General Information
Primary Commodities: silver, gold, copper
Deposit Type(s): Epithermal Au-Ag-Cu: High Sulphidation
Location(s): 62.046780 N, -137.149410 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 115I03
Location Comments: Location provided by Rockhaven Resources 2019
Hand Samples Available at YGS: No
Capsule
Work History
First staked as fringe claims around the Brown-McDade property in 1943-1944. In 1946-1948, the Huestis Syndicate (Frobisher Exploration Company Ltd, Anglo Huronian, International Mining Corporation of Canada, Trans-American Mining Corporation, Nipissing Mining Company, Lake Expanse Gold Mines Ltd. and Transcontinental Resources Ltd.) found and explored the Huestis vein. During this period, claims were held nearby by Yukon Range Exploration Ltd. (Conwest, Frobisher, & Nova-co Exploration Ltd.), Nansen Yukon Mines Ltd. and Colery Yukon Mines Ltd.
Re-staked in June 1958 as Dome cl (73537) and in July 1959 as Joanne cl (74285), which were optioned in 1962 by Mount Nansen Explorers Syndicate (Conwest, Faraday Uranium Mines Ltd., Kerr Addison Gold Mines Ltd., Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Ltd., Noranda Exploration Company Ltd., J. Rankin, Rio Tinto Cananda Exploration Ltd. and, later, Central Patricia Gold Mines Ltd.). In 1963, Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. was formed by the syndicate. Bulldozing elsewhere on the property further exposed the Huestis vein. The Penny & Gold cl (81870) were tied on to the west in September 1962 by Racicot Syndicate (Teck Exploration Ltd., Silver Standard Mining Ltd. and Magnum Consolidated) and bulldozed in 1964 by Central Nansen Mines Ltd under option.
Peso Silver Mines Ltd acquired control of Mount Nansen Mines Ltd in 1964 and through to 1966 explored the Webber and Huestis veins by 2,107 m of underground development and 2,226 m of diamond drilling and added the Laura Betty cl (93469) in October-November 1965. A production decision was made in 1967 and Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. ownership was modified due to acquisition of Peso Silver Mines Ltd. (which was controlled at this time by Charter Oil Company Ltd. & Moneta Porcupine Mines Ltd.) by Canadawide Investments Ltd., controlled by H. Willi, representing Swiss financing. In 1968, the Huestis vein was developed with 976 m of drifting on a new lower (4100) level and a 163 tonne mill was operated from September 1968 to April 1969. Production was lower than forecast grades with 85,133 g Au, 2,625,116 g Ag and 49,207 kg Pb from 16,360 tonnes milled due to poor gold recovery without a cyanide circuit.
The mine was reopened in 1975 and in 1976 the 4100 level was extended 141 m. In 1976, 290 m of raises were driven, 7,451 tonnes were mined and 5,844 tonnes grading about 10.3 g/t Au, 240.1 g/t Ag 1.0% Pb and 1.0% Zn were milled in a five month period. Peso changed its name to Rex Silver Mines Ltd. in 1979 and transferred the property to Schweizerische Gesellschaft in 1980 and to Nansen Mining Corporation in 1981. Nansen conducted a feasibility study in 1983 and sold the property in 1984 to BYG Natural Resources Inc.
Chevron Canada Resources Ltd. optioned the property from BYG in June 1985, dominantly focusing on the Webber and Brown-McDade (MINFILE occurrences 115I 065 and 064), however soils and EM ground geophysics were performed at Huestis. In 1986, Chevron performed further trenching. In 1987, Chevron dug fourteen trenches and drilled one diamond drill hole at the Huestis vein. BYG entered into a sub-option agreement with Chevron in 1988 and explored Huestis with 2 HQ holes (86 m) and 1,242 m of excavator trenching. The Huestis 4300' level underground workings were also rehabilitated, the mill equipment and buildings were examined and redesigned for cyanide vat leaching, and possible tailings pond sites were studied. In 1989, a feasibility study was conducted over the claims.
During the summer of 1994, BYG drilled 1 hole (53 m) on the Huestis North zone. In addition, the company carried out a topographic survey, geotechnical drilling (46 m) and a tailing storage study. The company also rehabilitated one of the water wells on Victoria Creek.
In 1995, BYG continued exploration and development work on their Mount Nansen Project. Three diamond drill holes (890 m) were drilled on the Huestis zone. In preparation for mine production at Brown-McDade (MINFILE occurrence 115I 064), BYG carried out road construction, tailings dam stripping and construction and rehabilitation of mill and mine buildings. BYG also applied for various mining permits and licences. In April 1996, BYG received their Class A water licence which allowed them to begin mining operations. Mining began on the oxidized portion of the Brown-McDade zone (MINFILE occurrence 115I 064).
