The Samson occurrence is located east of Bateman Creek, south of Eaglet Lake and approximately 3 kilometres east of Giscome.
The area is underlain by a northwest-trending succession of gneiss, limestone, argillite and pillow basalt. The gneiss is part of the Wolverine Complex and the sedimentary and volcanic rocks are part of the Mississippian Slide Mountain Group. There are also a variety of intrusive rocks including serpentinite, gabbro, diorite, granodiorite, dacite, granite and felsite. Zones of epidote and garnet skarn alteration occur in the property area along the contact of limestone and stratigraphically underlying gneissic rocks. Sulphide mineralization occurs as discontinuous lenses and pods of sphalerite and galena within zones of strong skarn alteration. Sulphide mineralization is mainly restricted to the skarn.
Sphalerite and galena are the most abundant, chalcopyrite and pyrite are scattered and pyrrhotite is rare. Galena and sphalerite form massive bands in skarn up to a few centimetres across. One of the better drill intersections returned 85.7 grams per tonne of silver, 10.2 per cent lead, 10.5 per cent zinc and 0.06 per cent copper over a true width of approximately 1 metre (Assessment Report 4907).
The sulphide zones occur along a 670-metre, 110-degree trend, and an east-adjoining 150-metre, 075-degree trend, which contains a 250-metre sulphide body. An east-west zone is exposed for 190 metres, 75 metres north of the Discovery showing and hosts pyrochlore associated with sphalerite contains up to 8 per cent niobium (Assessment Report 4938).
Drilling, in 1988, on the Com claim indicated that the sulphide mineralization in the skarn zone is generally low grade, sporadic and discontinuous. A high assay from drillhole 88-1 was 142.60 grams per tonne silver, 2.31 per cent lead and 7.95 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 17561).
Work History
The Samson area has undergone mineral exploration since 1942. At that time, John H. Gerlitzki discovered lead-zinc sulphides mineralization in float and later excavated the Discovery pit. He staked eight claims, the J.H.G group, around the discovery area.
in 1942 and 1943, Mr. Gerlitzki hand-trenched the property and located a second, east-west–striking zone containing lead-zinc-silver sulphides, 75 metres north of the Discovery pit. A short shaft was sunk on this showing. The zone was reportedly traced for 183 metres to the east and 20 feet to the west on surface and was terminated at either end by glacial debris.
Exploration for uranium by Geiger counter was conducted in 1945. Pyrochlore was identified within the sulphide zone and John Gerlitzki staked additional claims. Low prices for lead and zinc caused the suspension of exploration until 1959.
Totem Resources optioned the property in 1959 and conducted an airborne electromagnetic survey as well as follow-up ground electromagnetic surveys. This work outlined an anomalous zone up to 3000 metres in length with several anomalous highs along its extent. Four short holes were drilled into the strongest anomaly areas and intersected a graphitic argillite interval containing minor lead-zinc mineralization.
In 1964, Mr. Gerlitzki restaked the J.H.G. group and staked the Samson claims to the east. Vanco Explorations optioned the property in 1965 and conducted geological mapping. Also, the Hall and Gerlitzki trenches were excavated. Geochemical soil sampling done east of the Discovery pit produced inconclusive results. The surveys outlined silver mercury anomalies coincident with the identified skarn zones and beyond to the east along strike, reportedly continuing to the intrusions near Lookout Mountain.
In 1966, Samson Mines optioned the property and drilled eight holes totaling approximately 609 metres. This drilling found scattered zones of lead-zinc-silver mineralization. The best values obtained were 9 metres of 7 to 8 per cent lead and zinc. In 1967, Samson Mines drilled six holes into a strong positive anomaly outlined by a ground magnetometer survey. This zone was found to be caused by magnetite in serpentinized peridotite.
In 1968 a total of 12 diamond drill holes were completed by Central B.C. Exploration Ltd. Four holes, totaling approximately 304 metres, were drilled through the skarn zone. The best intersection was in DDH-68-12 of 2.74 metres grading 185.14 grams per tonne silver and 6 per cent lead-zinc. A fifth hole was drilled near the zone of best grade and intersected a skarn zone 76 metres wide. This hole yielded two sections from 15 to 18 metres thick, grading up to 89.14 grams per tonne silver and 4.7 per cent lead-zinc. An additional 11 holes were drilled into a residual anomaly identified by gravity survey and found the anomaly to be caused by peridotite. In 1969, 12 drillholes tested the skarn zone and the hangingwall rocks to the south. A 1.7-metre section assayed of 85.71 grams per tonne silver and 20 per cent lead-zinc.
In 1973 and 1974, Central B.C. Exploration Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and 15 diamond drillholes. In 1975 and 1977, programs of prospecting, geological mapping and soil sampling were completed on the area as the MC and MG claims.
In 1978, Shell Resources Ltd. conducted regional airborne geophysical surveys on the area, which were followed by claims being staked and a program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling being completed. Also at this time, five diamond drill holes, totalling approximately 450 metres, were completed. This work was directed towards the exploration of possible volcanic massive sulphide occurrences. No drilling results are known but later examinations of drillcore left on the property indicated the presence of graphitic argillite with local bedded to massive pyrite and skarned limestone hosting galena and pyrite.
In 1984, Link Resources completed a program of soil sampling, trenching and a ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the GIS claims of the Giscome property.
In 1988, Castello Resources completed six diamond drill holes, totalling 871.0 metres, on the area as the Com 1-2 claims.
