The Cabin G phosphate prospect is located on Cabin Creek, 13 kilometres west of the Flathead River, 53 kilometres southeast of Fernie.
The area in the vicinity of Cabin Creek at the south end of the Fernie Basin is underlain by fine-grained sandstones, siltstones and dolomitic siltstones of the Permian Ranger Canyon Formation (Ishbel Group), overlain by siltstones, shales and dolomite of the Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation (Spray River Group), followed by shales, siltstones and minor sandstones of the Jurassic Fernie Group. The strata are exposed in the core of a northwestward trending doubly plunging ("domal") anticline that is bisected by Cabin Creek, which flows eastward.
Phosphatic beds are found at the base of the Fernie Group and near the top of the Ranger Canyon Formation. A 2-metre-thick bed of medium grey to dark brown weathering calcareous siltstone to fine-grained sandstone of the Ranger Canyon Formation is poorly exposed southwest of Cabin Creek. The bed is underlain by either a buff- to buff-grey cherty siltstone or a light grey bituminous brecciated dolostone/dolomitic siltstone. The unit contains grey phosphate nodules 1 to 20 centimetres in diameter containing 20 per cent P2O5 and 0.200 per cent yttrium. Representative samples from this bed have assayed 9 to 13 per cent P2O5 and 0.150 to 0.200 per cent yttrium (Assessment Report 19954, page 13). The horizon averages 1.2 per cent P2O5 over its 2-metre thickness (Open File 1987-16, Figure 33).
The prospect was first explored by Imperial Oil Ltd. in 1978 and then by First Nuclear Corporation in 1981. The deposit was examined by Formosa Resources Corporation in 1989, while exploring the base of the Fernie Group for yttrium-enriched phosphates.
WORK HISTORY
In 1978, Imperial Oil drilled thirty-three (33) holes totaling 430 metres on the Cabin 1, 2, 3 and Ram 1 and 2 claims (Assessment Report 7617). Five holes were about 50 metres in depth and 28 holes are 20 metres or less. Three showing (Cabin #1, Cabin #2 and Cabin #3) and 1 showing (Ram #1) on the Ram claims about 9 kilometres northeast of the Cabin showings.
In 1981, First Nuclear commenced a program of airborne and car-borne radiometrics followed by field prospecting and caterpillar trenching to assess the surface exposure of the favourable sediments exposed along the erosional edge of the Fernie basin some 72 kilometres in length. A total of 18 sections were exposed through the basal portion of the Fernie Formation.
In 1989, Formosa Resources Corporation began exploration for yttrium and phosphate in the area, staking several claims as part of the Columbia Project (Assessment Reports 19948, 19954). Formosa's Cabin Creek 1 to 16 claims appear to cover the Storm Creek (082GSE061) and possibly the Cabin G (082GSE068) occurrences as located in MINFILE. Claim Maps for 1989 and 1992 show the Cabin Creek (CS) (082GSE055) to be covered by the Virginia 1 to 4 claims which were not part of the Formosa Cabin Creek property.
In 1992, Formosa Resources Corp., on their Cabin Creek claims, conducted a 15 line-kilometre ground radiometric survey (Assessment Report 22737). The survey demonstrated a poor correlation between the (presumed) surface trace of the phosphate horizon and the radiometric response and therefor further grid radiometric work was not recommended.
In 1996, owner R. Tim Henneberry for operator Mammoth Geological Ltd. calculated preliminary mineral estimates for the Cabin Creek and Leslie Creek properties utilizing earlier sampling data (Assessment Report 25080). Henneberry's 1996 and 1998 claims appear to cover the MINFILE locations of Cabin Creek (CS) (082GSE055), Storm Creek (082GSE061), and Cabin G (082GSE068).
In 1998, Ecomineral Resources Ltd collected surface sampling to obtain 5-gallon pails of phosphorite for metallurgical testing (Assessment Report 25642). Samples were obtained from the Cabin Creek and Barnes Lake properties. The main Cabin Creek showing on C.C.#7 was examined and sampled. Additional outcroppings were examined, but the phosphorite horizon was not located.
In 2008, Paget Resources Corporation conducted a program on their Barnes Lake and Bighorn – Cabin Creek claim groups which consisted of eight reverse circulation holes totaling a total of 425 metres drilled. Seven of the holes were drilled on the Bighorn - Cabin Creek claim blocks (377 metres) and one on the Barnes Lake claim block (48 metres). Geological mapping and limited trenching were also carried out. The 2007 Fernie Phosphate exploration program failed to confirm the presence of phosphorite rock with P2O5 concentrations greater than 1.3 per cent (Assessment Report 30091).
Refer to Ram A (082GSE063), Ram 1 (082GSE056), Bighorn (082GSE060), and Barnes Lake (082GSE051 for related work history and geological information.
