MAR 19670004: ROCKY MOUNTAINS
Received date: Dec 31, 1967
Public release date: Jan 01, 1969
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ECONOMIC MINERALS *li•' MINERALS INVES'I1GATION FILE REPORT- No of the led
ROCKY MOUNT1NS AREA
ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA
Prepared for
1MPERAL OIL ENTERPRISES LTD,
By
GEOPHOTO .s}?av:cEs, LTD.
Caigary, Alberta,
December, I$7.
?Oô DE/ft/ ü u,ri,t1r /V, f. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lao
INTRODUCTION* . . . . .
TOI'OCRA1HY AND ACCESSfl3I111TY ...... 3
LOGIS'IIcS AND PERSONNEL ...... 5
GENERAL GEOLOGY . . , ,. . . . 6
MA? C(,MPILAflON . 7 I'opogLaphicvlaps ...... 7 Geologic rviaps ...... 8 Air Photcgraph ...... 8
Mosaics ...... 4bs1* 9
... FIELD WORK ...... 10
GEOCHEMICAL ANQ1ALIES ...... 13 Geera. R.rk ...... Atoh1..3i ]...... 14 2 ...... / Axo:t)r 3...... 18 Anoa.iy 4 ...... 20 A c5to9 ...... 20 Aia ...... 21 Fie.the&i Ri'.: Valley Recsane ...... 23
CONCLUS)DNS AND RECOMML.NDAT1ONS ...... 25
131BLIOCRA PkITY A Ccçic Mi B — 1crG iitd Oh.rFvblicu-Uicns 1160 114 ° 112°
MAP INDE:x
. ROCKY MOUNTAINS AREA, AL SE TA.
GEOPHOTO SERVICES LTD. sckLE: I I r-, Ck I LS INTRODUCTION
This report presents the results of a minerals exploration pro- gram, based on reconnaissance geochemical aurveylng, which was conducted throughout an area of approximately 2, 500 square miles in the Rocky
Mountains of southwestern Alberta and the adjoining part of British Columbia.
The Map mdcix plate opposite, shows the area investigated and its relation to
Calgary and the provincial borders of Alberta.
The purpose of the Rocky MountaIns project was to locate miner- alized areas of possible economic interest. Application could then be made to the Government of Alberta for prospecting permfts and fuil -her dealled exploration work undertaken within the concessions.
Geochemical stream sampling was the method employed wIth dir- ect transportation by helicopter used for the collection of samples. A small field geochemical laboratory was established for base metal assaying of the sampie, using cord extraction methods of analysis.
Exclusive phoogeoiogIc maps, air photos, and mosaics supplied by Imperial 011 Enterprises Ltd., were used for control In the field work, supplemented by geologic maps published by the Geological Survey of Canada.
The field pary Lft Calgary on 25 September, 1967, and in the one month field activities approximately twothirds of the project area as out- lined by imperial Oil geologists was covered by the survey.
1
S
In summary, the results of the field program were not too
encouraging. Nine anomalous areas were located and prospected In the
field but no surface mineralization was uncovered. Further work In these
arec has not been recommended.
A review of the field work and the hot extraction assay results
I. received subsequent to the field operations, indicates that further work Is
warranted In the vicinity of Mount Gass and in the Flathead River area of
British Columbia. :
a
.
2 S TOPOGRAPHY AND ACCESSIBILITY
The Rocky Mountains project area, as initially outlined, lies
immediately east of the British. Columbia Alberta border and forms an
elongated strip of country approximately four miles in width, 'with a
northern boundary at the Trans Canada Highv'ay east of Banff and the
southern boundary at Waterton. Lakes National Park.
Structurally, the area lies wholly wIthin the Front Ranges sub-
province of the Rocky Mountain system (North and Henderson, 1954).
