“The Montana Queen” A Rock Creek Sapphire
A Review of North America’s Largest Sapphire Producer
Presentation at the Canadian Gemmological Association October 20-22, 2017 The National Club – Toronto Ontario
Presented by Warren F. Boyd, BSc, FGAC, FCGmA, FGA Director of Marketing – Potentate Mining LLC POTENTATE MINING LLC AMERICA’S SOURCE FOR SAPPHIRES
“Rock Creek Sapphires”
2 Montana Sapphire Deposits - Location
3 Montana Sapphire Deposits • Yogo Gulch – Deep blue or purple – hard rock in a Lamprophyre dike. No new production. Economic?
• Missouri River – Alluvial Gravel benches - current sapphire production from old Dredge tailings – flooded small scale
• Dry Cottonwood Creek – Alluvial gravel with little current production
• Rock Creek – heavily weathered volcanic rocks & secondary concentration in small gulches – over 3000 acres - very rich deposit – 90% owned by Potentate. Significant production in 2016 & 2017!
4 Rock Creek - Discovery in 1893
M.H. Bryan of Philipsburg was prospecting for gold on West Fork of Rock Creek
Saved the shiny pebbles for his grandchildren
Pebbles turned out to be Sapphires when viewed by Jeweller Whalen
Sapphire “found in abundance”
Rock Creek - Discovery in 1893 Hydraulic Mining on lower ground only
Environmentally unacceptable due to slurry & moon scape afterwards
Now banned in USA/Canada
Mined from 1890s to 1930s - Industrial
6 Rock Creek Sapphire District • Known locally as Rock Creek and/or “Gem Mountain”
• Summer tourist operation called “Gem Mountain” hence Potentate refers to their mine as “Rock Creek”
• Over 60 Tons of Sapphires recovered between 1900 and 1930 – watch movements & industrial applications. Focus on small stones.
• Heat Treatment technologies in the 1980s /1990s radically improved pale greenish colours of the bulk of the sapphires to beautiful blues, yellows, pastels
• Sporadic small scale production since the 1980s
7 Abundant Wildlife / Pristine Environment
8 Blue Ribbon Trout Steam – Fly fishermen from across America seek out Rock Creek
9 Eureka Gulch & West Fork Rock Creek SAPPHIRE MOUNTAIN RANGE Grey areas – known sapphire occurrences Eureka Gulch
Eureka Gulch purchased in 2011 – producing gold/minor sapphire 4 Miles 20 Miles
The West Fork Property was acquired in 2014. Potentate has been testing this area showing Sapphire/minor gold West Fork/Rock Creek
2017 – Wash plant @ Eureka The Meadows Gulch to be relocated to West Fork property
(From Berg 2015)
Rock Creek Historical Production
Anaconda Gulch/ Sapphire Gulch /Fork Gulch / Wild Cat Gulch/Meyer Gulch/Queen Gulch The Meadows
Produced over 60 tons of sapphire since discovery in 1893 to 1930
Industrial & Watch Industry shipped to Switzerland From Berg 2015 11 Rock Creek Historical Production
TWO MILES
From Berg 2015 12 Mining Area West Fork Rock Creek
Mining Area – Near D Block West Fork Rock Creek
13 Excavator Loading the Mine Truck
14 Screening Plant -West Fork Rock Creek
UNDERSIZE GEM ORE
OVERSIZE
Undersize (<1/8”), Oversize (>1”), Ore (>1/8” & <1”) Trucking to Eureka Gulch - Jig Processing
Ore Trucked from West Fork to Eureka
Transport Weight reduced by 60%
16 Trucking to Eureka Gulch – Processing
17 Excavator Puts Ore In Hopper
Oversize/trash removed to conveyer
Under One Inch in Slurry Pump
Pump to the Large Jig Gravel Slurry to the Jigs
Larger Gravel under 1 “ and over 1/8”
Under 1/8” to smaller Jig – fine gold
Water to Sluice to verify gold captured
Can process up to 20 Cu/Yard per19 Hour Inspecting the Jig Bed - Cleanup
20 Recovery of Jig Concentrates
21 Daily Cleaning of Jig baskets Recovering sapphires
Scoop & Vacuum Concentrates Locked Screens
Recovery of Jig Concentrates
Screen 1/8” x 1” Steel Balls Scoop 6 “ across 30% Sapphire23 Jig Concentrates are Screened & Iron Shot Removed Concentrates Dried & Sapphires Recovered by Hand Picking Sapphire Rough Ready For Cleaning26 Acid Cleaning & Preparation
Sapphires are cleaned with a solution of Hydrofluoric & Hydrochloric Acids
Outsourced to licensed laboratories who have the proper safety equipment & fume hoods required for such work
Too dangerous for mine site at this time
No acids or toxic substances are used at the mine site
27 Cleaned Sapphire Ready for Sale
28 Select Assortment of Natural – No Heat Sapphire Crystals No damage from alluvial transport (unlike Missouri River) Weights range from 2 carats to 34 carats
“The Montana Queen”
29 Thermal Technologies Using Oxidizing & Reducing Atmospheres
Ovens Operating at Columbia Gem House - USA
30 Dissolving Rutile Silk (Titanium)
31 BEFORE/AFTER HEAT TREATMENT
32 Example of Heat Treatment - Silk
Original Weight of Grey Crystal was 11.42 Carat – Opaque and evidence of minor asterism. Geuda?
