Dolly Varden reactivating famed B.C. silver camp

An adit is expected to be collared by Dolly Varden Minerals at its Alice Arm, B.C. silver property by month-end. In doing so, the company will be reactivating one of B.C.’s most famous silver mining camps.

From 1919-1921, the original Dolly Varden mine produced 1.3 million oz of silver from ore grading 35.6 oz silver per ton. The nearby Torbit mine yielded 18.7 million oz silver from 1949-1959. Average grades were 13.5 oz.

An assessment of the geological data available from the 9,000-acre property — which is essentially the entire camp — concludes that geological reserves total 887,556 tons grading 9.6 oz silver per ton. That translates into 8.5 million gross oz of silver.

Dolly Varden plans to drive a drift which will access two areas of known silver mineralization — the Dolly Varden and the Northstar. Drifting and underground drilling are required as the rugged geography of the Kitsault River valley precludes surface drilling, President W. F. Christensen explains to The Northern Miner.

The North Star and Dolly Varden mine areas host reserves of 141,577 tons grading 11.7 oz silver and 47,000 tons grading 22 oz silver respectively. According to Mr Christensen, a large part of the property remains untested. A review of several longitudinal sections of the Dolly Varden mine area by The Northern Miner showed large undeveloped sections with numerous economic drill intersections. These included 15 ft grading 10.7 oz silver, 25 ft grading 25 oz silver and 25 ft assaying 27 oz silver per ton. Areas such as this will be tested by underground drilling from the adit.

Financing for the project is coming from two private placements which raised $1.5 million. Approximately 20,000 ft of drilling is planned for this year.