The Fluke occurrence is located in the headwaters of the informally named Fluke Creek, between the Akie and Paul Rivers and approximately 37 kilometres south-southeast of Chesterfield Lake.
Stratiform pyrite-galena-sphalerite mineralization is hosted within northwest-trending, southwest-dipping, Upper Devonian Gunsteel Formation shales of the Devonian and Mississippian Earn Group. The shale unit is terminated to the southwest by steep imbricate thrust sheets of Silurian Nonda Formation siltstone and Cambrian to Ordovician Kechika Group limestone.
The Fluke showing was observed to be a laminated pyrite occurrence in or near Fluke Creek and is less than 2 metres in stratigraphic thickness (thought to possibly be much less due to isoclinal folding). It dips about 60 degrees to the southwest. The Fluke showing was drill tested by four diamond drill holes in 1980 totalling 1787 metres which were unsuccessful at intersecting mineralization at depth. In 1981 two more diamond drill holes (totalling 915 metres) tested stratigraphy beneath soil geochemical anomalies to the east and northwest of the Fluke showing. These holes only intersected short horizons of disseminated barite within black shales of the Gunsteel Formation. Drill logs indicate highly faulted and tightly folded stratigraphy (Assessment Report 9219).
In 1978, a chip sample assayed 3.81 per cent combined lead and zinc with 7 grams per tonne silver over 1 metre, while a hand sample yielded 15 per cent combined lead and zinc with 11 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 7270).
In the early 1980s, a diamond drill hole testing the down-dip extension of the Fluke showing is reported to have intersected 6.9 per cent combined lead and zinc and 32.5 grams per tonne silver over 2.5 metre (Assessment Report 34208, page 18).
In 1995, a chip sample (07123) assayed 3.05 per cent zinc, 0.68 per cent lead, 1.38 per cent barium and 14.9 grams per tonne silver over 1.6 metres (Assessment Report 24080).
In 2017, a rock sample (2683579) yielded 0.66 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 36602).
Work History
Exploration for SEDEX style mineralization was initiated in the Kechika Trough in 1970, but it wasn’t until 1978 that the Fluke Showing was found by Cyprus Anvil Mining Corp. in joint venture with Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas Ltd. During the 1978 and 1979 field seasons, Cyprus Anvil Mining Corp. conducted geological mapping, soil sampling, prospecting and linecutting which generated multiple follow-up targets. From this work two showings were discovered on the Fluke property, a laminated pyrite occurrence in Fluke Creek (Fluke showing), and a massive barite-galena occurrence in the cliff above Pook Creek (Pook showing). Both showings are associated with black, siliceous shale. One of these targets (the Fluke showing) was drill tested by four diamond drill holes in 1980 totalling 1787 metres and was unsuccessful at intersecting mineralization at depth. In 1981 two more diamond drill holes (totalling 915 metres) tested stratigraphy beneath soil geochemical anomalies to the east and northwest of the Fluke showing. These holes only intersected short horizons of disseminated barite within black shales of the Gunsteel Formation. In September of 1982 Cyprus Anvil Mining Corp. drilled their last diamond drill hole testing down-dip stratigraphy of the Pook showing which intersected 20 metres of laminated pyrite with minor sphalerite and galena. None of the drilled core on the Fluke property was sampled or assayed at the time due to the presumed sub-economic intersections.
The property was acquired by Curragh Resources in 1985, along with the non-contiguous Cirque and Elf properties and completed a program of geological mapping and rock sampling in 1990. Curragh Resources went into receivership in 1994. At this time, the Fluke property was acquired by Cirque Operating Corporation (25 per cent Teck Corp., 25 per cent Cominco Ltd., and 50 per cent Korea Zinc Company Ltd.).
In 1995 Teck Exploration Ltd. carried out exploration on the Fluke property comprising property wide geological mapping, some soil sampling and limited geochemical sampling and linecutting. In 1997, work was restricted to the southern portion of the property where an additional 3.075 line kilometres of grid were added to the existing Fluke 3 Grid, established in 1995. Geological mapping has confirmed the presence of a sequence of variably siliceous shales locally containing nodular barite and disseminated to finely laminated pyrite located in the south-central portion of the grid. Soil geochemical results generally show a pattern of small, isolated, low contrast anomalies scattered over the grid area. In 1997, Teck Exploration completed a further program of geological mapping and soil sampling on the Fluke claims. In 2001, when Teck Corp. and Cominco Ltd. merged, a 50 per cent share in the property was obtained on behalf of Teck Cominco Ltd. (later Teck Resources Ltd.).
Interest in the property was renewed in 2009, during which a community consultation and site visit took place, and extensive compilation and digitization of the historic data was undertaken. In 2013, Teck Resources and Korea Zinc Company undertook an exploration program on several of their joint venture properties in the Gataga District, including the Fluke property. In 2013, 96 soil samples were collected on the Fluke claims Fluke 1, Fluke 3, Fluke 5 and Fluke 11. Two soil traverses were set up to cross occurrences of surface mineralization and prospective lithologies in order to look for similar anomalies in untested areas of prospective Earn Group stratigraphy on the property. Two 400 to 10000 parts per million lead anomalies occur along strike with the Fluke and Pook showings. In 2015, an 83.3 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic (VTEM) survey was competed on the Fluke claims. In 2016, Teck Resources completed a program of historic 1980’s drill core re-logging and XRF analysis. The following year, a program of geological mapping, rock sampling and a 2.0 line-kilometre gravity survey was completed.