In February 1999, BYG announced plans to temporarily shut down the Mount Nansen Mine. In March 1999, the company was placed in receivership and on April 22, 1999 shares of the company were suspended from trading and subsequently delisted. At this time, the Mount Nansen mine, including the Huestis zone, became a Type II Minesite.
In 2009, 101073531 Saskatchewan Corp. flew a regional airborne and magnetic survey that included the Huestis occurrence. A technical report by Middleton, 2009, summarizes the Mount Nansen and Tawa properties.
In 2019, the Yukon Supreme Court approved the sale of the Mount Nansen mine site, including the Huestis occurrence, to a 50/50 joint venture of Alexco Environmental and JDS Group called the Mount Nansen Remediation Limited Partnership (MNLRP). The project will include engineering, permitting, care and maintenance and remediation (jdsmining.ca).
Regional & Property Geology
The occurrence is located in the Dawson Range within Yukon-Tanana Terrane (YTT). The rocks of the YTT in this region consist of Early Mississipian metamorphic rocks separated into meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous suites (Stroshein, 1998). The meta-sedimentary suite consists of micaceous quartz-feldspar gneiss, schist and quartzite of the Nasina Assemblage. The meta-igneous package is comprised of biotite-hornblende feldspar gneiss and coarse-grained granodiorite orthogneiss with lesser amphibolite.
Four rock types dominate the geology surrounding the occurrence and are comprised of:
1. Paleozoic metamorphic Yukon-Tanana gneiss, quartzite, and amphibolite to the south;
2. Triassic to Jurassic metamorphosed alkali-feldspar-rich plutonic suites;
3. Mid-Cretaceous Mount Nansen Suite andesite, felsic lapilli tuffs, basaltic to latite volcanic rocks; and quartz feldspar porphyry, dacite, latite, and quartz monzonite porphyritic hypabyssal rocks; and
4. Mid-Cretaceous Whitehorse granodiorite.
Mineralization & Results
The Huestis vein is in a strong shear zone, striking northwest and dipping steeply west, that cuts highly altered Mississippian schist and gneiss intruded by dykes and stocks of Mid-Cretaceous porphyry. The veins form lenses within the shears and consist of quartz, pyrite and arsenopyrite and minor amounts of galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and various silver minerals.
Chevron's 1985 and 1986 work outlined other veins parallel to the Webber (MINFILE occurrence 115I 065) and Heustis. Work from 1985 to 1987 was performed primarily on these other veins, including the Flex and Orloff-King (MINFILE occurrences 115I 137 and 134). Trenching in 1987 returned high grade samples of up to 5.3 g/t Au and 29.25 g/t Ag over 0.076 m. Diamond drilling in 1987 returned up to 0.084 g/t Au and 1.36 g/t Ag over 2.1 m.
Reserves calculated at Huestis in 1989 were 85,727 tonnes of 14.0 g/t Au and 283 g/t Ag proved and probably underground (not NI 43-101 compliant).
The 1994 hole on the Heustis North zone intersected two quartz veins which correlate with those previously intersected in 1986 and 1987 and returned 7.8 g/t Au and 118.7 g/t Ag over 1.52 m and 1.8 g/t Au and 34.3 g/t Ag over 1.53 m.
In 1995, two diamond drill holes (340 m) on the Heustis NW vein system intersected mineralized veins beyond the limits of previous underground drifting. DDH 95-149 intersected the #12 vein about 10 m beyond the limit of underground development. The hole intersected 0.74 m of massive galena-pyrite-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-stibnite-arsenopyrite in quartz-carbonate gangue that assayed 50.47 g/t Au and 1221.0 g/t Ag. DDH 95-150 intersected the #11 vein about 50 m beyond the limits of previous underground development. The hole intersected 0.60 m of partially oxidized and black massive sulphides that assayed 15.67 g/t Au and 3475.0 g/t Ag.
One diamond drill hole (DDH 95-151 - 550 m) on the Heustis deposit was drilled 330 m deeper than the lowermost developed level on the deposit. The hole encountered several mineralized veins in more than 130 m of intense carbonate-sericite alteration. The best interval, 450 m below surface, consisted of quartz vein stockwork containing fine grained, disseminated pyrite-arsenopyrite-galena-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-stibnite grading 4.07 g/t Au and 73.8 g/t Ag over 5.24 m. These results are highly significant because present reserves on the property in all categories do not include mineralization below 150 m.
A 43-101 technical report by Middleton, 2009, summarizes the Mount Nansen and Tawa properties.
