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HomeMy Public PortalAboutThunder Mountain Gold, Inc.'tte Pr XV 4, r ;75 .111aVf 4hr: 1.• • thunder Mountain goid,Inc. gc)C3g 1, R)1110CDGO tm PRESIDENT'S REPORT Dear Shareholder: The fiscal year of 1981 was the most active and eventful year in the history of your company. Following are some of the meaningful events, listed in their chronological order: 1. During the 1981 field season, Canadian Superior (U.S.) Ltd. carried out an extensive exploration program on the TMG property, consisting of: a. Surveying most of the unpatented claim areas. b. Drilling of 57 vertical percussion holes. c. Geologic mapping. d. Airborne topographic mapping. e. Magnetometric survey. f. Initiation of baseline environmental studies. In addition to the above work, Superior made a $124,000 advance royalty payment to Thunder Mountain Gold. The drilling program resulted in the discovery of an exciting new zone of gold mineralization, approximately 3,000 feet south of our Sunnyside ore body, which contains 1.25 million tons of proven ore. The new ore discovery occurs in the Lightning Peak region. To date three of the holes drilled show gold mineralization that is 55 feet thick, assaying 0.12 oz. gold. Numerous other holes in the region show mineralization of a lesser grade, over very extensive areas. The ore shows a promise of a larger thickness and a higher grade in comparison with the "Sunnyside" ore body. 2. In August 1981 your company entered into a lease option agreement for the following: a. Bullion Group of claims, consisting of 1 patented and 16 unpatented claims, directly adjacent to the Thunder Mountain claims. b. "L" Group of claims, consisting of 48 unpatented claims, are directly adjacent to the "Bullion" Group. The "Bullion" and "L" claims are located in the zone of direct geologic extension of the mineralized structure, that produced the Sunnyside, Standard, Dewey, Lightning Peak and other ore bodies. These Groups add 65 claims to the area controlled by your company, thus approximately doubling the area of TMG interest in the Thunder Mountain region of Valley County, Idaho. See Plate #1 (property map) The acquisition terms pertaining to both the "Bullion" and the "L" Groups are identical and they include minimum advance royalty payments of $15,000 per year for each property and an overriding royalty of 3%. In March 1982, your Board exercised the lease option on both the "Bullion" and "L" properties. 3. In December 1981, Canadian Superior (U.S.) Ltd. gave your company a termination notice of their working agreement with the Thunder Mountain Company. This was a surprising event, especially in view of the large exploration expenditure made during the past season by Superior and in view of favorable exploration results. This move, however, proved to be a favorable event for your company because numerous major oil and mining Site of new ore discovery near Lightning Peak. From left to right: Tibor Klobusicky, gen. mgr. and Jim Collord, president. PRESIDENT'S REPORT companies expressed an instantaneous interest in the Thunder Mountain property. 4. In April 1982, your company entered into a lease agreement with Phillips Petroleum Company. The agreement took effect on April 19, 1982. It provides for 30 % royalty, payable to TMG based on net proceeds with minimum annual payments of $125,000, escalated by the percentage of increase in the average price of gold over $400.00 per ounce. This also includes a minimum work commitment on the property and a substantial "area of influence". Claims staked within the "area of influence" by either Party will automatically become subject to the TMG-Phillips agreement. Phillips also assumed TMG's responsibilities emanating from TMG's agreements with the owners of the "Bullion" and "L" Groups of claims. The $125,000 advance payment and $30,000 advance payments due to the "Bullion" and "L" Groups for the current year have been received from Phillips. Immediately upon execution of their agreement with TMG, Phillips commenced preparation for the proposed active field season of 1982. 5. Beginning April 17, 1982 TMG is being quoted by the National Daily Quotation Service, commonly referred to as the "Pink Sheets." Thus, Thunder Mountain stock quotations are now available nationally through the Daily Quotation Service. I am sure you will agree with me that we have ample reason to be very enthusiastic about the future of your company. We will keep you informed about every event of importance. With best wishes, Sincerely yours, gaha- James Collord, President THUNDER MOUNTAIN GOLD, INC. April, 1982 GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT Location The Thunder Mountain Mining District is located in Township 18 and 19 North, Range 10 and 11, East, Boise Meridian in Valley County, Idaho, approximately 50 miles east of McCall, Idaho. See plate #2. Capsule History: The following is quoted from the U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1304, entitled: "Studies Related to Wilderness. Idaho Area and Vicinity" - (1973): "The property was originally located by the Caswell Brothers in 1899. The Lightning Peak Gold and Silver Mining and Milling Co. bought the property in 1901 and reorganized as the Belle of Thunder Mountain Mining and Milling Co. in 1902. They completed about 7,000 feet of underground development work and some churn drilling. Favorable indications resulted in the construction of a 40-stamp mill at Belleco, near the mouth of Sunnyside Creek, and the building of 8,000 feet of tramway by 1904. Only about $5,000 worth of gold was recovered on a test -run basis. High costs of transportation, owing to the area's remoteness, and poor gold recovery (less than 70 percent by amalgamation) forced closure of the mine in 1908. The property was relocated in 1924 by D. C. ad R. J. McRae and R. A. Davis. In 1926, a 10-stamp mill was erected at the mine. The mill was operated for about 4 months each summer from 1927 to 1936, and 9,000 tons averaging 0.28 ounce gold per ton was milled. From 1936 until 1938, when mining ceased, about 8,000 tons was milled averaging 0.22 ounce gold per ton. According to R. J. McRae, total production during 1926-38 was probably $115,000. No ore has been mined since 1938. Approximately 20,000 tons of ore from the Dewey mine was treated at the Sunnyside mill during 1941 and 1942. During the 1950's considerable near -surface exploration work, including trench and churn drilling, was done by Bradley Mining Co., Yuba Mining Co., and J. R. Simplot Co., R. J. and Grace C. McRae and Warren Brown patented eight lode claims in 1962, covering 185 acres in the Sunnyside mine areas." Capsule Geology Most of the gold at the Sunnyside Mine is found in the "lapilli tuff" unit near its top contact with an ancient mudflow. The ancient mudflow is composed of debris-- which includes Dewey Lake sediments and many varieties of the Sunnyside unit --most of which are derivatives of the "lapilli tuff'. Drill hole logs and maps show this as the Dewey Volcanoclastic unit. A thick blue -gray clay is found at the base of the old mudflow where slippage occurred on the nonwelded top of the "lapilli tuff" unit. The mineralization at the Sunnyside Mine is thought to be hydrothermally introduced along large shear (feeder) zones. The gold is pseudostrataform in the upper portion of the partially welded rhyolitic "lapilli tuff' member of the Sunnyside unit. Ascending hydrothermal solutions probably dammed up under the blue -gray clay layer found just beneath the ancient volcanoclastic mudflow. This allowed lateral spread of the gold bearing solutions in the non -welded, to partially welded, top of the ore host "lapilli tuff". The resultant