General Information
Secondary Commodities: gold, silver, copper
Deposit Type(s): Epithermal Au-Ag-Cu: High Sulphidation
Location(s): 62.041340 N, -137.140260 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 part of the fringe claims around the Brown-McDade property in 1943-1944. In 1946-1948, the Nansen area was explored by Conwest Exploration Company Ltd. 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.
Peso Silver Mines Ltd. acquired control of Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. in 1964 and through to 1966 explored the nearby Webber and Heustis veins (MINFILE occurrences 115I 065 and 138) and performed underground mining at the Huestis vein from 1967 to 1969. Sampling was performed on a vein south of the mill, the Mill vein, in 1967. 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 and explored the Mill occurrence with trenching in 1985 and 1986.
In 1995, BYG continued exploration and development work on their Mount Nansen Project. Prospecting was carried out over the Mill vein in 1995. 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, BYG was placed in receivership and the Nansen mine became a Type II Minesite
In 2009, 101073531 Saskatchewan Corp. flew a regional airborne and magnetic survey that included the Mill occurrence. A 43-101 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 Mill 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 Mill occurrence consists of several narrow, low grade veins exposed during construction of the Mount Nansen mine mill. The occurrence is hosted in Paleozoic basement schist and gneiss.
Sampling in 1967 on the Mill occurrence returned assays up to 0.71 oz/ton Au and 6.0 oz/ton Ag across 1.2 m.
Trenching performed at the Mill occurrence in 1985 by Chevron returned 0.086 oz/ton Au and 0.07 oz/ton Ag across 2.0 m.
First staked as part of the fringe claims around the Brown-McDade property in 1943-1944. In 1946-1948, the Nansen area was explored by Conwest Exploration Company Ltd. 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.
Peso Silver Mines Ltd. acquired control of Mount Nansen Mines Ltd. in 1964 and through to 1966 explored the nearby Webber and Heustis veins (MINFILE occurrences 115I 065 and 138) and performed underground mining at the Huestis vein from 1967 to 1969. Sampling was performed on a vein south of the mill, the Mill vein, in 1967. 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 and explored the Mill occurrence with trenching in 1985 and 1986.
In 1995, BYG continued exploration and development work on their Mount Nansen Project. Prospecting was carried out over the Mill vein in 1995. 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, BYG was placed in receivership and the Nansen mine became a Type II Minesite
In 2009, 101073531 Saskatchewan Corp. flew a regional airborne and magnetic survey that included the Mill occurrence. A 43-101 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 Mill 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 Mill occurrence consists of several narrow, low grade veins exposed during construction of the Mount Nansen mine mill. The occurrence is hosted in Paleozoic basement schist and gneiss.
Sampling in 1967 on the Mill occurrence returned assays up to 0.71 oz/ton Au and 6.0 oz/ton Ag across 1.2 m.
Trenching performed at the Mill occurrence in 1985 by Chevron returned 0.086 oz/ton Au and 0.07 oz/ton Ag across 2.0 m.
Location Map
Last Updated: Aug 13, 2020
Work History
| Year | Work Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Airborne Geophysics: Magnetic | And EM. |
| 2009 | Other | Middleton, 2009, technical report. |
| 1995 | Other: Prospecting | |
| 1986 | Trenching: Mechanical | |
| 1985 | Trenching: Mechanical | |
| 1967 | Geochemistry: Rock |
Regional Geology - Terrane
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Regional Geology - Bedrock
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Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence
| Report Number | Year | Title | Worktypes | Holes Drilled | Meters Drilled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 095089 | 2009 | Report on a Geophysical Survey on the Mount Nansen Property and the Tawa Property | Electromagnetic - Airborne Geophysics, Magnetic - Airborne Geophysics | ||
| 120163 | 1995 | [1995 Mount Nansen Project - Works Completed on Placer Claims] | Auger - Drilling | 6 | 46.27 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| YEG1997_14 | Geology and mineral deposits of the Mount Nansen camp, Yukon | Annual Report Paper |
| Citations |
|---|
| JDS Mining. Website: https://www.jdsmining.ca/projects/mt-nansen/ |
