P-81-12; 0.51 gram per tonne gold over 13.5 metres in hole P-81-13 and 0.89 gram per tonne gold over 13.5 metres, including 4.45 grams per tonne gold over 1.5 metres, in hole P-81-14 (Property File - unknown [1981-01-01]: Drill Hole Assays - P-81-1 to P-81-14 - Athelstan-Jackpot). Holes P-81-1 through P-81-10 were located between the Athelstan and Jackpot stopes.

In 1983, surface sampling yielded: 9.26 grams per tonne gold with 31.9 grams per tonne silver over 0.7 metres of a rusty shear zone near the Athelstan stope; 8.23 grams per tonne gold with 29.3 grams per tonne silver from a grab sample of dump material near the Jackpot stope and 17.1 grams per tonne gold with 42.9 grams per tonne silver from a grab sample of dump material near the Butte workings (Property File - Rimacan Resources Ltd. [1983-06-03]: A report on the Athelstan-Jackpot Mineral Property).

In 1987, diamond drilling yielded intercepts of 15.9 grams per tonne gold over 0.15 metre in hole 87-2, located near the Athelstan stope, and 11.6 grams per tonne gold over 1.83 metres in hole 87-8, located near the Jackpot stope (Property File - Minnova Inc. [1987-08-11]: Drill Hole Record for Holes 87-1 to 87-8 at the Athlestan-Jackpot Project).

In 1989, drilling of the A and J-34 zones yielded 12 grams per tonne gold over 1.8 metres in hole 87-8. Trenching later in the year returned up to 6.6 grams per tonne gold and 12 grams per tonne silver over 3.7 metres (Assessment Report 27510).

In 1990, a sample (BCS 18490) from a rusty shear zone exposed by a trench assayed 85 grams per tonne gold, 302 grams per tonne silver and 0.93 per cent copper, while a 2 metre chip sample (BCS 18488) across a fault assayed 4.1 grams per tonne gold (Property File - L. Lee [1990-01-01]: Property report: Athelstan-Jackpot).

In 2003, sampling of the J-12 zone returned 21.8 grams per tonne gold across 0.8 metres of an oxidized shear zone in diorite. Trenching on the B-1 zone, 500 metres east of the J-12 zone, returned 8 grams per tonne gold and 190 grams per tonne silver over 1.3 metres (Assessment Report 27302).

In 2004, a sample from a 0.7 to 1.0- metre wide shear zone in former Jackpot workings that contained oxidized pyrite and arsenopyrite yielded 10.1 grams per tonne gold, 2.36 per cent arsenic and 0.446 per cent copper (Assessment Report 27510).

Exploration and mining on the Athelstan (Lot 1065) and Jackpot (Lot 2224) claims began independently with no interconnection of workings. In 1900, operations commenced on the Athelstan claim with shaft development, drifting and the installation of a small plant. Additional exploration and development was completed between 1909 and 1912. The Jackpot adit, located 335 metres to the east and 90 metres below the Athelstan mine, is connected to an inclined, 17- metre shaft with levels at depths of 10 and 16 metres. By 1942, the combined underground development included 91 metres of shaft sinking and 570 metres of tunnelling.

Limited exploration programs were carried out on the property during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s by Sabina Mines, Colby Resources and Scurry Rainbow Oil and Gas. This work included 12 percussion drill holes, eight of which encountered open stopes. Mr. W. Hallauer acquired the claims from W.E. McArthur in the 1970’s.

Arrowhead Resources Ltd. explored the property during 1978 through 1983, under the direction of A.R. Grant. Significant work programs were completed including geological mapping and sampling of surface outcrops and mine workings, soil sampling, and magnetometer and VLF/EM surveys. Arrowhead Resources also drilled 28 vertical percussion drill holes over an area of approximately 200 by 600 metres, to test for a near surface, open-pit resource. The property was optioned to Rimacan Resources Ltd. in 1983 and Canadian Pawnee in 1985. Max Minerals Inc optioned the property in 1986 and significant work programs were carried out in 1986 and 1987. Detailed geochemical and geophysical programs were completed. In 1989, Toscano Resources completed 13 diamond drill holes, totalling 452 metres, which led to identification of the A and J-34 zones.

In 1990, Minnova Inc. optioned the claims and completed a six- hole diamond drill program, totalling 946 metres, the following year. A program of trenching was carried out in the summer of 2002 to test oxidized massive arsenopyrite mineralization, with gold, in listwanite at the A and J-34 zones.

Mineralogical and metallurgical testing was also conducted during 2002. Results indicate that cyanide leach is a suitable method for recovering gold from oxide ore, with up to 91 per cent gold and 29 per cent silver recovery achieved in tests (Assessment Report 27510). In 2003, trenching, mapping and sampling were completed at the J-34, J-12 and B zones.