The Oldman River Lead-Zinc Occurrence Southwestern Alberta

The Oldman River lead-zinc occurrence, situated in southwestern Alberta, was first discovered in outcrop by a group of hunters in 1912. The property was staked in 1950 by the Oldman Mining Syndicate, a company formed by a group of Nanton, Alberta business men. West Canadian Collieries acquired an interest in the prospect in 1952 and took the initiative in evaluation studies during 1953 and 1954. This work was documented in some detail by the late Mr. Sid Ward, geologist for West Canadian Collieries, who met with an untimely death in 1955. The information became property of Scurry-Rainbow Oil Limited, Calgary upon the company's acquisition of West Canadian Collieries' holdings in 1969. Mineral claims are now being held by Alberta Silver Mines Ltd., Turner Valley.

The prospect, although unconfirmed as a potential mine, is important for a number of reasons. First, it constitutes one of the few cases of metallic mineralization within the province. Second, the mineralization is uniquely fault-controlled within Devonian carbonate strata along the eastern edge of the Cordilleran region. Finally, the prospect is reasonably well-documented, a fact which may add to a better understanding of any similar occurrences of the eastern Cordillera.

The study is largely a review of work performed by West Canadian Collieries. It is, therefore, the writer's wish that any value in the study be credited to the late Mr. Sid Ward, whose resourcefulness and initiative are readily apparent in the original evaluation records. Thanks are extended to Mr. Dave Lane of Scurry-Rainbow Oil Limited for his assistance and cooperation and to Alberta Silver Mines Limited for permission to disclose the information.