We are writing in reference to the Odds ‘n’ Sods article “Doda, Dink and Zoran” by Dr. Harold Linder (T.N.M., Dec. 3-11/16). The author’s biography at the end states, “Dr. Harold Linder is an exploration geologist who has worked on all seven continents and is now retired in Anthem, Arizona. He discovered the giant, unmined Schaft Creek porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit in northern B.C. in 1968 for Hecla Mining Company…”
The second statement is not true. The Schaft Creek deposit was discovered in May of 1957 by Nick Bird, a prospector working for the BIK Syndicate, under the supervision of William St. Clair Dunn, P.Eng., the superintendent of exploration for Silver Standard Mines Ltd. This information is documented in CIM Special Volume 15, 1976, “Porphyry Deposits of the Canadian Cordillera,” page 219, “Schaft Creek History.”
At the end of the summer of 1957 after a significant trenching program, Mr. Dunn estimated there was a resource of 330 million tons grading 0.35% copper equivalent on the property. His last global estimate for Schaft Creek in the 1990s was 3.3 billion metric tonnes of 0.35% copper equivalent.
Hecla optioned the property from Silver Standard but ultimately did not exercise their option and returned the property to Silver Standard. Silver Standard then optioned the property to ASARCO who also did not exercise their option and returned the property to Silver Standard. The property was then optioned to Teck, who earned a 70% interest in the property. Silver Standard sold its residual interest to Teck in the 1980s.
Dr. Linder’s contribution was to recognize the size and type of the Schaft Creek deposit and convince Hecla to option the property and carry out a few summers work on it. We are certain that Dr. Linder would agree with the above summary.
William Walton Dunn, P.Eng.
David St. Clair Dunn, P.Geo.
Via the internet
RELATED STORY: Harold Linder responds.
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