The Sheba East (Joe-Sheba) occurrence is located along Solomon Creek, a north-flowing tributary of Witches Brook, at approximately 1250 to 1500 metres elevation.

The area is situated in the central part of the Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith. The northeast portion of the property is underlain by Guichon and Chataway quartz diorite and granodiorite. These varieties belong to the Highland Valley phase of the batholith and differ only slightly in texture and colour index. To the west they are flanked by Bethlehem phase rocks. The central and western portions of the property are underlain by Skeena variety quartz diorite to granodiorite. This unit is texturally and compositionally transitional between the Bethlehem phase to the east and the Bethsaida phase, which forms the core of the batholith. A small body of Bethsaida phase quartz monzonite lies in the north central area, along with several related swarms of north and east- northeast–trending quartz-plagioclase porphyritic and aplite dikes.

Weak argillic and propylitic alteration is widespread. Kaolinite, chlorite, epidote and calcite are common. Sericite- feldspar alteration is moderately to intensely developed in areas affected by faulting, heavy fracturing and porphyry dike emplacement. The predominant fault trend is 100 degrees with well-developed, steeply inclined joint sets striking 025, 065 and 160 degrees.

Locally, disseminated and quartz vein-fracture–controlled mineralization is hosted by altered Bethlehem and Guichon phase rocks. Bornite with minor chalcopyrite, pyrite and possible chalcocite replace mafic minerals and occur on fractures in quartz-epidote, pyrite-chlorite-epidote-chalcopyrite and quartz-sericite veins. Molybdenite coats fractures and shears and occurs in quartz or quartz-chalcopyrite veins. Mineralization has been identified, by widely spaced drilling, over an area extending for approximately 1.5 kilometres to the north and greater than 600 metres east-west.

In 1967, percussion drill holes, on the main zone, yielded up to 0.12 per cent copper over 51 metres in hole SPD-1 and 0.18 per cent copper over 9 metres in hole SPD-4 (Property File - Sheba Copper Mines Ltd. [1968-08-26]: Re: Geochemical Survey - Dawn Mineral Claims).

In 1972, a diamond drill hole (S-72-4) yielded 0.42 per cent copper with 0.036 per cent molybdenum over 12 metres, including 1.34 per cent copper and 0.116 per cent molybdenum over 3 metres (Property File - Dowa Mining Co. Ltd. [1972-06-28]: A Report on Phase I Diamond Drilling - Summary Report - Sheba Project)

In 1976, percussion drilling, progressing from north to south on the mineralized zone, yielded: 0.13 per cent copper over 27 metres in hole E-36; 0.21 per cent copper over 45 metres, including greater than 0.4 per cent copper over 6 metres, in hole E-5; 0.10 per cent copper over 33 metres, including 0.152 per cent copper over 9 metres, in hole E-2; 0.10 per cent copper over 54 metres, including 0.117 per cent copper over 18 metres and 0.158 per cent copper over the final 6 metres of the hole, in hole E-3; 0.163 per cent copper over 30 metres in hole E-10; 0.12 per cent copper over 30 metres, including 0.23 per cent copper over 3 metres, in hole E-8; 0.20 per cent copper over 21 metres in hole E-13; 0.20 per cent copper over 18 metres in hole E-17; 0.14 per cent copper over 31.5 metres in hole E-31; 0.20 per cent copper over 54 metres in hole E-15; 0.344 per cent copper and 0.050 per cent molybdenum over 63 metres, including 1.08 per cent copper and 0.11 per cent molybdenum over 12 metres, in hole E-14 and 0.135 per cent copper over 33 metres in hole E-22 (Assessment Report 6241).

In 1977, a diamond drill hole (BS-77-4) yielded 0.19 per cent copper over 15 metres, while other holes located at the north end of the zone, approximately 1.5 kilometres to the north, yielded up to 0.80 per cent copper over 12 metres in hole BS-77-3, 0.88 per cent copper over 3 metres in hole BS-77-2 and 0.24 per cent copper over 6 metres in hole BS-77-1 (Property File - Bethlehem Copper Corp. [1977-11-03]: Diamond Drilling Report on the Jean 1 Fr. . Jay 16 and J 31 Mineral Claims).

In 2015, drilling yielded intercepts including 0.4 per cent copper over 12.85 metres, 0.27 per cent copper over 14 metres and 0.31 per cent copper and 0.012 per cent molybdenum over 25.95 metres including a 0.5 metre section of quartz-phengite-sulphides yielded 2.2 per cent copper in hole S15-001 and 0.62 per cent copper over 11.5 metres in hole S15-003 (Assessment Report 36086).

Two other zones, referred to as the Tower and Camp zones, are located on the ridge to the west. The Tower zone is described as containing minor bornite and chalcopyrite mineralization with malachite and sericite alteration in a 0.15 to 0.30-metre wide, moderately dipping, shear zone. The Camp zone also contains minor chalcopyrite and bornite mineralization with malachite alteration in a green breccia.

In 1967, diamond drilling to the west, near the Tower zone, yielded 0.20 per cent copper over 3 metres in hole SDDH-1 and 0.36 per cent copper over 6 metres in hole SDDH-2A (Property File - Sheba Copper Mines Ltd. [1967-08-29]: Index Part VI - Diamond Drilling).

Work History

In 1958, Sheba Copper Mines completed a program of geochemical sampling and an induced polarization survey on the area as the Sheba property.

During the early 1960’s, the area was examined by Peel Resources Ltd. In 1965, Anaconda American Brass completed six drill holes on the Jay 101 area. In 1967, Sheba completed a 67.2 line-kilometre induced polarization survey, while Sumitomo Metal was reported to have completed 15 diamond drill holes, totalling 1970.7 metres, and 21 percussion drill holes, totalling 1574 metres, on the property. In 1969, Anaconda is reported to have completed seven diamond drill holes, totalling 1564.2 metres, on the property.

During 1971 through 1974, Dowa is reported to have completed 36 diamond drill holes, totalling 7830.6 metres, on the property. In 1974, Sheba completed three diamond drill holes, totalling 636.0 metres, on the Lynn 7, J 4 and J 6 claims. In 1976, Western Mines Ltd. completed 61 percussion drill holes, totalling 3518.0 metres, on the property. In 1977, Bethlehem Copper Corp. completed four diamond drill holes, totalling 953.1 metres, on the Sheba East area.

In 1984, Cominco Ltd. completed an induced polarization survey on the area.

During 2014 through 2016, Teck Highland Valley Copper Corp. completed programs of historic data review, geological mapping, an 18.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and seven diamond drill holes, totalling 2182.0 metres, on the area as apart of the Highland Valley Copper property. Three holes, totalling 970 metres, were completed on the Joe-Sheba occurrence area. Drilling intersected narrow zones of low-grade copper mineralization, ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 per cent copper, primarily fine-grained disseminated chalcopyrite with lesser bornite+/-chalcocite and minor molybdenite mineralization associated with epidote-chlorite veins with propylitic and sericitic alteration (Assessment Report 36086).