The Highlander occurrence is hosted by micaceous and chlorite schists, quartzites, and limestones of Mississippian to Lower Permian Milford Group intruded by sills of granite and quartz monzonite and lamprophyre dykes. The vein is parallel to bedding and schistosity and varies considerable in width and grade. The average mining width is 2.3 metres made of about 0.6 metres of nearly barren hangingwall gouge, up to 1 metre of galena and sphalerite in a gangue of quartz and carbonates and up to 1 metre of footwall zone consisting of irregularly spaced veinlets of sphalerite in quartz. The ore is restricted to the vicinity of a shear and a lamprophyre in the vein.
The Highlander vein outcrops on top of a high bluff to the southwest of the village of Ainsworth. The claim was staked in 1893 by M. Stephenson. Major development work on the property began in 1901 with the formation of the Highlander Mining and Milling Co. A crosscut was driven from the base of the bluff to intersect the vein at a depth of about 60 metres. The crosscut was extended westerly for about 884 metres, intersecting the projected downward extension of the vein at 475 metres from the portal. Drifts were extended north and south on the vein for 107 metres and 310 metres respectively.
The property lay idle from 1911 to 1948. Mapping and diamond drilling of the property and the surrounding area was carried out from 1948 through 1950 by the Yale Lead & Zinc Mines Ltd. who obtained most of the claims in an area extending from Cedar to Coffee creek. The orebody outlined was found to lie on 5 claims, the Highlander, Albion (082FNE140), Banker (082FNE029), Krao (082FNE076) and Black Diamond (082FNE149). The north drift on the Highlander vein was extended to 640 metres and raises, following the dip of the Highlander vein, were driven to the Albion and Banker workings. Stoping was carried out on 3 levels. In 1955 a new adit was driven 60 metres below the old adit. The end of the ore body was reached in 1959 and the mine closed. Leasers worked the Highland vein in 1959 and 1960.
