The Montana Queen A Rock Creek Sapphire

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1 The Montana Queen A Rock Creek Sapphire A Review of North America s Largest Sapphire Producer Presentation at the Canadian Gemmological Association October 20-22, 2017 The National Club Toronto Ontario Presented by Warren F. Boyd, BSc, FGAC, FCGmA, FGA Director of Marketing Potentate Mining LLC

2 POTENTATE MINING LLC AMERICA S SOURCE FOR SAPPHIRES Rock Creek Sapphires 2

3 Montana Sapphire Deposits - Location 3

4 Montana Sapphire Deposits Yogo Gulch Deep blue or purple hard rock in a Lamprophyre dike. No new production. Economic? Missouri River Alluvial Gravel benches - current sapphire production from old Dredge tailings flooded small scale Dry Cottonwood Creek Alluvial gravel with little current production Rock Creek heavily weathered volcanic rocks & secondary concentration in small gulches over 3000 acres - very rich deposit 90% owned by Potentate. Significant production in 2016 & 2017! 4

5 Rock Creek - Discovery in 1893 M.H. Bryan of Philipsburg was prospecting for gold on West Fork of Rock Creek Saved the shiny pebbles for his grandchildren Pebbles turned out to be Sapphires when viewed by Jeweller Whalen Sapphire found in abundance

to slurry & moon scape afterwards Now banned in

6 Rock Creek - Discovery in 1893 Hydraulic Mining on lower ground only Environmentally unacceptable due to slurry & moon scape afterwards Now banned in USA/Canada Mined from 1890s to 1930s - Industrial 6

7 Rock Creek Sapphire District Known locally as Rock Creek and/or Gem Mountain Summer tourist operation called Gem Mountain hence Potentate refers to their mine as Rock Creek Over 60 Tons of Sapphires recovered between 1900 and 1930 watch movements & industrial applications. Focus on small stones. Heat Treatment technologies in the 1980s /1990s radically improved pale greenish colours of the bulk of the sapphires to beautiful blues, yellows, pastels Sporadic small scale production since the 1980s 7

8 Abundant Wildlife / Pristine Environment 8

9 Blue Ribbon Trout Steam Fly fishermen from across America seek out Rock Creek 9

10 Eureka Gulch & West Fork Rock Creek Grey areas known sapphire occurrences SAPPHIRE MOUNTAIN RANGE Eureka Gulch Eureka Gulch purchased in 2011 producing gold/minor sapphire The West Fork Property was acquired in Potentate has been testing this area showing Sapphire/minor gold 2017 Wash Eureka Gulch to be relocated to West Fork property 4 Miles West Fork/Rock Creek The Meadows 20 Miles (From Berg 2015)

11 Rock Creek Historical Production Anaconda Gulch/ Sapphire Gulch /Fork Gulch / Wild Cat Gulch/Meyer Gulch/Queen Gulch The Meadows Produced over 60 tons of sapphire since discovery in 1893 to 1930 Industrial & Watch Industry shipped to Switzerland From Berg

12 Rock Creek Historical Production TWO MILES From Berg

13 Mining Area West Fork Rock Creek Mining Area Near D Block West Fork Rock Creek 13

14 Excavator Loading the Mine Truck 14

15 Screening Plant -West Fork Rock Creek UNDERSIZE GEM ORE OVERSIZE Undersize (<1/8 ), Oversize (>1 ), Ore (>1/8 & <1 )

16 Trucking to Eureka Gulch - Jig Processing Ore Trucked from West Fork to Eureka Transport Weight reduced by 60% 16

17 Trucking to Eureka Gulch Processing 17

18 Excavator Puts Ore In Hopper Oversize/trash removed to conveyer Under One Inch in Slurry Pump Pump to the Large Jig

19 Gravel Slurry to the Jigs Larger Gravel under 1 and over 1/8 Under 1/8 to smaller Jig fine gold Water to Sluice to verify gold captured Can process up to 20 Cu/Yard per 19 Hour

20 Inspecting the Jig Bed - Cleanup 20

21 Recovery of Jig Concentrates 21

22 Daily Cleaning of Jig baskets Recovering sapphires Scoop & Vacuum Concentrates Locked Screens

23 Recovery of Jig Concentrates Screen 1/8 x 1 Steel Balls Scoop 6 across 30% Sapphire 23

24 Jig Concentrates are Screened & Iron Shot Removed

25 Concentrates Dried & Sapphires Recovered by Hand Picking

26 Sapphire Rough Ready For Cleaning 26

27 Acid Cleaning & Preparation Sapphires are cleaned with a solution of Hydrofluoric & Hydrochloric Acids Outsourced to licensed laboratories who have the proper safety equipment & fume hoods required for such work Too dangerous for mine site at this time No acids or toxic substances are used at the mine site 27

28 Cleaned Sapphire Ready for Sale 28

29 Select Assortment of Natural No Heat Sapphire Crystals No damage from alluvial transport (unlike Missouri River) Weights range from 2 carats to 34 carats The Montana Queen 29

30 Thermal Technologies Using Oxidizing & Reducing Atmospheres Ovens Operating at Columbia Gem House - USA 30

31 Dissolving Rutile Silk (Titanium) 31

32 BEFORE/AFTER HEAT TREATMENT 32

Example of Heat Treatment - Silk Original Weight of Grey Crystal was 11.42 Carat Opaque and evidence of minor asterism. Geuda?

