General Information
Secondary Commodities: copper, gold, zinc, nickel, silver, lead
Aliases: Rams Horn
Deposit Type(s): Vein Polymetallic Ag-Pb-Zn+/-Au
Location(s): 60.004720 N, -134.546940 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 105D02
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
Work History
The initial staking is believed to be Rams Horn cl (157) in Aug/05, although the claim records have been lost. Three short adits and some trenching were present when the first government geologist visited in 1908.
Restaked as Cliff cl 1-6 (92996) in Oct/65 by L.I. Proctor.
Restaked as Lulu cl 1-4 (Y21107) in Oct/67 by G. Wing, who in turn optioned the claims to Tobe Mines Ltd. Tobe Mines carried out preliminary exploration in the summer of 1968 and added Lulu cl 5-16 (Y26217) in Sep/68. In Oct/68 the claims were sold to Premier Mining Corporation Ltd, which conducted magnetic and soil sampling surveys in 1969 and geological mapping and rock sampling in 1971.
Restaked as Stripe cl 1-10 (YA85529) in Oct/84 by United Keno Hill Mines Ltd
Restaked as Str 1-2 (YB27864) in Sep/90 and Str cl 3-6 (YB35643) in Jan/91 by G.S. Davidson for Harris and Associates Exploration. Davidson prospected, mapped and resampled the old adits and trenches in 1990 and 1991.
Restaked as Ram cl 25-37 (YC26647) in Mar/2004 by B. Harris. The claims are part of a larger claim block known as the Rams Horn Property. In the spring of 2004 Harris optioned the property to Ordorado Resources Corp which flew an airborne geophysical survey over the entire property later in the year.
Capsule Geology
The occurrence is located on the eastern side of Windy Arm Lake in the southeast corner of topographic map sheet 105D 02, near the border with British Columbia. J.O. Wheeler re-mapped the area at 1:250 000 scale in 1961 followed by Hart and Radloff in 1990, who re-mapped topographic map sheet 105D 02 as part of a larger 1:50 000 scale regional mapping program.
The area lies within the northern portion of the Cache Creek terrane, a belt of oceanic rocks that extend the length of the Cordilleran in British Columbia northwards into southern Yukon. The geological history of the terrane is generally not well understood and this is especially true of the portion located in the Yukon. In recent years M. Mihalynuk of the British Columbia Geological Survey and others have carried out research in the northern portion of the terrane near Atlin, B.C. ( approximately 75 km to southeast) which has increased the knowledge base and has led to the area being referred to as the Atlin Complex.
Due to the difficult terrain and general lack of access, the area around the occurrence has not seen much exploration work. The initial exploration appears to have been related to trying to find gold +/-silver veins similar to those found in the vicinity of the Venus occurrence (Minfile Occurrence #105D 005) located on the west side of Windy Arm Lake.
Early Geological Survey of Canada reports noted that the adits were dug on quartz veins carrying galena, zinc blende, chalcopyrite and pyrite but were likely too narrow to be profitably worked. Wheeler (1961) reported the area is underlain by Pennsylvanian to Permian age metamorphosed volcanic rocks containing minor limestone intervals. Hart and Radloff (1990) reported that the area is underlain by altered basaltic flows, breccia, lithic tuff and diorites and assigned the rocks to the Mississippian Nakina Formation. Recent work completed by Mihalynuk to the south assigns the rocks to the Atlin Complex (Cache Creek Terrane) and suggests a Mississippian through to Lower Jurassic age. Since the veins located at the Venus occurrence cut volcanic rocks of Cretaceous age any mineralization present in the volcanics rocks surrounding this occurrence is likely older.
Scattered quartz veins and lenses with arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, minor galena and chalcopyrite cut altered volcanic rocks, diorite and skarn on the north face of Mt Patterson. Early assays averaged less than 0.3% Cu, 0.1% Ni, 157.7 g/t Ag and 20.6 g/t Au. Read (1968) collected a channel sample across 2.0 m of the best mineralization which assayed 0.8% Cu, 0.3% Ni, 13.7 g/t Ag and 0.17 g/t Au.
The adits were collared on two separate veins. The lower adit follows a 20-75 cm quartz-sulphide lens which strikes 060 and dips 25 north. The lens pinches and swells and is cut off by a fault. Arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite form coarse crystalline masses and fine grained bands. Davidson (1992) obtained an assay of 9.6 g/t Au, 4 045.6 g/t Ag, 5.0% Pb and 9.2% Zn from the mouth of the lower adit.
