REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF MINES, 1929.

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This group is owned by J. O. Stenbraten, who has done considerable stripping

Stampede. and open-cutting. The property is situated on the north side of a tributary

of the Klehini river, about 6 miles by trail from Pleasant camp. The camp

and showings are at about 4,500 feet altitude. The main showing is a quartz-vein system from

1 to about 7 feet wide, mineralized with pyrite, in diorite, and traced for over 3,000 feet. The

values are chiefly in gold. These are generally low grade, but an occasional high assay indicates

the possibility of the occurrence of high-grade shoots. The showing is described in detail in

the 1927 Annual Report. During the season the property was under option to the Alaska Juneau

Gold Mining Company, which after carrying out extensive exploratory work in further trenching

and shaft-sinking relinquished the option. It is understood from the Alaska Juneau manage-

ment that this action was influenced chiefly by the inaccessibility of the property rather than a lack of merit.

AttIn LAKE SEcTION.

Lode-mining in this section has been comparatively inactive during 1929. Owing to the death early in the year of J. M. Ruffner, the organizer of the Atlin Silver Lead Company, con- tinuation of work on this property has been held up. An engineer representing the Atlas Exploration Company examined this property in June, but apparently negotiations haye not culminated in a deal.

At the Engineer a crew of about twenty-five men started early in April in further exploration of the lower levels. This work was later suspended. Although future prospects for profitable operation under present conditions are not considered bright, definite information regarding any resumption of operations on this property is not available.

It is understood that engineers representing the Noah Timmins interests haye bonded a promising gold-silver-copper property on Tutshi lake and intend initiating exploration during the 1930 season. Some notes on this and neighbouring properties are appended herewith.

On scrutinizing former Annual Reports on this section, it is very apparent that many promising lode-mineral prospects worthy of intensive exploration exist in the Atlin Lake area. For years these have been idle. There is also an extensive deposit of magnesite of remarkable purity lying dormant in the neighbourhood of Atlin. This, together with the known geology of the area, indicates good possibilities for a non-metallic industry. The opportunities also for large-scale placer-gold operations are well known. The mineral resources of the area are described in detail in a special bulletin, by W. M. Brewer, issued by the Department of Mines in 1915.

Despite the exceptional mineral resources of this area, the region has remained compara- tively inactive. The fact must be acknowledged that the development of the country is retarded by an inconvenient and expensive transportation system, and it will not be fully developed unless this condition is alleviated. The remedy, apparent and logical, lies in the construction of a direct transportation system down the Taku River valley to seaboard, approximately 143 miles in length. With the developments that are now taking place in this latter area and the mooted Pacific-Yukon highway, the hope for the materialization of this remedy to the struggles of the interior Atlin region may perhaps be fulfilled in the not distant future.

This is a restaking of the old Great Northern group, originally staked by Joe

Jessie. Bussinger in 1906. The property consists of eight claims owned by Joe Bus-

singer, of Prince Rupert, and is situated at about 4,000 fect altitude near the

south end of Tutshi lake (altitude 2,300 feet). It is reported by the owner that the property

was examined in September by engineers representing the Timmins interests and bonded by them for exploration to start in the spring of 1930 ’

The owner describes the showing as a shear-zone 6 feet wide in an andesite formation, with limestone and gabbro in places, occurring about half a mile from a granite-contact. The zone strikes north-east and dips 65° north. Mineralization consists mainly of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite with some galena and a little zinc-blende. The average assay of ore-shoots in the zone is reported to be: Gold, 0.15 oz. to the ton; silver, 23.6 oz. to the ton; copper, 4.9 per cent.

To reach the claims it has been necessary to go in via Carcross to Windy Arm, then across a 8-mile portage to Tutshi lake, then 18 miles up the lake by boat. The property can, however, be reached from Log Cabin on the White Pass & Yukon Railway, a distance of 8% miles. It is intended to repair an old trail leading in from Log Cabin.