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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  17-Jul-1989 by Wim S. Vanderpoll (WV)

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NMI 092F5 Au4
Name BUCCANEER, RUFF, CRAIG, WEST, DICTATOR, MAY 1-8, JUNE 1-6, DEL 1-3 Mining Division Alberni
BCGS Map 092F042
Status Past Producer NTS Map 092F05E
Latitude 049º 25' 30'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 125º 40' 50'' Northing 5478158
Easting 305622
Commodities Gold, Silver, Lead, Copper, Zinc Deposit Types I06 : Cu+/-Ag quartz veins
Tectonic Belt Insular Terrane Wrangell
Capsule Geology

The Buccaneer occurrence is located in Strathcona Park on the Bedwell River. The area is underlain by quartz diorite of the Bed- well River batholith which is part of the Early to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite. Andesitic flows of the Upper Triassic Vancouver Group, Karmutsen Formation lie 2.4 kilometres to the west.

The occurrence comprises the West vein and the Craig vein which are 200 metres apart and follow altered andesite dykes for much of their length. The veins and dykes follow branching fractures that strike approximately 025 degrees and dip steeply east. The dykes range in width from 0.05 metres to 7.6 metres, averaging 2.4 metres. The veins may be within the dykes or they may follow either side of the contact of the dyke and quartz diorite.

The veins are 0.05 to 0.51 metres wide, locally anastomosing to 1.2 metres. Vein material consists of well crystallized quartz, calcite, minor chlorite, and wallrock fragments that are sometimes altered to ankerite. Sulphide content is usually less than 1.0 per cent and includes scattered grains of chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena, and sphalerite. Locally, malachite, covellite, chalcocite, limonite and anglesite are present as alteration prod- ucts. Fine-grained free gold is irregularly distributed in the gangue or with the sulphides.

The Craig vein has been traced underground for over 250 metres at two levels and is up to 0.51 centimetres wide, averaging about 0.14 metres. Assays range up to 316.15 grams per tonne gold and 75.44 grams per tonne silver (sample number 32, Bulletin 13, page 57).

The West vein has been traced on surface for 275 metres, and underground for about 145 metres. Common vein widths are about 0.19 metres. Samples assayed from trace to 538.35 grams per tonne gold and 99.44 grams per tonne silver (sample number 1, Bulletin 13, page 59).

Results of 1939 surface sampling along a strike length of 134.1 metres indicates a weighted average value of 19.55 grams per tonne gold over 0.91 metres (Buccaneer Mines Limited, 1939 Assay Plan). It is not clear whether this information is from the Craig or the West vein.

Production in 1941, 1942, 1947, 1958 and 1959 totalled 4987 tonnes containing 121,581 grams of gold, 39,128 grams of silver, 3206 kilograms of lead and 315 kilograms of copper.

Bibliography
EMPR AR 1940-73; 1941-71; 1942-66; 1946-182; 1947-181; 1958-A43; 1959-A45; 1961-102; 1962-105; 1963-102
EMPR ASS RPT 16450
EMPR BC METAL MM00071
EMPR BULL *8, p. 53; *13, p. 47; 20, PART V, pp. 22-25
EMPR EXPL 1987-C145
EMPR GEM 1973-232; 1974-175
EMPR PF (Buccaneer Mines Limited, (1939): Assay Plan and Profile Map, 1: 360 scale; McClay, S.J.O., (1974): Letter to Gold Commissioner dated June 18, 1974, see 092F 060 - Musketeer)
EMR MP CORPFILE (Buccaneer Mines Limited; Bralorne Resources Limited; Bedwell River Gold Mines Limited)
GSC MAP 17-1968; 1386A
GSC MEM 204
GSC OF 9; 61; 463
GSC P 66-1; 68-50; 72-44
CIM Transactions Vol. 45, 1942
GCNL Nov. 26, 1974
Carson, D.J.T. (1968): Metallogenic Study of Vancouver Island with Emphasis on the Relationship of Plutonic Rocks and Mineral Deposits, Ph.D. Thesis, Carleton University
Times Colonist, The New Islander, Nov. 16, 1997, p. 7

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