Introduction
Western Pacific's Rock Springs property is located 50 miles northeast of Wells, Nevada. The property lies along the northwest edge of the Bald Mountain/Pequop Trend, which hosts the Company's Mineral Gulch property and is 45 miles north of Fronteer's Long Canyon property.
Property
The property consists of 20 unpatented claims located in sections 26 and 35, Township 44 North, Range 67 East.
Historic Surface and Drilling Results
Historic surface sampling and drilling was completed by Gold Fields Mining Corporation (Gold Fields) in 1987-1989. Sampling over two parallel silicified ridges, each approximately 1,000 feet long and 300 feet wide returned values up to 0.055 opt (1.88 g/t) gold and 16.1 opt (551 g/t) silver, 750 ppm arsenic, 0.99% antimony and 32 ppm mercury.
Recent surface rock chip samples obtained by Western Pacific returned values up to 0.04 opt (1.38 g/t) gold, 8.7 opt (300 g/t) silver, 1.7% lead and 2.0% zinc.
Eighteen reverse circulation holes were drilled in the project area with four of the northernmost holes intersecting significant mineralization. The project was dropped by Gold Fields before any follow-up drilling was done in this area*.
Hole |
From (ft) |
To (ft) |
Interval (ft) |
Interval (m) |
Au (opt) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (opt) |
Ag (g/t) |
RK-2 |
235 |
280 |
45 |
13.7 |
0.024 |
0.83 |
|
|
RK-3 |
0 |
325 |
325 |
99.1 |
|
|
1.0 |
34.3 |
RK-4 |
0 |
110 |
110 |
33.5 |
|
|
1.17 |
40.1 |
RK-18 |
85 |
185 |
100 |
30.5 |
|
|
1.24 |
42.5 |
* Results are historic in nature and have yet to be verified by Western Pacific.
Geology
The Rock Springs area is underlain by the Permian age Pequop Limestone which is a fossiliferous, locally thin-bedded unit that is extensively fractured and folded throughout the claim block. The Permian Grandeur Formation is in fault contact with the Pequop to the east. The main structural features include prominent north-south fractures, folds and fractures with a N50°E to N60°E orientation and folds and fractures with a N5°W to N10°W orientation. Where undisturbed, local bedding strikes N10°W and dips 20° to the west.
The main area of mineralization, both on the surface and in drilling, is along two parallel ridges that trend N60°E. Both ridges contain jasperoid units that appear to be structurally controlled. Other favorable signs of mineralization, along these ridges, are the presence of stibnite and stibiconite, along with local pyrite and barite associated with quartz veining.
Exploration Model
The Rock Springs Project exploration model is a silver/gold and base-metal style of mineralization associated with karsting and structural zones within altered rocks hosted in the Permian Pequop Formation. Similar to what is seen at Fronteer's Long Canyon and Pequop projects, and Renaissance Gold's Spruce Mountain project.
Exploration Plans
Western is looking to joint venture the Rock Springs property. Please contact us if interested in hearing more about it.