The Old Aladeada occurrence is located in the southeast corner of the Old Alameada No. 1 (L.4506) Crown grant at an elevation of approximately 1640 metres on the north slope of Swakum Mountain.

The area around Swakum Mountain consists of folded Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcanic rocks with interbedded sedimentary units. These rocks are intruded by large north-trending felsic to intermediate intrusions (batholiths) east and west of the mountain. Nicola Group rocks on the mountain strike north to northeast with generally steep dips. For a large part they consist of andesitic flows and tuffs, agglomerates, and occasional basalts and rhyolites. A break occurs in the volcanic stratigraphy and is comprised of a mixed volcanic-sedimentary unit consisting of a thick sequence of felsic volcanic flows, lithic and crystal tuffs, limy sediments and a prominent limestone. This unit has a northeast strike and crosses the mountain for a 2.5-kilometre strike length. The unit has been historically used as a marker horizon in interpreting a large, asymmetrical, south-plunging anticline with its north-trending axis near Swakum Mountain summit. Narrow quartz porphyry dikes locally intrude the Nicola Group sequence. To the east of this marker unit are a thick, unconformable wedge of immature sediments, predominantly coarse polymictic conglomerates (fan-type) and grits with minor cherty units. Most of the old workings on the mountain occur in close proximity to or within this volcanic-sedimentary unit and consist of polymetallic skarn-type mineralization, lead-zinc-silver–bearing quartz veins and replacements, and polymetallic quartz veins.

On the Old Alameada claim (L.4507), a north-trending structure with shallow dips (30-40 degrees) to the west hosts narrow quartz veins with significant sulphides. The volcanic stratigraphy in the vicinity strikes north and appears to dip east and is comprised of felsic to intermediate porphyritic volcanics. Minor historical underground workings have exploited a main vein 0.6 metres wide, striking north and dipping west. The vein is mineralized with pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite. Vein material in the dump showed quartz with well-developed comb structure.

In 1962, a drillhole (SM-8) is reported to have yielded 5.1 grams per tonne gold, 37.6 grams per tonne silver, 0.64 per cent lead and 2.0 per cent zinc over 0.3 metre (Assessment Report 18583).

In 1965, a select sample from the shaft dump assayed 16.4 grams per tonne gold, 277 grams per tonne silver, 12.46 per cent lead and 7.00 per cent zinc (Property File 800512).

In 1972, a composite sample from the Alameada tailings is reported to have yielded 283.9 grams per tonne silver, 1.06 per cent copper, 10.55 per cent lead and 26.6 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 25744).

In 1988, diamond drilling intersected the main quartz vein within a clay-altered fracture zone. Drill intersections across 0.68 metres (true width) assayed 167.97 grams per tonne silver, 1.09 per cent copper, 5.25 per cent lead, 20.9 per cent zinc and 0.34 grams per tonne gold (Hole LS-9-88; Assessment Report 18583).

Another zone of gold-silver-copper-zinc mineralization is reported approximately 400 metres to the south-southwest of the shaft.

In 1998, a rock sample (HOW-2), taken from the How 2 claim to the east of the occurrence, yielded 1.60 per cent copper and 16.0 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 25744).

Work History

The OId Alameada occurrence was discovered in the mid-1910s by Oscar Schmidt. An inclined shaft, dipping 30 to 35 degrees west, was developed for 35 metres with two drifts, 16 and 8 metres long. In 1926, three tonnes of high-grade ore was shipped, yielding 290 kilograms of lead, 1711 grams of silver and 31 grams of gold (Assessment Report 18583).

In 1962, Torwest Resources Ltd. completed two short drillholes, totalling 59.7 metres, below the old workings.

In 1969, Zulco Explorations Ltd. completed a 2.2 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Alameada property. In 1970, Pomona Development Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the MA 1-30 claims.

In 1972, Adar Resources completed a 7.6 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area immediately north and east of the occurrence as the LO claims. The following year, Adar Resources completed a program of diamond drilling, totalling 150 metres, percussion drilling, totalling 144 metres, soil sampling and ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the Amigo, Lo and Old Alameada claims.

In 1979, the area immediately south of the occurrence was prospected by L. Trenholme as the Dartt 1-2 claims.

In 1980, G. D’Angelo completed a soil sampling program on the area as the Old Alameda claims. Also at this time, W. Petrie is reported to have de-watered and upgraded the old workings which was followed by limited trenching and sampling to the north and south, along strike of the vein. In 1981, Pacific Northwest Geotech Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the area immediately west of the occurrence as the New Alameda claims. In 1987, Lacana de-watered the shaft and completed a program of geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys. In 1988, International Corona Corp. completed a program of trenching and 11 diamond drill holes, totalling 800.1 metres, on the area as the Petrie property.

In 1998, Ahura Mining Ltd. prospected and sampled the area immediately south of the occurrence as the How 1-10 claims. The following year, a program of geological mapping, rock sampling and a 27.2 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey was completed on the claims. In 2000, Ahura Mining completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling on the How property.

In 2010 and 2012, Pan Andean Minerals Corp. completed programs of soil sampling on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the Dartt Lake claims.

During 2011 through 2016, Plate Resources Corp. completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, airborne and ground geophysical surveys and diamond drilling on the area as apart of the Lucky Mike property.