The Turnagain Nickel is a developed prospect hosted in an Alaskan-type ultramafic intrusive complex. This zoned complex consists of a dunite core and surrounding peripheral peridotites, pyroxene-rich peridotite, wehrlite, and olivine pyroxenite with maximum dimensions of 3 by 8.2 kilometres. It was intruded in the Early Jurassic into Upper Paleozoic (?) and/or Triassic (?) metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Quesnel Terrane. It is in faulted contact on the east and north with slate and phyllite of the Paleozoic Road River Group (Ancestral North America).

This paragraph describes the characteristics of the Turnagain intrusive complex and is sourced entirely from Nixon et al. (2018-2019). “Recent investigations have shown that the lithological zoning is formed by four compositionally, spatially and temporally distinct sub-intrusions arranged eccentrically about a central dunite-wehrlite body. From oldest to youngest, the four intrusive bodies (Stages 1-4) comprise: 1) interlayered wehrlite, clinopyroxenite and minor dunite that form a small intrusion at the northern margin of the complex; 2) dunite and wehrlite in the central intrusive phase with minor clinopyroxenite and hornblendite near the periphery; 3) diorite and minor feldspathic hornblendite in the core of the complex; and 4) hornblende/magnetite clinopyroxenite with minor wehrlite and clinopyroxenite at the western margin of the composite intrusion (Fig. 2). Contacts between the intrusive phases are sharp and locally marked by intrusive breccias and dykes. The main Ni-sulphide mineralization is hosted by Stage 2 wehrlite-dunite where it forms semi-massive, net-textured and disseminated zones. The youngest intrusive phase (Stage 4) contains thin localized zones of lensoid to blebby and disseminated magnetite and Cu-PGE sulphide mineralization. Ultramafic and dioritic rocks from three of the four intrusive stages have been successfully dated.”

Nixon et al. further reported “. . .that the magmatic evolution of the composite intrusion evidently extended over at least four million years in the Early Jurassic (ca. 189-185 Ma). This span of intrusive activity is a minimum as the oldest Stage 1 component of the Turnagain complex has yet to be dated.”

The rock in the showing area is layered. Most of the outcrop is variably serpentinized peridotite, with lesser amounts of dunite. A band of olivine pyroxenite strikes 083 degrees. Two or three small lenses of pyroxene-rich rock occur in the outcrop. Most of the outcrop has a rusty weathered surface but sulphides are generally in low concentrations. Pentlandite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite are the only reported sulphides in the showing. Net-textured mineralization occurs in black serpentinite. Sulphides are present in lesser amounts in grey peridotite. A section of diamond-drill hole 10, drilled on the showing by Falconbridge Nickel Mines, contained 30 metres grading 0.4 per cent nickel (Property File - Kilburn, 1967). A background value of 0.1 per cent nickel or less was suggested to exist.

The main zone is the Horsetrail zone which has been the focus of most of the historic and recent diamond drilling. Exploration results to 2011 suggest a northwest to west-northwest trend for the Horsetrail and other zones such as Northwest, Hatzl, Cliff, DJ, DB, Highland and Mandible (Preliminary Economic Assessment, Turnagain Project, by AMC Mining Consultants on behalf of Hard Creek Nickel Corporation, December 2nd, 2011). The zones consist of broadly dispersed, disseminated to intercumulus sulphide mineralization in both dunite and wehrlite and serpentinized equivalents. Sulphide grains range in size from 0.5 to 5 millimetres and commonly occupy interstices between olivine grains. Drill core samples from the Horsetrail Zone have a median of 0.23 per cent total nickel with grades ranging from 0.01 per cent to 4.89 per cent total nickel. AC-Ni-based (ammonium-citrate–hydrogen peroxide leaching analytical method) grades range from 0.01 per cent to 4.06 per cent and have a median grade of 0.14 per cent. Total cobalt grades range from 0.001 per cent to 0.480 per cent with a median of 0.013 per cent cobalt. There appears to be a spatial relationship between graphitic xenoliths, increasing clinopyroxene content in the ultramafic host rocks and the incidence of sulphide mineralization. Where present, chalcopyrite occurs along the margins of pyrrhotite and in narrow veinlets. Relatively unaltered dunite adjacent to the Horsetrail Zone may contain total nickel values of 0.20 per cent to 0.30 per cent, virtually all of which is in the crystal lattices of the silicate mineral olivine and consequently is not of economic importance.

In 2003, Canadian Metals Exploration Ltd completed a twenty-three-hole diamond-drilling program on its Turnagain nickel property. It also conducted prospecting and mapping on the southeastern part of the property, on the Horsetrail, Silica and Northwest zones. Since 1996, the company has drilled 48 holes totaling 15 950 metres.

