The British Empire showing is located 7 kilometres west of Vernon, north of the Vernon Arm of Okanagan Lake. Three adits and 2 short shafts occur at this showing. The similar Densy showing (082LSW033) is 220 to 250 metres to the northwest.

In this area, west of the Okanagan Valley fault zone, volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Devonian to Triassic Harper Ranch Group are unconformably overlain by Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Nicola Group sedimentary and volcanic rocks. These units are intruded by Middle Jurassic granitic rocks informally named the Terrace Creek batholith. Patches of Eocene Penticton Group volcanic rocks overlie the older rocks.

Quartz veins and adjoining wallrocks in Harper Ranch quartzites and argillites host gold, silver and copper mineralization. Within a 220-metre section, 18 narrow quartz veins, up to 0.6 metre thick, carry gold, pyrite, arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite as disseminations and on fractures. The quartz veins have a general strike of 065 to 085 and dip steeply. They form lenses that pinch and swell along shears and fractures, and have a contorted appearance. Their walls are commonly sheared and gouge-filled. The 2 main gold-bearing veins are 27 and 29 centimetres thick and strike north.

In the main adit zone a recent sample assayed up to 4.5 grams per tonne gold over 3.3 metres, including 2 and 7-centimetre thick quartz veins (Assessment Report 18983). The arsenopyrite content does not correlate with gold values.

The British Empire claim was Crown-granted in 1901. During 1903-06, 185 tonnes of ore produced 342 grams of silver and 2,022 grams of gold. By 1931 there were over 200 metres of underground cross-cuts, drifts, raises and shafts. In 1986-87, G. Benvenuto carried out geological mapping and sampling.