The Gab 12 (Rust) prospect area is underlain by Upper Paleozoic volcanic conglomerate (andesite agglomerate) and lesser siltstone, limestone and calcarenite of the Stikine Assemblage. Intrusive rocks in the claim area consist mainly of a large quartz porphyry stock along the east margins of the property and syenite or syenodiorite plugs immediately west of the Gab 11 northwest corner.
The Rust shear zone is an area of intense carbonate alteration with numerous stringers and veins of iron carbonate developed along a major fault roughly parallel to the McLymont fault. Mineralization occurs as fine-grained pyrite and arsenopyrite within iron carbonate veins which generally strike at 270 degrees and dip at 85 degrees south. They vary in width from a few centimetres to 0.50 metre. As well, 1 to 5-centimetre-wide stringers of medium to coarse grained pyrite, arsenopyrite and brown sphalerite occur in extensively carbonate altered volcanic conglomerate, which weathers orange-brown. Magnetite is reported also.
The Rust shear zone is located within a prominent ravine developed along a major fault in the south centre of the Gab 12 claim (Assessment Report 20928). In 1988, iron carbonate veins with strong pyrite mineralization assayed 12.20 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 18517). The Rust shear zone was prospected and explored by drilling 3 holes (88-5 to 7) in 1988. A small program of prospecting, grab sampling and blast trenching was performed in 1990 by Bryndon field crews; a grab sample from a carbonate stringer zone assayed 3.98 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 20928).
The individual veins/pods range up to 63.7 grams per tonne gold. In 1987, chip sample 16045 assayed 0.76 gram per tonne gold, 0.6 gram per tonne silver, 0.059 per cent zinc, 0.0112 per cent lead, 0.041 per cent copper and 0.084 per cent arsenic. Another sample assayed 10.38 grams per tonne gold and 1.24 per cent arsenic (Assessment Report 17131).
Although low gold values were obtained from the drilling in the Rust area in 1988, strong pyrite fracture filling occurs throughout most of the drill holes here suggested a possible proximity to a larger more significant event. In 1990, soil samples were collected at the head of Rust shear zone creek yielded anomalous gold, arsenic, cadmium +/- zinc and iron over approximately 400 to 500 metres.
In 2013 Geotech Ltd. carried out a helicopter-borne electromagnetic (ZTEM) and aeromagnetic geophysical survey for Romios Gold Resources Inc over the Newmont Lake Block, comprising parts of the Newmont Lake property (Geophysics Report, Assessment Report 35016, Appendix VI). Over 21 mineral occurrences were covered by the survey including the Gab 12 occurrence and nearby occurrence, New (104 179), Arseno (104B 432) and Gab 11 (104B 336). Figure 20 (Assessment Report 35016) shows those areas of prospective interest due to the geophysical signatures. Romios Gold reports a close correlation between known mineral occurrences and magnetic highs on the edge of larger resistive anomalies. While Gab 12, New, Arseno and Gab 11 do not match this correlation two such areas are located to the southeast (R7-M7) and southwest (R8-M8).
Work History
In 1987, Consolidated Sea-Gold Corp conducted prospecting, mapping, rock chip and soil sampling the Gab 11 and 12 claims (Assessment Report 17131). On the Mon 1 and 2, 19 rock and 6 soil samples were collected (Assessment Report 17533).
During the 1988, Consolidated Sea-Gold Corp conducted geological mapping, prospecting and soil sampling on the Gab 11 and 12. Follow-up investigation led to a modest drill testing program of two of the above zones. Drill hole CSG 88-1 intersected 74 grams per tonne gold across 0.6 metre in the Arseno Zone located near the Wei and Gab 12 claim boundary (Assessment Report 18517). Seven BQ diamond-drill holes totalling 856.4 metres were drilled and 109 rock samples and 358 soil samples were collected.
In 1990, Bryndon Ventures Inc field crews carried out programs of prospecting, trenching, geological mapping, geochemical soil sampling, magnetometer and UTEM ground geophysics, and diamond drilling on the Gab 11 and12, Mon 1 and 2, Wei and Zel mineral claims under an option agreement with Sea Gold Resources Inc. Seven BQ diamond-drill holes totalling 638.6 metres were completed and 106 kilometres of airborne Dighem Mark IV and magnetometer geophysics were flown over the central part of the claim group (Assessment Report 20928).
During the summer of 1994 Pamicon Developments Ltd. completed an exploration program on the PAM 1-4 claims which covered the area of the now lapsed Gab 11 and 12, Wei and Zel claims. Work consisted of prospecting, rock and soil sampling and minor geological mapping. During this program 109 soil samples and 54 rock samples were collected.
