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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  10-Jun-2020 by Nicole Barlow (NB)

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NMI 082F6 Cu3
Name EUREKA (L.5552), CHAMPION, GREAT WESTERN STAR, ALHAMBRA, KING, GPX, NORTHWIND, PHIL Mining Division Nelson
BCGS Map 082F044
Status Past Producer NTS Map 082F06W
Latitude 049º 27' 18'' UTM 11 (NAD 83)
Longitude 117º 21' 58'' Northing 5478102
Easting 473467
Commodities Copper, Gold, Silver, Lead, Zinc Deposit Types I05 : Polymetallic veins Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
I01 : Au-quartz veins
L03 : Alkalic porphyry Cu-Au
Tectonic Belt Omineca Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

The Eureka workings are situated approximately 7 kilometres southwest of Nelson, south of Kootenay Lake. The property is situated at the head of Eagle Creek on Lot 5552, approximately 6 kilometres southwest of Nelson at an elevation of 823 metres. It covers more than 50 acres and consists of 10 claims and fractions: Eureka, Toronto, Champion, Imperial, Cold Hill, Gold Leaf, Gold Leaf Fraction, Alhambra Fraction, Viking Fraction and Viking Junior Fraction.

The area is underlain by Jurassic pseudodiorite, pyroxenite or monzonite (?) of unknown affinity (possibly Eagle Creek) and mafic to intermediate flows and tuffs of the Lower Jurassic Elise Formation, Rossland Group. The Silver King shear zone has been truncated to the south of the showing by the metamorphic (possibly intrusive) rocks.

Regionally, the area is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Lower Jurassic Elise Formation, of the Rossland Group. These comprise mafic to intermediate flows, tuffs, breccia and quartz feldspar porphyry. Porphyritic to equigranular zoned diorite-monzodiorite stocks of the co-magnetic Eagle Creek Plutonic Complex and Silver King Intrusive Complex intrude the Elise Formation. These units are then cut by younger lamprophyre dikes and Eocene aged Coryell alkalic intrusions. The units are deformed by the Silver King Shear Zone, a northwest striking shear zone. The contact between the Elise Formation and the Eagle Creek Plutonic Complex marks an up to 200-metre wide breccia and fault zone containing fragmentation and alteration of local units. The contact contains k-feldspar, sericite, quartz, chlorite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and magnetite mineralization.

The mineralization was originally documented as occurring in rafts or remnants of limestone of the Lower Jurassic Rossland Group that are incorporated into the diorites and granites of the Middle to Late Jurassic Nelson Intrusions. Two veins, closely associated with the limestones, host chalcopyrite, azurite, malachite, chrysocolla with minor galena, bornite and native silver in a quartz-carbonate gangue. The veins are both slightly larger than 1 metre wide and are oxidized to the lowest levels of the underground workings. Sulphide mineralization occurs in the limestone as well as in the quartz veins. The main vein has a strike of 308 degrees with a dip of 85 degrees to the northeast. The veins produced a few thousand tonnes of copper ore grading 5 to 10 per cent copper with 5 to 7 grams of gold and 50 to 70 grams of silver. Better grades were observed in the limestone-hosted portions of the system than in the siliceous sections.

The Eureka occurrence is identified in a summary of historically significant drill intercepts on the Star-Toughnut Property. Highlighted zones include but are not limited to a grade of 10.29 grams per tonne gold, and 0.35 percent copper over 2.00 metres in hole 89-05, and 5.45 grams per tonne silver, and 0.47 percent copper over 46.44 metres in hole VTN10-011 (Payne, C. (2011-03-11): NI43-101 Technical Report – Compilation Report on the Star-Toughnut Property).

More recent work describes a shear-related quartz-carbonate vein system hosting 1 to 5 per cent pyrite, chalcopyrite and bornite, and up to 5 per cent sphalerite, galena and hematite. The veins are hosted in occasionally sericitic monzonite and monzosyenite. Mapping in the area defines the hostrock as pseudodiorite (Open File 1989-11). This is possibly a "conformable gold" occurrence.

A representative grab sample from the area of the Alhambra workings in 1989 assayed 1.75 grams per tonne gold, 173 grams per tonne silver, 0.82 per cent copper, 1.08 per cent lead and 1.5 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 19503).