North of the Hghworod River the topography is generally rugged with peaks
rising to over 1.0, 000 feet. la this scenically picturesque mountain country.,
a the heaciwa.er streams drainIng eastwards are more youthful than is con- . sidered desirable for geochenJca1 stream sampling.
South of the Hghwocd River, the topography is less rugged.
Along the western border, the '1Lgh Rock Range ad the Flathead Range
to more than 8, 000 feet with several peaks exceeding 9,000 feat. Else
where the terrain is ganerally below timberline with only occasional peaks
rising above 8, 0,00 feet.
Access to the area is by means of the gravelled (ananaskic
Cohean Road which connec.e the Tran Canada Highway, east of Bamf, with
Colman on Alberta Highway N. 3. Three gravel roads joth the Kanana skis -'
Colmari Road from the east, croang the From Ranges via the east-west
.
3 valleys of the Highwood River, Willow Creek and the Oldrnan River.
The major river valleys within the project area are iiiirtan
forestry preserves and therefore local logging roads frequently provide
fair weather accers to the higher ground of the Front Range8.
After the field operatioe had begun Irnprial Oil Enterprises
Ltd. extended the project area to include the Flathead River valley and the
adjacent mountains. This regmi of British Columbia south of the No. 3
( Hiway, is densely timbered and not well Gufted to helicopter oparatlons.
A rarely used bush road follows the Flathead River valley southwards from
No. 3 Hjway to ihe abandoned Customs steionq of Flathead on the inter
oiial boundary.
to 4 (
1 S
f LOGISTICS AND PERSONNEL /
The field program was carried out by the follciw!ng Geophoto per -
sonnel G. J. McGinn, J. R. O'Donnell, E. M. Estabrooks, A. T. Foley, and C. 0. Raham. H. Armstrong was employed as cook.
Helicopter support was provided under contract by Bullock Wings
& Rotors Ltd. (C. Armstrong, pilot and M. O'Rielly, flit engineer) and
Alpine Heicoptere Ltd. (T. Jensen, R. Tymrlck, and K. Ostertag, pilots,
and R. Harris, flight engineer).
An International Trevelali van and a half Ion pck-up provided
ground transportation while a four-ton, truck was used for distributing
aviation gas and for towing the lnduatral trailer which served as field accomo-
dation.
~ A Bell 47C - 3F3 - 1 helicopter was used for air traiw,,- 3vt except
briefly when it was replaced by an Ailouette turbo. helicopter. This latter
machine proved entirely unsuitable for geochemical sampling operations but
had a limited application in the ground follow-up work.
.
5 S
GENERAL GEOLOGY
The Rocky Mountains project area forms part of the classic
geologic province of the Western Cordillera of Canada. For the purpose of
this report, the geology, and structure of the area is not discussed and
therefore reference is made to the work of North and Henderson (1954) and
the exclusive photogeologic evaluations prepared by Geophoto Services • Ltd.
for Imperial Oil Enterpri8ea Ltd. The bibliography also contatne a complete
listing of pertinent Geological Survey of Canada maps and memoirs.
Mineralization of the southern Rocky Mountains Is discussed by
Hedicy (1954) and few known mineral showings occur within the proJect area.
Hedley mentions the Bearspaw lead-zinc deposit near Mount Cass. LOW . grade gypsum deposits are known in the Kananaskis Lakes area. The coed
and petroleum deposits are, of cource the better known mineral occurretices
but these fall outhide the, scope of this investigation.
. 6 MM' COMPILATION
The maps and sImilar materiels used on the field studies were
compiled in conforancem with the Canadian Nations i Topographic System
grid as siiowii on the Index Map (see Introduction). These materials were
obtained from three mainóurces and the following paragraphs summarize
the pre field map compilstion activities. It should be noted that the Flat -
head River area was not included in the original project outline and the
materfrds available are therefore less complete In this area.
L000_1_21CM i _1122
For the or1g1al project area paralleling the British Columbia -
Alberta border, standard one Inch to one mile contoured topographIc maps
were purchased and board mounted for use on the field operations.
