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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  15-Jun-2020 by Karl A. Flower (KAF)

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NMI
Name EL CAPITAN, ACE, CAPITAN, SPANIARD, RAP CREEK, CAP, PAINT POT Mining Division Victoria
BCGS Map 092C099
Status Prospect NTS Map 092C16E
Latitude 048º 57' 20'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 124º 13' 24'' Northing 5423236
Easting 410444
Commodities Gold, Silver, Copper Deposit Types I06 : Cu+/-Ag quartz veins
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The El Capitan prospect is located 8 kilometres north of Youbou on the flanks of El Capitan Mountain and north west of Lomas Lake.

The area is underlain by basaltic volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation (Vancouver Group).

Mineralization occurs in shear zones and quartz veins in massive porphyritic basalt. In the workings, a shear zone, 1 metre wide, occurs along the south wall of a hornblende porphyry dyke. The dike is 3 metres wide, strikes 080 degrees and is nearly vertical. The shear zone has been traced for approximately 61 metres along strike and vertically for the same distance. The shear zone exhibits copper and iron oxidation and hosts pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and minor amounts of quartz and calcite.

The claim was staked in 1925, with the #1 and #2 adits and a tunnel being developed during 1927 through 1930. The #3 adit was developed during 1932 through 1935. The No. 1 adit is located at an elevation of 1387 metres and was driven to the west over 22.5 metres. The No. 2 adit is located below the No. 1 adit at an elevation of 1169 metres and was also driven to the west over approximately 27 metres. The No. 2 adit portal is reported to be block by a rock fall. The No. 3 adit is located an elevation of 1626 metres and was driven to the east for approximately 80 metres.

In 1955, samples from the no. 1 adit area are reported to have yielded up to 31.54 grams per tonne gold and 20.57 grams per tonne silver over 0.25 metre (sample no. 6) and 14.40 grams per tonne gold with 10.29 grams per tonne silver over 0.61 metre (Sample no. 4), while two samples (839 and 840) from a vein located approximately 120 metres to the south west yielded values of up to 1.0 gram per tonne gold, 23.0 grams per tonne silver and 5.38 per cent copper (Harrington, E. (2010-10-22): Technical Report on the El Capitan Property).

In 1979, Pacer Ex. completed a program of geochemical sampling and a ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the Cap claim. Sampling of the no. 1 adit yielded an average of 141.3 grams per tonne gold, 44.4 grams per tonne silver and 2.16 per cent copper over a 0.63 metres width, with individual samples (no. 842) yielding up to 467.2 grams per tonne gold, 100.1 grams per tonne silver and 3.48 per cent copper over 1.5 metres (Assessment Report 7832; Harrington, E. (2010-10-22): Technical Report on the El Capitan Property).

In 1985, Dayton Dev. completed a program of geochemical sampling, geological mapping and trenching on the area as the Capitan and Spaniard claims. The workings were reportedly in bad condition and therefore exploration was unable to confirm previous assays. A select sample (8608) assayed 126.0 grams per tonne gold, 104.0 grams per tonne silver and 0.28 per cent copper, while chip samples yielded up to 87.9 grams per tonne gold, 35.3 grams per tonne silver and 3.28 per cent copper over 0.4 metre (Sample CR-1; Harrington, E. (2010-10-22): Technical Report on the El Capitan Property).

In 1989, Omega Gold Corp. completed programs of rock, silt and soil sampling, geological mapping, and ground geophysical surveys. Sampling across 3 metres of the shear zone assayed up to 68.56 grams per tonne gold and 8 per cent copper (Property File - Dayton Developments, 1989).

To the south of the workings, about 120 metres, a quartz vein in a shear zone hosts chalcopyrite mineralization (Paint Pot). The vein strikes 155 degrees, dips 45 degrees east, is exposed for 4 metres and is 0.15 to 0.40 metres wide. Chip samples from quartz veins assayed up to 26.05 grams per tonne gold (Property File - Dayton Developments, 1989).

In 2004 and 2005, the area was prospected by D. Herriot as the El Capitan property. In 2008, Cuda Capital Corp. completed a program of helicopter-borne magnetic and VTEM surveys on the area as apart of the El Capitan Property.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1927-337; 1928-364; 1929-370; 1930-289; 1932-202; 1933-249;
1935-F52
EMPR ASS RPT *7832, *15065, *18394, 27742, 30440
EMPR BULL 1, pp. 131,132; 37, pp. 61-63
EMPR EXPL 1979-126; 1986-C148
EMPR FIELDWORK 1978, pp. 38-40; 1986, pp. 223-229; 1987, pp. 81-91; 19
pp. 503-510
EMPR MP MAP 1992-2
EMPR OF *1987-2; RGS 24, 1990
EMPR PF (In General File: B.C. Forest Products Road Map, Cowichan
Lake Area, 1963 Special Report No.39, 1937; *Dayton Developments
Corp., Statement of Material Facts, Nov. 1989 and Sept. 1990;
Christopher, P. (1988): Summary Report on Geology and Litho-
geochemistry, Soil Geochemistry, Magnetometer and VLF-EM Surveys
on EL Capitan Property for Omega Gold Corporation; Christopher,
P. (1987): Summary Report on Geology and Geochemistry of El
Capitan Property for Dayton Developments Corporation)
GSC MAP 1386A
GSC MEM 13
GSC OF 463; 821; 1272
GSC P 72-44; 76-1A; 79-30
Carson, D.J.T. (1968): Metallogenic study of Vancouver Island with
emphasis on the relationships of mineral deposits to plutonic
rocks, Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University
*Harrington, E. (2010-10-22): Technical Report on the El Capitan Property

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