The Silver Mineral (Silver Minnow) occurrence is located at an elevation of 1130 metres on a west-facing slope, approximately 2.2 kilometres south-southwest of the southwest end of North Barriere Lake.
The area is underlain by the Lower Cambrian Eagle Bay assemblage including the Tshinakin Limestone member and greenschist metamorphic rocks of the Johnson Lake unit. The rocks include calcareous chlorite schist and fragmental schist derived from mafic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. The limestone is massive, light grey and finely crystalline.
Several parallel quartz veins of variable dimension, trending north-south and dipping steeply east, carry scattered patches of galena. The veins occur within the limestone and adjacent schist and are associated with a north-trending fault zone. Strong argillic alteration is associated with the fault zones.
Early workings, in the 1920s, on the Silver Mineral group are reported to have exposed a 3.6-metre wide shear zone in altered and crushed limestone with 0.6 metre of quartz on the hangingwall. Massive galena, up to 0.6 metre wide, is reported to be scattered through the quartz and in fractures and cross-seams passing through the limestone body. Approximately 60 metres up hill to the east of the previous zone a series of five parallel seams in a northeast-southwest zone of shearing host a 0.2-metre wide seam of quartz with galena mineralization. Also at this time, a 0.45 metre quartz vein with ‘heavy silver-lead’ mineralization is reported near the southeast end of the White Rock (L.4023) Crown grant (MINFILE 082M 066) and is reported to carry onto the adjacent Silver Mineral claim.
In 1925, a 61-centimetre sample assayed 50 per cent lead, 925.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.69 grams per tonne gold (Annual Report 1925).
Later work, in the 1980s, on the White Rock (L.4023) Crown grant (MINFILE 082M 066) and likely covering the Silver Mineral occurrence as well, describes at least 20 zones of quartz veining hosting spotty, coarse-grained galena-tetrahedrite-smithsonite mineralization associated with four main fracture sets over an area of approximately 400 by 400 metres. The veins vary in thickness from a few centimetres to up to 1 metre and are exposed over strike lengths of up to 20 metres, with the thickest and best mineralized vein striking from 350 to 020 degrees with a dip of 60 to 85 degrees east. The veins cut dolomite beds, nearly perpendicular to bedding. The dolomite beds strike northwest and dip 35 to 50 degrees southwest and may be inverted.
Refer to the White Rock (MINFILE 082M 066) occurrence for a summary of 1987 sampling results which likely also covered the Silver (Minnow) Mineral occurrence.
In 2011, a channel sample (SMQCH7) from a 5.8-metre wide quartz vein with massive galena exposed at the portal of the Silver Minnow adit yielded 0.10 gram per tonne gold, 171 grams per tonne silver, 14.4 per cent lead and 0.649 per cent zinc over 1 metre (Assessment Report 33190).
Another zone of mineralization, referred to as the Silver Trail zone, is located approximately 210 metres east of the Silver Minnow adit and comprises a limestone or dolostone with quartz veins hosting massive galena mineralization and malachite staining.
In 2014, a rock sample (BR14R73) from the Silver Trail zone assayed 117 grams per tonne silver, 0.197 per cent copper, 2.80 per cent lead and 1.43 per cent zinc, whereas four other samples (BR14R77, BR14R70, BR14R75 and BR14R71) from the zone yielded from 13.0 to 19.7 grams per tonne silver and 0.141 to 0.878 per cent lead (Assessment Report 35500).
In 2017, two samples (BR17-AP03 and BR17SM1) from the Silver Minnow occurrence area yielded 0.12 and 0.11 gram per tonne gold, 428 and 308 grams per tonne silver, greater than 20 and 20 per cent lead with 1.61 and 1.23 per cent zinc, respectively, whereas a sample (BR17-AP01) from the Silver Trail zone yielded 73.7 grams per tonne silver, 0.09 per cent copper, 1.80 per cent lead and 0.60 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 37066).
Work History
The White Rock claim was first staked in 1909 and Crown granted in 1921. During 1909 through 1929, numerous tunnels and opencuts were developed.
In 1984, Noranda Mining and Exploration Inc. completed a program of geological mapping and 180 line-kilometres of airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveying on the area as the Kiwi property.
In 1987, National Resource Explorations Ltd. completed a program of rock sampling, geological mapping and four diamond drill holes on the area as the White Rock 1-9 claims.
During 1988 through 1990, Minnova Inc., on the behalf of National Resource Explorations Ltd., completed programs of rock sampling, geological mapping, ground geophysical surveys and five diamond drill holes, totalling 524.6, on the area surrounding area as the Biere property.
In 2010 and 2011, Astral Mining Corp. completed programs of prospecting, geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling, hand trenching and 1334 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the area as the Barriere Ridge and Honeymoon properties.
In 2013, Astral Mining Corp. completed a further 1121.4 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey on the Barriere Ridge and Honeymoon properties. Later that year, a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling was performed by D.J. Piggin.
During 2014 through 2018, programs of prospecting, geological mapping, hand trenching and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling were completed on the Barriere Ridge property.