Six base maps at a scale of one inch to one mile were drafted on
Permascale using a po]yc:onic projection. Additional drainage detail was
transferred from the topographic maps for those areas of the map sheets
which lay within the projct boundaries.
The six base maps were used to plot the geochemIcal sample
lcations and ozalid copies of the cthal maps accompany this report.
(S 7
GeoLogLchlff
Imperial Oil Entc:rprises Ltd. provided phoogologic coverage
61 paxt of the project area. The exclusive photogeologic evaluations had
been conducted by Geophoto Services, Ltd., in the late This
mapping covers the following NITIS. grtd sector 82 G / 1, 2, 7, 8, 10,
15, and 82 J / 10 (W 1/2), ii, and 14. .
A geologic map accompanying the Thirteenth Amual Field Con-
.., .,.,... fernce report of the A1be:ta Society of Petroleum Geologists (Fitzgerald,_,.
1963) was used as coverage in 82 0 / 3.
Published Geological Survey of Canada maps at a scale of one
Inch to one mile were used for geologic coverage in 82 G / 7 (E 1/2). 8, 9,
16 and 82 J /. 1 (W 1/2), 2, 7 (E 1/2), 10 (E 1/2), and 14 (W 1/2).
Geologic coverage for the Flathead River area was çbtained from
the Geological Survey of Canada map (one inch to to miles) for 82 G / 2
and 7 (W 1/2).
No large ecale m:appng was available for 82 J / 7 (W 112).
Air Lis
mperil Oil Enerpr1ses Ltd. supplied air photo coverage for
almost all of the project area. To obtain full stereoscopic coverage, Geo-
photo purchased an addftioral twenyfour air photos. For the Flathead 0
r . River area, only partial coverage was supplied by Irnpera1 Oil Enterprises
and Geophoto did not supplement this with additional photography.
Mosaics
Imperial Oil Enterprises Ltd. supplied twelve mosaics covering
most of the project area. Geophoto Services • Ltd. supplemented this with
( three of their mosaics (82 0 / 3, 82 G / 7, and 82 J / 15). No mosaic
was available for part of the Flathead area (82 G / 2).
. 9
HELD WORK
The field program commenced on 25 September, 1967, and lasted nearly one month. Interruptions due to helicopter failures and adverse weather conditions seriously affected performance in the field and the con- tract terminated with approximately one third of the project area not cov - ered by geochemical field sampling..
The Bell 47G. - 32 - 1 helicopter is ideally suited to this type of geochemical reconasance program. Unfortunately, the machine supplied by Bullock Wings & Rotors Ltd. had three engine failures during sampling operations, resulting in a walk back to camp each time for the pilot and geo- logist. It was to be replaced by a second G- 3B I helicopter but the inconing machine had to make a forced landing during the ferry from Golden, British
Columbia, to the project area. An Aliouette turbo helicopter vs then allocated to the contract but proved unsuitable for this particular type of flying. The machine crashed aud was demolished after two days of service.
Alpine Helicopters Ld., of Calgary, was contracted to complete the flying operations and no futher theidents reu1ted.
A few days were lost due to adverse weather ccndtions. Heavy rain d snow accompanied by high winds sharply increased flying hazards and the late Fall weather 'roved to be unsuitable for a project of this type.
Snow In the high country also made ground follow-up lmixssible or dangerous
10
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in several thstances. Sov, and frost interfered with normal landings and
occasionally prohthited stream sediment sampling.
Nearly' fourteen hundred geochemical samples were collected
during the field operations of which approxmate1y 89 percent were obtaned
by helicopter. The samples were returned to the base camp where a srasii
geochemical field lsboraoiy Was set up to process them for cold extraction
base metal analyls. Each &arnple was assayed for heavy mecals using the
Bloom Test and those samiee which rated anomalous on this teEt, were
then run for copper using the HoLmn Test.