deposition is a strata -like ore zone. The dominant structural control for known mineralization in the District is the N 50 °E trending Thunder Mountain fault zone. This fault, and secondary parallel structures and as yet unrecognized cross structures have played an important role in localization of the gold mineraliz- ation at the Dewey Mine, Sunnyside Mine and the Lightning Peak zone. The N 50 °E trend may be part of the ring -fracture system of the now faulted and eroded Thunder Mountain Caldera. The mineralized trend is approximately 12 miles long and several miles wide. All of the known ore bodies, and probably many more, lie within this mineral zone. Ore Reserves The enclosed tabulation will give an idea of the concepts of ore reserves developed by many professionals --some of which spent decades working in the Thunder Mountain region. Their ore GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT reserve estimates range from several million to tens of millions of tons for the entire Thunder Mountain District. With its associates, your company controls over 50% of the District's area at the time of this writing. Action is underway to substantially increase these holdings. Why this big discrepancy in ore reserve estimates? The estimates, ranging from several hundred thousand tons to a million tons pertain to a single deposit- -the Sunnyside ore body. Potential reserves for the entire District were made by several geologists. G. E. Ziegler estimated 25 million tons for the entire Thunder Mountain District. (1956) Others, led by Robert J. McRae directed attention to the fact that the district has been explored to a shallow depth only, along a limited portion of the 12 mile strike length. The following is quoted from the McRae report (1956) : "The greatest potential for development on the Sunnyside area lies in developing deeper or much thicker mineralized zones of rhyolite. All exploration, both underground workings and drilling, has been at rather shallow depths. Deeper drilling may show a thickness of several hundred feet of rhyolite below the presently known ore body that can be stripped and mined as a mass, by open cut methods. See plate #3. The late Mr. McRae was a prominent geologist and exploration manager for the Bunker Hill Company of Kellogg, Idaho. The McRae family has been in control of the Thunder Mountain region since 1924. The current proven reserves of the Thunder Mountain Gold Company are considered to be in the range of 2 million tons --with an additional 1 million tons in the probable range --with 10-20 million tons assumed possible. Production Recorded production of the Thunder Mountain District, prior to 1980 is reported in the U.S. Geologic Survey Bulletin 1304, on Page 71 as follows; Gold 22,378 ounces Silver 102,102 ounces At present market prices, this production is valued as follows: Gold 22,378 @ $325.00 oz. _ $7,272,850 Silver 102,102 @ $ 6.50 oz. 663,663 $7,936,513 Bulletin 1304, page 71, refers to the gold -silver potential of the District as follows: "Potentiai gold -silver resources are estimated at more than 35 times the value of past production." Bulletin 1304 is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Geologic Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines. It was published in 1973 under the title: "Studies Related to Wilderness Primitive Area, Idaho Area and Vicinity". Ore Grades The question of grades is subject to just as much controversy as that of the ore reserves. The lowest computed grade for the Sunnyside Mine is 0.09 oz. gold per ton, based on drilling alone. Mr. R. J. McRae computed a grade of 0.18 oz. gold per ton for the Sunnyside ore body --based on both drilling and underground sampling. A map in our files, referred to as the Treweek map, compiled in 1906, shows an average grade of 0.35 oz. gold per ton, based on 1,041 samples taken over 6,000 feet of underground workings in the Sunnyside Mine. These workings are now open and available for mapping and check sampling. There is a consensus among geologists who have dealt with the problem of grades of ore in the Thunder Mountain District that fine, free gold flakes are being lost in the process of any drilling method --whether it is percussion or core drilling, because of the porosity of the host rock. It is anticipated, therefore, that actual mining will produce ore grades that are higher than the grades computed from assay data obtained from drilling alone. THUNDER MOUNTAIN MINING DISTRICT • Coeur d Alone Plate #2 Bullion Group Dewey Mine Sunnyside Mine Lightning Peak BaseIdoho Foie • ID A H Oe 6 %Ms ..00 l 0650 ••.66.i q��y ll� �92 N y . v,..u. r/ DISTRICT BOUNDARY � 6_ 61 0 39� 004.60. v.T 0303 6 68 82 83 nu ro 2 ` 19 n6nm \22 18 17 29 23 28 24 27 3 DISTRICT BOUNDARY EXPLANATION 3 Mines end prospects 0 Y MILES 1 PROFILE OF THE STAFF James Collord, President Mr. Collord worked as a miner in the Thunder Mountain District from 1930 to 1933. Later he became mine superintendent at the Sunnyside Mine --which is now part of the Thunder Mountain Gold property. Mr. Collord worked in that capacity from 1933 through 1937. The Thunder Mountain Mining & Milling Company was then the operator of the mine. Except for a one -year's mineral survey trip to Ethiopia in 1943, Mr. Collord devoted his professional services to numerous mineral exploration assignments between 1937 and 1973 in a variety of capacities. The Thunder Mountain project, however, stayed uppermost in his mind throughout these years. His contribution to the project lies primarily in his far-reaching experience and knowledge of the region. His ties to the Thunder Mountain property became closer following his marriage to Marjorie McRae, daughter of Daniel C. McRae --locator of the Thunder Mountain claims in the 1920's. Since 1973, Mr. Collord has devoted practically full time to Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Without his past and current efforts, the TMG Company would not exist as we know it today. James Collord, Jr., Vice President James, Jr. stepped into his father's tradition and mother's background. Jim Jr. obtained his B.A. degree in geography from California State University and his M.S. degree in geology from the Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada. At this time, Mr. Collord, Jr. is exploration geologist with Freeport Exploration Company and he and his family reside in Reno, Nevada. Jim Jr. has made extensive studies of the Thunder Mountain region and has made, and continues to make, valuable contributions to the understanding of the geology of the area. Dr. Robin S. McRae, Secretary - Treasurer Dr. McRae is a graduate of the University of Oregon and of Pacific College of Optometry. He is the grandson of Daniel C. McRae, the original locator of many of the gold prospects in the Thunder Mountain Mining District and operator of some of the mines in the 1920's. Robert J. McRae, author of numerous geological reports on the geology and metallurgy on the Thunder Mountain Mining District, is the father of Dr. Robin S. McRae, Secretary - Treasurer of your company. PROFILE OF THE STAFF Tibor Klobusicky, General Manager Dr. Klobusicky and his family immigrated from Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1951. He is a mineral consultant with an office in Spokane, Washington and has been serving the mineral industry since 1940. Mr. Klobusicky obtained his Doctor of Law degree from Carl's University in Prague, Czechoslovakia and degrees in Geological and Mining Engineering from the Budapest Polytechnical Institute, Hungary. Like Mr. Collord and Dr. McRae's interest, Dr. Klobusicky's enthusiasm for the Thunder Mountain region dates back for a long period of time. Dr. Klobusicky worked with