The host rocks are andesitic tuffs with intercalated argillaceous epiclastics of the Lower Jurassic Unuk River Formation of the Hazelton Group. These are cut by the Eocene Portland Canal dykes consisting mainly of quartz porphyry.

Three quartz veins, striking 070 degrees, are one to 4.9 metres wide and are mineralized with pyrite, galena, and sphalerite which are reported to carry values in gold and silver. The mineralization is reported to occur in the quartz porphyry.

In 2009, 2 into the Montana zone by Ascot Resources. Gold results from Montana were poor although assay results indicated minor silver; one intersection assayed 0.35 gram per tonne gold and 112.75 grams per tonnes silver over 4 meters (hole P09-034, Assessment Report 31489).

Work History

The property was staked in 1919 by Bill Murphy and Associates and some surface work was done at this time. In 1923 the property was owned by H. McGuire & associates of Stewart. The Montana No. 1 Fraction and Montana No. 2 Fraction (Lots 4178-4179) were Crown-granted to Messrs. McDonald, Fenald, and Fraser in 1924.

An airborne geophysical survey was carried out on behalf of Atna Mines in 1969 (Assessment Report 2320).

Tournigan Mining Explorations Limited acquired the Martha Ellen and Big Missouri mine properties from Consolidated Silver Butte in about 1978. Westmin Resources Limited optioned a 70 per cent interest in the property in 1979. A geochemical survey, trenching and sampling were carried out in 1980, and diamond drilling in 10 holes in 1982. Open pit reserves in the Martha Ellen zone were estimated at 562,340 tonnes grading 3.81 grams per tonne gold.

Westmin Resources Limited began work in the area during 1979; by 1988 a total of 8,389 metres of diamond drilling in 144 holes had been completed. In 1991 Westmin conducted a significant Airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey totaling 760 kilometres that covered the Martha Ellen and the Montana prospects and over 60 more occurrences, mainly to the south. During 1995, Westmin mapped the surface geology of the Martha Ellen area, and re-examined core from some of the earlier drill holes. A program of diamond drilling was conducted in 1996 consisting of 2155 metres in 9 holes on the Martha Ellen. Seven holes intersected typical Premier Porphyry and the underlying andesitic rocks. Quartz breccia mineralized with pyrite, sphalerite, galena and rare chalcopyrite occurs along the eastward-dipping contact between the porphyry and the andesitic rocks. This mineralized quartz breccia locally contains significant amounts of gold and silver.

Ascot Resources Ltd conducted exploration on the Dilworth Property in 2007 and 2008 and subsequently acquired the Premier Gold Property from Boliden Ltd under the terms of a 2009 option agreement.

The 2008 exploration program of Ascot Resources Ltd conducted on the Dilworth property included diamond drilling, surface rock sampling, geological mapping, a 428.2-kilometre airborne Mag/EM survey and airborne radiometric survey, geochemical sampling including contour sampling, a soil grid and stream sediment sampling of all streams on the west and east sides of the property (Assessment Report 31000). Diamond-drilling in 2008 totaled 10885.1 metres in 63 holes. Only the airborne survey extended off the Dilworth property to the south covering parts of the Big Missouri (104B 046) and further south to the Premier (104B 054). High airborne potassium values occur at nearly all showings and past-producing mines covered by the airborne survey including the Marth Ellen and Montana. During 2009 (Assessment Report 31489) and 2010 (Assessment Report 32357) all exploration activity by Ascot was conducted on the Premier and Big Missouri Properties. In 2009, a total of 7465.3 metres were drilled in 48 holes into multiple zones including 3rd, Premier, Power, Hope, Loui's, S1, Northstar, Province, Martha Ellen, Montana, Rambler, Silver Tip, Unicorn, Golden Crown and Mudstones. In 2010 a total of 21,742 metres in 68 holes were drilled into a number of zones from the combined Dilworth and Premier properties of Ascot including: Unicorn, A-Vein, S1, Creek, Calcite Cuts, Province, Day, Martha Ellen, Sparky, Bee, Forty Nine and Gerrys zones.

In 2009, 3 holes were drilled into the Martha Ellen zone and 2 into the Montana zone. Gold results from Montana were poor although assay results indicated minor silver, 0.35 grams per tonne gold and 112.75 grams per tonnes silver over 4 meters (hole P09-034, Assessment Report 31489). The Martha Ellen zone is located to the west and the Montana zone to the east of the Premier Porphyry body.

In 2010, Several chip lines were collected at and just north of the Martha Ellen zone. Line T10-017 yielded 8.57 grams per tonne gold and 52.17 grams per tonne silver over the entire 17 metres including well mineralized samples at either end; and included a 1 metre sample of 46.68 grams per tonne gold and 98 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 32357). Four holes (P10-089/090, and 092/093) from two pads were completed in the Martha Ellen Zone. These holes were located on the west side of the zone and drilled to the east, targeting a rusty gossan in a small north-south trending gully where previous sampling had yielded good results. P10-089 yielded 1.10 grams per tonne gold over 63.93 metre in close proximity to Premier Porphyry (Assessment Report 32357).

See also Matha Ellen (104B 092), Yellowstone (104B 039), and Premier (104B 054) for related details of the Dilworth and Premier properties that were held as a single entity in the 2000s by Bolden and Ascot Resources.