Massive Galena
Virtual Museum ID: 19-D9-09
Specimen Summary
massive, medium grained; minor quartz gangue
Galena is the main ore mineral for lead. Because of its relatively low melting temperature, it can be easily smelted and has been used as a source of lead since ancient times. Galena has a cubic crystal system and can often be found as cubes or octahedra. Its shiny grey metallic lustre and heavy, dense nature make it easy to recognize. Galena often contains small amounts of silver, which add to its economic value.
Specimen Data
The information listed below relates to the current holding location or collection that the sample is from, and whether the item is viewable at that location or is part of a private collection. Coordinates are given as guides, and we remind you that collecting specimens from these locations is not allowed. Caution is advised visiting such sites and Below BC assumes no responsibility for any injuries or trespassing charges that may occur as a result of the viewer entering these sites.
Collection Details
Original Collection:
Smithers Exploration Group (SEG)Sub Collection:
Stewart-Iskut depositsCollection ID:
D9-09Virtual Museum ID:
19-D9-09Accessibility:
Date Added to VM:
2019-02-20Location Information
Sample Origin:
Stewart, BCSpecific Site:
Bayview, pit 3UTM Easting:
437726UTM Northing:
6203376Datum:
09 (NAD 83)Coordinate Accuracy:
Specimen Details
VM Category:
MineralPrimary Features:
Massive GalenaPrimary Mineral Formula:
PbSPrimary Category:
sulphideSecondary Features:
-Advanced Geological Information
The following section provides geological data relating to the specimen or the site it was collected from, when available. Information has been obtained from various sources including private and government datasets but may not be up to date. Any geological time periods or ages listed often relate to the primary geology of the area, and may not be the actual date of an event such as mineral formation.
Geological Formation:
Unuk River Formation (Hazelton Group)Geological Period:
Lower JurassicStratigraphic Age:
174.1 to 201.3 Million YearsGeological Belt:
Coast CrystallineGeological Terrane:
Stikine, Plutonic RocksMinfile ID:
103P 051Site Details:
The Bayview occurrence is situated on the east slope of Mount Dolly, 3.5 kilometres north of Stewart. In 1983 and 1984, high grade ore was trenched from silver-lead-zinc veins, first explored in 1919.
Various mineralized zones occur in Lower Jurassic schist and hornfelsed argillite/siltstone of the Unuk River Formation (Hazelton Group) in the vicinity of Eocene granodiorite of the Hyder pluton (Coast Plutonic Complex).
The Number 4 zone consists of a 1.2 metre wide vein which strikes northeast and dips 20 degrees southeast. The vein contains 0.6 metre of massive galena, sphalerite and tetrahedrite in the hangingwall and 0.6 metre of quartz with disseminated sulphides in the footwall. A 0.61 metre chip sample across the vein assayed 2 grams per tonne gold, 8679.7 grams per tonne silver, 20.3 per cent lead and 20.2 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 12620, page 7).
The Number 3 zone is located about 100 metres south of the Number 4 zone and 150 metres north of the granodiorite. This shear zone contains long lenses of quartz mineralized with pyrite, pyrrhotite, galena and sphalerite. These lenses are up to 1.8 metres wide and the zone, hosted in schist, has a strike of 150 degrees. A stockwork of sulphide stringers also occurs in the vicinity.
The lower Bayview showings, 300 metres east of the Number 4 zone, consist of two quartz-sulphide veins. The southernmost vein lies along the contact between a large granodiorite dike on the east and hornfelsed argillite to the west. The vein strikes 030 degrees for 120 metres, dips 65 degrees west and is up to 0.6 metre wide. It contains lenses of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena and tetrahedrite in a gangue of quartz. A 0.91 chip sample across the vein assayed 42.30 grams per tonne gold and 1273 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 12620, page 8). A second vein 120 metres to the north assayed 15.96 grams per tonne gold and 2268 grams per tonne silver over a narrow width (Assessment Report 12620, page 8).
The removal of high-grade ore by Bayview Mining in 1983 and by Norcon Exploration in 1984 produced 21 tonnes with an average grade of 1.27 grams per tonne gold, 5848.3 grams per tonne silver, 16.99 per cent lead and 16.53 per cent zinc from the Number 4 zone.
The history of the Bayview-Gold Cliff (103P 050)claims dates back to the early 1920s. The original Bayview Mining Co. made a small high-grade shipment in 1925, but not until 1928 did development accelerate, when the United Empire Gold and Silver Mining Co. consolidated the various properties. Following continued exploration, major expenditures were made in 1933 and 1934 for construction of buildings and installation of a tramline. This program culminated in production shipments of 169 tons between 1934 and 1936 (Gold Cliff). Exploration in the form of prospecting, rock sampling of the old workings, and surveying was conducted during 1981 and 1983 by Bayview Resources Ltd. During 1983, some packsack drilling and 457 metres of BQ diamond drilling was completed on the Trites zone of the old United Empire Mine workings (103P 050). Some high-grade ore was mined from the upper Bayview pits. In 1990, Hyder Gold Inc. conducted exploration on the Bayview-Gold Cliff property consisting of prospecting, geological mapping, rock sampling and minor silt sampling.
Additional Images