Robert J. McRae for 9 years for the Bunker Hill Company, Kellogg, Idaho, where R. J. McRae was manager of exploration. Mr. Klobusicky helped to evolve the present corporate structure of TMG and guided the company in numerous contract negotiations, the latest one resulting in entering into the current agreement with Phillips Petroleum. Carl V. Wilson Mr. Wilson is Certified Public Accountant, with offices in Spokane, Washington. Mr. Wilson was responsible for preparation of the company's financial statements for the last three years. John F. Campbell, Attorney at Law Mr. Campbell specializes in corporate law and securities legislation and regulations, with offices in Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Campbell supervises the affairs of Spokane Guaranty Co. registrar and transfer agent for Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. and for a multitude of mining companies, too numerous to mention. THUNDER MOUNTAIN MINING DISTRICT " 1 1/2 Plate #1 COLOR KEY TMG property in 1979 TMG acquisitions during 1980 TMG acquisitions during 1981 Mines and prospects District Boundary Wilderness Boundary 0 I MILE Scale SUMMARY OF ORE RESOURCE REPORT SOURCE OF INFORMATION POSITIVE ORE PROBABLE ORE tons oz. gold/t 1. Placer Amex, Inc. (1975) Sunnyside Mine 2. Nevex Mines Ltd. (1975) Sunnyside Mine 3. U.S. Bureau of Mines (1973) Sunnyside Mine 4. Robert J. McRae (1956) Sunnyside Mine Robert J. McRae (1956) Sunnyside Mine 5. George E. Ziegler (1956) Sunnyside Mine Thunder Mountain District 6. John Treweek Map (1920) Sunnyside Mine tons POSSIBLE ORE oz. gold/t tons oz. gold/t 1.26 mill. 0.0982 1.01 mill. 0.0920 610,000 0.148 379,000 0.35 491,000 0.14 757,000 1.48 mill. 1.8 mill. 0.18 1.35 mill. 2.00 mill. 25 mill. 728,000 0.14 Plate #3 CARLV. WILSON Certified Public Accountant April 27, 1982 Board of Directors Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Spokane, Washington The following financial statements of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. (an Idaho corporation) are submitted herewith: Balance Sheet March 31, 1982 and 1981 Statement of Income and Retained Earnings for the years ended March 31, 1982 and 1981 Statement of Changes in Financial position For the year ended March 31, 1982 Notes to Financial Statements Accountant's Report We have reviewed the accompanying balance sheet of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. as of March 31, 1982, and the related statements of income, retained earnings, and changes in financial position for the year then ended, in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. All information included in these financial statements is the representation of the management of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. A review consists principally of inquiries of company personnel and analytical procedures applied to financial data. It is substantially less in scope than an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our review, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the 1982 financial statements in order for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. The accompanying 1981 financial statements of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. were compiled by us.. A compilation is limited to presenting in the form of financial statements information that is the representation of management. We have not audited or reviewed the 1981 financial statements, and accordingly, do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on them. BALANCE SHEET MARCH 31, 1982 AND 1981 Assets CURRENT ASSETS 1982 1981 Cash $ 43,196 $ 5,352 Investments, mining stocks 25,075 25,075 Total current assets 68,271 30,427 EQUIPMENT Equipment Less accumulated depreciation 5,477 822 4,655 MINING PROPERTIES (Notes B, D, and E) Montgomery Group 36,835 36,835 Idaho - Montana Group 10,947 10,947 Thunder Mountain Claims 344,000 326,500 UNRECOVERED EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT COST (Note C) 391,782 374,282 62,824 62,824 $527,532 $467,533 Liabilities and Stockholders equity CURRENT LIABILITIES Taxes, Idaho income $ 3,956 $ 30 Taxes, Federal income 2,767 6,723 30 STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY Common stock 7,500,000 @ .05 par value shares authorized issued and outstanding, 7,486,218 467,447 467,447 Retained earnings 53,362 56 520,809 467,503 $527,532 $467,533 See also the accompanying accountant's report STATEMENT OF INCOME AND RETAINED EARNINGS 1982 1981 INCOME Royalty (Note D) $124,530 $ 35,000 Interest 8,711 1,426 Dividends, net of foreign tax withheld 932 3,897 Gain on sale of securities 7,487 134,173 47,810 OPERATING EXPENSES Assays 2,794 Assessment work 5,123 Depreciation 822 Director fees 25,000 Legal and accounting 1,410 Management fees 15,000 1,400 1,400 240 Office supplies and postage 426 337 Printing and supplies 2,641 3,033 Professional services 8,499 3,900 Stock exchange 300 100 Stockholder cost 320 1,001 Taxes and fees 4,052 30 Telephone 764 661 Travel and lodging 3,849 1,347 71,000 12,049 NET INCOME, before provision for Federal income taxes 63,173 35,761 Prior period adjustment - 1,245 Provision for Federal income tax 9,867 - Total to retained earnings 53,306 37,006 RETAINED EARNINGS (DEFICIT), April 1, 1981 and 1980 56 (36,950) RETAINED EARNINGS, March 31, 1982 and 1981 $ 53,362 $ 56 See also accompanying accountant's report STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FINANCIAL POSITION SOURCES OF WORKING CAPITAL From operations: Net income $ 53,306 Add charges to income not requiring the use of working capital during the current period: Depreciation 822 36,197 USES OF WORKING CAPITAL Equipment purchased 5,477 Mining claim purchased 17,500 $ 22,977 INCREASE IN WORKING CAPITAL $ 31,151 CHANGES IN COMPONENTS OF WORKING CAPITAL Increase (decrease) in current assets: Cash, checking Investment stock and brokerage account $ 37,844 $ 37,844 Increase (decrease) in current liabilities: Taxes, Idaho income $ 3,926 Taxes, Federal income 2,767 6,693 INCREASE (DECREASE) IN WORKING CAPITAL $ 31,151 See also the accompanying accountant's report NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Note A - Accounting Policy The company maintains its accounting records on the accrual basis. Depreciation is computed on the accelerated cost recovery system basis using a five year life. Investment credit is accounted for by the flow -through method which recognizes the benefit in the year in which the credit is allowed for Federal income tax purposes. A credit of $538 was recognized in the year ending March 31, 1982. Note B - Mining Properties In preceeding years of operation, the company has acquired several mifiing properties in exchange for its common stock. The largest such acquisition was in 1978, when 5,650,000 shares of the company's common stock was exchanged for eight patented and seventy unpatented claims known as the Sunnyside group. Cost of the claims was recorded at the par value, $.05 per share, of the stock exchanged. During July of 1980, the company purchased the patented lode claims, known as the Standard (Elk) Group for $24,000 cash and the Hawkeye and Hawkeye fraction patented claims for $20,000 cash. In January 1982, the company purchased the Buffalo, a patented claim, and then exchanged it for the Tekoe unpatented claim which lies among other claims held by the company. All of the above described acquisitions, except for the Tekoe claim, were transactions with the directors and/or major shareholders of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Note C - Unrecovered Exploration and Development Costs The records of the company show that it has elected to capitalize all exploration and development costs and that these costs