Mineralization of interest varied with the participant from gold initially, to tungsten only, in the 1930’s, to gold and tungsten, to the last significant effort in 1986 by Jascan where the only assaying was for gold. Occasional mention is also made of the existence of sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite and calcite being in evidence however, as little is made of these elements, it is expected that they are scarce components of the whole. Tungsten mineralization is said to occur as minute disseminations to clumps weighing several pounds. Free gold is reported (Jascan, 1987) to be seen and values in excess of 13 ounces per ton or over 450 grams per tonne, have been determined from samples taken from various development dumps on the property. This highest value is toward the western end of the main historical area of focus. No significant underground development was done in this area and only four holes tested west of this #4 shaft area. A Jascan sample from the muck pile near the westernmost surface workings, approximately 500 feet west of the nearest drilling, assayed 0.1115 ounces per ton or 3.82 grams per tonne.
The original discovery was made in the early or late 1860’s, depending on which report you read. The only significant gold production appears to have occurred prior to the 1900’s and is reported to be 52 ounces from 331 tons of ore for a grade of 0.16 ounces per ton or 5 grams per tonne. Seven drill holes were put in place by Indian Path Mines in 1934, followed by eighteen holes by United Simcoe in 1939-1940. Assays from the latter holes were all from sludge samples indicating the drilling may have been from some form of reverse circulation procedure. Most samples were 3-5 feet in length, ranging from 0.5 to 7 feet. Many of the holes were drilled at -30 degrees with the steepest at -60 degrees. The highest gold value obtained was 15.43 ppm over 1 foot (as converted by Hudgtec, 2008 from the original which was in dollars of value at the time). The best tungsten value obtained in this drilling was 42.65%
WO3 over 0.5 feet. Many samples had no values returned for either element and there was some “lost core” reported. There appears to be little correlation between the tungsten and gold values for the most part, but both are generally associated with quartz veining.
In 1986, Jascan Mines drilled four diamond drill holes on the property. The best gold results were from the first hole which provided 5 feet of 3.24 ppm Au starting at 79.5 feet down the hole. The highest value obtained was 5.17 ppm over 0.5 feet starting at 100.5 feet in the same hole. Unfortunately Jascan did not test for tungsten in this work. Two of Jascan’s holes tested a 500 foot long auriferous horizon outlined by United Simcoe and Indian Path Mines. Several intercepts from these hole provided values in the 1-3 ppm Au range but it is not known if they coincide with the work of the previous companies as no cross sections are provided. These were not the holes with the best values mentioned above, which tested the quite poorly explored north limb of the anticline.
Underground development began, according to Malcolm, 1929, in 1962 when a 25 foot shaft was put in place. Another is recorded as being 33 feet in 1926 and deepened to 70 feet a few years later. Goranson (1931), from the GSC described a 21 inch wide quartz vein and that scheelite occurred in an area 300 feet wide along a strike of 1300 feet. He also described a third shaft worked to a depth of 35 feet. J.P. Nowlan, in a 1977 report for Royal Aggasiz Mines reports that Government geologist J.P. Messervey reported a rich showing in shaft # 3 in 1933, and that seven short holes were drilled (by the Department) and there were numerous occurrences of scheelite throughout. It would seem that this would be the same seven holes reported (by ACA Howe for Jascan in 1987) to be drilled in 1934 by Indian Path Mines. In 1934 underground development connected the #2 and #3 shafts at the 75 foot level. It is unclear what this distance might be as the numbering of the shafts appears to have changed, according to Whitelaw, but it was probably 30 meters or less.
In addition to drilling and trenching in 1939, United Simcoe extracted a 40 ton sample from between the #2 and #3 shafts that returned 0.34% WO3. Shortly after this, Tungsten Mines Limited deepened the #2 shaft to 250 feet and did 1200 feet of lateral development to facilitate exploration and the extraction of enough tonnage to have five bulk samples sent away for processing to determine the value of tungsten in the rock. Levels were established at depths of 130 and 230 feet during this effort and the results, based on 5 samples ranging from 20-60 tons each from a 169 ton initial sample, ranged from 0.10% to 0.54% WO3. A reported 6200 tons was mined following the initial testing and 22 tons of concentrate were sent for processing, returning 0.26% WO3 based on the original volume. This was the last production from the area as demand for tungsten diminished toward the end of the Second World War.
The last work of significance regarding the property was by Bruce Hudgins of Hudgtec Consulting Ltd. in 2008. A compilation of historic drill hole data and conversion to modern form was began and a recommendation to complete the effort was made, as well as mapping and trenching efforts. It was noted that “reference is also made in at least one historic report on the potential for open pitting the tungsten zones”. It was also observed that “Preliminary graphical and visual analysis of the drill hole assay database for gold indicates the potential for wider, low grade zones associated with certain strata or facies within the Halifax Formation at Indian Path”.
Regarding the open pit potential, Charlick, 1942, reported a bulk sample returning 0.46% WO3 taken from an area from 3.5 to 19 feet in width, with no comment on possible gold content.