Exploration began in the area at the turn of the century. By 1896, the Eureka showing had been opened up and, in 1902, J.P. Swedberg received a Crown grant for the property. In 1904, two ledges had been opened up by two shafts of 27 and 23 metres in length, respectively, and an incline of 12 metres. More than 37 metres of drifting and sinking were done.

The following year, the property was bonded to J.A. Kirkpatrick and other Nelson men, who extended the working shaft by 15 metres and performed 610 metres of drifting.

The property was owned by the Eureka Copper Mines Limited in 1906. The company worked the property until 1912, carrying the shaft down another 15 metres, completing 463 metres of drifting and 213 metres of crosscutting, driving a tunnel for approximately 244 metres and constructing a raise.

In 1912, Eureka was under lease and bond to British Columbia Copper Company Limited, who installed a small boiler, an ore concentrator and a hoist driven by a gasoline engine. The company also sank a winze 30 metres and carried out 61 metres of drifting and 183 metres of raising.

In 1915, the property was secured under lease and bond to Keffer & Johns. Shortly after, the bond was turned over to Pingree Mines Limited. A tunnel was driven for approximately 61 metres.

Short aerial tramways, 329 and 914 metres in length, were installed in 1917 to alleviate the expense of hauling the ore by wagon. The same year, 60.9 metres of crosscutting and 61 metres of open cuts on the surface showing were made and a new compressor and hoist were brought to the mine but not installed.

In 1918, the property was operated under lease by Inland Mining Company Limited of Walla Walla, Washington. The following year, Vincent Development Company, also of Walla Walla, held the property under lease and bond. The Granite-Poorman mill was leased and flotation equipment was installed. Development work consisted of advancing the main drift and continuing a long crosscut for 37 metres. In 1920, the company dropped their option.

No work was reported on the property until 1945, when Kenville Gold Mines Limited, who owned the Granite-Poorman property, took over neighbouring properties on the northern slopes of Toad Mountain, including the Eureka workings. The company cleaned out old adit portals (except those that were seriously caved), surveyed most of the accessible workings and did a considerable amount of surface drilling on its extensive holdings.

In 1950, Copper Leaf Mines Limited started a raise, reopened the 76.2-metre level for 182.8 metres, rehabilitated the old shaft and located the old winze. The following year, Copper Leaf Mines purchased the property from Kenville Gold Mines Ltd.

In 1953, the property was optioned to Eureka Copper Syndicated. That year, a compressor was installed at the portal of the 137-metre adit.

In 1956, Copper Leaf Mines Limited rehabilitated the upper, or 76-metre, level and concentrated efforts on the south end of the workings, where three stopes were carried up the pillar for a distance of 34 metres. A stope was also carried up the pillar from the 46-metre level. The Kenville Gold Mines Mill at Nelson was purchased to treat the ore. Reserves were estimated that year at 72 575 tonnes (80 000 short tons), grading 0 to 3942.9 grams per tonne (0 to 115 ounces per short ton) gold; 137.1 to 240 grams per tonne (4 to 7 ounces per short ton) silver; 1.26 per cent copper; 1.6 per cent lead; and 0.4 per cent molybdenum.

Later in 1956, the Finley Company of Reno, Nevada, provided funding for the project, after which all Copper Leaf Mines Limited operations carried on under the Finley name.

In 1980, Asarco Exploration Company of Canada Limited carried out geophysical and geochemical surveys over the 40-claim Aberdeen group to the east.

Between 1983 and 1984, Ryan Exploration Company Limited began acquiring the Star property, including the Star, Alma N. (MINFILE 082FSW083) and Eureka workings. Between 1984 and 1988, Ryan Exploration conducted extensive geophysical and geochemical surveying, trenching and rotary–reverse circulation drilling. Approximately 30 drillholes were completed over the Star, Alma N., Eureka and Bee claims.

In the 1980s, limited exploration was conducted on the Ron Gold claim group to the west of the Eureka workings. In 1985, property owners Eric and Jack Denny leased the Ron Gold claim group to Ryan Exploration Company Limited. Exploration that year consisted of geochemical rock and soil sampling. The following year, Ryan Exploration conducted a very low-frequency geophysical survey over the claim group.

