The Helmer occurrence is located on a small hill, immediately northwest of Helmer Lake.

The area is underlain by undivided volcanic rocks of the Wester Volcanic Facies of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. To the east these have been intruded by Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic dioritic rocks.

Locally, trenching has exposed narrow, up to 1-metre wide, silicified zones and/or quartz calcite veins in altered and sheared andesitic lavas and tuffs hosting pyrite with minor galena, chalcopyrite and sphalerite mineralization with limonite and malachite. The veins trend northwest with a steep dip.

In 1988, samples from the trenches are reported to have yielded up to 1.425 grams per tonne gold and 11.4 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 18042).

In 2007, a chip sample (675428) of mineralized outcrop yielded 1.26 grams per tonne gold, 7.0 grams per tonne silver, 0.178 per cent copper, 0.410 per cent lead and 1.450 per cent zinc over 0.4 metre, whereas a grab sample (675426) from a historical trench assayed 0.37 gram per tonne gold, 163.0 grams per tonne silver, 1.860 per cent lead and 6.500 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 30006).

Work History

In 1970, Ronrico Explorations Ltd. completed a program of soil sampling and a 61.1 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Smokie claims. Six historical trenches were reported on the occurrence at this time.

In 1973, Noranda Mining and Exploration Inc. completed a 16.0 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area immediately northwest of the occurrence as the Leo claims.

In 1976, Cominco Ltd. completed a 25.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic and induced polarization survey on the area immediately west of the occurrence as the Helmer 1-4 claims. In 1978, a 7.2 line-kilometre induced polarization survey was completed on the Helmer claims. In 1981, two percussion drill holes, totalling 144 metres, were completed on the claims.

In 1988, Kerr Addison Mines Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, geochemical (rock, soil and heavy mineral) sampling and a 14.0 line-kilometre electromagnetic survey on the area immediately southeast of the occurrence as the Clapper 1-4 claims.

In 2004, Gitennes Exploration Inc. completed a program of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 1.1 line-kilometre resistivity survey on the area as the Clap and Terry claims of the Fox South property.

In 2007, Rich River Explorations Ltd. completed a program of sampling and minor trenching on the area as the Fox property. In 2010 and 2011, further programs of prospecting and rock sampling was completed on the property.