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File Created: 24-Jul-1985 by BC Geological Survey (BCGS)
Last Edit:  27-Jan-1989 by David G. Bailey (DGB)

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NMI 093B16 Au1
Name AINSWORTH, SARDINE FLATS, QUESNEL RIVER PLACER Mining Division Cariboo
BCGS Map 093B089
Status Past Producer NTS Map 093B16E
Latitude 052º 50' 10'' UTM 10 (NAD 83)
Longitude 122º 13' 05'' Northing 5854326
Easting 552675
Commodities Gold Deposit Types C01 : Surficial placers
Tectonic Belt Intermontane Terrane Quesnel
Capsule Geology

Placer mining operations along the Quesnel River have, up to 1945, recorded a production of 477 kilograms of gold. Much of this production has come from dredging operations but a significant amount of gold has been won from Tertiary benches with occur up to several tens of metres above the present river level.

Although the Quesnel River passes largely through volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Nicola Group. It is considered that most of the placer gold has been derived from the Omineca terrane to the east rather than from the Nicola group.

The Quesnel River placer deposit, mainly on a low bench adjacent to the river, is typical of placer mining operations along the Quesnel River.

"Data from the Cariboo mining district indicate that supergene leaching of gold dispersed within massive sulphides by Tertiary deep weathering followed by Cenozoic erosion is the most likely explanation for the occurrence of coarse gold nuggets in Quaternary sediments" (Exploration in British Columbia 1989, page 147).

Bibliography
EMPR GEM 1973-525
EMPR ASS RPT 17483, 17484
EMPR AR 1880-424; 1882-356; 1883-402; 1887-256; 1890-362; 1894-725, 732; 1895-655-659; 1896-508,510; 1898-976,981,982; 1899-609; 1901-954; 1903-65; 1904-48; 1905-59; 1909-48; 1911-52; 1913-62; 1920-99; 1922-124; 1929-203; *1930-167-170; 1934-C33; 1939-108; 1940-95; 1941-89; 1945-126; 1946-199; 1947-194; 1948-178; 1949- 229-230,243; 1950-200; 1954-171; 1960-124; 1962-141
EMPR BULL 28, pp. 49,51
EMPR PF (*Turnbull, J.M., (1933), Report of Ainsworth Placer Leases; Correspondence from J.M. Turnbull to W.I. Reid, 1933; See 93B General File - 16 Area; Fraser, D.D., (1935): Placer Tests, Sardine Flat, Quesnel river, Cariboo, British Columbia; Placer Leases 1949; See 93G General File - Quesnel Area)
EMPR FIELDWORK 1988, pp. 167-181; 1990, pp. 331-356; 1992, pp. 463-473
EMPR EXPL 1989, pp. 147-169
GSC MAP 12-1959; 1424A

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