First staked as fringe claims around the Brown-McDade property in 1943-1944. In 1946-1948, the Huestis Syndicate (Frobisher Exploration Company Ltd, Anglo Huronian, International Mining Corporation of Canada, Trans-American Mining Corporation, Nipissing Mining Company, Lake Expanse Gold Mines Ltd. and Transcontinental Resources Ltd.) found and explored the Huestis vein. During this period, claims were held nearby by Yukon Range Exploration Ltd. (Conwest, Frobisher, & Nova-co Exploration Ltd.), Nansen Yukon Mines Ltd. and Colery Yukon Mines Ltd.
Re-staked in June 1958 as Dome cl (73537) and in July 1959 as Joanne cl (74285), which were optioned in 1962 by Mount Nansen Explorers Syndicate (Conwest, Faraday Uranium Mines Ltd., Kerr Addison Gold Mines Ltd., Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Ltd., Noranda Exploration Company Ltd., J. Rankin, Rio Tinto Cananda Exploration Ltd. and, later, Central Patricia Gold Mines Ltd.). In 1963, Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. was formed by the syndicate. Bulldozing elsewhere on the property further exposed the Huestis vein. The Penny & Gold cl (81870) were tied on to the west in September 1962 by Racicot Syndicate (Teck Exploration Ltd., Silver Standard Mining Ltd. and Magnum Consolidated) and bulldozed in 1964 by Central Nansen Mines Ltd under option.
Peso Silver Mines Ltd acquired control of Mount Nansen Mines Ltd in 1964 and through to 1966 explored the Webber and Huestis veins by 2,107 m of underground development and 2,226 m of diamond drilling and added the Laura Betty cl (93469) in October-November 1965. A production decision was made in 1967 and Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. ownership was modified due to acquisition of Peso Silver Mines Ltd. (which was controlled at this time by Charter Oil Company Ltd. & Moneta Porcupine Mines Ltd.) by Canadawide Investments Ltd., controlled by H. Willi, representing Swiss financing. In 1968, the Huestis vein was developed with 976 m of drifting on a new lower (4100) level and a 163 tonne mill was operated from September 1968 to April 1969. Production was lower than forecast grades with 85,133 g Au, 2,625,116 g Ag and 49,207 kg Pb from 16,360 tonnes milled due to poor gold recovery without a cyanide circuit.
The mine was reopened in 1975 and in 1976 the 4100 level was extended 141 m. In 1976, 290 m of raises were driven, 7,451 tonnes were mined and 5,844 tonnes grading about 10.3 g/t Au, 240.1 g/t Ag 1.0% Pb and 1.0% Zn were milled in a five month period. Peso changed its name to Rex Silver Mines Ltd. in 1979 and transferred the property to Schweizerische Gesellschaft in 1980 and to Nansen Mining Corporation in 1981. Nansen conducted a feasibility study in 1983 and sold the property in 1984 to BYG Natural Resources Inc.
Chevron Canada Resources Ltd. optioned the property from BYG in June 1985, dominantly focusing on the Webber and Brown-McDade (MINFILE occurrences 115I 065 and 064), however soils and EM ground geophysics were performed at Huestis. In 1986, Chevron performed further trenching. In 1987, Chevron dug fourteen trenches and drilled one diamond drill hole at the Huestis vein. BYG entered into a sub-option agreement with Chevron in 1988 and explored Huestis with 2 HQ holes (86 m) and 1,242 m of excavator trenching. The Huestis 4300' level underground workings were also rehabilitated, the mill equipment and buildings were examined and redesigned for cyanide vat leaching, and possible tailings pond sites were studied. In 1989, a feasibility study was conducted over the claims.
During the summer of 1994, BYG drilled 1 hole (53 m) on the Huestis North zone. In addition, the company carried out a topographic survey, geotechnical drilling (46 m) and a tailing storage study. The company also rehabilitated one of the water wells on Victoria Creek.
In 1995, BYG continued exploration and development work on their Mount Nansen Project. Three diamond drill holes (890 m) were drilled on the Huestis zone. In preparation for mine production at Brown-McDade (MINFILE occurrence 115I 064), BYG carried out road construction, tailings dam stripping and construction and rehabilitation of mill and mine buildings. BYG also applied for various mining permits and licences. In April 1996, BYG received their Class A water licence which allowed them to begin mining operations. Mining began on the oxidized portion of the Brown-McDade zone (MINFILE occurrence 115I 064).
In February 1999, BYG announced plans to temporarily shut down the Mount Nansen Mine. In March 1999, the company was placed in receivership and on April 22, 1999 shares of the company were suspended from trading and subsequently delisted. At this time, the Mount Nansen mine, including the Huestis zone, became a Type II Minesite.
