Athabasca Claims, British Columbia, Canada
In September, 2009, the Company signed an option to purchase the Athabasca group of claims, which includes the historic gold producer the Athabasca Mine. The property consists of ten reverted crown granted claims and five located claims.
Its history begins in 1896, when a gold bearing quartz vein (to become known as the Athabasca vein) was located on the slopes of Toad Mountain. The Athabasca Gold Mining Co. Ltd. secured $1,000,000 from British interests to develop the discovery. Ore was being shipped in 1897 and by 1901, the mine had produced over 435,449 g (14,000 oz) of gold from only 9,979 tonnes (11,000 tons) of ore.
In 1897 the ore was transferred via tram line to the Silver King smelter in Nelson. By 1898, an onsite stamp mill was constructed on Giveout Creek with ore extracted by means of amalgam plates. Recovery averaged less than 80 percent. Tailings were impounded pending the addition of a cyanide circuit, but there is no evidence the tailings were ever re-milled. If not, there is the possibility that up to 18,144 tonnes (20,000 tons) of 8.579 g/t (0.25 oz/t) may exist at the old mill-site which remains on the existing property (as stated in the NI 43-101 non- compliant Beaty Geological Ltd. Athabasca Compilation Report – 1987).
The mine was leased intermittently to various contractors between 1904 and 1934. During this interval, operators removed some of the remnant pillars and expanded a number of the old stopes. In 1933, there was an attempt to develop a new level 169 feet (51 meters) below the original workings. They did not reach the contact, but managed to obtain gold by reworking old dump material. There has been no record of mining or development work being carried out since 1943.
Historical records show total production of over 622,069 g (20,000 oz.) of gold from about 19,958 tonnes (22,000 tons) of ore.
There is no evidence that ore grades diminish with depth. The property has never been drilled.
*Due to the fact that the life of the mine and its development occurred early in the twentieth century, records referred to are not NI 43-101 compliant and therefore may not be relied upon.*