Briefly, the fieid ganclienaicai axiaiyss detect. trace amounts Of
base metals in tOii ami stream eimenc sanipies by c lorimetric technique.
The samples are partially digested in a Total Heavy Meta 14§3 (ThM) buffer or
copper buffer and titrated gaist an organic so'vent (dithi zone) to u die
tinothe green endpont. The field assay cesuls are plotted on the six
Gicchemlcal Sample Plans which accompany this report and they show the
number of mis of 0.001%. dithizone Indicator rec.niired to achieve this end-
point.
To aeslet in evahtating the signUicance of anoma'ous sempiE.
some eighty of them were ent to a conanerclal essay laboratory for total
eractio snalySiC . The reUt3 ohtind e)eSe€'1 in pre par miflio
of cope, lead and zinc, are also plotted on tho Geotheioal Sample P2sn,
0 . O The field sniples were transported to Calgary on completion of
field operations. Ceophoto has sorted, dried, and boxed these. samples
and is storing the material on behalf of Imperial Oil Enterprises Ltd.
i .
I f ih 1 S
GEOCHEMICAL ANOMALIES
General Remarks
Nine geochemical anomalies were investigated in the project area
and their locations are shown 021 the Geochemical Sample Plans accompanying.
this report. Geoc.hemcal anomalies were established purely on the basis of
assay results from the field geochemical laboratory. Anomalies were field
checked by additional reconnaissance geochemIcal sampling, detailed follow-
up geochemca1 sampling on the ground s and by careful prospecting of acces
sible outcrops.
Anomalies 1, 2, 3 and 6 were uncovered within or close to the
boundaries of the permit area obtained from the Alberta Government and hid k by Imprisl Oil Enterprises Ltd. Greater emphssts on follow-up geochemical
sampling and detailed ground prospecting was placed on these anomalies.
About half way through the field program, four to five irche of
snow fell in the higher ccunry mak.ng the field checks of Anomalies 5 to 9
rather diIfcuit. Only Anomaly I is discussed in detail due to its larger areal.
extent and the favourable geologic. settingg . Unfortunately, no sign1fcant mm -
erzatIon was uncovered on any of the anomalouc areas.
13 Anomaly 1
Location.ndGeOio
-• Anomaly 1 is located in the east central portion of Map Sheet
82 J/NW, 1 to 2 miles east and southeast of Mt. Blanc, a prominent peak
of the Opal Range. It occupies a 2 mile long north south zone in the south-
western headwaters of the Ltt1e Elbow River.
The northwesterly trending Rundle Thrust Fault parallels the
main valley in the vicinity of the anomaly and brings undivided Banif, Rundle,
and Rocky Mountain carbonates in faulted contact with Mesozoic Fernie and
Spray River sed(merits, The floor of the main valley is underlain by black
carbonaceous shales and diltetanes of the Triassic Spray River and Jurassic
Feinle Groups while Paleozoic carbonates form the higher rugged terrain
both to the east and to the west.
The orignai reconnaissance geoch2mlcal samples that localized
Anomaly I Include stream sediment samples 1(195 to K201. Samples K197,
K20, and 1(201 gave fairly high THM values of 12 m1a, 13 ails , and lOrnis
respectively using cold extraction geochemlc.1 methods.
During follow up operations 10 additional stream cedlment'camples
were taken on foot from the smaller adjoinbg trthutaries uttreara hotn
14 .
the original sample locations to provide further control on the lateral
extent of the geochemical anomaly. Cold extraction geochemical tests were
0 run on the spot with the aid of a small field kit although, in each case, a
bagged sample from the same locstion was retatned for further tests at the
field laboratory and for hot extraction. nalys1s if necessary.
