The Mayner’s Fortune occurrence is located 4 kilometres west of Lakelse Lake on the Lakelse River, approximately 12 kilometres south of Terrace.
Several isolated blocks of massive, Permian(?) limestone outcrop just west of Lakelse Lake. The limestone is contained in a sequence of thin bedded quartzite, graphitic argillite and argillaceous limestone that is intruded by Jurassic to Tertiary granite and diorite of the Coast Plutonic Complex. The limestone is usually white, but sometimes displays a green or bluish grey colour. It is extensively recrystallized and coarse grained in texture. Epidote-garnet skarn zones with minor magnetite and sulphides are locally developed in the limestone.
One 30-metre thick block of limestone extends for 108 metres northeast from the Lakelse River, crossing the Canadian National Railway at the 10 Mile Point. The bed strikes 040 degrees and dips 25 degrees southeast. The block is estimated to contain at least 454,000 tonnes of limestone. A representative sample from this block assayed 96.3 percent calcium carbonate and 1.59 percent magnesium carbonate (Property File - K.P. Bottoms, 1967, pages 3, 10). At least two other deposits of relatively pure limestone outcrop to the southeast.
Inferred reserves for the 10 Mile zone measured 454,000 tonnes grading 96.3 per cent limestone (Property File - K.P. Bottoms, 1967, page 10).
In 1966–1967, a mineral exploration program of combined photogeological and field geological analysis and photogeology was conducted in the area by Cree Lake Mining Company Limited.
In 2016, Durango Resources Inc. conducted a mapping and rock sampling (27) campaign on the Mayner's Fortune limestone property. The property hosts five historically mapped subparallel limestone units. Durango completed two exploration visits which included sampling to test limestone quality and mapping to substantiate historic reports. Limestone unit No. 5 was chosen to be the focus of the mapping survey, based on its historically reported thickness and quality as well as accessibility, considering limitations introduced by recent snowfall in the area. The limestone unit was mapped for an extent of 650 metres along strike and up to 140 metres apparent thickness along surface near the centre of the claim. The unit strikes approximately north and dips to the east at 55 to 60 degrees. Porphyry intrusions and narrow mafic dikes were found to crosscut the unit in a few locations and are estimated to comprise approximately 10 to 15 per cent of the total strike length mapped. The unit remains open toward both the north and south, and average maximum thickness has yet to be confirmed. The results from this survey compare well with historical mapping which estimated the limestone units to measure at least 1600 metres along strike, while remaining open at both ends (spanning the entire length of the claim block), and up to 180 metres apparent thickness at the southern end of the claim block. Out of eight unique samples taken from limestone outcrops at the Mayner's Fortune property, all eight yielded grades greater than 86.9 per cent CaCO3 (48.7 per cent CaO) (Press Release – Durango Resources Inc., December 6, 14, 2016).
In 2019 Durango Resources Inc. was successful in discovering additional massive limestone showings running parallel to the known six limestone beds reported in the Haman 1966 and Bottoms 1967 reports. The 2019 program identified new limestone occurrences, Bed 7 is calculated at 100,000 cubic metres and Bed 8 and Bed 9 are calculated at 50,000 cubic metres. This gives rise to a preliminary new limestone volume of 150,00 cubic metres. Sampling and XRF analysis of Limestone Beds 8 and 9 resulted in positive values of 96.5 percent and 92.2 per cent CaCO3, respectively (Durango Resources Inc. July 24, 2019 Press Release).