In 2009, 101073531 Saskatchewan Corp. flew a regional airborne and magnetic survey that included the Huestis occurrence. A technical report by Middleton, 2009, summarizes the Mount Nansen and Tawa properties.
In 2019, the Yukon Supreme Court approved the sale of the Mount Nansen mine site, including the Huestis occurrence, to a 50/50 joint venture of Alexco Environmental and JDS Group called the Mount Nansen Remediation Limited Partnership (MNLRP). The project will include engineering, permitting, care and maintenance and remediation (jdsmining.ca).
Regional & Property Geology
The occurrence is located in the Dawson Range within Yukon-Tanana Terrane (YTT). The rocks of the YTT in this region consist of Early Mississipian metamorphic rocks separated into meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous suites (Stroshein, 1998). The meta-sedimentary suite consists of micaceous quartz-feldspar gneiss, schist and quartzite of the Nasina Assemblage. The meta-igneous package is comprised of biotite-hornblende feldspar gneiss and coarse-grained granodiorite orthogneiss with lesser amphibolite.
Four rock types dominate the geology surrounding the occurrence and are comprised of:
1. Paleozoic metamorphic Yukon-Tanana gneiss, quartzite, and amphibolite to the south;
2. Triassic to Jurassic metamorphosed alkali-feldspar-rich plutonic suites;
3. Mid-Cretaceous Mount Nansen Suite andesite, felsic lapilli tuffs, basaltic to latite volcanic rocks; and quartz feldspar porphyry, dacite, latite, and quartz monzonite porphyritic hypabyssal rocks; and
4. Mid-Cretaceous Whitehorse granodiorite.
Mineralization & Results
The Huestis vein is in a strong shear zone, striking northwest and dipping steeply west, that cuts highly altered Mississippian schist and gneiss intruded by dykes and stocks of Mid-Cretaceous porphyry. The veins form lenses within the shears and consist of quartz, pyrite and arsenopyrite and minor amounts of galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and various silver minerals.
Chevron's 1985 and 1986 work outlined other veins parallel to the Webber (MINFILE occurrence 115I 065) and Heustis. Work from 1985 to 1987 was performed primarily on these other veins, including the Flex and Orloff-King (MINFILE occurrences 115I 137 and 134). Trenching in 1987 returned high grade samples of up to 5.3 g/t Au and 29.25 g/t Ag over 0.076 m. Diamond drilling in 1987 returned up to 0.084 g/t Au and 1.36 g/t Ag over 2.1 m.
Reserves calculated at Huestis in 1989 were 85,727 tonnes of 14.0 g/t Au and 283 g/t Ag proved and probably underground (not NI 43-101 compliant).
The 1994 hole on the Heustis North zone intersected two quartz veins which correlate with those previously intersected in 1986 and 1987 and returned 7.8 g/t Au and 118.7 g/t Ag over 1.52 m and 1.8 g/t Au and 34.3 g/t Ag over 1.53 m.
In 1995, two diamond drill holes (340 m) on the Heustis NW vein system intersected mineralized veins beyond the limits of previous underground drifting. DDH 95-149 intersected the #12 vein about 10 m beyond the limit of underground development. The hole intersected 0.74 m of massive galena-pyrite-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-stibnite-arsenopyrite in quartz-carbonate gangue that assayed 50.47 g/t Au and 1221.0 g/t Ag. DDH 95-150 intersected the #11 vein about 50 m beyond the limits of previous underground development. The hole intersected 0.60 m of partially oxidized and black massive sulphides that assayed 15.67 g/t Au and 3475.0 g/t Ag.
One diamond drill hole (DDH 95-151 - 550 m) on the Heustis deposit was drilled 330 m deeper than the lowermost developed level on the deposit. The hole encountered several mineralized veins in more than 130 m of intense carbonate-sericite alteration. The best interval, 450 m below surface, consisted of quartz vein stockwork containing fine grained, disseminated pyrite-arsenopyrite-galena-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-stibnite grading 4.07 g/t Au and 73.8 g/t Ag over 5.24 m. These results are highly significant because present reserves on the property in all categories do not include mineralization below 150 m.
A 43-101 technical report by Middleton, 2009, summarizes the Mount Nansen and Tawa properties.