Samples K460 and K451 talzen up3tream aiog an eastern trthu-
tary of the main valley were not particularly mpres1ve These eimpies
were taken from Paleozoic terrain. Sample K462 taken upstream from the
original Sample K197 on a western tributary of the main valley, also shows
a cutoff, by the time Paleozoic carbonate reached, The remaining
seven foliowup samples can he co3sidered anonaious in some degree with
W values r&mgng from 6 to 13 mis tiraton. Most of these samples were
taken from lower in the main valley and li seuthern tributaries and appear
to have been thflueced by the presence f Mesoncic iic car onaceous
sles end. silt ones
Ho extraction a.ayses from Anomal)' 1, with the eccepon of
K466 show thic vaiws of 100 pares per million or more. Sample l.2Oi with
300 ppm zInc and 30 ppm copper is hIgh enough to be of i nteest. Although
undivided Rocky Mo nLeJ.n sid Rudie carboiiates ecc.ur upstream 1rn thfs
npie the location is ln .xced by rook debre from the MesozoIc car
bouaceou 8ecrttS. 'This msskit?g ect wau noted in many caee to oc'.:ur
withi 300 to 400 feet of actual Meseoic -' Paieooc contact zoiee avd a
15 .
definite gthernica1 cutoff was not obahied uutil the sampling was well
into the carbonates.
The hot and cold ext.-action value. for the original and fo1iow-up
samples on Anomaly 3. are as follows:
mis Titration Hoz Sample No. TFIM Cu Cu Zn Pb
20 140 x K 195 7 1 1 10 110 . x K 196 7 200 . x K 197 12 1 7 1 140 x. K 198 K 200 13 . I 10 3.00 x 30 300 K 201 K 460 3 4. x 160 x K 661 10 210 x K 462 5 x 110 K 4C'3 U - Q. -- 10 100 K 4&4 7 - 30 110 x K 465 20 . 30 x K 466 5 K 467 10 10 100 x
x Ims than 10 ppm
Follow Up Work
Folk", -up work waG initiated by a enera1 raroxxialssance of the
anoi-,LR1 zus area by helicopter Tho, step was detdied ground geochemical
., ,.,a,*, p1ng uppi iented by convicma pro etiug methods . Finely dissern.' S red pyrite oceurrs, in a few frhly k.Fn pieces oil hdck from both the
.
i 10 Mesozoic and Paleozoc Ledtments. No other si1ph1de mineralization
was noted in the area. Extensive scree elopes near the upper reaches of
( the tributary streams were e-.xam'Ined for mineral bearthg ioat without
success.
Further follow up work is not justified in the vicinity of Anomaly
1. The hot eiraction gechemlca1 results are not especsfly impressive.
The presence of carb-anaceour., black shales and cilistones.of the Fernie
and Spray River Groups are probably reeporisthle for the slightly higher
than average trace amounts of zinc.
AnomaXy
Anomaly 2 is located on the western trthutaries of Shoulder Creek
near the south end of the rugged Fisher Range. The anomaly lies approxi-
mately one and one-half rnies northwest of Mount Romulus.
The bedrock in the area of the anomaly consists of Palliser and
Farhoim carbonates and black platy calcareaug shales of the l3anff and
Exehaw Foxraatlons. The Lc des Arcs, Thrust Fault passes through the
area and brings the Dsvonan Falrhohn Group in faulted contact with. the MIs
siippian Eanlf Formation.
Reconnaissance geochemical samples K 266 and K 287, with 13
and 16 n1s TFiM titxation values respectively, established Anomaly 2.
Fuzher earnpes, K 470 to K 472 were collected by helicopter upstream
17 r S
1 . from K 286 but little or no pattern could be established. Follow-up
sampling on the ground produced Wsappointlngly low values, especially
upstream from sample location K 287. These additional samples were
run on the spot and the geochemical results recorded in the field without
a sample beg retained.
