The Turnagain 1-9 occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1790 metres on a steep south-facing slope, north of the Turnagain River and approximately 7.2 kilometres northwest of the rivers’ junction with the Cassiar River.
Regionally, the area is underlain mainly by rocks of the Upper Proterozoic Ingenika Group including the Espee, Swannell and Tsaydiz formations. The Espee Formation consists of crystalline limestone, sandy limestone and dolostone. The Swannell and Tsaydiz formations, mapped by Gabrielse (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 2779) as an undivided unit, consists of phyllite, schist, phyllitic limestone, siltstone, quartzite and conglomerate. Sediments and metasediments of the Upper Proterozoic Stelkuz Formation (Ingenika Group) and Lower Cambrian Boya Formation (Ingenika Group) also occur (also mapped as an undivided unit). Intruding the country rocks is the Lower Cretaceous Cassiar Batholith (Turnagain pluton). The Cassiar Batholith consists of granite, quartz monzonite, granodiorite and biotite granite.
Locally, a quartz-calcite-sulphide (pyrite?) veinlet (3 centimetres wide) is associated with an approximately 0.20-metre-wide breccia zone with quartz-calcite-carbonate-oxide in a granite. The vein is exposed for 6 metres along a strike of 058 degrees and dips 85 degrees southeast.
In 1997, a 0.25-metre-wide grab sample (2719) assayed 0.48 per cent zinc, whereas a nearby float sample (2717) of skarn or ferricrete conglomerate, yielded 0.83 per cent lead, 2.20 per cent zinc and 37.6 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 25186).
Another zone of mineralization, located approximately 900 metres to the south, comprises a goethite-hematite-jarosite-stained outcrop of biotite granite.
In 1997, a chip sample (2727) assayed 1.08 per cent zinc and 26 grams per tonne silver over 0.75 metre, whereas a float sample (316662) of fault material, taken approximately 1 kilometre to the east of the previous sample, yielded 5.82 per cent lead, 3.23 per cent zinc and 603 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 25186). Another float sample (316668) of manganese-stained granite and possible vein material, taken approximately 1 kilometre south of the previous float sample, assayed 2.61 per cent lead, 17.6 grams per tonne silver and 0.125 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 25186).
Work History
In 1997, Hunter Exploration Group completed a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling on the area as the Turnagain 1-9 claims.
In 2005, an airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey, totalling 2130 line-kilometres, was flown over the area as the Thrust property on behalf of United Exploration Management Inc.
In 2012, BCarlin Resources Ltd. completed a program of rock and silt sampling on the area as the B 1-100 claims of the Blue Sheep property.