San Antonio Gold Mines Limited formed Jeep Gold Mines Limited to develop the 12 Rice Gold claims. Diamond drilling was carried out on three veins.
A three-compartment shaft was started in 1947. Surface and underground diamond drilling, crosscutting and drifting were carried out for several years. An unsorted 291 tonnes of ore yielded 5.6 kg (182 oz.) of gold. The milling, throughout the mine's history, was done at the San Antonio plant. The highest assay for 1947, was 64.07g. (2.06 oz.) over a width of 0.27m and 0.25 m long. The lowest assay that year was 26.50 g/tonne (0.85 oz/ton) over a width of 0.31 m and a length of 0.71 m (Manitoba Mines Branch c).
Two test runs of ore were milled in 1948. A total of 1099 tonnes of ore produced an average of 27.29 g/tonne (0.80 oz/ton) of gold. An assay of 98.4 g/tonne (2.87 oz/ton) gold across 0.15 m was reported 168 m below the surface. Recovery of the ore averaged 30.86 g/tonne (0.9 oz/ton), with a reserve of 4990 tonnes in two veins. By June 65.16 kg (2095 oz.) of gold had been recovered. The veins were proving variable in width, so an attempt was made to stabilize the ore grade at 34.29 g/tonne (1 oz/ton). It was determined that No. 1 vein did not continue with depth. The No. 3 vein became the primary source of ore. No. 7 vein was discovered about 183 m from the shaft (Ibid.). A 21-year lease, M-2037, was taken out in 1948.
In 1949 the shaft was lowered to 180 m. Another two levels were added at 137 and 175 m bringing the total to four levels. The other levels were at 38 and 61 m. The mine produced about 23 tonnes of ore a day. Reserves from the 2 main veins totalled 3175 tonnes. Mining was halted in 1950, though further development work was continued for a short time. The principal ore vein did not continue with depth. The company felt Vein Nos. 3 and 7 could not support mining operations (Manitoba Mines Branch c, Jeep Gold Mine Limited, Company Report, 1950). Some exploration work was done in 1958 and 1959.
The property was kept in good standing. In 1969 Transtide Industries Limited bought The Jeep Gold Mine Limited. Later in 1969 the lease was renewed for another 21 years. Geophysical surveys were undertaken in 1973 when the price of gold rose to $3.22/g ($100/oz). According to a newspaper clipping, Transtide expected to do surface mining on the property (Winnipeg Free Press, May 29, 1973).
In 1975 Rice Gold No. 2 was converted from a lease back to claim W 14476. From June to September 1973 Transtide drilled four holes totalling 546 m. The holes were collared east of the mine shaft and parallel to the main shear zone. Details of the results are not available. The claim was cancelled in 1976.
In May 1977 N. Tschunsky staked CB 8043 over the deposit and in 1980 the property was assigned to Augusta Gold Mines Limited, a subsidiary of Gold Lake Mines Inc. A feasibility study was completed in 1981, on a mill designed for 180 tonnes per day (Northern Miner Nov. 12, 1981). From July 1981 to August 1982 prospecting, magnetometor and EM surveys were completed. Gold Lake Mines 1982-83 annual report indicated intent to design a drilling program to verify the continuity of more shallow mineralized structures to a depth of 450 m.

It appears from this report that there was no other work done below 450m. Just imagine the potential, the surface veins had to come from somewhere and the mineralization potential shown by Wildcat deeper than 450m would say just that.

If Red Lake was getting awesome grades at 7000 ft, that would leave a lot of room unexplored where there was some great surface yields (.9oz to 2.08 oz)

Can't wait for some drilling this year!!