The Elk (End Zone-Siwash Lake South) occurrence is located approximately 300 metres southwest of the south end of Siwash Lake and 6 kilometres north-northeast of the confluence of Siwash and Galena creeks. The Elk (Lake zone) deposit (MINFILE 092HNE295) is approximately 750 metres to the north.

The Elk (End zone) prospect is hosted in the northwestern margin of the Middle Jurassic Osprey Lake Batholith, approximately 1300 metres southeast of andesitic volcanics of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. Near the occurrence the intrusion is cut by a few feldspar porphyritic dikes and plugs of the Early Tertiary Otter Intrusions.

Trenching has uncovered two zones of quartz veining in weak propylitic-altered quartz monzonite. The southern vein system contains quartz veins 1 to 20 centimetres wide in a 2- to 3-metre-wide zone of shearing and moderate to strong argillic and phyllic (sericitic (?)) alteration. The zone strikes northeast and dips approximately 55 degrees southeast. Attitudes of individual veins vary along the strike of the zone. To the east, veins strike 065 degrees and dip 80 degrees south. This attitude gradually changes along the zone to the west, where the veins strike 045 degrees and dip 65 degrees south. The main 20-centimetre-wide vein is more or less continuous and has numerous splays along shears, especially to the east. The zone is cut by a 1.5-metre-wide zone of intense argillic alteration and shearing, which displaces the western half northward by 3 metres. A 10- to 30-centimetre-wide andesitic dike occurs 2 metres south of the mineralized structure, over part of its strike length.

Quartz veins of the southern zone are mineralized with pyrite (up to 20 per cent), galena (up to 10 per cent) and lesser sphalerite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite and arsenopyrite. The surrounding altered intrusive contains up to 5 per cent pyrite. Sulphides are lacking in the northern zone of quartz stringers. Silver to gold ratios is elevated, similar to the Elk (Lake zone) (MINFILE 092HNE295) occurrence to the north.

In 1990, a panel sample of trench SL90-4 yielded 8.88 grams per tonne gold over a true width of 0.41 metre, whereas another trench (SL90-5), located southwest of the previous trench, exposed a 0.2-metre-wide quartz vein that yielded 9.25 grams per tonne gold over a true width of 0.33 metre (Assessment Report 21443).

In 1991, a section of the southern zone assayed 2.49 grams per tonne gold over a true width of 2.0 metres and a strike length of 40 metres, based on 32 panel and chip samples (trench SL91-4; Assessment Report 22368, page 39). Individual panel samples assayed up to 13.82 grams per tonne gold over a true width of 0.42 metre (trench SL91-4; Assessment Report 22368, page 4).

In 1995, diamond drilling on the trenched area yielded intercepts of up to 24.32 grams per tonne gold and 13.7 grams per tonne silver over 0.50 metre in hole EZD-158, whereas a drillhole (EZD-153) located southwest of the previous holes and trenched area yielded up to 10.02 grams per tonne gold over 0.56 metre (Assessment Report 24374).

Another zone of mineralization, referred to as the Great Wall zone is located several hundred metres north-northwest of the End zone and comprises a moderately sericitic- and propylitic-altered quartz monzonite cut by a 10 to 20 centimetre wide quartz vein, trending 55 degrees and dipping 65 degrees south.

In 1995, two 0.5- by 0.5-metre panel samples from the vein yielded 0.51 and 0.99 gram per tonne gold, respectively, whereas a grab sample yielded 3.73 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 24374). Drilling yielded up to 3.80 grams per tonne gold and 12.1 grams per tonne silver over 0.29 metre in hole GWD95-156, whereas another drillhole (EZD95-154), located between the End and Great Wall zones, yielded 10.53 grams per tonne gold over 0.30 metre near the contact of a quartz monzonite and feldspar porphyry (Assessment Report 24374).

Work History

The area has been historically explored in conjunction with the nearby Elk (MINFILE 092HNE096) occurrence and a complete exploration history of the area can be found there.

The prospect was discovered by Placer Dome Inc. in 1990 after trenching soil and geophysical anomalies outlined by Fairfield Minerals Ltd. in 1987 and 1989. During 1991 through 2000, Fairfield Minerals completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical sampling, trenching and diamond drilling on the area. During 2002 through 2012, Almaden Minerals completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical sampling, ground geophysical surveys and one diamond drill hole, totalling 51 metres. In 2019, a 1108 line-kilometre airborne magnetometer survey was completed on the Elk Gold property. In late 2020 and early 2021, Gold Mountain Mining Corp. completed 42 diamond drill holes on the Elk Gold property. This work centred on the 2500 zone and adjacent veins of the Siwash North (MINFILE 092HNE096) deposit.