The LUCKY JACK showing is located on Lot 1026s approximately 2.5 kilometres northeast of Mount Franklin.
In 1906 the LUCKY JACK claim was part of the White Bear Group. The work in that year exposed "a large body of white iron" (arsenopyrite?) carrying gold and copper and "running from one to ten dollars" (this mineralization may occur only on the WHITE BEAR showing (082ENE057)). Ore chutes of high grade chalcopyrite were also reported to occur (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1906, p. 164). The LUCKY JACK claim was Crown granted in 1910 to Herbert and Maggie Kerman, Henry Watkin and David Shannon.
The showing occurs in Eocene augite-syenite which contains discontinuous dikes or sill-like segregations of pyroxenite (locally known as the "Black Lead"). The shonkinite-pyroxenite is a minor phase of the alkalic Eocene Coryell Intrusions. It has been suggested that the pyroxenite is a basal cumulate of an early monzonitic intrusion, which was later intruded and engulfed by an augite-syenite intrusion.
It is along the contact area of the pyroxenites that copper and platinum values are known to occur. The shonkinite-pyroxenite bodies appear to occupy a general east-west trending fault or fracture system complicated by local folding. In the Franklin camp, pyrite is commonly found disseminated near the outer contacts of pyroxenitic rocks and is inferred from the reported presence of iron sulphides. Mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite and a little bornite.
The showing consists of an old adit near the contact between shonkinite-pyroxenite and monzonite of the Eocene Coryell Intrusions.
Thomlinson (1920) reports on 3 samples from the LUCKY JACK claim, these were possibly taken in 1918 (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1918). One sample came from a dump at the mouth of a short drift. This sample, containing selected pieces of dark coloured close-grained rock with chalcopyrite and small crystals of a whitish metallic mineral, assayed 2.74 grams per tonne platinum (Open File 1986-7). A sample from a small shaft, 60 metres east of the short drift, contained chalcopyrite and pyrite in a lens of dark, close-grained rock and assayed 1.37 grams per tonne platinum (Open File 1986-7). A sample, from an opencut, of medium-grained pyroxenite stained by copper carbonates, containing chalcopyrite and pyrite assayed 2.06 grams per tonne platinum (Open File 1986-7).
In 1964, Franklin Mines Ltd. acquired much of the Franklin camp and carried out detailed geological mapping and geophysical surveys in a number of locations. Several magnetic anomalies, discovered by Franklin Mines, were found to be due to disseminated magnetite within the pyroxenite body and along the margins of the syenite.
In 1985-86, Longreach Resources Ltd. acquired much of the Franklin camp area, Longreach carried out geophysical surveys in this area in late 1985 and 1986. Several magnetic, potentially platiniferous, contacts or pyroxenite bands were identified on the DAJG claims. The LUCKY JACK claim was covered by the DAJG 5 claim at this time.
In 1987, Longreach's property, now known as the PLATINUM BLONDE property, was optioned to Placer Dome Inc. who proceeded to carry out a major exploration program over the area. Two drillholes were drilled in the vicinity of the adit and shaft of the LUCKY JACK showing. The results were poor and confusing.
Similar platinum occurrences are the OTTAWA (082ENE061), AVERILL (082ENE007), BLUE JAY (082ENE054), MOUNTAIN LION (082ENE055) COLUMBIA (082ENE060), BUFFALO (082ENE008) and GOLDEN (082ENE053) showings.
