The Orca-Wale property covers 67 square km centred on a 20 km long package of Cache Creek Formation ultramafic rocks. The geological setting is similar to the Baptiste deposit consisting of dominantly serpentinized ultramafic rocks. The Orca-Wale property is located 35 km east of Dease Lake in northern British Columbia.
Awaruite mineralization has been delineated at Orca-Wale through mapping, visual awaruite estimates, geochemical analyses, and ten diamond drill holes. Limited DTR (Davis Tube Recoverable) nickel analyses have been performed which confirm the presence of magnetically recoverable awaruite but suggest that nickel in magnetically recoverable awaruite may be less than that reported from geochemical analyses in zones of fine grained awaruite.
Awaruite mineralization at the Orca target has been mapped over 1,400 m by 750 m. 118 rock samples were collected from this zone and returned values from 0.060% to 0.211% nickel in alloy by selective geochemical extraction techniques. DTR nickel analysis were conducted on 62 of these samples, 34 reporting DTR nickel grades greater than 0.080%.
At Wale, fine-grained awaruite mineralization has been delineated over a strike length of over 5 km. Within this area, a coarser grained awaruite zone has been mapped and sampled. This area covers approximately 1,330 m by 170-250 m.
Drilling at Wale includes 10 wide spaced diamond holes totalling 2,762 m and covering a strike length of 3.5 km. Significant results include 162 m grading 0.137% Ni in alloy and 261 m grading 0.126% Ni in alloy. Note that reported drill results were obtained from geochemical analyses and may be greater than magnetically recoverable nickel (DTR) in zones of finer grained awaruite mineralization.
| Hole # | Intersections (m) | Nickel-In-Alloy (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Intercept | ||
| 12DH-01 | 3.1 | 188.0 | 184.9 | 0.122 |
| 12DH-02 | 4.6 | 340.8 | 336.2 | 0.077 |
| including | 4.6 | 47.3 | 42.7 | 0.103 |
| 12DH-03 | 3.1 | 18.0 | 14.9 | 0.107 |
| 12DH-04 | 258.9 | 407.5 | 148.6 | 0.105 |
| 12DH-05 | 255.1 | 361.9 | 106.8 | 0.104 |
| 12DH-06 | 4.3 | 300.2 | 295.9 | 0.100 |
| including | 128.0 | 207.5 | 79.5 | 0.147 |
| 12DH-07 | 2.6 | 108.8 | 106.2 | 0.083 |
| 12DH-08 | 16.0 | 51.0 | 35.0 | 0.100 |
| 12DH-09 | 31.0 | 303.0 | 272.0 | 0.081 |
| and | 140.0 | 191.0 | 51.0 | 0.145 |
| 12DH-10 | 3.5 | 152.4 | 148.9 | 0.094 |
Note: that results were obtained by geochemical analysis and may not represent DTR Ni grades.
Note: Davis Tube Recoverable (DTR) nickel values refer to the portion of the total contained nickel that is recovered from a magnetically separated fraction of the sample. Nickel-in-alloy results refer to nickel recovered by a selective geochemical leach which targets only nickel contained in awaruite. While both methods measure nickel in awaruite, awaruite particle exposure and grain size respond influence each method slightly differently, therefore the final results may differ slightly.
Keith Patterson, P.Geo., Vice President, Generative Exploration for FPX, is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Patterson has reviewed and approved the technical content of this summary.