consist of cash payments and common stock issued for services in the amount of 279,672 shares. Note D - Operating Agreement Under an agreement with Canadian Superior Mining (U.S.) Ltd., dated September 18, 1978, Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. was to receive $50,000 August 1, 1981 and $50,000 on August 1 of each year thereafter for the life of the agreement. The amount of $50,000 referred to was to be adjusted in each year by the same percentage as the change in the average price of gold, during the preceeding month of June, from base price of $185 per Troy ounce. Accordingly, Canadian Superior Mining (U.S.) Ltd., paid $124,530 to Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. on August 1, 1981. In December 1981, Canadian Superior Mining (U.S.) Ltd., terminated the agreement and released the property to Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Note E - In February 1982, Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc., as lessee, entered into two identical mining leases. In the lease between James Collord, Robin S. McRae, and Tibor Klobusicky as lessors and Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. the company acquired the right to mine the 16 claims known as the Bull group which adjoin the company's claims on the southwest. In the lease between Peter W. Laczay, Tibor Klobusicky, James Collord and Herbert S. Sanderson as lessors and Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc., the company acquired the right to mine the 48 claims known as the "L" group, which adjoins the Bull group and the company's claims. The term of the leases run until cancelled by the lessee. The company is obligated to pay a royalty of 3% of the net smelter returns of ore produced from each property. Minimum advance royalties of $15,000 per year are payable for each lease. The $15,000 minimum royalty is subject to increase by the same percentage as the increase in the average price of gold, during the month preceeding the month of payment, above $400 per ounce. The advance royalties are deductible from any production royalties due under the leases. Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. is to be reimbursed by Phillips Petroleum Company for the advance royalties. See Note F, Subsequent Events. Mr. Collord, Mr. McRae, Mr. Laczay and Mr. Klobusicky are all major shareholders of Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Mr. Klobusicky is its general manager and Mr. Collord and Mr. McRae are President and Secretary -Treasurer respectively. Note F - Subsequent Events On April 15, 1982, Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. entered into a mining lease with Phillips Petroleum Company. The lease permits Phillips to explore, develop and mine the Thunder Mountain claims in exchange for which Thunder Mountain is to receive royalties on the production proceeds. Until the beginning of production, Thunder Mountain is to receive advance minimum royalties of $125,000 per year, increased by the percentage of increase in the average price of gold over $400 per ounce during the proceeding year. Thunder Mountain is also to be reimbursed by Phillips for the $30,000, escalated in accordance with the formula set forth relating to the price of gold in excess of $400 per ounce, to be paid for the lease of the Bull Group and the "L" Group of claims. See Note E. The advance royalties are repayable by Thunder Mountain, after commencement of actual mining production, through withholding of a portion of the royalties to which Thunder Mountain would be otherwise entitled. Phillips is required to spend a minimum of $300,000 in 1982, and $400,000 in 1983 for exploration, development or improvement of the property. Term of the lease is initially for 10 years and thereafter for as long as continuous mining or development is conducted or until terminated by the lessee. THUNDER MOUNTAIN MINING DISTRICT Messrs. Collord and Dr. Klobusicky inspecting the drilling activities. Aug. 1981. Old dumps and outcrops at the Sunnyside Mine. Old Sunnyside Mine portal. The mine was reopen- ed in 1980, and beyond the portal area the work- ings were found intact. The Sunnyside mine has 1.25 million tons of proven gold ore reserves. The Thunder Mountain area of Valley County, Idaho. THUNDER MOUNTAIN GOLD, INC. Corporate Office 1306 Washington Mutal Building Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 456-8710 President James Collord P.O. Box 691, Cambria, CA 93428 (805) 927-4560 Vice President James Collord, Jr. 1354 California Ave., Reno, NV 89509 (702) 329-3595 Secretary - Treasurer Robin S. McRae 1307 W. Jefferson St., Boise, ID 83702 (208) 342-8995 General Manager Tibor Klobusicky E. 3612 16th Ave., Spokane, WA 99203 (509) 534-7137 Transfer Agent Spokane Guaranty Co. 1306 Washington Mutual Building Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 838-3500 Legal Counsel John F. Campbell, Attorney at Law 1306 Washington Mutual Building Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 456-8710 Accounting Carl V. Wilson, C.P.A. Paulsen Professional Building Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 747-7191 Environmental Studies James M. Montgomery, Consulting Engineers 1301 Vista Avenue, Boise, ID 83705 (208) 345-5865 AMERICAN a1NE 1982 ES5�a � IIIII13L 1 i it n )r d )r ,s t, !e is n- ;t- �t; v- ,d is fy K- :rt )ia en o. he in he ,w ry :r• by ng the an :nn nal Black Lung Task Group Presents Initial Comments. For the past several months, a Coal Industry Task Group has been working with the Department of Labor to implement the 1981 Black Lung Amendments. On Mar. 25, Task Group representa- tives met with DOL officials to discuss the industry's priorities and to receive a draft of DOL's proposed regulations for implementing the amendments. After careful analysis by the task group, initial comments were drafted and presented to DOL officials on Apr. 2. It is hoped that many of the industy rec- ommendations will be incorporated in the published rulemaking proposal (which was to appear in the Federal Reg- ister in mid -April). AMC anticipates filing formal com- ments with DOL after a thorough review of this publication. —Toni McCrary EPA Establishes Small Business Ombudsman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in April appointed Marc D. Jones as EPA's first ombudsman to represent small business interests. Jones has been a business and industry loan specialist with the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture. He will investigate and resolve disputes between small businesses and EPA, act as a focal point for small business inquiries and comments, coordinate agency involvement with small businesses, make recommenda- tions on policies and regulations affect- ing small business, and advise the small business community on opportunities for public participation in programs af- fecting them. Jones will also oversee some of EPA's ongoing programs that assist small firms, such as helping them ob- tain financial aid for pollution, control equipment, identifying regulations of particular concern to them, and help- ing to build flexibility into regulations and programs affecting them. The ombudsman's toll -free hotline— (800) 368-5888—is now in operation and will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST. • 1982 Looking Back Mining in the Winter of '38 "If you think the winter of '82 was bad, you should have tried mining in Idaho during the winter of '38. Why; it was so bad, we had to bring out the gold by dogsled!" One can imagine a veteran from the Thunder Mountain Mining Co. saying this as the blizzards inundated much of the country last winter. His memories would have been correct though. Mining Congress Journal files revealed a