The Magno (West) occurrence is located on an east-northeast–facing slope, south of Troutline Creek and approximately 3.5 kilometres south-southwest of the historical community of Cassiar.
Regionally, the area is underlain by quartz arenite sedimentary rocks of the Lower Cambrian Boya Formation (Atan Group), limestone, marble and calcareous sedimentary rocks of the Lower Cambrian Rosella Formation (Atan Group), limestone, slate, siltstone and argillite of the Ordovician to Silurian Road River Group and calcareous sedimentary rocks of the McDame Group. Granitic intrusive rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Cassiar Batholith are exposed to the west.
The replacement mineralization on the Magno property is hosted by carbonate strata of the Lower Cambrian Rosella Formation (Atan Group). This area is underlain by massive blue-grey limestones, which strike approximately north and dip predominantly approximately 50 degrees east. The limestone is intruded by an east-trending intermediate dike. Mineralization consists of replacement bodies of galena, sphalerite, magnetite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, siderite and pyrolusite emplaced as irregular shoots along a 1300-metre-long, east-trending fault zone that includes the Magno West, Magno Mid (Middle West) and Magno East zones. Shoots are 60 to 90 metres long and up to 8 metres wide. The limestone has been irregularly dolomitized with intense dolomitization closest to mineralization. Chlorite, rhodochrosite, smithsonite and hydrozincite occur in the more altered rocks.
Other zones of mineralization in the area include the Magno New, Magno South and Magno Extra zones. The zones comprise oxidized galena and sphalerite bearing felsenmeer located approximately 200, 400 and 500 metres south of the upper adit on the West zone, respectively.
In 1975, three underground samples from the 4850 Level (West zone) yielded from 4.90 to 5.43 per cent zinc, 19.28 to 21.74 per cent lead and 487 to 579 grams per tonne silver, whereas drilling from a crosscut on the level yielded intercepts of 11.31, 13.56 and 4.48 per cent lead, 3.44, 3.33 and 2.01 per cent zinc with 276,164 and 102 grams per tonne silver over 4.5, 6.0 and 6.9 metres in hole B-1, B-2 and B-3, respectively (Assessment Report 5578).
In 1976, drilling on the East zone yielded an average of 4.06 per cent lead, 4.40 per cent zinc, 120 grams per tonne silver and 0.9 gram per tonne gold over 5.7 metres, whereas drilling on the Middle West zone yielded an average of 9.43 per cent lead, 5.84 per cent zinc and 236 grams per tonne silver over 3.3 metres (Assessment Report 6084).
In 1981, the Magno West zone was reported to have inferred reserves of 200,487 tonnes grading 198.8 grams per tonne silver, 5.4 per cent lead and 3.4 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 9548); the Magno Mid has unclassified reserves of 77,100 tonnes grading 9.43 per cent lead, 5.34 per cent zinc and 258.5 grams per tonne silver (Bloomer, 1981); the Magno East has unclassified reserves of 129,273 tonnes grading 4.06 per cent lead, 4.4 per cent zinc, 0.69 gram per tonne gold, and 131.0 grams per tonne silver (Bloomer, 1981); the Middle D (MINFILE 104P 080) has unclassified reserves of 90,000 tonnes grading 3.3 per cent lead, 6.3 per cent zinc and 70.0 grams per tonne silver (Bloomer, 1981 and Assessment Report 7912); total unclassified reserves for the Middle D, Magno East, Magno Mid and Magno West zones are 488,510 tonnes grading 168 grams per tonne silver, 5.3 per cent lead and 4.46 per cent (Bloomer, 1981).
In 1998, trenching of the western extension of the West zone yielded up to 10.21 per cent lead, 6.62 per cent zinc and 273.60 grams per tonne silver over 2.50 metres in trench 7, whereas channel sampling of the A and B orebodies as exposed in the lower adit yielded up to 17.8 and 14.11 per cent lead, 4.22 and 2.75 per cent zinc with 499.9 and 29.76 grams per tonne silver over 9.00 and 1.90 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 25889). Also at this time, samples from trenches 2 and 3 on the eastern zone yielded 67.60 and 7.72 per cent lead, 0.32 and 2.02 per cent zinc with 2025.6 and 250.6 grams per tonne silver over 0.99 and 2.20 metres, respectively, whereas drillhole (98-04) on the Middle zone yielded 11.40 per cent zinc, 11.90 per cent lead and 94 grams per tonne silver over 3.54 metres (Assessment Report 25889).