Attempts to “find” a star in the natural rough were unsuccessful
The rough was then heated which dissolved the fine silk (rutile) and generated this fine finished gem of 3.39 carats.
33 Spectacular Orange - Heated
26.2 carats Greenish & Opaque Core
Rare Whiskey Orange Oval 7.90 carat
34 “The Montana Queen”
• Possibly one of the largest and most valuable intense blue sapphire ever recovered from the Rock Creek sapphire mine in Montana
• The recovered rough weighed was 31.84 carats
• One of the few rare gems where a precise GPS co- ordinate can be provided
• Comes with an impeccable supply chain guarantee
• GIA Monograph certifying source & treatments
35
“The Montana Queen” Discovery - June 22nd 2016
Field Photograph Including Stock No. “The Montana Queen”
Beautiful Pristine Crystal with Trigons 31.85 carats “The Montana Queen”
Window Polished – Heat Treated – Silk & Core Gone “The Montana Queen” Cutting Process – Jeff Hapeman North America’s Largest Fine Blue Sapphire?
40 “The Montana Queen” GIA Monograph – Montana Queen Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Auction November 2015
• What is the “The Montana “The Big Sky Sapphire” Queen” worth? • “The Big Sky” Sapphire 12.54 carat – No Heat • Lot 344 – Nov/15 • Est:$300-500K • Hammer Price US$394,000 or > US$31k/carat GIA Monograph #6173139524 • Less due to Heat treatment • Larger 12.62 vs 12.54 More Spectacular Stones Coming • 2016 Season produced 220 kg of +3.35 mm rough sapphire
• 2017 Season projected at 190 kg of +3.35 mm rough sapphire
• Forest fires, evacuation orders, water issues
44 America’s Largest Gem Sapphire
59.5 Carat Clean Crystal Largest ever recorded in USA
45 27 Carat Green Sapphire – Silk Core 2015 Exploration Pit Discovery
27 ct Rough Sapphire Found in 2015 Test Pit 9.85 Carat Green Sapphire Heat Treated to Clarify 27 Carats Crystal
46 Original Weight 11.76 carat Preform 9.10 carat Heat Treated Glenn Lehrer - TorusRing DeepPinto Blue – SapphireWeight 4.92 carat Heat Treated
To Be Designed into a Unique Jewelry Pieces Pinto Sapphire Rich Blue Sapphire – Weight 5.57 carat No Heat – Sri Lanka Cutting
$10,000 / carat
PM1205 Rich Blue Sapphire – Weight 5.57 carat No HeatPinto – Sri SapphireLanka Cutting
$10,000 / carat PM1205 Purple-Orange Bi-Colour–1.52 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$1980 / carat
PM1221 Orange Sapphire – Weight 7.86 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$2500 / carat
SOLD Violet-Orange / Purple Color-Change PintoWeight Sapphire 1.53 carat No Heat
$1960 / carat
PM1015 Peacock Blue – Weight 1.76 carat Pinto SapphireNo Heat
$1300 / carat
PM1005 Purplish Pink– Weight 1.99 carat Pinto SapphireNo Heat
$2000 / carat
SOLD Gold & Blue Bi-coloured – Weight 2.83 carat Pinto SapphireNo Heat
$2500/ carat
PM 1156 Yellowish Green – Weight 3.06 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$2500 / carat
PM1145 Blue-Orange Bi-Colour– Weight 2.41 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$1000 / carat
PM1326 Bright Sky Blue – Weight 2.10 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$2000 / carat
PM1438 Bright Orange – Weight 2.17 carat PintoHeat Sapphire Treated
$1650 / carat
PM1287 Pinto Sapphire – Weight 1.83 carat Pinto SapphireNo Heat
$2000 / carat
PM1143 Blue-Orange Bi-Colour– Weight 2.74carat Pinto SapphireNo Heat
$2000 / carat
PM1234 Precision Cutting Production Global Markets including USA Ideal Product for Production Manufacturers
63 Marketing Objectives
• Potentate Mining LLC is planning to have Rock Creek Sapphires in designer & production jewellery throughout North America, Europe & Asia through select clients & manufacturers
• Ethically Sourced / Supply chain warranties
• Environmentally responsible
• All American Gemstone
• Every mall in America within the next few years
Acknowledgments
• Photography by Warren Boyd, Keith Barron, John Rae, Andrea Rae, Jeffrey Scovil, Jeffrey Hapeman, Arlan Able, Kiwon Jang
• Gemstone cutting Earth’s Treasury & Americut, Sri Lankan dealers & others
65 Potentate Promo Video
• https://vimeo.com/183364616