The Imperial and Empire is reported to occur in an area that is undelain by rocks of the Middle Proterozoic Dutch Creek Formation (Purcell Supergroup). These rocks include dolomite, calcareous schist and argillite.

Two distinct veins (ledges) 9 metres apart occur in an unreported rock type. One vein, consisting of quartz, is 4.6 metres wide carrying bunches of tetrahedrite and coarse cube galena. Rock samples yielded 60 per cent lead and were high for gold ($27/ton?) and silver (10,971 grams/tonne?) (Minister of Mines Annual report 1902, page 136). The other vein is about 1.4 metres wide with about 25 centimetres of solid ore.