In 2004, Hard Creek Nickel Corporation (formerly Canadian Metals Exploration Ltd.) continued exploration. The program included a 1600-line kilometre airborne EM and magnetic survey, a soil geochemical survey over a 115-kilometre grid and 49 diamond drill holes totaling 7645 metres.

Canadian Metals Exploration Ltd. released revised resource figures for the Horsetrail and Cub in April 2004. The Horsetrail zone has an inferred mineral resource of 5.0 million tonnes at a grade of 0.55 per cent nickel. A cut-off grade of 0.25 per cent nickel was used in these determinations (Press Release, Canadian Metals Exploration Ltd., April 26, 2004). Canadian Metals Exploration Ltd. changed its name to Hard Creek Nickel Corp. on June 28, 2004.

Hard Creek Nickel Corp. reported the results of the final phase of the 2004 drill program on December 13, 2004. Fourteen core holes were drilled, five of which were on the Turnagain Nickel (Horsetrail). Hole 04-66 was drilled in the centre of the zone and returned an 81.0-metre intersection, between 78.0 and 159.0 metres, that averaged 0.44 per cent nickel, 0.16 per cent copper and 0.026 per cent cobalt (Press Release, Hard Creek Nickel Corp., December 13, 2004). Some drilling earlier in 2004 was directed at a platinum and palladium soil geochemical anomaly at the DJ zone approximately 3 kilometres to the northwest.

Diamond drilling results from the 2002/2004 programs, and to a lesser extent, 1998 results, formed the basis for an estimate of indicated and inferred mineral resources for the Horsetrail zone of the Turnagain nickel property. The resource estimates incorporate the results obtained from 36 drillholes, of which 27 were holes completed in 2003 and 2004.

The density of diamond drilling in the central part of the Horsetrail zone permits an estimate of an indicated mineral resource of 15.7 million tonnes with average grades of 0.34 per cent nickel, 0.07 per cent copper and 0.019 per cent cobalt. This resource is flanked on the east and west by inferred mineral resources totaling 31.6 million tonnes grading 0.32 per cent nickel, 0.04 per cent copper and 0.016 per cent cobalt at a cut-off of 0.25 per cent total nickel (Technical Report on the 2004 Exploration Program - June 15, 2005, N.C. Carter, for Hard Creek Nickel Corporation).

The 2005 exploration program included follow-up prospecting and interpretation of geophysical targets, further borehole transient electromagnetic (EM) surveys in 13 holes for a total of 7400 metres, more than 1900 infill soil geochemistry samples, continued geological mapping, 7144 metres of diamond drilling in 37 holes, and more than 3700 core samples analyzed.

The 2006 exploration program included prospecting and interpretation of geophysical targets, a small program of infill soil sampling, continued geological mapping, 19,121.8 metres of diamond drilling in 69 holes, and more than 4500 core samples analyzed. Holes 06-109 to 06-112, 06-115 and 06-116 were drilled to the northwest, north and northeast of the known Horsetrail mineralization in the hopes of discovering extensions to the known resource. Though, in these holes, it was concluded that most of nickel was in silicate phases, it was useful in delineating the northern limit of the Horsetrail nickel deposit for conceptual pit design. Holes 06-135 to 06-140 were drilled in the area of hole 05-85 in the Highland zone to extend the known mineralization intersected in the 2005 program, to test an AeroTEM anomaly near the ultramafic contact and to test a soil geochemical anomaly. Holes 06-135 to 06-139 intersected poorly mineralized dunite and wehrlite and may limit the northwestern extent of the Highland mineralization. Hole 06-140 on the other hand, intersected encouraging mineralization and has opened the southeastern portion of the Highland anomaly to further exploration. Hole 06-141 to 06-143 was drilled in the prospective Mandible zone near the northwestern extent of the Turnagain ultramafic complex. These holes were drilled to intersect several geophysical anomalies in the area and to determine the nature of the ultramafic contact. These holes indicate that the Mandible zone is geologically complex with numerous lithologies and alterations. Results in holes 06-141 and 06-142 were disappointing as they returned no significant intervals indicating that magnetite and pyrite are the likely causes of the geophysical anomalies. Hole 06-143 returned interesting nickel values and offered encouraging PGE values over two short intervals.

In early 2007, a measured and indicated mineral resource of 428,563,000 tonnes grading 0.17 per cent sulphide nickel, 0.22 per cent total nickel and 0.011 per cent cobalt with an additional inferred resource of 742,923,000 tonnes grading 0.17 per cent sulphide nickel, 0.22 per cent total nickel and 0.011 per cent cobalt was reported (Simpson, R.G. (2007-03-29): Mineral Resource Update – Turnagain Nickel Project).

