Venus Mine

Arctic & Northern Mining

Dateline: January 15, 2024.

    The author of these reports, D. C. (Chris) Findlay, was a long-time employee of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). He retired in 1995 after a 30-year career, during which he served in a wide variety of capacities. After being employed full time with the GSC in Ottawa since 1962, he came to Whitehorse in 1966 to replace Dr. Lew Green as Resident Geologist for the Yukon Territory.

1966

The Mineral Industry of Yukon Territory and Southwestern District of Mackenzie, 1966
Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 67-40
D. C. Findlay

Venus Group (Venus Mines Limited) (60°01'N, 134°38.2'W)
(Gold-Silver)

References: Cairnes (1908, pp. 16-17; 1909, p. 31; 1817, pp. 39-41; in Bostock, 1957, pp. 254-255; 282; 447-449); MacLean (1914, pp. 194-200); Cockfield and Bell (1926, p. 40); Wheeler (1961, pp. 129-130).

    The Venus group consists of 27 claims (including 8 Crown Grants) located along the west side of Windy Arm, Tagish Lake, near the site of the long-abandoned settlement of Conrad City. During the period 1904-1918 this area was under intermittent investigation for gold and silver and numerous properties, including Venus No. 1, Venus No. 2, Venus Extension, Vault, Montana, Mountain Hero, Dail, Flemming, and M and M, amongst others were worked to varying degrees. The remains of the original 100-ton mill built on the lakeshore in 1908 to treat ores from the Venus, Montana, Mountain Hero, and Vault operations are still present at Conrad, as are the aerial bucket tramway systems leading from the Venus and Montana portals downhill to the mill. Small ore shipments were made from time to time from the district and Cairnes (1917) reported that about 6,000 tons of ore was supposed to have been mined at the Venus operation, part of which was shipped to smelters.

    Gold-silver values occur in a series of northerly-trending, shallow-dipping quartz vein systems cutting intermediate to acidic volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Hutshi Group (unit 7, Wheeler, 1961). One of the principal veins, the Venus, is a persistent structure that has been traced, on surface and underground, for more than a mile. It consists of coarse crystalline ouartz and carbonate, carrying irregular bands and lenses of pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and minor sphalerite and chalcopyrite. The vein ranges from a few inches to 5 feet in thickness, its strike averages N 10° E and its dip is about 35° W. It was explored by underground workings in four adjacent properties - Vault, Venus No. 1, Venus No. 2 and Venus Extension. Although good values were encountered in places (Wheeler, 1961, p. 130) development work showed that gold-silver distribution was erratic. A chip sample across 2 feet, taken by the present writer, from the main Venus vein exposed near the mouth of a small tunnel in the hillslope about 1,000 feet north of the Venus Extension tunnel assayed: 1.42 ounces per ton gold, 5.14 ounces per ton silver, 1.1 per cent lead, trace zine end copper (assayed by G. Spalding, Whitehorse, Y.T.).

    In May 1966, the present company, Venus Mines Limited, constructed an 18-mile tote-road from Carcross to the Venus group, where a camp and portal site were established at an elevation of about 2,700 feet, and about 300 feet south of the Venus Extension tunnel. During the period June to late September, 1966, 1,614 feet of underground exploration was carried out. A crosscut was driven northwest and intersected the Venus vein about 200 feet from the portal; the vein was then followed in a northerly-trending drift (No. 1 N) for about 300 feet, at which point the vein was lost in a complex fault zone. The crosscut was then extended a further 130 feet past the No. 1 N drift and a second vein structure was intersected. This was followed by drifting approximately parallel to the No. 1 N drift, but after 250 feet the structure was lost due to faulting. The drift was continued through the fault zone where a vein structure up to 6 feet wide and striking approximately east and dipping about 30 degrees north was intersected. Except for its strike, the new vein reportedly has characteristics similar to the Venus vein.

    Seventy feet past the new vein intersection, drifting was stopped and a diamond drilling program was initiated to outline the new structure. Drill-holes provided two intersections on the new vein as well as one on the projection of the Venus vein 80 feet to the east of the drift. This intersection assayed: 0.39 ounces per ton gold, 4.7 ounces per ton silver and 1.4 per cent lead, over a width of 4 feet (information provided by Venus Mines Limited,). The exploration program was suspended for the winter but in April 1967, the company resumed its underground drilling and drifting programs.

    As exposed in the No. 1 N drift in the present workings, the Venus vein ranges from a few inches to nearly 1 foot in thickness. Pinches and swells are common, and ore mineralization is erratic. Well-mineralized zones show a crude banding of sulphides (mainly pyrite, arsenopyrite, and galena) parallel to the vein walls. Quartz in the interior part of the vein is commonly coarse, and vuggy openings contain well-formed inward-growing quartz crystals forming comb structures. The vein strike averages N 10° E and dips 30 to 35° W. A grab sample taken by the writer from the main vein in the No. 1 N drift assayed: 0.12 ounces per ton gold, 0.50 ounces per ton silver, trace lead, zinc and copper (assayed by G. Spalding, Whitehorse, Y.T. ).

