The Backster area is underlain by Upper Paleozoic marine sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Stikine Assemblage intruded by a variety of orthoclase porphyries and syenites of the Triassic to Tertiary Coast Plutonic Complex. Rock types included metamorphosed Permian limestone (marble); green, silicified fine-grained rocks; a variety of orthoclase porphyries and mega porphyries and late orthoclase dikes.

The Backster Zone was discovered in 2014 season during an investigation of geophysical anomaly. It is a zone of high-grade copper-silver-gold mineralization on the margins of a porphyritic syenite dike where it cuts a dolomitic package of rocks forming a skarn alteration zone, geologically and mineralogically similar to Burgundy Ridge (104B 325).

It is similar in style to Burgundy Ridge, with strong chalcopyrite mineralization along the margins of a megacrystic syenite dike where the dike cuts through crystalline dolomite. The high-grade samples taken from near the contact are similar in grade to those at Burgundy Ridge.This occurrence may be a parallel occurrence to that of the Burgundy Ridge. Sample H234853 yielded the best results at 4.17 per cent copper, 2.96 grams per tonne gold and 36.5 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 35016). This sample was taken from a metasomatic contact along a mega crystalline syenite dike contact with limestone containing strong malachite-azurite stained 3 to 5-centimetre chalcopyrite veinlet.

Work History

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.

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 Backster occurrence is located about 1.4 kilometres west of the Burgundy Ridge prospect which is coincident with a magnetic high. None of the three skarn/porphyry showings along the ridge (72 (Dirk) (104B (114), Burgundy Ridge (104B 325) and Telena (104B 428)) ridge were detected by the VTEM survey. The Backster occurs in area of low magnetism between two nearby areas of high magnetism.

See the nearby Burgundy Ridge (104B 325), Telena (104B 428) and 72 (Dirk) (104B 114) zones that share a related genesis and work history. Refer to Northwest (104B 181) for historical details on the Newmont Lake property and area.