By 1989, Pacific Sentinel Gold Corporation had acquired the Star and Alma N. claims as part of their Great Western Star property. In the summer of 1989, Lloyd Geophysics Limited carried out geophysical surveys over the Ron and Toughnut grids to the west and southeast, respectively. In 1990, Pacific Sentinel Gold conducted a follow-up program of soil and rock sampling, trenching, geological mapping and geophysical surveying. Later that year, 26 NQ and NQ2 diamond drill holes totalling 5880 metres were completed. Drilling on the Eureka claim assayed significant mineralized intersections.

GEO Resources drilled in the area in 1997.

In 2004, on behalf of owner Jack Denny, Klondike Gold Corporation conducted a geochemical sampling program over the Ron property to the west, later optioning it in 2008. At this time, the property was expanded to include additional claims, including the Eureka and Star (MINFILE 082FSW083) claims. An exploration program of limited geological mapping and prospecting and soil geochemical surveying was carried out on the eastern portion of the claim group. The Ron property was then acquired by Anglo Swiss Resources and amalgamated with the Kenville (MINFILE 082FSW086) property.

In 2009, on behalf of Anglo Swiss Resources, Equity Exploration Consultants Limited undertook an exploration program consisting of 680 line kilometres of airborne electromagnetic geophysical surveying, surface diamond drilling, and underground rehabilitation and drilling. Ten diamond drill holes were completed on the south side of Eagle Creek, approximately 700 metres south of the Kenville mine.

By 2010, the Kenville property had been expanded to include separate claim groups to the north and south. In 2010, on behalf of Anglo Swiss Resources, St. Pierre Geoconsulting Incorporated conducted airborne magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical surveys over the entire Nelson Mining Camp area. Soil sampling was conducted over the central Kenville claim block, though the majority of the sampling was conducted in the area of the Silver Lynx occurrence (MINFILE 082FSW378) to the south.

Production from 1905 to 1954 totalled 8995 tonnes, yielding 1 124 747 grams silver, 19 190 grams gold, 159 170 kilograms copper and 713 kilograms lead. Production in 1956 was included with Queen Victoria (MINFILE 082FSW082).

From the 1990 drill program, drillhole GWS-89-05 reported 1 metre assaying 2.45 grams per tonne gold, 2.1 grams per tonne silver and 0.242 per cent copper, and 31.68 metres assaying 0.82 gram per tonne gold, 2.5 grams per tonne silver and 0.283 per cent copper (Assessment Report 20063, page 2).

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1904-140; 1905-166; 1906-150,248; 1907-103,213; 1908-106;
1910-105,243; 1913-128,142; 1915-134,146; 1916-517; 1917-172,
194,448; 1918-174,197; 1919-132,157; 1920-133; 1945-96; 1950-
119; 1951-135; 1953-113; 1954-49,123; 1956-A50,78; 1957-41;
1968-78
EMPR ASS RPT 40, 8614, 1419, 15331, 17806, 19492, *19503, *20063, 27683, 31047, 32837, 32839
EMPR BC METAL MM00991, MM01054 (1956 production included with Queen
Victoria [082FSW082])
EMPR BULL 1, p. 100; 41; 109
EMPR EXPL 1988-B15-B19; 1997-49
EMPR FIELDWORK 1980, pp. 149-158; 1981, pp. 28–32, pp. 176–186; 1987,
pp. 19–30; 1988, pp. 33–43; 1989, pp. 247–249; 1990, pp. 291–300
EMPR GEM 1969-316
EMPR INDEX 3-191,195; 4-121
EMPR MAP 7685G; RGS 1977; 8480G
EMPR OF 1988-1; *1989-11; 1991-16
GSC MAP 52-13A; 62A; 1090A; 1091A
GSC MEM 34; *308, pp. 176–177
GSC OF 1195
GSC P *52-13, pp. 34, 35
GSC SUM RPT *1911, p. 153
Andrew, K.P.E. and Hoy, T. (1990): Structural models for precious metal deposits in Jurassic Arc volcanic rocks of the Rossland Group, southeastern B.C.; abstract with program, G.A.C.—M.A.C. Annual Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., p. A3.
Hoy, T. and Andrew, K.P.E. (1988): Geology, geochemistry and mineral deposits of the Lower Jurassic Rossland Group, southeastern British Columbia; abstract in Twelfth District 6 Meeting, Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Fernie, B.C., pp. 11–12
*Payne, C. (2011-03-11): NI43-101 Technical Report – Compilation Report on the Star-Toughnut Property.

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