In the Everest area, Late Devonian intrusive rocks of the McLymont Plutonic Suite form a large mass on the southeast of the Newmont fault. The fault is the southeast bounding fault of the McLymont graben. The Southwest Ridge showing occurs about 2 kilometres southeast of the fault. In this area, feldspar porphyry dikes intrude both intrusive and volcanic rocks and are likely spatially related to varying styles of gold mineralization of significance. Northeast trending, elongate bodies of feldspar-phyric diorite and fine-grained diorite occur to the northeast and east of the showing, while a large volume of granite was identified to the southwest.
In 1990, styles of mineralized material in the southwest ridge area were described as the following (Assessment Report 21006):
1) silicified and potassic (?) alteration adjacent quartz vein talus material hosts disseminated and banded pyrite. Sample 42879 assayed 10.58 grams per tonne gold and sample 42888 assayed 0.95 gram per tonne gold. 2) an area where several talus blocks (up to 1.5 metres) of similarly mineralized pieces are seen of quartz vein material with molybdenum. Sample 42896 assayed 0.1 per cent molybdenum. 3) 75 metres north of a quartz and tetrahedrite vein discovered in 1988, a fault zone was discovered hosting quartz and pyrite plus-minus chalcopyrite mineralization. Along the east edge of the zone an andesite dike occurs, both being hosted within diorite. Sample 42976 assayed 0.22 per cent copper, 280.46 grams per tonne silver and 29.76 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 21006). 4) a quartz plus/minus carbonate shear hosting pyrite with minor chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite has been traced for more than 50 metres. The shear zone is hosted within feldspar porphyry intrusive rocks. Individual veins within the shear vary in thickness from 2 to 30 centimetres. Sample 42995 assayed 1.1 per cent copper, 274.29 grams per tonne silver and 27.15 grams per tonne gold; sample 42992 assayed 0.03 per cent copper, 152.91 grams per tonne silver and 11.66 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 21006).
In 2008, at the Everest zone, copper mineralization was described by Romios Gold as consisting of disseminated, fracture controlled and clotty chalcopyrite or as massive magnetite-pyrite-chalcopyrite replacement within dioritic phases of the Forrest Kerr Pluton. The most intensely altered and mineralized outcrops cover an approximately 400 metre by 300 metre area, yet consistent mineralization and alteration styles are continuous along an almost 2 kilometres northeast-trending strike length. Several phases of megacrystic and feldspar porphyritic intrusive phases are closely associated with mineralization. The strongly northeast trending feldspar porphyry dikes are traceable for over a kilometre in length and constrain best grades of mineralization in their hangingwall. Groundmass shows intense magnetite+/-biotite alteration, with selective pervasive silica-albite(?) alteration of phenocrysts near contacts.
In 2008, the Everest soil grid was planned for coverage at low elevations below strong copper-gold mineralization seen for greater than 1 kilometre of strike length on Everest Peak; to test for extensions of the system outboard of the main area of mineralization. Elevated to moderately anomalous copper-gold values are seen over much of the upper sections of the lines, likely due to both down slope dispersion and lower grade peripheral mineralization from the main Everest showings. Highly elevated values are localized adjacent to a north-east trending lineament seen in topography. These values were thought to represent either mineralization along structure or erosion of high-grade material into the gully.
In 2008, Fugro flew an airborne geophysical survey over the Everest. This revealed the area to be within a large magnetic high known as “H2”; 3 strings of conductors running parallel to the ridgeline – Anomaly “I” - were detected. The magnetic anomaly and cluster of conductors is located on the main ridge of "Everest peak" above the strong northeast trending magnetite-garnet-chalcopyrite-pyrite-biotite-albite alteration and mineralization southeast and lower in elevation of the main ridge.
Work History
The Kerr 1-4 claims were staked in late October 1987 by Pamicon Developments Ltd who followed up in 1988 with a small assessment work program. No previous work or mineral occurrences were known at the time. A total of 21 man-days were spent prospecting the claims and an additional 32 units were staked. Minimal work was done in 1989 by Pamicon. In 1990, Consolidated Caprock Resources Ltd conducted a prospecting and sampling program, collecting a total of 524 rock chip samples and 269 soil samples on the Kerr 1-6 claims; 14.7 kilometre of ground magnetics and VLF-EM were also completed.
In 2007, Romios Gold Resource Inc. completed a total of nine (9) BTW and NQ-size, helicopter-assisted diamond-drill holes, totalling 1,214.6 metres within the Newmont Lake property, on the Ken, 2Bad, Bridget, RNT, Vera, and Northwest zones (Assessment Report 30449).
In 2008 Romios Gold Resource Inc. conducted approximately 659 line-kilometres of helicopter-borne electromagnetic (EM or conductivity) and magnetic survey over approximately 7855 hectares of newly staked claims to the east of the main graben, abutting 2007 airborne geophysical coverage over the graben. A total of 895 reconnaissance soil samples were taken at 50 metre intervals along the 250-metre spaced grid lines. Geological mapping, prospecting and geochemical rock sampling was carried out with a focus on the newly staked, wholly owned claims to the east of the main graben. Additional mineral showings were identified, and a total of 50 geochemical rock samples were collected. Approximately 17.625 kilometres of IP survey, 7.7 kilometres of TDEM and 48.2 kilometres of magnetics were completed during the 2008 summer program over the Northwest, Black Bear and Everest zones (Assessment Report 30749).
In 2012, Romios completed drilling, ground magnetics, audio-magnetotellurics (AMT) and borehole geophysics on the 72, Ken, and Northwest Zones in addition to sample collection and general prospecting (Assessment Report 33620). Two samples were collected for analysis from the Everest zone (page 14, Assessment Report 33620).
In 2018, Romios Gold Resources Inc successfully completed the airborne magnetic and VTEM Terrain Time Domain electromagnetic survey over three of the Company's most prospective exploration targets on its Newmont Lake property in the "Golden Triangle" of British Columbia (News Release, Romios Gold, February 26, 2018). The survey was covered approximately 97 square kilometres at a line spacing of 125 metres. The three survey blocks covered are referred to as the Northwest Zone, Ken Zone, and the Dirk claims, and cover a variety of copper-gold-silver targets including skarns, mantos, and porphyry-style occurrences (for further details on the various mineralized targets see Romios' news release dated January 31, 2018)
In 2019, Crystal Lake Mining (later name changed to Enduro Metals Corporation) conducted widely spaced geological traverses over the Southwest Ridge area. Data collected indicates that alteration appears to be more widespread and less restricted to structural corridors compared to elsewhere in the Chachi Corridor. Much of the mineralization observed in 2019 was found on the southeastern slope of Southwest Ridge. These are hosted in dominantly northeast trending quartz, carbonate-quartz, and sulphide dominant veins associated with chlorite and epidote. Malachite is common through the area, with pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sooty chalcocite present locally. Moderate to strong alteration is associated with the veining, forming distinct halos. One outcrop sample graded 0.30 gram per tonne gold, 7.08 grams per tonne silver and 1.57 per cent copper (Sample B0004397, Assessment Report 39128).
See Northwest (104B 281) for details of work after the amalgamation of tenures by Romios Gold Resources Inc in the 2000s, when airborne geophysics was done over significant land areas and site-specific work on various showings.