Hot extraction values were suprisingly low. Zinc ranges from
80 to 260 Parts per million and all the samples contain less than 10 parts
per mion of both copper and lead. •. -
Anomalous follow-up values mainly occurred at the base of exten-
sive scree slopes which were thoroughly examined. No sulphide minerali-
zation was locatd. Anomaly 2 is considered to be the result of concentrating
. effects by percolating runoff waters over a large area of brokm rock con-
taining sllghtly higher than normal but not economical amounts of zinc.
Anomaly 3 is located in the southwestern por -tion, of Map Sheet
82 J / NW at the southern end of the Opal Range and approxImately 1 mile
east of Elpoca Mountain. Drainage in this area forms the headwates of the
Elbow River.
The southern extension of the Momit Rundle Thrust Fault occurs
east of Elpoca Mountain. Banff, Rundle, and Rocky Mountain Formations
18 form the higher ground while the main valley, Lu pare. Is underlain by Spray
River and Ferne carhoacous shalaet3 and sfltitones
The recorwalsGance samples which origInally defined th anomaly
eayed Iftom 6 to25 mis THM titration. Some of the oi1owup samples
taken oi foot ascayed in eces of 15 mIs THM zltration. Careful proipecthig
supported by field geochemistry fsiied to locate surfecc mineralization.
• Hot etract1on assaye are not particularly irnpressive hm do aid in
outlining the extent of Anomaly S. Sample K 458 showftg 200 ppm of zinc,
was the higst value from this anomaly. The organic natuxe of many of the
trnp1 eeem to be at least partaiy respus1b1e ftr the slightly higher than
normal geochemicl wluea In the valley. Hot and cold cx acion wiluee for
. the orgnai reco ialecnce samples and some of the follow up samples ae
as follows:
inii r1trstln Hot Exracion (pom rrc Sample No. LJlt L'U Cu Zn Pb
K 176 25 1 x 170 K 17/ 8 I 110 t•,- 1 or A. 17 4 10 10 K 179 20 90
K 45 .. J 1 if) )10 'C K 457 5 'C 110 K 458 12 1 'C 200
x - lees than 10 ppm t.
19 Anomaly 4
Anomaly 4 is centrally 10-rated along the western side of the
KianaMs Range between the K aaskIs and Spray Lake reservoirs. The
8outhease4y 'flowing rbutay ov Smith Dorrin Creek was investigated
o two separate occasions, the first by. fcit upstream as far as sample
locaUon K 387 and later by detailed helicopter supported prospecting.
Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedinients dip steeply to the west along this flank
Of the Kananaskis Range.
A very sharp geochemica cutoff was noted s soon as follow up
sampthg passed the contact between FernieSpray River caicnaceous silt
stones and undivided Rocky MountathRund1e conatas, Samples K 3 8,7 and
K 388 ehew 25 and 20 mIri ThM titration respectively and less than 300 feet
upstream the geochemical values drop as low as 3 mIs.
Other isolated higt. values within 2 to 3 miles north and south o
Anomaly 4, also appear to have been influenced by the higher than average
thic ccntet of the c"'rbonaccouc shales and diltsttvies of the Ferale and Spray
River Groups.
Anoniaies 5 to 9
Auomalies S to 9 ±;ipally Ivci:ac4 west of Srnith-DorrenCreekr
between Mount Invincible to the south. ad the (goat rge to the north were
.
'1 rather small anomalies usually esabllshed on .a single high geochemical
value. Each of the an aious areas was field checked with the aid of
additional ground follow -'up sampling and conventionii prospecting methods.
Only sample K 366 from Anomaly 9, located along French Creek
warrr.nts further comment. This sample ran 40 ppm coppr, 700 ppm
zinc, and 20 ppm lead, and substantiated the o:rlgthai cold etracUoa value
of 25 mIs THM titration. Following this tributary to it higher reaches once
again exposed black carboroceous shales, probably the Exshaw Formation at
the base of the Banff' Formation of Mississippian age.
