Exploration in Montana
The Wickes Mining District Southwest of Helena, Montana, was one of the most productive in the Helena Region following its discovery in the nineteenth century. First settled in 1864 when placer gold was discovered in Prickly Pear Creek, the region was soon crawling with prospectors. That same year, both the Minah and Gregory lodes were discovered.
Many of the ore discoveries were of such high grade that they were shipped by wagon and boat as far away as Swansea, Wales, to be smelted. However, several local smelters sprang up in the surrounding region to take advantage of the Gold/Silver/Lead/Copper/Zinc ores coming out of the many mines in the district. It is estimated that more than $50 million in ore was produced in just a few short years.
Though the majority of the mines closed around the turn of the last century, the district is by no means played out. In fact, as late as 1987, new mines were still being opened producing gold, silver, zinc, and lead, and many of the old mining dumps have been re-processed in the last two decades. It is possible that the best years of the Wickes Mining District are still ahead of us.
Our claims in the district are the Argentine-Edelweiss claims and the adjoining Silver Chief properties. Tunneling 130 feet into the Argentine vein, Mascot has exposed lenses of ore which assayed up to 18 opt silver, .12 opt gold, 11% lead, and an amazing 22% zinc across a two foot face. We believe the potential exists for significant expansion of these results.
