The Spa (Stag-Red) occurrence is located in a southeast-trending valley, northwest of South Gataga Lakes.

Regionally, the area is underlain by black shales and fine-grained clastic sediments of the Devonian to Mississippian Earn Group.

Locally, a spring of water, apparently emanating from a west-dipping thrust fault, appears to create hematite sinters and limonitic gossans. The gossans form a coating, up to 6 metres thick, over a northwest-trending, 350- by 100-metre area, with smaller patches nearby. Hydrozincite and melanterite occur on fractures within the underlying shale. Stratiform barite and disseminated sylvanite form a black carbonate layer in the shale.

The gossan has a high iron (over 10 per cent) and zinc (up to 3 per cent) content. It also contains up to 0.01 per cent copper, 0.01 per cent nickel, 100 grams per tonne silver, 0.008 per cent uranium and 0.02 per cent vanadium (Geological Survey of Canada Economic Geology Report 27).

In 1958, ferricrete samples from backpack drill cores are reported to have yielded up to 4 per cent zinc and 46.9 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 6666).

In 1971, three rock samples (511884, 511877 and 811880) from the occurrence area yielded from 0.48 to 1.75 per cent zinc, whereas another rock sample (527472), taken from the ridge to the north-northwest yielded 1.00 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 3199). It is not known if these sample were from outcrops or talus.

In 1977, samples from trenches yielded up to 0.47 per cent lead (Assessment Report 6666).

Work History

The Red claims were originally staked in 1958 as part of the larger Spa group of claims by Frobisher Ltd. A minor program of trenching and two backpack drill holes were completed around this time.

In 1971, Kennco Explorations (Canada) Ltd. completed a program of rock, silt and soil sampling on the area as the Stag claims. In 1974, David Schussler completed two diamond drill holes, totalling 59.1 metres, on the area as the Red claims. No significant intersections or assays were reported. In 1977, Cyprus Anvil Mining Corp. completed a program of geological mapping and geochemical (silt and soil) sampling on the area as the GA-SO claims. Also at this time, Welcome North Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, trenching and geochemical (soil and water) sampling on the area as part of the Bob, Pig, Saint and Sol claims of the Gataga Joint Venture property.

In 1980, Esso Resources and AJM Explorations Ltd. each completed a single diamond drill hole, totalling 439.6 metres, on the S.A. 1 and Red claims. No significant intersections were reported from either hole. In 1982, Falconbridge completed a program of geological mapping and ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the claims.