newspaper clipping dated Apr. 1, 1938, headed "Dogs and Planes Bring Out Gold" and a press release about a pump unit dropped into the cen- tral Idaho mining property by parachute. With snow blocking roads and passes during the winter and early spring months, Thunder Mountain was one of several central Idaho mining properties that depended on aviation "for their very existence." The dog team would transport the gold bullion and concentrates by sled the 18 miles from the mine to Stibnite where a plane would pick it up and take it 75 miles to Cascade, the nearest rail point. "Mine and mill have been operating four months under the snow," reported the news account. Food, other supplies and equipment were dropped close to their destination by parachute. On one such occasion, Thunder Mountain had put in an emer- gency order for centrifugal pumping equipment from Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. The pump and motor were first carefully wrapped in paper and covered with burlap bags, then put into an excelsior -packed box, weighing 450 1b and loaded into a 500-hp Travelair cabin plane. The plane circled the 8500-ft elevation "landing field" (which was covered with several feet of snow) and dropped its cargo from 500 ft. With the aid of the parachute, the boxes landed entirely undamaged. This effort was made to mine ore averaging "$8.22 in gold to the ton," ac- cording to the mine's mining engineer and superintendent, L.D. Barry. I won- der how much dog biscuits cost then... . 21 Big Creek 7/9/83 Dear Bob & Edna: 5 3c% Nice to hear from you. We tried your number before we flew in about June 15, no answer. We stayed with Warren & Jayne Brown in town for a few days before u, o- ' Road is open over^Prof Ple' nw, and we came over Lick creek when we brought the car in. This road was excellent, in fact it was about as good as I have ever seen the thing. They hid some of the rocks along Hum creek last fall with dirt, and it is holding, so far. I am causing a whole bunch of anguish and consternation to the nice people like that ignorant Texan. I feel the first fight they have is with the Forest Service. I accepted the crazy four foot road, so the FS has to fight the first appeals. I was going to appeal the four foot road, but Warren and I talked a lot about this, and finally decided the way to keep out of the courts myself was just to accept. I can airlift a compressor to the crosscut site, as well as the mine cars and all the heavy stuff I need, then can service them with a couple of Honda three wheelers. We bought two of the Honda 'Big Red' 250's for this, and will have a trailer made for diesel, powder and so forth. Sounds like fun. I sure do thank you for the offer to get me in touch with the legal foundation, and we might need them at a later date. This little vein on the Golden Bear is a true fissure quartz, and we have it open on the surface for a strike length of 450 feet, with an average width of 22 inches and the gold content is 0.64 oz, which I like. We have spots along the strike for more than 1500 feet, but the overburden is such that we have not done much on this. The crosscut I have proposed will cut the vein at a depth of 300 feet, and if it is there, and assays, we have something that will make a real good little mine. The wall rock is very competent, and this little vein will shrink real good in mining, so we shall see. I am in the process of applying for a patent now, and have the survey done. The outfit that has the Clear Creek mine in Plumas county in California is starting production this year. Strange as it may seem, they told me that they had found more ore on my claims than they found on the Gold Stripe, which your old friend, Naseath, owns. Come see us. We will have the Thunder Mt Gold annual meeting at the Shore Lodge Aug 29 this year. For sure, we will see you at the Stibnite picnic on the 7th of August. Warm regards, i Jim & Marj Collord 37-0 (z acr: 05 c C e-L P H Dewey Mine operators/praised The new operators of the Dewey Mine in the Thunder Mountain Mining District of Central Idaho are making pro- gress to clean up what was a severe pollution problem, state officials said. The Dewey gold mine is the on- ly significant mining operation now underway in the historic Thunder Mountain area. That situation would change in 1985 if a partnership headed by Coeur d'Alene Mines of Wallace carries out its plan to open a large gold mine at Sunnyside about a mile away. State officials in July 1981 discovered muddy water leaking from three one -million -gallon water holding ponds and into Mule Creek, a tributary of Monumental Creek. The resulting sedimentation damaged salmon and steelhead spawning grounds in the creeks, said Don Anderson, regional fisheries biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. "It nearly wiped out a stretch of Monumental between Mule and West Fork creeks," Anderson said. The operators of the mine, Jim Nelson and Ron Yanke of Boise, were told by the Idaho Division of Environment that they were in violation of state water -quality standards. Production at the mine stop- ped while the operators pondered a way to solve the problem, said Larry Jones, mined lands reclamationist with the Idaho Department of Lands. Last year, Nelson and Yanke sold their interests in the mine to Arivaca Silver Mines of Van- couver, B.C., Jones said. Arivaca converted the extraction process process to one that did not require holding ponds, Jones said. Mining is scheduled to__ resume later this fall, he said. What waste that is produced, from the Dewey mine is planned to be applied to hillsides and the waste will be contoured and,.: drained to prevent erosion, he said. "I see it as turning around,"r'. Jones said of the environmental; quality of the area. "They have - shown some good faith to this . point." "They're doing more than they _ were obligated to do and they're_''; doing a good job," Anderson said. Mule shot from under hunter in wilderness A Boise man was injured last week when the mule he was riding was shot and fell on him while in the River of No Return Wilderness area, the Idaho County Sheriff's Department said. Chief Deputy Larry Murray said Tom Tucker, 46, of Boise, suffered a fractured vertebra when his mule was shot, apparently by a hunter, as he was himself hunting last Wednesday, Murray said. Tucker was forced to shoot to death his critically, injured mule and was able to walk until found by his - hunting companions, Murray said. Tucker was flown by a private medical helicopter, from Missoula, Mont., to McCall, where he was treated at McCall Memorial Hospital and released, Murray said. Whoever fired the shot did not assist Tucker, Mur- rav said. The assailant escaped, but the sheriff's . Evans' departure from power council may A PAY DIRT News Summary The appointment of former Washington Governor Dan Evans to the U.S. Senate will cost the Northwest Power Planning Council an influential chairman, but will gain the council a knowledgeable advocate in the Senate, say Montana's two council members. Evans, who served three terms as Washington governor, was appointed to the Senate in late September to succeed Henry "Scoop" Jackson, who died September 1st. Evans had been chairman of the council since its inception in 1981. The council has written a 20-year plan to meet the electricity needs of the Northwest, and is charged with monitoring its im- plementation. Montana members Keith Colbo and Gerald ueller said in separate interviews that losing Evans will change the council. "Rather than focusing on one individual, we will see a diffusion of the public role," Colbo said. Mueller said Evans was possibly more popular when he left the governor's office after 12 years than when he was first elected. Mueller likened Evans' stature in Washington state to that of Mike Mansfield in Montana. "Anyone following Dan Evans is going to have a difficult route to follow," Colbo said. "Dan was central to us. He brought the council credibility in the region and visibility in the region that we just can't replace with the individuals on the council." The council is to elect new officers sometime this month. Mueller said Evans will be especially helpful in Washington because some of the Thunder Mountain gold reserves increased production in early 1985. Coeur d'Alene is the operator and can earn a 60 percent interest in the property by spending $2.5 million. Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. of Spokane will then hold 30 percent and Phillips Petroleum Company the other 10 percent. Wheeler said the firm has not yet selected the milling process for the property and the mining rate has not yet been determined. Mining will be by openpit. Thunder Mountain is expected to produce about 25,000 ounces of gold a year. With the current figures, the orebody, known as the Sunnyside deposit, is good for about 10 years, Wheeler said. Gold mineralization also is known to exist on the nearby Lightning Peak property. Total investment in the property will be about $15 million, which will come from an $18 million offering of one million common shares earlier this year. The rest of the proceeds from the offering will be for acquisition of other properties. By a PAY DIRT Staff Reporter Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation says ore reserves at the Thunder Mountain gold property in central Idaho have been in- creased and drilling currently ongoing could increase them even more. The company reported September 9th earlier drilling activities resulted in a 26 percent, or 435,000 ton, increase in previously reported ore reserves at the property. • Dennis E. Wheeler, president, told a group of New York security analysts that the company has completed 160 drill holes and reserves now stand at 2.1 million tons con- taining 0.09 ounce of gold per ton. Wheeler also said the company is drilling another 35 holes to outline the limit of the orebody extension. He told PAY DIRT he did not know when results from that program would be available. The Wallace, Idaho -based company expects to complete a final feasibility study and design this year. That means construction could begin in the second quarter of 1984 and change group's role • Canadian team wins mine rescue contest By a PAY DIRT Staff Reporter A Canadian team took first place in the third annual International Surface Mine Rescue Competition held in Gillette, Wyoming September loth. The Island Copper mine team from Port Hardy, British Columbia won the seven -team competition with 1,362 points, just 51 points short of a perfect score. In secoctd place was Westar Coal Ltd. from Sparwood, British Columbia with 1,270 points. Third went to Carter Mining Company's Caballo mine in Gillette, with 1,187.5 points and fourth went to Mobil Oil Corporation's Caballo Rojo mine, also of Gillette, with 1,133 Page 32A Big Sky PAY DIRT for October 1983 points. The Powder River Mine Rescue Association — comprised of rescue personnel from Campbell County coal mines — was the sponsor of the event, held at a coal transfer building at the Cordero mine south of Gillette. The field phase of the competition consisted of a five -part problem, gaining access to the accident scene, gaining access to the patient, applying emergency first aid, rescuing the injured miners and reporting accident con- ditions to the judges. The remainder of the competition consisted of the isolation phase, a 20-question test, and the medical phase, focus of the council's work has shifted to Washington, D.C., as Congress tries to deal with the financial problems of the Washington Public Power Supply System. "They really need somebody back in the Congress who has the intimate knowledge of the problems we have here and the courage and knowledge to do something about it," Mueller said. "I don't expect Evans to singlehandedly solve the WPPSS problem, because that's too big for anyone," he said, "but there is a better chance to get some solution with Dan Evans in the Senate." Earlier, the power council adopted a regional conservation and electric power plan, but has since directed its • staff to determine if the plan will have to be revised because work has been stopped on WPP S plant No. 3. Of Mines And Men Hecla Mining Company has expanded its exploration and mining activity at several locations over the past few months. Management changes have been made to fill vacancies created by the expansion, the Wallace, Idaho -based firm announced. ./ Michael Gross, formerly unit managerat the Lucky Friday Mine in Mullan, Idaho, has been appointed to the new position of manager of mines. He will report to Arthur Brown, senior vice president of operations, and will be responsible for Hecla's active mining function.s Ralph Noyes, formerly unit manager at Hecla's Leadville, Colorado operation will succeed Gross as unit manager at Lucky Friday. Fred Stahlbush, acting mine superin- tendent at the Sherman mine at LeadvWe, will become Leadville unit manager. Josef Suveg has been appointed unit manager of the Consolidated Silver Project at Osborn, Idaho. He succeeds Norman Graham, who was recently assigned to the new position of unit manager at Cripple Creek, Colorado. Kenneth Elwood, Jr. was named superintendent of the Neihart, Montana exploration and development prouject. Ray Kannegaard has moved to the Lucky Friday as superintendent, succeeding George Lander who recently retired. Bruce Tippin has been named director of the Mineral Resources Institute at the University of Alabama. He succeeds Carl Rampacek, who is retiring. Tippin most recently worked for Holmes and Narver Inc. in Denver where he was manager of metallurgical plants. He holds advanced degress from the University of Alabama and the University of Minnesota. CSC T U 3 L 12 5 8 3 Coeur d'Alene official Ray Threlkeld reviews plan. Miners sauards at Sunnyside pledgesafeguards By Tom Grote The Star -News The operators of the proposed Sun- nyside gold mine in the Thunder Moun- tain Mining District of Central Idaho , pledged Thursday night to preserve the environment of the area despite the mov- mg and processing of 2,000 tons of ore : per day. About 70 people attended a public meeting at the Shore Lodge in McCall on the proposed mine, which would begin full production in 1985 if all necessary government approvals are given. Representatives of the mine operators, Coeur d'Alene Mines of Wallace, and James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers of Boise, ticked off for the au- dience a long list of local, state and federal laws covering the project on sub- jects ranging from water quality to solid - waste disposal. The mine would be located on 140 acres of private land and 55 acres of the Payette National Forest about 58 air miles nor- theast of Cascade. The Thunder Mountain district is almost completely surrounded by the River of No Return Wilderness area, but no part of the project is proposed for wilderness land. Concerns over preservation of salmon and steelhead spawning grounds in the area were expressed by Don Anderson, regional fisheries biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Marble Creek and Monumental Creek make up one of three known spawning areas for wild anadromous fish in the drainage of Big Creek, which in turn flows in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Anderson said. Sedimentation from natural run-off and mining activity have put those spawn- ing areas in jeopardy, Anderson said in an interview. "One or two more events could wipe out salmon and steelhead in Monumental," he said. An environmental impact statement that will judge effects of the Sunnyside project and recommend ways to counter them is now underway by Montgomery and should be completed by next summer. Coeur d'Alene expects to mine 16,000 ounces of gold per year from the area, said Ray Threlkeld, manager of western exploration for Coeur d'Alene Mines. Couer d'Alene will keep 60 percent of the profits from the mine, Threlkeld said. Thirty percent of the profits will go to Thunder Mountain Gold Inc., the owners of the mining claims that include the Col- lard and McRae families of the Big Creek area, he said. McCall - 50 miles Yellow Pine .