Spring 2011 - The Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia

precious metals, in good part due to the
promotion of opportunities by the ministry,
as a direct result of the Colorado
mission. The recognition and documentation
of the potential for this area led
to this resurgence of activities and the
search for new epithermal precious metals
deposits (one of the first modern ones
in B.C. at the time).
Tom and Nick:
The key properties attracting attention
at that time included:
Chappelle (Baker): Mined between
› 1980 and 1983 by DuPont; property
optioned to Multinational Resources
in 1985, Nick, along with Gerry
Auger, supervises the exploration program
over next three years which is
successful in defining resources in B
Vein which is subsequently mined by
Sable Resources several years later;
Lawyers: Exploration by Serem
› between 1979 and 1989, and mined in
1989-1992;
Al: Exploration by Energex between
› 1979 and 1988, with custom mining/
milling performed at Lawyers mill
in 1991;
Ready, set. The start line of the First Annual Toodoggone Tube Race.
› Shasta: Exploration by Newmont in
the mid-’80s and later mining with
milling at Baker mine in 1989-2000
and 2005-present (Sable Resources);
› Brenda: Silver Pond (initially GWP
and optioned to St. Joe);
› JD: Initially explored by Texasgulf and
later by Energex and AGC Americas
Gold in the mid-’90s;
› Moosehorn, Mt.Graves and Spartan
properties: Mineralization was first
recognized by GWP and subsequently
optioned to Cyprus who carried out
extensive work in the mid- to late ’80s.
Tom:
This exploration/mining activity in the
early 1980s was the first fly-in/fly-out
operation in B.C.!
The ministry also initiated and brokered
the production of the first topographical
maps for the area through a
government/industry contract with Burnette
Surveys of Burnaby (on an equal
cost-sharing basis).
The interaction and importance of the
ministry with the exploration/mining
industry, especially in the late ’70s to early
’80s was pivotal to the emergence of this
36 SPRING 2011 Photograph: Tom Schroeter