The upper adit is 10 m long and cuts a 25-50 cm wide quartz-arsenopyrite vein which strikes 055 and dips 45 southeast. Davidson obtained values of 6.3 g/t Au, 285 g/t Ag, 0.36% Cu and >1% Pb from this vein. Massive pyrrhotite in metavolcanic rock from a pit located between the two adits assayed 1.4% Cu and 0.8% Ni.
Seventy-five metres above the upper adit, a 2 m quartz-sulphide lens in rusty greenstone is exposed in three old pits. The lens strikes 035 and dips 45 southeast, and is cut by a thin quartz-arsenopyrite vein which returned a value of 28.4 g/t Au.
Above the old camp site another quartz-sulphide lens is exposed in an open cut. This lens is 50 cm wide and a specimen contained 3.3 g/t Au, 193 g/t Ag, 392 ppm Cu and >1% Pb.
References
CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK 1966-67, p. 313; 1967-68, p. 325.
ENGLISH, J.M. AND MIHALYNUK, M.G., 2002. Atlin TGI Part III: Geology and Petrochemistry of Mafic Rocks within the Northern Cache Creek Terrane and Tectonic Implications. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 19-29.
FINDLAY, D.C., 1968. The mineral industry of Yukon Territory and southwestern District of Mackenzie. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 69-55, p.39.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 1908. Publication 982, p. 18.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 1961. Memoir 312 by J.O. Wheeler.
GORDEY, S.P. AND MAKEPEACE, A.J. 2003: Yukon Digital Geology, version 2.0, S.P. Gordey and A.J. Makepeace (comp); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1749 and Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2003-9 (D).
HARRIS AND ASSOCIATES EXPLORATION, Mar/92. Assessment Report #093016 by G.S. Davidson.
HART, C.J.R. AND RADLOFF, J.K., 1990. Geology of Whitehorse, Alligator Lake, Fenwick Creek, Carcross and parts of Robinson Map Areas (105D/11, 6, 3, 2, & 7). Yukon Territory; Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Open File 1990-4, 113 pages plus 4 map sheets.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET. AL., 1999, Geology and Mineral resources of the Tagish Lake area (NTS 104M/8, 9, 10E, 15 and 104N/12W) Northwestern British Columbia Geological Survey, Bulletin 105.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET. AL., 1992. Age Constraints for emplacement of the Northern Cache Creek Terrane and Implications of Blueschist Metamorphism. In Geological Fieldwork 1998, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1999-1, p. 127- 141.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. AND LOWE, C., 2002. Atlin TGI, Part I: An Introduction to the Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 1-4.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET AL., 2002. Atlin TGI, Part II: Preliminary results from the Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative, Nakina Area, Northwest British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 5-18.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. AND LOWE, C., 2003. Atlin TGI, Part I: Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative ¿ Summary of Accomplishments and Project Closure. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2002, Paper 2003-1. p. 1-8.
NELSON, J.L. AND MIHALYNUK, M. 1993. Cache Creek ocean: Closure or Enclosure? In Geology, Feb/93, Vol. 2, p. 173-176.
ORDARADO RESOURCES CORP., 2004. Information Circular.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Oct/69. Prospectus Report #060005 by R.G. Hilker.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Oct/68. Assessment Report #018869 by W.S. Read.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Jul/71. Assessment Report #091744 by M.P. Phillips.
YUKON EXPLORATION 1987, p. 101.
The initial staking is believed to be Rams Horn cl (157) in Aug/05, although the claim records have been lost. Three short adits and some trenching were present when the first government geologist visited in 1908.
Restaked as Cliff cl 1-6 (92996) in Oct/65 by L.I. Proctor.
Restaked as Lulu cl 1-4 (Y21107) in Oct/67 by G. Wing, who in turn optioned the claims to Tobe Mines Ltd. Tobe Mines carried out preliminary exploration in the summer of 1968 and added Lulu cl 5-16 (Y26217) in Sep/68. In Oct/68 the claims were sold to Premier Mining Corporation Ltd, which conducted magnetic and soil sampling surveys in 1969 and geological mapping and rock sampling in 1971.
