Development on the Jennie showing in 1898 consisted of a tunnel 2.4 metres into the hillside, along with a 3-metre-deep pit about 8 metres further uphill; both workings were reported to exist along a bedding plane in the country rock, where a little quartz carrying small amounts of “copper pyrites” as little stringers occurred. The showing was reported to associated with a 10-metre-thick potassium feldspar porphyry sill. Bedding in Helikian Gateway Formation (Purcell Supergroup) carbonates is vertical with a north trend. Sheep Mountain is host to many small quartz veins, some of which contain sulphides.
The Wigwam 1 claim (1999 to 2007) contained 3 MINFILE-documented mineral occurrences, Ramshorn (082GSW010), Jennie (082GSW011), and Leah (082GSW029). The Silver King showing (082GSW028) occurred near the northeast corner of the Wigwam 1 and the Sweet May showing (082GSW012) occurred about 1 kilometre south of the southeast corner.
WORK HISTORY (recent)
In 1999, four days of mapping and sampling was completed by owner/operator Morris Geological Co. Ltd. over the Elko 1-8 claim located along the west bank of the Elk River about 5 kilometres south of the town of Elko. In total, eleven rock samples were collected and tested by multi-element ICP analysis (Assessment Report 26151).
In 2000, eighteen rock specimens were collected and identified in the field by Morris Geological. Eight rock and ten soil samples were tested by multi-element ICP analysis. Sample 99-20 was collected near the top of Sheep Mountain, at the south end, in an old trench containing quartz vein material within a sill or dike. The sample represents a grab over some 15 metres of trench. The sample is relatively high in zinc (0.2258 per cent), manganese (0.1667 per cent), cadmium (12 parts per million), and mercury (3398 parts per billion) (Sample 99-20, Assessment Report 26455). The sample was taken about 1 kilometre west of the mouth of Wigwam River, near the MINFILE plot of the Jennie showing (082GSW011) area. Besides the Jennie showing, other sampling was done just north of the Silver King (082GSW028) showing and near the Ramshorn (082GSW010) and Leah (082GSW029) showings.
In 2002, four and a half days of mapping, prospecting and sampling was conducted by Robert Morris on the Wigwam 1 claim held by Morris Geological Co. Ltd. (Assessment Report 27033). In total, ten rock samples and ten soil samples were collected; eight of the rocks, and all ten of the soils were tested using ICP geochemical analysis.
In 2003, three days of mapping, prospecting and sampling was completed by Morris Geological. In total, eighteen soil samples were collected; all of the soil samples were tested using ICP analysis. Sampling occurred in the Leah and Jennie showing areas and to the southwest in areas of old access roads (Assessment Report 27315).
In 2004, three days of mapping, prospecting and the collection of 11 petrographic samples occurred on the Wigwam 1 claim by Morris Geological (Assessment Report 27267).
In 2005, a preliminary ground magnetometer survey was completed on the Wigwam 1 by Morris Geological during (Assessment Report 28064). Two areas were tested, one near the southwest corner of the claim, and another in the central-eastern part. The ground magnetic survey included 13 lines for a total of 9.1 kilometres. The preliminary magnetic survey indicated minimal contrast.
In 2005 and 2006 a total of sixty-four soil samples were collected on the Wigwam 1 claim by Robert Morris, mostly in areas not far from road access (Assessment Report 28809). Prospecting and geophysical work was also completed.
In 2007, a prospecting and rock geochemistry program was conducted on mineral tenures 372755, 555975, 555976, 555977, 556361, and 557771, near the confluence of the Wigwam and Elk rivers on behalf of owners Robert Morris and Craig Kennedy (Assessment Report 29552). All of the MINFILE occurrences mentioned above, including Ramshorn, Jennie, Sweet May, Leah, and Silver King were covered by these tenures, also known as the Wigwam (082GSW096) and Maxiwam (082GSW097) claims. Eight man-days were spent prospecting and collecting rock samples at Sheep Mountain. Over the course of the program 59 rock samples were collected in total.