Mount Gas Area
Sixeen geochemical samples with THM values of 1 to 25 mIs,
from the eastern flank of the High Rock Range on Mp Sheet 82 3 / SE were
8ubmtZed for hx extraction assay • The lower valuer submthed were to
serge as background comparison with the higher THM values. The highest
zinc reuie from the entire project area, 1,200 arid 650 ppm fro'n qaniples
K 1111 td K 1113 respectively, were collected within a two mile radius of
the lodzthe prospect investigated by West Cndlan Coliieriee of
Bairmore, ABerta (Norris, 1958).
Very little Information concerniig the prospecthg and development
operations In this vicln 4ty could b2 found but orris briefly de the
.
21 • economic geology of the property. Lead and zinc mineralization occurs
"in two zones along minor splays from the Lewis thrust about 50 feet be-
low the top of the Palliser formation". Norris states that the lower mm-
eralized zone is about 30 feet thick and the upper one 10 feet thick, and
both outcrop for about 500 feet along the northeast face of Mount Gass. No
assay vaies or tonnage figures are given.
Other fairly high hot extraction geochemical results occur five
to oix. miles further north of Mount Gas, still along the eastern side of
the High. Rock Range. Zinc values as high as 580 ppm and some indication
of copper and lead occur in samples from Lost Creek and probably repre
sent either similar mineralization or similar geologic conditions to the
occurrence at Mount Gass..
Black silty pyritic shale from the basal unit of the. Exehaw
Formation may be partially responsible for the higher than normal geo-
chemical values along portions of the eastern flank of the High Rock Range.
Also contributing to at least some of the high values may be geochemical
co nbmLion from old prospect pIts and mine svorkings near Mount Gass:
A third pe ethility is that unexplored mineralization may be present.
The MQUIIt Gass area was not cxaxnined on the ground because of
auerse weather conditions. The anomaly did not show up until the final
days of the field program and heavy snow cover made ground work impossible.
22
A minor road or trail follows the valley of the Olthnsn River
and ends at the Mount Gzas workings. .This road leaves the Kananaskis -
Colmar. Highway near the junction of the Oldxnan and Livingstone Rivers.
Flathead River Valley Reconnaissance
During the second week of the field program, a reconnaissance
geochemtcal sampling trip by road down the Flathead River valley was
undertaken. Post early Cretaceous trachyLes and 3yerJ1e' that intrude
Rundle Group carbonates northeast of Howell Creek were the target areas.
Twenty nine geocham1cal samples were taken between Michel Creek,
. approximately three miles south of Corbn, British Glumbe, and the
Buntham Crcck F.athead River Junction about two and one h&2 LniIeS
north ol the abandoned Cuswins, station at Flat-head.
S Weather conditions were extremely bd and only trihutsry
streams crossing the Flathead River valley road were samp)ed. Sample
F 24, from a small tributary draining Trachyio. Ridge at mile 29.5 (by
S vehicle speedometer) south of Corbin, British Colunthi shows a fairly
high THM th:ration value of i5 ils, Other nearby streams w?.-Ash also
appear to be dr inthg the ornall intuive bodic, did not show sificant. S
9.'ic1ncn1 reu1ts
Samples F 7 to F 9, taken along Squaw Creek just south of Flat-
23 head Pass, show fairly high 'filM titration value of 12, 8 and 7 mis re-
spectively. These trthutares drain the P1eozoic terrain on the west flank
of- Centre Mountain, made up largely of RwdJe Group carbonates. All
remathth.g samples taken during the r oimtheance trip were low back. -
grc-ind values, ranging from 1 to 3 mIs THM titration.
.
24
0
CONCLUSIONS AND RE, COMMENDKI1ONS
The purpose of the minerals investigalon of the Rocky Mountains
area was to locate significant mineralization through reconnaissance gao-
chemical surveying. Although the field operations were reasonably success
ful inperformance, the ultimate Objective of the program was not realized.