Restaked as Stripe cl 1-10 (YA85529) in Oct/84 by United Keno Hill Mines Ltd
Restaked as Str 1-2 (YB27864) in Sep/90 and Str cl 3-6 (YB35643) in Jan/91 by G.S. Davidson for Harris and Associates Exploration. Davidson prospected, mapped and resampled the old adits and trenches in 1990 and 1991.
Restaked as Ram cl 25-37 (YC26647) in Mar/2004 by B. Harris. The claims are part of a larger claim block known as the Rams Horn Property. In the spring of 2004 Harris optioned the property to Ordorado Resources Corp which flew an airborne geophysical survey over the entire property later in the year.
Capsule Geology
The occurrence is located on the eastern side of Windy Arm Lake in the southeast corner of topographic map sheet 105D 02, near the border with British Columbia. J.O. Wheeler re-mapped the area at 1:250 000 scale in 1961 followed by Hart and Radloff in 1990, who re-mapped topographic map sheet 105D 02 as part of a larger 1:50 000 scale regional mapping program.
The area lies within the northern portion of the Cache Creek terrane, a belt of oceanic rocks that extend the length of the Cordilleran in British Columbia northwards into southern Yukon. The geological history of the terrane is generally not well understood and this is especially true of the portion located in the Yukon. In recent years M. Mihalynuk of the British Columbia Geological Survey and others have carried out research in the northern portion of the terrane near Atlin, B.C. ( approximately 75 km to southeast) which has increased the knowledge base and has led to the area being referred to as the Atlin Complex.
Due to the difficult terrain and general lack of access, the area around the occurrence has not seen much exploration work. The initial exploration appears to have been related to trying to find gold +/-silver veins similar to those found in the vicinity of the Venus occurrence (Minfile Occurrence #105D 005) located on the west side of Windy Arm Lake.
Early Geological Survey of Canada reports noted that the adits were dug on quartz veins carrying galena, zinc blende, chalcopyrite and pyrite but were likely too narrow to be profitably worked. Wheeler (1961) reported the area is underlain by Pennsylvanian to Permian age metamorphosed volcanic rocks containing minor limestone intervals. Hart and Radloff (1990) reported that the area is underlain by altered basaltic flows, breccia, lithic tuff and diorites and assigned the rocks to the Mississippian Nakina Formation. Recent work completed by Mihalynuk to the south assigns the rocks to the Atlin Complex (Cache Creek Terrane) and suggests a Mississippian through to Lower Jurassic age. Since the veins located at the Venus occurrence cut volcanic rocks of Cretaceous age any mineralization present in the volcanics rocks surrounding this occurrence is likely older.
Scattered quartz veins and lenses with arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, minor galena and chalcopyrite cut altered volcanic rocks, diorite and skarn on the north face of Mt Patterson. Early assays averaged less than 0.3% Cu, 0.1% Ni, 157.7 g/t Ag and 20.6 g/t Au. Read (1968) collected a channel sample across 2.0 m of the best mineralization which assayed 0.8% Cu, 0.3% Ni, 13.7 g/t Ag and 0.17 g/t Au.
The adits were collared on two separate veins. The lower adit follows a 20-75 cm quartz-sulphide lens which strikes 060 and dips 25 north. The lens pinches and swells and is cut off by a fault. Arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite form coarse crystalline masses and fine grained bands. Davidson (1992) obtained an assay of 9.6 g/t Au, 4 045.6 g/t Ag, 5.0% Pb and 9.2% Zn from the mouth of the lower adit.
The upper adit is 10 m long and cuts a 25-50 cm wide quartz-arsenopyrite vein which strikes 055 and dips 45 southeast. Davidson obtained values of 6.3 g/t Au, 285 g/t Ag, 0.36% Cu and >1% Pb from this vein. Massive pyrrhotite in metavolcanic rock from a pit located between the two adits assayed 1.4% Cu and 0.8% Ni.
Seventy-five metres above the upper adit, a 2 m quartz-sulphide lens in rusty greenstone is exposed in three old pits. The lens strikes 035 and dips 45 southeast, and is cut by a thin quartz-arsenopyrite vein which returned a value of 28.4 g/t Au.
Above the old camp site another quartz-sulphide lens is exposed in an open cut. This lens is 50 cm wide and a specimen contained 3.3 g/t Au, 193 g/t Ag, 392 ppm Cu and >1% Pb.
References
CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK 1966-67, p. 313; 1967-68, p. 325.