    In addition to the main vein, numerous other smaller, quartz-filled tension-gash structures have been intersected underground, some of which carry sulphide mineralization and gold-silver values.

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1967

The Mineral Industry of Yukon Territory and Southwestern District of Mackenzie, 1967
Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 68-68
D. C. Findlay

Venus Property (Venus Mines Limited) (60°01'N, 134°38.2'W)
(Gold-Silver)

References: Cairnes (1908a, pp. 16-17; 1909, p. 31; 1917, pp. 39-41; in Bostock, 1957, pp. 254-255; 282; 447-449); McLean (1914, pp. 194-200); Cockfield and Bell (1926, p. 40); Wheeler (1961, pp. 129-130).

    The Venus property comprises 27 claims (including 8 Crown Grants) located along the west side of Windy Arm, Tagish Lake, near the site of the long-abandoned settlement of Conrad City. During the period 1904-1918 this area was under intermittent investigation for gold and silver and numerous properties, including Venus No. 1, Venus No. 2, Venus Extension, Vault, Montana, Mountain Hero, Dail, Fleming and M and M amongst others were worked to varying degrees. A 100-ton mill was built on the lakeshore in 1908 to treat ore from several of these properties, and its remains are still visible. Ore was transported to the mill by an aerial bucket tramway leading from the Venus portal downhill to the mill. Small ore shipments were made intermittently and Cairnes (1917) reported that about 6,000 tons of ore was supposed to have been mined from the Venus properties, part of which was shipped to smelters.

    The gold and silver ores of the Conrad district occur in a series of northerly-trending, shallow-dipping quartz veins cutting volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Hutshi Group (unit 7, Wheeler, 1961). The Venus vein is one of the most persistent structures and has been traced for more than a mile. It contains coarse crystalline quartz and carbonate carrying irregular bands and lenses of pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena and minor sphalerite and chalcopyrite. The vein strikes north 10deg; east on the average, dips 35° west and ranges from a few inches to 5-6 feet in thickness. It was explored by underground workings in four adjacent properties - Vault, Venus No. 1, Venus No. 2 and Venus Extension. Although good values were encountered in places (Wheeler, 1961, p. 130) development work showed that gold-silver distribution was erratic.

    The present company, Venus Mines Limited, began investigation of the Venus property in May, 1966. From then until the end of 1967 4,290 feet of underground drifting and raising and 1,898 feet of diamond drilling has been completed from an adit located at an elevation of 2,734 feet (2700 level). Of this total, about 2,676 feet was completed in 1967. The underground work consists of a main crosscut to a point about 200 feet from the portal where the Venus vein was intersected; the vein was then followed by drifting north (No. 1-1N drift) to a point about 300 feet beyond the crosscut where it was lost in a complex fault zone. The crosscut was then extended a further 130 feet past the No. 1-1N drift where a second vein was intersected. This structure was followed intermittently by the No. 1-2N drift for a total distance of about 750 feet, only part of which was in ore-grade mineralization. Near the end of this drift, the vein structure was lost in a fault zone, but continuation of the drift through the fault zone resulted in a promising new vein intersection oriented approximately at right angles to the original structure and dipping about 30 degrees north. Work was suspended at this point in the fall of 1966. In April 1967, underground work was resumed and an underground drilling program, consisting of 4 holes fanned out from the face of the 1-2N drift resulted in good intersections to the east of the drift. The No. 1-2A drift was then turned off to follow the vein east, but after about 150 feet the vein turned through nearly 90 degrees and continued on a strike approximately parallel to the original No. 1-2N drift (about North 10-20° east). During the 1967 underground work the No. 1-2A N drift was continued for a total distance of about 1,600 feet (from its junctiom with the No. 1-2N drift). In addition to the work on the No. 1-2A N drift, a second drift (No. 1-2A S) was turned off from the No. 1-2A N and No. 1-2N intersections and advanced a total of about 500 feet, part of which was in ore-grade mineralization. To test updip continuity of mineralization three raises were driven from the No. 1-A N and No. 1-2A S drifts. One is located on the No. 1-2A S drift about 100 feet west of its junction with the No. 1-2N drift. It was angled south for a distance of 150 feet. The other two raises were driven northeast off the No. 1-2A N drift at locations approximately 350 feet and 900 feet beyond its junction with the No. 1-2N drift.

    According to reports released by the company, 12 ore shoots ranging in length from 15 to 105 feet and totalling 609 feet have been established by the work on the No. 1-2A N and 1-2A S drifts. (Northern Miner, October 19, 1967 and November 24, 1967). Ore grades range from 0.185 ounces per ton gold and 22.0 ounces per ton silver over a width of 5.4 feet (15-foot ore shoot) to 0.329 ounces per ton gold, 10.36 ounces per ton silver, 2.12 per cent lead and 1.92 per cent zinc over 5.4 feet (105-foot ore shoot (op. cit.). Probable ore reserves are estimated at 49,800 tons with a gross value of $39.61 per ton (op. cit.).

