The Barnes occurrence is located on a ridge approximately 1.5 kilometres south- south west of the eastern end of Keefer Lake.

The area is underlain by mudstone, siltstone, shale and fine clastic sedimentary rocks of the Devonian to Triassic Harper Ranch and(?) Nicola groups.

Locally, visible gold-bearing quartz veins have been identified in trenches (28E to 38E) over a distance of approximately 1 kilometre. The veins are characterized by high gold values with frequent visible gold, up to 4 by 4 millimetres in size, with elevated arsenic and generally low silver. The quartz veins tend to be narrow, 1 to 3 centimetres thick, flat-lying and hosted by an intensely fractured argillaceous siltstone and argillite. Sulphide minerals are reportedly absent in the quartz veins while the sediments host minor disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite.

In 2003, two rock samples (16081 and 16075) of vein material assayed 254.92 and 192.43 grams per tonne gold with 29.8 and 5.0 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 27419). Two chip samples (16088 and 16092) yielded 0.460 and 0.895 gram per tonne gold over 10.0 and 3.0 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 27419).

In 2004, diamond drill hole 04BC-1 yielded up to 0.382 gram per tonne gold over 10.66 metres before intercepting a graphitic fault, while a rock sample (6057) from the trench 28E area assayed 26.5 grams per tonne gold and 6.2 grams per tonne silver(Assessment Report 27705).

In 1982 and 1983 Cominco Ltd. carried out a regional geochemical sampling program on the area. In 1983, Beaty Geological Ltd. conducted geochemical silt sampling, rock sampling and prospecting on ground now part of the Barnes Creek project. In 1990, a program of geochemical sampling, and ground geophysical surveys were completed on the area as the Bowl claims. In 2003, Columbia Yukon Explorations Ltd. conducted a soil geochemistry program and 900 metres of excavation in seven trenches, covering the entire KBM 1-14 claim group. Significant gold arsenic anomalies were discovered. Subsequent trenching of these anomalies resulted in the discovery of narrow, very high grade, gold-bearing quartz veinlets hosted within a structurally disturbed argillaceous siltstone. In 2004, Columbia Yukon Explorations Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling, four diamond drill holes, totalling 309 metres, and 493 metres of excavation in 10 trenches. The diamond drilling failed to encounter the veins at depth but did intercept a low angle graphitic fault. In 2005, a program of soil sampling and prospecting was completed. In 2016, Cayenne Gold Mines completed a program of rock, soil and silt sampling and geological mapping on the area as the Gold Star claim.