Location Map
Last Updated: Aug 13, 2020
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Airborne Geophysics: Magnetic | And EM. |
| 2009 | Studies | Middleton, 2009, technical report. |
| 1995 | Drilling: Diamond | Three holes totaling 890 m. |
| 1994 | Drilling: Diamond | One hole totaling 53 m. |
| 1989 | Studies: Feasibility | |
| 1988 | Development, Underground: Rehabilitation | |
| 1988 | Drilling: Diamond | Two holes totaling 86 m. |
| 1987 | Drilling: Diamond | One drill hole. |
| 1987 | Trenching: Mechanical | Fourteen trenches. |
| 1986 | Trenching: Mechanical | |
| 1985 | Geochemistry: Soil | |
| 1985 | Ground Geophysics: EM | |
| 1983 | Studies: Feasibility | |
| 1976 | Development, Underground: Drifting/Raising | |
| 1976 | Other | Mining ceases after 5 months. |
| 1975 | Other | Mill re-opens. |
| 1969 | Other | Production ceases in April 1969. |
| 1968 | Development, Underground: Drifting/Raising | Approximately 976 m of underground development. |
| 1967 | Other | Production decision was made. |
| 1966 | Development, Underground: Drifting/Raising | Approximately 2,107 m of drifting. |
| 1966 | Drilling: Diamond | Unknown number of holes, 2,226 m. Most of which appears to have been collared from underground. |
| 1965 | Development, Underground: Drifting/Raising | |
| 1963 | Trenching: Mechanical | |
| 1946 | Other: Prospecting |
Regional Geology - Terrane
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Regional Geology - Bedrock
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Age Max: MA
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Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence
| Report Number | Year | Title | Worktypes | Holes Drilled | Meters Drilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 095315 | 2010 | Assessment Report on the 2010 Trenching and Diamond Drilling Program Charlotte Property | Reclamation - Development, Surface, Diamond - Drilling, Soil - Geochemistry, Surveying - Other, Mechanical - Trenching | 14 | 1452 |
| 095089 | 2009 | Report on a Geophysical Survey on the Mount Nansen Property and the Tawa Property | Electromagnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics | ||
| 093231 | 1994 | Suinmaiy Report 1994 Exploration Program -Mt. Nansen Gold Project | All Weather Road - Development, Surface, Auger - Drilling, Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry, Geotechnical - Studies, Mechanical - Trenching | 15 | 1036 |
| 092701 | 1989 | Report on the Geology and Mineral Inventory of the Mt. Nansen and Tawa Properties With Assessment of the Economic Potential for Open Pit Mining of Oxidized Mineralization in the Brown-McDade Zone | Data Compilation - Pre-existing Data, Resource Estimate - Studies | ||
| 092122 | 1987 | Nansen Project Final Report,Report on Bulldozer and Excavator Trenching Rusk Group,Environmental Update For the Mount Nansen Project | Diamond - Drilling, Water - Geochemistry, Metallurgical Tests - Lab Work/Physical Studies, Environmental Assessment/Impact - Studies, Backhoe - Trenching, Mechanical - Trenching | 17 | 1048.50 |
| 091825 | 1985 | Report on Geological, Geochemical, Geophysical, Trench and Drill Results on the Mt. Nansen Property | Interpretation - Airphotography, Environmental Clean-up - Development, Surface, Diamond - Drilling, Rotary - Drilling, Muck - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Regional Bedrock Mapping - Geology, EM - Ground Geophysics, Metallurgical Tests - Lab Work/Physical Studies, Line Cutting - Other, Environmental Assessment/Impact - Studies, Geotechnical - Studies, Resource Estimate - Studies, Mechanical - Trenching | 30 | 2232.90 |
| 092553 | 1968 | Geology, Economy, Boring - Brown-McDade,Huestis,Webber Zones, Mount Nansen Property | Resource Estimate - Studies | ||
| 062230 | 1966 | Preliminary Feasibility Report Development and Mining Operations at the Mount Nansen Properties | Pre-feasibility - Studies | ||
| 062258 | 1965 | [Summary of the Peso Silver Mines Ltd. Properties] | Data Compilation - Pre-existing Data, Research/Summarize - Pre-existing Data, Resource Estimate - Studies |
Related References
| Number | Title | Page(s) | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| YEG1998_20 | A summary report on the geology of the Brown-McDade gold-silver deposit, Mount Nansen mine area, Yukon | Annual Report Paper | |
| YEG1997_Andersen | Geology of the Flex gold-silver vein system, Mount Nansen area, Yukon | Annual Report Paper | |
| 1987-2(G) | Geology of Mt. Nansen (115I/3) and Stoddart Creek (115I/6), Dawson Range, Central Yukon | Open File (Geological - Bedrock) |
| Citations |
|---|
| JDS Mining. Website: https://www.jdsmining.ca/projects/mt-nansen/ |