Weather condItcns and poor helicopter performance both seriously
hindered execuUon of the field program. It Is now recognized that a recon-
naa8ance sampling operation of this particular type Is better performed with-
out the handicap of Fall winds and snow. The numerous mechanIcal problems
of the first G-3-13-1 helIcopter and the obvios disadvantages of the Ailouette
machine both affected the rate of reconnaissance sampling during the first
half of the field activities.
Fifty five percent of the samples were obtained from streams
drathing P 1eozoic rocks. It was recognized early in the month that the
Mesozoic shale horizons (Fernie and Spray River Groups) were the prime
sources of sp-urlouo geochemical anomalies. A number of streams were
checked where zinc anornalls origirated in black carbonaceous shales.
Poesthiy, breakdown of finely disseminated pyrite under oxidizing conditions
released a certain amount of associated zinc Into the streams which, by con -
tin1ig coa enLr1tx, crea tes t*Je anorsos coicitInris Conf rn2tio of di1
process was obtained by TFiM sssay of silt-size black shale material collected
25
- Generally speaking, the southern Rocky Mountains of western
Canada are lacking In known mineral occurrences. This is substantiated
by the results of this project. The nine anomalies located are small and
no mineralization was discovered during careful surface prospecting. The
lack of Cambrian carbonate rocks within the project area mitigates against
the discovery of economic mineralization similar to the Monarch and Kicking
Horse Mines.
Structures and intrusions are prime targets in minerals explora -
tion. Although geologic structure is obviously preisent In the area, Intrusions
are lacking. An exception to this may be the Flathead River area where a
small Intrusion ppears to be related to a significantly high geochemical value.
Within the uncompleted southeni third of the original Alberta project
area geologic conditions, although still lacking intrusives, are quite intereeting.
The area between Highway No 3, the Crows Nest Pass road, and the rortherr,
boundary of Waterton Lakes National Park contains a considerable area of Pur-
cell Group sediments of Precambrian age. This portion of the original project
area has seen recent prospecting activity and Kennecott holds a large permit
area.
It is recommended that
1. no further work be attempted on Anomalies 1 to 9 in view of the
lack of surface mineralization and the limited number of really
siguificant hot extractiqu assays. S
26 2. the Mount Gass area should be investigated by ground geo-
chemical sampliLignd careful prospecting. The area, in
the light of hot extraction results, appears to have some
merit and, with relatively easy access available, it could
be Investigated quite cheaply.
3. the Flathead River valley should be further prospected to
ascertain the cause of anomalous results obtained from
samples F 7 to F 9 and F 24. The latter sample was taken
on a stream which directly drains a sm-all intrusive body.
Again, access is readily available and further fleld work
could he economically conducted, and
4. the southern third of the original project area, which was
not completed during this field ecaon, should beat least
sampled from all available roads, especialy in the area
directly nor rth of Waterton Lakes Natioaal Park that includes
Kectt's prmit area.
IR e?ecthiily smitted,
GEOPHOTO SRV1C, LTD.
(J.R. O'Donnell
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IC o d ) QUTZ MINERAL EXPLORATION PERMIT No. 21
-If c' ) i IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED, 500- 6th AVENUE SW., S / CALGARY , ALBERTA,
1 DATE OF ISSUE - OCTOBER 27 • 1 967 / AREA 48,43 ACRES I//I - NOT IN PERMIT "I - - - -\- -I- - - - 'I
'I I
-1 7: Z 3
- - - •1 3 - - - - A.
. ITP. 2 2 V., (I
ITP 2
I I)
F7 9 T 8 5 \ S QUARTZ MINERAL EXPLORATION PERMIT No. 22
.
. TP. ai
TP. 2 0
R. 9 P.8 R.7W5M. QUARTZ MINERAL EXPLORATION PERMIT No. 23
.
TP. 24
TP. '.Q.. 3
R. 10 R.9W.SM.