The 2007 exploration program included prospecting, continued geological mapping, 24,869.9 metres of NQ and PQ diamond drilling in 73 holes, metallurgical and grinding tests of PQ composite samples, and more than 6000 core samples analyzed. Holes 07-230 to 07-235 were drilled in the Mandible (holes 230 and 231) and Central areas (232-235) in the northwest portion of the intrusion to test targets indicated by outcrop samples, soil geochemical anomalies and total magnetic anomalies. Although hole 07-234 intersected a short interval of encouraging nickel grades near surface, the exploration campaign in this area was disappointing. Holes 07-201 and 07-225 were drilled slightly north of the known Horsetrail mineralization to determine the depth to the ultramafic contact and to test for a northerly Horsetrail extension of mineralization. Hole 07-201 intersected nickel grades that extend the Horsetrail mineralization to the north while hole 07-225 intersected no significant intervals. Both holes succeeded in determining the depth to the base of the ultramafic. Also, both holes show that the contact between the ultramafic and graphitic phyllite is a fault contact, supporting the theory that the Turnagain ultramafic body is the remnants of a large thrust sheet. Holes 07-243 and 07-247 were drilled to find northerly extensions to Horsetrail mineralization but yielded no significant results indicating that the Horsetrail mineralization does not extend north of hole 07-225. Hole 07-203 failed to indicate continuity of mineralization between the Horsetrail and Discovery outcrop while hole 07-206 intersected encouraging nickel grades at depth below the Discovery outcrop. Holes 07-236 to 07-240 were drilled in the prospective Cliff Area. Holes 07-237 to 07-240 intersected very encouraging nickel, platinum and palladium grades, expanding on known mineralization encountered in pre-NI43-101 drill holes completed in 1997, while hole 07-236 intersected no significant intervals.

The 2008 exploration program included geological mapping, 4105 metres of NQ and HQ diamond drilling in 16 holes, the installation of two groundwater monitoring wells, continued metallurgical testing including flotation and recovery tests, and approximately 1020 core samples analyzed. Drilling in 2008 consisted of holes 08-249 to 08-253 on the Cliff Zone, in the far eastern part of the intrusive suite, in order to find new mineralization and to test for possible along strike and down dip extensions of mineralization intersected in holes 07-237 to 07-239. Drilling in 2008 consisted of holes 08-254 to 08-261 and 08-264 holes on the Horsetrail zone with the purpose of infilling gaps in the current resource, upgrading areas of inferred resource to the indicated category, and upgrading some indicated to the measured category. Except for hole 08-257, these infill holes intersected high-grade mineralization over significant widths at varying depths and confirmed previously intersected high-grade zones.

The 2009 exploration program included air photo interpretation of surficial geology in the Flat Creek drainage, outcrop mapping in the Flat Creek drainage, collection of surficial data and samples from small pits and hand-auger holes in the Flat Creek drainage, and extensive metallurgical flotation test work.

The 2010 exploration program was primarily the collection of metallurgical samples from quartered core stored in racks on the property and, late in the season, drilling two HQ core holes, totalling 384.05 metres, to recover 3530 kilograms of fresh core for continuing metallurgical test work.

In 2011, flotation test work focused on producing a high-grade, direct shipping nickel sulphide concentrate. The metallurgical samples used in the test work were derived from quartering NQ-size drill core stored on the property.

In late 2011, a measured and indicated mineral resource of 865,482,000 tonnes grading 0.21 per cent total nickel and 0.013 per cent total cobalt with an additional inferred resource of 976,295,000 tonnes grading 0.20 per cent total nickel and 0.013 per cent total cobalt was reported using a cut-off grade of 0.1 per cent nickel (Riles, A., Molavi, M. (2011-12-02): Preliminary Economic Assessment – Turnagain Project).

In 2018, Giga Metals Corp. carried out a 40-hole 10,835 metre diamond drill program at their Turnagain project. The program was designed to test new targets such as the Attic and Mag zones, provide infill, collect samples for metallurgical testing, and yield geotechnical information to support pre-feasibility studies. The project has Measured and Indicated resources of 865 million tonnes grading at 0.21 per cent nickel, 0.013 per cent cobalt, and an additional Inferred resource of 976 million tonnes grading 0.2 per cent nickel and 0.013 per cent cobalt (Exploration in BC 2018, page 132).

In 2020, an updated mineral resource of the Turnagain Nickel project, including the 2018 drill program, was reported at 1 073 319 000 tonnes measured and indicated grading 0.220 per cent nickel and 0.013 per cent nickel with an additional 1 142 101 000 tonnes grading 0.217 per cent nickel and 0.013 per cent cobalt using an openpit cut-off grade of 0.1 per cent nickel (Gigametals Corporation [2021-02-03]: N.I. 43-101 Technical Report & Preliminary Economic Assessment For The Turnagain Project – Amended).

See the Turnagain prospect (104I 014) for further details and history of this and other nearby showings that Falconbridge Nickel worked as a single property from 1966 to 1973. Bren-Mar Resources Ltd. worked the property between 1996 and 1999.