- - Goers jee ✓ 0" Star -News map The remaining 10 percent of the earn- ings will go to Phillips Petroleum Co., which was the major leaseholder of the area until an April agreement with Coeur d'Alene Mines. The mine would employ between 80 and 100 people at its peak. The operation would move 180,000 tons of material from 40 to 60 acres of open pit mines dur- ing the six months per year the mine would operate. Threlkeld said initial start-up costs were unknown, but a stock -offering prospectus issued by Coeur d'Alene Mines in August said $15.3 million would be invested in pre -operation expenses. River of No Return Wilderness Stibnite • Sutnnyside Mine Map shows location of proposed mine. General Manager's Report About 120 years after discovery of gold in the Thunder Mountain region, commercial production is now set for 1986 at an annual rate of 25,000 ounces of gold. Production beginning in July 1986 was pledged by the operator in a forward selling arrangement. Exploration and development ac- tivities continued during the 1984 season at. the Thunder Mountain pro- perty at an accelerated rate. The Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation spent $3.8 million, as compared to an expenditure of $2.3 million during 1983—thus bringing the exploration and development expenditure by the Operator to a total of $6.1 million as of December 31, 1984, according to the Company's 1984 10-K report. The primary objectives of the 1984 exploration — development season were as follows: 1. Completion of delineation of the "Sunnyside" ore deposit and prepara- tion of the deposit for an open pit mining operation. For this purpose, twenty angle holes were drilled in that area. 2. Further verify the presence of gold -silver mineralization in the Lightning Peak area and drill -test pro- minent geochemical anomalies developed by the 1983 geochemical surveys. 3. Secondary objectives included completion of a comprehensive VLF- EM (Very Low Frequency Electro- Magnetic) survey to aid in targeting and development of the ground water resources of the project area, genera- tion of a detailed geologic map, and bulk channel -sampling of the Light- ning Peak, Powder Cabin and Sunny- side talus slope areas. To attain the above objectives, a total of 117 holes were drilled, of which 12 were water exploration holes, 105 were mineral exploration holes. Average depth of the explora- tion holes was 152 feet. Excluding the Sunnyside angle hole program (which was drilled in known ore) the program encountered zones of gold mineral- ization at Lightning Peak. The drilling program on the Gold Bug claim averaged .1245 oz/ton gold. Ore on the Gold Bug claim occurs in a very Dr. Tibor Klobusicky shallow depth and it is amenable to in- stantaneous open pit mining. This ore represents an extension of the Sun- nyside orebody. The water well pro- gram was not totally without mineral intercepts; one hole penetrated a 15-foot wide zone at 300 foot depth, averaging 0.613 oz/ton gold. This represents an important new explora- tion potential along the Thunder Mountain fault. This program found sufficient water for industrial and domestic needs. Geologic mapping was continued in 1984, with the completion of a detail- ed map of the Sunnyside, Thunder Mountain, Lightning Peak areas. Much was accomplished in refining the knowledge of the geologic structure, volcanic stratigraphy, and mineraliza- tion of the region. Talus, and other colluvium sampling indicated that residual gold occurs near the surface in several areas. The Powder Cabin road crossed an area of approximately 200 x 200 feet samples from which averaged 0.04 oz/ton gold. Additional residual gold was found in the Sunnyside talus slope. These areas represent future exploration targets. In addition, work continued on engineering objectives• in preparation of commercial production. The Morrison-Knudsen Co., of Boise, Idaho was retained to handle the respon- sibilities connected with design, engineering, procurement and con- struction management. The 1985 engineering program will include completion of bridge construc- tion on an all-weather access road to mine and plant site. All concrete sur- faces, as well as asphalt work and building foundations are scheduled for completion in 1985. Installation of process buildings is also scheduled for 1985. Crushed ore will be deposited on leach pads in increments of 20,000 tons per pad for the heap leaching process. Precipitation of the pregnant solutions will be accomplished by the Merrill -Crow process. Test work in- dicates that the complete leaching cy- cle from crushed ore to bullion, will be completed in approximately 30 days. Construction of leach pads has been 95% completed. Environmental considerations were discussed in the Operator's 10-K report to the S.E.C. dated December 31, 1984. Following is a quotation from the above report: "Because the proposed production activities will take place wholly upon patented claims, an environmental im- pact statement need not be filed with the U.S. Forest Service. Water quality and acquatic life considerations are the primary environmental concerns. The Company has spent $525,269 on environmental studies. Based on these environmental studies and others con- ducted by prior Lessees, the Company believes the project will comply with applicable environmental regulations." We are pursuing an aggressive evaulation program of precious metal deposits outside of the Thunder Moun- tain region, with acquisition of meritorious properties in mind. Recently properties in Oregon and Arizona were examined and additional property evaluations are scheduled in the Pacific Northwest. Tibor Klobusicky General Manager 7 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA Following is a summary of selected financial data which indicates trends in the Company's financial condition and operations. Selected Balance Sheet Data Nine Months Ended December 31, 1984 Fiscal Years Ended March 31, 1984 1983 1982 1981 Current assets: Cash items $133,528 $ 51,921 $ 63,530 $ 43,196 $ 5,352 Prepaid expenses 7,730 23,603 25,170 7,100 - Investments 7,758 7,758 17,501 17,501 17,501 Property and equipment: Mining claims 351,582 351,582 344,001 344,001 326,501 Equipment 25,471 27,497 17,505 4,655 Total assets $526,069 $462,361 $467,707 $416,453 $349,354 Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 461 $ 6,167 Taxes $ 1,189 100 $ 30 $ 30 Accrued directors and management fees 22,917 Unearned advance royalties 38,750 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 374,329 374,329 374,155 374,155 374,155 Paid in capital 92,554 92,554 91,654 91,654 91,654 Retained earnings (deficit) 21,208 23,689 (4,369) (49,386) (116,485) Treasury stock (24,150) (29,400) Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $526,069 $462,361 $467,707 $416,453 349,354 Selected Income Statement Data Royalties and other revenue $128,985 $195,784 $166,274 $134,173 $ 47,810 Expenses 130,466 167,726 121,257 67,074 12,367 Net income (loss) $ (1,481) $ 28,058 $ 45,017 $ 67,099 $ 35,443 Net income per share NIL $.004 $.006 $.009 $.005 No dividends have been paid by the Company. 