    As exposed in the No. 1-2A S and 1-2A N drifts the vein is a strong, fairly persistent structure ranging from about 1.5 to 6 feet in width and composed of massive white quartz streaked with bands and lenses of sulphides, chiefly arsenopyrite, pyrite and subordinate galena. The contacts with the wall-rock (pale grey to greenish grey, fine-grained silicified andesite or dacite) are usually sharp, locally knife-edged. Disseminated pyrite mineralization commonly continues into the wall-rock for 2 feet or more.

    The company plans additional extensive underground exploration in 1968, including a second adit which will be located about 150 feet vertically below the present 2700 level.

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1968

The Mineral Industry of Yukon Territory and Southwestern District of Mackenzie, 1968
Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 69-55
D. C. Findlay

VENUS MINES LIMITED                                                                             (Gold-Silver)
440 - 890 est Pender Street,                                                                         (60°01'N, 134°38.2'w)
Vancouver, British Columbia.

References: Cairnes (1908, pp. 16-17; 1909, p. 31; 1917, pp. 39-41; in Bostock, 1957, pp. 254-255; 282; 447-459); McLean (1914, pp. 194-200); Cockfield and Bell (1926, p. 40); Wheeler (1961, pp. 129-130); Findlay (1967, pp. 48-50; 1969, pp. 62-64)

    Venus Mines Limited continued underground exploration of its Windy Arm silver-gold property in 1968 and late in the year released results of a feasibility study which recommended bringing the property to production on a 300 ton per day basis. In the spring of 1969 the company began negotiations for financing to bring the property into production.

    The Venus property consists of 40 claims (including 8 Crown Grants) located along the west side of Windy Arm, Tagish Lake about 4 miles southwest of the site of the long-abandoned settlement of Conrad City. Between about 1904 and 1918 this area was intermittently explored for gold and silver and numerous properties, including Venus No. 1, Venus No. 2, Venus Extension, Vault, Montana, Mountain Hero, Dail, Fleming and M and M amongst others, were worked to varying degrees. A 100-ton mill built on the lakeshore in 1908 to treat ore from several of these properties still stands. Ore was transported to the mill by an aerial bucket tramway leading from the Venus portal downhill to the mill. Small ore shipments were made intermittently and Cairnes (1917) reported that about 6,000 tons of ore was supposed to have been mined from the Venus properties, part of which was shipped to smelters.

    The gold and silver ores of the Conrad district occur in a series of northerly-trending, shallowly west-dipping quartz veins cutting a variety of volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Hutshi Group (unit 7, Wheeler, 1961). The Venus vein has been traced for more than a mile. It contains coarse crystalline quartz and carbonate carrying bands and lenses of pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite and minor chalcopyrite. The vein strikes N10°E on the average, dips 35 degrees west and ranges from a few inches to 5 to 6 feet in thickness.

    The present company began investigation of the Venus property in May, 1966. Since that time about 7,100 feet of drifting and crosscutting, 650 feet of raising and 2, 900 feet of diamond drilling have been completed from two underground working levels. The initial adit (2700 level) located at an elevation of 2,724 feet consists of a 350-foot crosscut and about 3, 400 feet of drifting, principally on three drifts - 27-1-2 North, 27-2A West, and 27-2A North. The latter two drifts provided the best ore sections and 12 ore shoots ranging in length from 15 to 105 feet and totalling 609 feet were outlined along them. Ore grades range from 0.185 ounce per ton gold and 22.0 ounces per ton silver over a width of 5.4 feet (15-foot ore shoot) to 0.329 ounce per ton gold, 10.36 ounces per ton silver, 2.12 per cent lead and 1.92 per cent zinc over 5.4 feet (105-foot ore shoot) in these sections (Northern Miner, October 19 and November 24, 1967). Raises, driven updip at a number of locations from the 2700 level, have extended these sections over dip-lengths of up to 340 feet.

    In April, 1968 a second exploration level (2600 level) was established from a portal located about 1,200 feet northeast of the 2700 portal and at an elevation of 2, 622 feet. During 1968 a total of 3, 040 feet of drifting and 375 feet of raising were completed from the 2600 level. At the end of the year the 2600 level workings consisted of about 1,440 feet of crosscutting and 1,200 feet of drifting, mainly on the 26-2 North drift (900 feet) which lies downdip and north of the 2A North drift on the 2700 level. A raise (26-825), located about 150 feet north of the 26-2 North drift - main crosscut intersection was driven updip to link with the 2700 level and a 2,650 sublevel was established from this raise and driven about 150 feet to the south.

    The 26-825 raise linking the 2600 and 2700 levels exposes one of the best vein sections in the mine. It consists of alternating bands of quartz and massive sulphides (pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and sphalerite) over total widths up to 5 feet.

    A composite bulk sample, consisting of 34 100-pound samples taken at 5-foot intervals on the 2700 level yielded a grade of 0.39 ounce per ton gold, 11.55 ounces per ton silver, 2.58 per cent lead, 1.67 per cent zinc and 0.093 per cent cadmium (Northern Miner, September 19, 1968). Ore reserves are considered as: proven - 75,470 tons; probable - 59,375 tons; inferred 415,955 tons.

    In addition to the underground exploration program carried out in 1968, the company also completed a new 17-mile all weather access road from Carcross to the mine site.

    A crew of 16 men was employed on the project in 1968.