The Royal occurrence is located west of the Lornex (MINFILE 092ISW045) open-pit on the south side the Highland Valley, approximately 2 kilometres southeast of O.K. Lake.
The area lies within early Jurassic–late Triassic Guichon Creek Batholith and is underlain by Bethsaida phase granodiorites and quartz monzonites. Anhedral quartz ‘eyes’ and biotite ‘books’ distinguish this phase of the batholith. It is intruded by pinkish quartz porphyry and pink, fine-grained, sugary aplite dikes. The aplite dikes are commonly less than 15 centimetres wide and strike north.
Locally, chalcopyrite, bornite and malachite mineralization occurs as sparse disseminations and fracture coatings within altered Bethsaida granodiorite extending, intermittently, over 1.5 kilometres to the north on the Royal 23, 24 and 28 claims. Alteration is associated with fracturing and jointing and consists mainly of strong sericitization. Alteration minerals include green sericite, epidote, chlorite and occasional limonite.
In 1975, drilling yielded up to 0.09 per cent copper over 15 metres, including 0.13 per cent copper over 3.0 metres in hole P-75-6 (Assessment Report 5715). This hole is located approximately 1 kilometre to the south of the main mineralized outcrop.
In 1968, Royal Canadian Ventures completed a program of geochemical sampling, geological mapping and three drill holes, totalling 372.0 metres, on the Royal claims. The drilling is reported to have intercepted sparse pyrite with minor chalcopyrite mineralization. No assays were reported. In 1970, Great Plains Development Co. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and ground geophysical surveys on the area as the Northlode property. In 1972, Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. completed three diamond drill holes on the area. In 1975, Trans West Minerals completed six percussion drill holes, totalling 468.0 metres, on the area. In 1976, a further five percussion drill holes, totalling 450.0 metres, were completed. In 1980 and 1981, Lornex Mining Corp. completed 22 percussion drill holes, totalling 2487.2 metres, on the Royal, Cana and Bear claims.
