DOLLY VARDEN SPRINGS
ELKO COUNTY, NEVADA
- OVERVIEW
- HISTORICAL
- GEOLOGIC SETTING
- PREVIOUS EXPLORATION
- PLANNED EXPLORATION
- VIDEO
The Dolly Varden Springs Project explores a copper-gold skarn system with significant associated silver, lead, and zinc mineralization. Grades seen in outcrop and nearby historic drill holes infer a target of +50M tonnes with potential grades of 1-2% Cu, +1-2 gpt Au with significant base metal and Ag credits. Dolly Varden is a name familiar to people of the early 1900s. The name is a familiar one in Charles Dickens’ book, Barnaby Ridge. Silver was first discovered in the area in 1869 but nothing much happened until the Dolly Varden mine was discovered in June of 1872. By the end of the year, two active camps had formed with about 50 miners in both camps. The Dolly Varden mine developed into one of the richest copper mines in southern Elko County. A severe drop in copper prices forced the closure of the mines at Dolly Varden and did not reopen until 1905. Another mine, the Victoria, was the top producer in 1908 and 1909. The mines closed again one by one in 1911 and 1912 due to another drop in copper prices. A small revival took place in the 1920s but by 1927 the district had been abandoned. Another revival occurred in 1941 to 1947 prompted by World War II. During the 1970s and 1980s activity resumed at the Victoria mine exploiting high grade copper ore.
The Project covers approximately 1370 hectares along the east slope of the Dolly Varden Mountains adjacent to the past producing Victoria Mine. Anaconda Minerals produced 800,000 tonnes of high-grade copper ore from 1973 until 1977 grading 2.0% Cu, 10 gpt Ag with significant Au and Bi credits. Most historic exploration focused on the vicinity of the Victoria Mine until the mid 90’s when surface sampling identified the high-grade skarn on the Dolly Varden unpatented claims. While no drilling has been completed within the project area, there are scattered drill holes just west of the project area that intercepted 10’s of meters of up to 1% Cu.
The Dolly Varden Springs project area is underlain Permian-Triassic age clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks. The sedimentary sequence is intruded by Cretaceous quartz monzonite. Younger, possibly early Tertiary, porphyritic dikes cut all of the above rock units and are thought to be related to the Cu-Au-Ag base metal mineralization. A variety of skarn assemblages and jasperoid are the prime host lithologies.
Rock-chip sampling by the underlying claim holder produced up to 3.5% Cu and 4.2 gpt Au. Sampling by Copper Resource Group verified Au and Cu values but importantly identified significant accompanying Ag, Pb, and Zn: up to 281 gpt Ag, 6.1% Pb, and 13.6% Zn. This mineralization is hosted by skarn and crops out over a 3000 meter strike length.
Detailed mapping and sampling are planned to better understand the skarn system and refine targets for drilling. Aerial magnetics and ground IP are also planned prior to drilling. An initial 5000 meter reverse-circulation drill program is contemplated for Dolly Varden Springs.
