The Agate occurrence is located near lake level on a southeast-trending point located north of Swaam Bay on Adams Lake.
The area is underlain by Devonian part of the Eagle Bay Formation rocks consisting of west-northwest trending sericite- quartz phyllites and sericite-chlorite-quartz phyllites derived from felsic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. The strata dips moderately to the northeast.
Galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite and argentite mineralization occurs within quartz veins and replacements concordant with the metavolcanics. Individual veins are reported to vary from approximately 1-centimetre in width to 4.5 metres in width. The quartz veins also cross cut schistosity and are sometimes cut off by faults.
A bulk sample of the upper showing, 830 metres west-northwest of the adit, assayed 27.4 grams per tonne silver, 5.16 per cent lead, 1.70 per cent zinc and 0.14 per cent copper (Annual Report 1961).
In 1974, diamond drilling yielded low-grade intercepts including 0.30 per cent lead, 0.59 per cent zinc and 1.8 grams per tonne silver over 9.0 metres in hole 74-1; 0.08 per cent lead, 0.24 per cent zinc and 2.3 grams per tonne silver over 9.0 metres in hole 74-2 and 0.15 per cent lead, 0.30 per cent zinc and 1.4 grams per tonne silver over 12.0 metres in hole 74-4 (Assessment Report 5226).
Work History
The area has been explored since at least the early 1920s as the Try Me claims and later, in the 1930s, as the Douglas and Lower Six claims.
In the early 1950s, an adit was reportedly driven for approximately 15.9 metres by I.A. Bennett and exposed mineralization through the adit. A second adit is also reported in the area.
In 1961, Huestis Mining Corp. completed a program of trenching and bulk sampling on the area.
In 1967, Buchanan Mines Ltd. completed a 37.7 line-kilometre combined ground magnetic and induced polarization survey on the area as the Agate, Bennett, Glen, Karen and Tom claims. Also, an unknown amount of diamond drilling and trenching is reported to have occurred around this time. Trenching was reported to have traced the mineralized zone for greater than 800 metres along strike with a lower (eastern) trench, located at an elevation of approximately 440 metres near the west shore of Adams Lake, and an upper (western) trench, located approximately 800 metres to the west-northwest at an elevation of approximately 580 metres.
During 1972 through 1974, Adams Lake Mining Ltd. completed programs of soil sampling, geological mapping, a ground electromagnetic survey and five diamond drilling holes, totalling 365.0 metres, on the area as the Agate and Karen claims of the Astro property.
In 1977 and 1978, Cominco completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 7.6 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Bay claims.
During 1982 through 1984, Westmin Resources Ltd. completed ground magnetic, electromagnetic and induced polarization surveys and two diamond drill holes, totalling 102.9 metres, on the Bay claims.
In 1987, Kidd Creek Mines Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling, geological mapping and a 70.0 line-kilometre combined ground electromagnetic and magnetic survey on the Bay claims. The following year, 15 trenches, totalling 3480 metres, were completed on the Bay claims.
In 1989, Falconbridge Ltd. completed nine diamond drill holes, totalling 1333.4 metres, on the Bay 7 claim.
In 1999, Eagle Plains Resources staked the Acacia property on the area. The following year, a program of rock, silt and soil sampling was completed. During 2007 through 2012, Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling and 738 line-kilometres of magnetic and radiometric surveys on the area as part of the Acacia property. In 2017, a further program of rock and soil sampling was completed on the property.