ENGLISH, J.M. AND MIHALYNUK, M.G., 2002. Atlin TGI Part III: Geology and Petrochemistry of Mafic Rocks within the Northern Cache Creek Terrane and Tectonic Implications. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 19-29.
FINDLAY, D.C., 1968. The mineral industry of Yukon Territory and southwestern District of Mackenzie. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 69-55, p.39.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 1908. Publication 982, p. 18.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 1961. Memoir 312 by J.O. Wheeler.
GORDEY, S.P. AND MAKEPEACE, A.J. 2003: Yukon Digital Geology, version 2.0, S.P. Gordey and A.J. Makepeace (comp); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1749 and Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2003-9 (D).
HARRIS AND ASSOCIATES EXPLORATION, Mar/92. Assessment Report #093016 by G.S. Davidson.
HART, C.J.R. AND RADLOFF, J.K., 1990. Geology of Whitehorse, Alligator Lake, Fenwick Creek, Carcross and parts of Robinson Map Areas (105D/11, 6, 3, 2, & 7). Yukon Territory; Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Open File 1990-4, 113 pages plus 4 map sheets.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET. AL., 1999, Geology and Mineral resources of the Tagish Lake area (NTS 104M/8, 9, 10E, 15 and 104N/12W) Northwestern British Columbia Geological Survey, Bulletin 105.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET. AL., 1992. Age Constraints for emplacement of the Northern Cache Creek Terrane and Implications of Blueschist Metamorphism. In Geological Fieldwork 1998, British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1999-1, p. 127- 141.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. AND LOWE, C., 2002. Atlin TGI, Part I: An Introduction to the Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 1-4.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. ET AL., 2002. Atlin TGI, Part II: Preliminary results from the Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative, Nakina Area, Northwest British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2001, Paper 2002-1. p. 5-18.
MIHALYNUK, M.G. AND LOWE, C., 2003. Atlin TGI, Part I: Atlin Targeted Geoscience Initiative ¿ Summary of Accomplishments and Project Closure. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Geological Fieldwork 2002, Paper 2003-1. p. 1-8.
NELSON, J.L. AND MIHALYNUK, M. 1993. Cache Creek ocean: Closure or Enclosure? In Geology, Feb/93, Vol. 2, p. 173-176.
ORDARADO RESOURCES CORP., 2004. Information Circular.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Oct/69. Prospectus Report #060005 by R.G. Hilker.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Oct/68. Assessment Report #018869 by W.S. Read.
PREMIER MINING CORPORATION LTD, Jul/71. Assessment Report #091744 by M.P. Phillips.
YUKON EXPLORATION 1987, p. 101.
Location Map
Last Updated: Jun 19, 2018
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1991 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | Mapping and resampling of old adits and trenches. |
| 1990 | Geochemistry: Rock | Mapping and resampling of old adits and trenches. |
| 1990 | Geology: Bedrock Mapping | Mapping and resampling of old adits and trenches. |
| 1990 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1971 | Geochemistry: Rock | |
| 1971 | Geology: Detailed Bedrock Mapping | |
| 1969 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1969 | Ground Geophysics: Magnetics | |
| 1908 | Development, Underground: Shaft Development | Three short adits dug. |
Regional Geology - Terrane
Group: Intermontane
Affinity: W Panthalassa
Name: Cache Creek
Realm: Tethyan
Regional Geology - Bedrock
Supergroup:
Group/Suite: Cache Creek
Formation: Nakina
Member:
Terrane: Cache Creek
Period Max: Carboniferous
Age Max: 359 MA
Period Min: Triassic
Age Min: 200 MA
Rock Major: greenstone/metabasite
Rock Minor:
Reference: Hart & Radloff (1990) - YGS OF 1990-4
Geological Unit (1M): CTrC
Geological Unit (250K): CTrC2
Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence
| Report Number | Year | Title | Worktypes | Holes Drilled | Meters Drilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 094670 | 2005 | 2004 Geophysical Assessment Report on the Rams Horn Porperty | Electromagnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Gamma-Ray Spectrometry - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics | ||
| 093016 | 1991 | Assessment Report on the STR 1-2 Claims | Rock - Geochemistry, Prospecting - Other | ||
| 091744 | 1971 | Geological Mapping and Sampling, Ram Horn Property | Rock - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology | ||
| 018869 | 1968 | Preliminary Report on the Rams Horn Property, Lulu 1-16 Claim Group | Rock - Geochemistry, Cursory Property Visit - Other, Prospecting - Other |