Also at this time, an updated indicated and inferred resource for the zones was reported with 244,912 tonnes grading 3.92 per cent zinc, 2.18 per cent lead and 69.6 grams per tonne silver for the East zone, 64,381 tonnes grading 7.73 per cent zinc, 11.92 per cent lead and 335.5 grams per tonne silver for the Central zone and 137,390 tonnes grading 3.19 per cent zinc, 2.64 per cent lead and 80.6 grams per tonne silver for the West zone (Assessment Report 25889).
In 2002, sampling of the Magno New, Magno South and Magno Extra zones yielded 2.2, 9.5 and 0.3 per cent lead, 3.9, 19.5 and 10.9 per cent zinc with 24,339 and 43 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 27203). Also at this time, four samples (7836 to 7839) from the upper adit (West zone) yielded from 0.27 to 53.5 per cent lead, 0.77 to 3.25 per cent zinc, 8 to 1640 grams per tonne silver and trace to 1.15 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 27203).
In 2004, sampling of the upper adit yielded 18 per cent lead, 5.8 per cent zinc, 554 grams per tonne silver and 0.2 gram per tonne gold over 14.5 metres (Assessment Report 28052).
In 2014, samples from the Upper and Lower adits yielded values of up to greater than 1.0 per cent zinc and lead, each, 3649 and 1139 grams per tonne silver with 8.88 and 0.39 grams per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 34723).
Work History
In 1922, lead, zinc and silver mineralization was discovered on the property. In 1953, 21 tonnes were shipped from the Magno zone. In 1955, Silver Standard completed trenching and drilled nine holes. In 1959, Totem Minerals Inc. completed a 238.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the surrounding area as the Vines claims.
During 1968 through 1978, Consolidated Coast Silver completed airborne and ground magnetic surveys, 666 metres of underground development on two adits (Upper and Lower) on the Magno West zone at the 4850-foot and 5050-foot levels, 621 metres of underground drilling, 50 surface holes on the Magno, Upper and Middle D (MINFILE 104P 044 and 104P 080) and M (MINFILE 104P 037) occurrences, and in 1971 produced 12 tonnes grading 132 grams per tonne silver, 4.5 per cent lead and 5.6 per cent zinc from the Magno zone. Also in 1976, Balfour Mining Ltd. performed geophysics surveys, trenching and 1638 metres of diamond drilling on the Magno property.
During 1979 through 1981, Shell completed mapping, geophysics, geochemistry and 895 metres of diamond drilling holes in eight holes on the Pant zone (MINFILE 104P 082) and Granite Creek (MINFILE 104P 081) and 8094 metres of diamond drilling on the Storie (MINFILE 104P 069) occurrences.
In 1995, Pacific Bay Minerals completed geochemical surveys on the area and one reverse circulation drill hole on the Lower D zone. During 1997 through 2008, the property was acquired and explored by Eveready Resources Corporation. In 1998, mapping, trenching and 1817 metres of diamond drilling in eight holes were completed on the Magno zone. In 2002, compilation of available data, evaluation of known showings, geological mapping, prospecting and geochemical sampling was completed. In 2003, a detailed magnetic survey and 300 metres of excavation in seven trenches was completed by Eveready. A strong linear magnetic high was delineated above the main Magno North zone in an area of no exposure. In 2005, Eveready Resources Corp. completed seven diamond drill holes, totalling 927.1 metres, and minor rock sampling on the Cassiar property, including three holes the Mango North occurrence. During 2006 through 2008, Eveready Resources Corp. completed further minor programs of prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the Cassiar property.
In 2014, the area was prospected and sampled by Steven Lawes as the Lawes claim. Also at this time, BC Moly Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping on the surrounding Storie property.
