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The stratigraphy of the Sierra District consists of lower Triassic Koipato and Natchez Pass strata which are cut locally by diabase dikes and sills which are vertical or dip southeastward. Quartz veins often occur in proximity to the intermediate intrusive rocks and usually also dip moderately eastward. At Dun Glen, the Koipato consists of low-grade metamorphic rocks. Mineralization in the area consists of white to orange-brown massive quartz veins which generally have a “mesothermal” appearance.
A characteristic of mesothermal systems is the tendency for homogeneity and down-dip continuity. Historical mining in the district never extended below the water table, which is near surface and less than 250 feet in any given area, so no empirical information on down-dip continuity is available. One of the goals of HuntMountain’s exploration program will be to test the nature and extent of this down-dip continuity.
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