Romios Gold Resources Inc assembles a large land position in the Newmont Lake area through option agreements and staking, apparently starting in 2004 or 2005. The option agreements occurred with Gulf International Minerals Ltd (McLymont property) and Roca Mines Inc. Significant further claim tenures were acquired through staking (Assessment Reports 27996 and 31506). Airborne surveys done by Romios appear to have covered the ground once covered by Consolidated Sea Gold claims, which is located adjacent west of the McLymont ground.
In 2013 Geotech Ltd. carried out a helicopter-borne electromagnetic (ZTEM) and aeromagnetic geophysical survey for Romios Gold Resources Inc over the Newmont Lake Block, comprising parts of the Newmont Lake property (Geophysics Report, Assessment Report 35016, Appendix VI). The following 21 mineral occurrences were covered by the survey: Ken (104B 027), 72 (Dirk) (104B (114), McLymont (104B 126), Northwest (McLymont), (104B 281), Jazzman (104B 282), Ridge (104B 325), Gab Northwest (104B 333), GAB 12 (104B 335), GAB 11 (104B 336), NEW (104B 379), Telena (104B 428), Bren (104B 429), Arseno (104B 432), Mon 2 (104B 433), Glacier Zone (104B 438), Camp Ridge (104B 441), Kirby NE (104B 442), Black Bear (104B 459), 2Bad (104B 460), Bridget (104B 462), O'Neil (104B 463. More than eighteen discrete magnetic anomalies (M1-M11) have been defined by the magnetic survey and more than half (9) are reported to be unexplained geologically. The ZTEM surveys have defined both conductive and resistive signatures that relate to bedrock geology on the property, to depths extending to greater than 1 to 2 kilometres. More than twelve prominent resistivity highs (R1-R9) were defined by the ZTEM survey. Most partially correlate with the more than eighteen magnetic anomalies and are interpreted to represent potential targets for porphyry-type magnetite-enriched potassic alteration. Fewer than six prominent resistivity lows (Z1-Z4) were defined and were reported to be for the most part longer, lineament-like conductive zones that lack magnetic signatures.
In 2014, Romios Gold Resources Inc. conducted a prospecting and sampling program that included the evaluation of various showings and mineralized occurrences on the Newmont Lake and Trek Properties. A total of 314 rock chip samples and reconnaissance rock samples and 26 stream silt samples were collected.
In 2015, Romios Gold reported that a program of additional prospecting and sampling was carried out on the Burgundy Ridge discovery (Exploration and Mining in British Columbia 2015, page 135).
No work is reported for 2016 or 2017.
In January and February 2018, Geotech Ltd. carried out a helicopter-borne Versatile Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) and aeromagnetic geophysical survey on behalf of Romios Gold Resources Inc. The survey covered three claim blocks: DIRK, KEN and NORTHWEST comprising parts of the Newmont Lake property and covered a total of 714 line-kilometres (Assessment Report 37492, containing Geotech Ltd Geophysical Report (Appendix Two)). The GAB 12 occurs on the Northwest survey block which covers the following mineral occurrences: Northwest (McLymont), (104B 281), Jazzman (104B 282), Gab Northwest (104B 333), Cuba South (334), GAB 12 (104B 335), GAB 11 (104B 336), Arseno (104B 432), Syenite (104B 439), Cuba North (104B 440), Camp Ridge (104B 441), Kirby NE (104B 442), Kirby SE (104B 443), Thumper (104B 445), Black Bear (104B 459), Ray (104B 696), Arseno Ridge (104B 709), Vera (104B 710), Gerry (104B 713). No aeromagnetic or VTEM electromagnetic anomalies were found in the vicinity of the Arseno prospect though 3 significant VTEM anomalies occur on the Northwest survey Block to the north and northwest. A VTEM/ZTEM anomaly occurs to the west toward and over the Bren (104B 429) and north into the Dirk Block (Figure 24, Assessment Report 37492).
In December 2018, Crystal Lake Mining announced that it had acquired a 100 per cent interest in the 436 square kilometre Newmont Lake Project from Romios Gold.
In 2019, Crystal Lake conducted a drill program, on the Burgundy Ridge prospect area (104B 325) and the Northwest deposit. They also conducted extensive grassroots exploration.
See Northwest (104B 281) for a general work history of the Romios Gold work on its Newmont Lake property. Romios amalgamated much of the holdings in the area in the 2000s and acquired more by staking. Large scale airborne geophysical surveys in the 2000s appear to have encompassed the claims held by Consolidated Sea Gold from 1987 to 1990.