33 Example of Heat Treatment - Silk Original Weight of Grey Crystal was Carat Opaque and evidence of minor asterism. Geuda? Attempts to find a star in the natural rough were unsuccessful The rough was then heated which dissolved the fine silk (rutile) and generated this fine finished gem of 3.39 carats. 33

34 Spectacular Orange - Heated 26.2 carats Greenish & Opaque Core Rare Whiskey Orange Oval 7.90 carat 34

35 The Montana Queen Possibly one of the largest and most valuable intense blue sapphire ever recovered from the Rock Creek sapphire mine in Montana The recovered rough weighed was carats One of the few rare gems where a precise GPS coordinate can be provided Comes with an impeccable supply chain guarantee GIA Monograph certifying source & treatments 35

36 The Montana Queen Discovery - June 22 nd 2016 Field Photograph Including Stock No.

37 The Montana Queen Beautiful Pristine Crystal with Trigons carats

38 The Montana Queen Window Polished Heat Treated Silk & Core Gone

39 The Montana Queen Cutting Process Jeff Hapeman

40 North America s Largest Fine Blue Sapphire? 40

41 The Montana Queen

42 GIA Monograph Montana Queen

Sotheby s Magnificent Jewels Auction November 2015 The Big Sky Sapphire GIA Monograph #6173139524 What is the The Montana Queen worth?

43 Sotheby s Magnificent Jewels Auction November 2015 The Big Sky Sapphire GIA Monograph # What is the The Montana Queen worth? The Big Sky Sapphire carat No Heat Lot 344 Nov/15 Est:$ K Hammer Price US$394,000 or > US$31k/carat Less due to Heat treatment Larger vs 12.54

44 More Spectacular Stones Coming 2016 Season produced 220 kg of mm rough sapphire 2017 Season projected at 190 kg of mm rough sapphire Forest fires, evacuation orders, water issues 44

45 America s Largest Gem Sapphire 59.5 Carat Clean Crystal Largest ever recorded in USA 45

46 27 Carat Green Sapphire Silk Core 2015 Exploration Pit Discovery 27 ct Rough Sapphire Found in 2015 Test Pit 9.85 Carat Green Sapphire Heat Treated to Clarify 27 Carats Crystal 46

47 Original Weight carat Preform 9.10 carat Heat Treated

48 Glenn Lehrer - TorusRing Deep Pinto Blue Sapphire Weight 4.92 carat Heat Treated To Be Designed into a Unique Jewelry Pieces

49 Pinto Sapphire Rich Blue Sapphire Weight 5.57 carat No Heat Sri Lanka Cutting $10,000 / carat PM1205

50 Rich Blue Sapphire Pinto Sapphire Weight 5.57 carat No Heat Sri Lanka Cutting $10,000 / carat PM1205

51 Purple-Orange Bi-Colour 1.52 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $1980 / carat PM1221

52 Orange Sapphire Weight 7.86 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $2500 / carat SOLD

53 Violet-Orange / Purple Color-Change Pinto Weight Sapphire 1.53 carat No Heat $1960 / carat PM1015

54 Peacock Blue Weight 1.76 carat Pinto Sapphire No Heat $1300 / carat PM1005

55 Purplish Pink Weight 1.99 carat Pinto Sapphire No Heat $2000 / carat SOLD

56 Gold & Blue Bi-coloured Weight 2.83 carat Pinto Sapphire No Heat $2500/ carat PM 1156

57 Yellowish Green Weight 3.06 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $2500 / carat PM1145

58 Blue-Orange Bi-Colour Weight 2.41 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $1000 / carat PM1326

59 Bright Sky Blue Weight 2.10 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $2000 / carat PM1438

60 Bright Orange Weight 2.17 carat Pinto Heat Sapphire Treated $1650 / carat PM1287

61 Pinto Sapphire Weight 1.83 carat Pinto Sapphire No Heat $2000 / carat PM1143

62 Blue-Orange Bi-Colour Weight 2.74carat Pinto Sapphire No Heat $2000 / carat PM1234

63 Precision Cutting Production Global Markets including USA Ideal Product for Production Manufacturers 63

64 Marketing Objectives Potentate Mining LLC is planning to have Rock Creek Sapphires in designer & production jewellery throughout North America, Europe & Asia through select clients & manufacturers Ethically Sourced / Supply chain warranties Environmentally responsible All American Gemstone Every mall in America within the next few years

65 Acknowledgments Photography by Warren Boyd, Keith Barron, John Rae, Andrea Rae, Jeffrey Scovil, Jeffrey Hapeman, Arlan Able, Kiwon Jang Gemstone cutting Earth s Treasury & Americut, Sri Lankan dealers & others 65

66 Potentate Promo Video

Sapphire & Ruby Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Africa, Thailand, Australia and Montana

10% to 40% OFF!! Scroll to the end. Sapphire & Ruby Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Africa, Thailand, Australia and Montana This page was updated Dec 3, 2018 September birthstone! Sapphire is available in just about