8 THE FARMER FEEDS THEM ALL The politician talks and talks The actor plays his part; The soldier glitters on parade, The goldsmith plies his art. The scientist pursues his germ O'er the terrestrial ball, The sailor navigates his ship But the farmer feeds.them all. The preacher pounds his pulpit desk, Brokers read their lengthy tape; The tailor cuts and sews his cloth To fit the human shape. The dame of fashion dressed in silks, Goes forth to dine or call, Or drive, or dance, or promenade; But the farmer feeds them all. The workman wields his shiny tools, The merchant shows his wares; The aeronaut above the clouds A dizzy journey dares. But art and science soon would fade, And commerce dead would fall If the farmer ceased to reap and sow, For the farmer feeds them all. THE MINER SUSTAINS THEM ALL The politician talks and talks; The actor plays his part; The soldier glitters on parade; The goldsmith plies his art. The scientist pursues his germ O'er the terrestrial ball; The sailor navigates his ship, But the miner sustains them all. The preacher pounds his pulpit desk; The'broker reads his lengthy tape; The tailor cuts and sews his cloth To fit the human shape. The dame of fashion dressed in silk Goes forth to dine or call Or drive or dance or promenade, But the miner sustains them all. The farmer guides his tractor, With its shiny plow; The merchant showes his wares; The aeronaut above the cloud A dizzy journey dares. But art and science soon would fade And commerce dead would fall, If the miner ceased to search and mine -- Without Earth's minerals and metals to refine -- Still cavemen would we be all. 80 - 70A 60 YEARS AGO from issues of Skillings' Mining Review October 11, 1913—Work on the Consolidated Interstate - Callahan Co. property is progressing satisfactorily according to the company's president, Mr. Carlson. He reports condi- tions in the development to be good. The Interstate orebody on the No. 4 level, as well as on the No. 3 level, still maintains high values in the drift. Many improvements are being completed, including new accommodations for the miners. The electric haulage is complete, and the mill will go into full production capacity next week. Concentrates from the mill are going forward daily. The company predicts that October shipments will be the highest ever. October 11, 1913 — The •Shattuck -Arizona Copper Co. also reports substantial progress at its properties. During September, the company opened up an important showing of copper -lead ore in crosscut No. 1 on the 200-ft. level. Work- ers also laid track across the big cave, and development will begin next week on the territory south of the cave and over a very important high-grade silver -copper orebody on the 300- ft. level. Engineers expect to encounter ore as they drive the main drift south. Gold ore was recently encountered in crosscut No. 12 on the 300-ft. level. It appears to be an important drift and indicates good possibilities for the terri- tory between the 200-ft. and 300-ft. levels. On the 500-ft. level, the company has opened up more lead -carbonate ore carrying good silver values. October 13, 1923 — Anyone attempting an historical sketch of different districts of the Marquette iron range will immediately recognize the names of several men who were among the pioneers at nearly all the exploration sites where ore was discovered. Most of the mines in the Numboltd group reaching the producing stage prior to 1870 were under the direct control of, or operated with, capital supplied by men like Edwin Parsons, Edward Breitung, Samuel P. Ely, Samuel L. Mather, J.W. Edwards, Joseph S. Fay, Powell Stackhouse, Samuel J. Tilden and many others. In the early history of mining, records were not kept very accurately. Early writers appear to have been confused in their use of the terms "production" and "shipments." For this reason, production figures prior to the late 1870s are very inaccurate, yet they are too small in the aggregate to be as important commercially as historically. October 13,1923—The E.J. Longyear Co. of Minneapolis has a contract for drilling on the north shore of Lake Athabasca, 150 miles from Waterways, the nearest railroad point. The station is the end of steel of the Alberta & Great Waterways RR in Canada. The contract for drilling is on land near Fishhook Bay on Lake Athabasca. It is an iron ore exploration for a syndicate of Alliance, Ohio people. The outfit that has been shipped in by the E. J. Longyear Co. had to cover 150 miles of the distance by barge, on river and lake. The area has never before been explored for iron ore. October 13,1923 —D. C. Jackling, San Francisco, presi- dent of the Mesabi Iron Co., and famous copper man, passed through Duluth early Wednesday morning on his way to Babbitt, Minn., to visit the plant of the iron company. His car was attached to the morning train of the Duluth & Iron Range Ry. Charles Hayden, New York, of Hayden, Stone & Co., arrived Thursday noon and left for Babbitt by auto. October 14, 1933 — The American Smelting & Refining Co. is expanding its interest in gold mining through the purchase of a 51 % interest in Tarkwa Gold Areas Ltd., which owns an operating gold mine on the Gold Coast of West Africa. The company has also purchased 90,000 shares of Mount Isa Mines Ltd., 8% debenture stock. Another impor- tant deal by the smelting company is the purchase of the Descubridora mine, located near Chihuahua, Mexico. In recent years American Smelting has been actively entering the actual operating of mines as an adjunct to its extensive smelting works and refineries. The past eight years has seen the company acquire important lead, zinc and gold holdings in Africa, Australia, Canada and Mexico. October 14, 1933 — The possibility always exists while navigation is open that schedules may be increased or de- creased suddenly. It is expected that the Duluth, Missabe & Northern ore docks will be through for the season about Nov. 1, but the Great Northern, Soo Line and Northern Pacific expect to move some ore in November. The Great Northern schedule calls for some ore loading as late as Nov. 20 to 23. The Great Northern totaled 24.47% of ore shipped from the district in September, and 23.07% for the season to Oct. 1. The Missabe railroad shipped 29.34% in September, and 28.55% for the season to Oct. 1. The Skillings' Mining Review estimate of 20,000,000 tons of ore shipped for the present season will be realized and quite likely surpassed. Shipments up to Oct. 1 had totaled 16,301,573 tons. October 14,1933—Gold at $31 an ounce, with prospects for still higher prices, has stirred the once famous camp, Goldfield, Nev., to renewed life. Leasers have started pros- pecting again in old workings and on the surface, and two promising discoveries have been made. One miner, panning in the old Rielley lease in the Florence mine, found a 3-ft. vein of high grade ore just cutting the corner of the station on the 150-ft. level. Another man, familiar with history, hunted for an elusive vein of rich ore cut by a blast when the C.O.D. shaft was started 28 years ago, and found it. Baird and Duffy, content with ore of a lower grade already mined, have leased a 1000-ton dump on the Red Hill -Florence that can now be shipped at a profit. A visit of three days by George Wingfield, president of Goldfield Consolidated, which paid $29,000,000 in dividends from the bonanza mines, accompanied by R.A. Hardy and W. Sharp of his engineering staff, has awakened rumors that the company may resume work soon. PAGE 14 - OCTOBER 9, 1993 - SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW