The Pole 346 East occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1440 metres on a southwest-facing slope, approximately 3.7 kilometres southwest of Abbott Lake.

The area is directly underlain by Border phase monzonites of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek Batholith, and to the east by Chataway phase granodiorites. The batholith intrudes Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcanics and sediments to the southwest. Nicola Group outcrops are sparse and tend to be chloritized or schistose. Flat-laying Middle and Upper Cretaceous Spences Bridge Group porphyritic andesites form cliffs to the south.

Locally, a mafic dike cuts chlorite-epidote-carbonate–altered diorite and limonite-sericite–altered granodiorite. The irregular contact hosts patches of chalcopyrite, bornite and pyrite with carbonate veins. Later work, in 2019, identified Nicola Group volcanic sediments that have been hornfelsed, chlorite-epidote–altered and host magnetite-chalcopyrite veins. This mineralization was traced in sporadic outcrops for several hundred metres to the northwest and southeast.

In 2012, a rock sample (3593635) assayed 0.548 per cent copper, 1.45 grams per tonne silver and 0.02 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 33522).

In 2013, a rock sample (WV13-R05) assayed 1.14 per cent copper (Assessment Report 34641).

In 2014, a rock sample (WV14-R07) yielded 0.72 per cent copper (Assessment Report 35321).

In 2019, a sample (4361) from the Pole 346 zone yielded 0.51 per cent copper, whereas a sample (4368) taken several hundred metres to the southeast yielded 0.33 per cent copper (Assessment Report 38907).

Work History

In 1969, Cominco completed a program of geological mapping and an induced polarization survey on the area immediately northeast as the Highland Queen property.

In 2007 and 2008, Appleton Exploration completed programs of prospecting and soil sampling on the area as the Clapperton property.

In 2009, Christopher James Gold Corp. completed a program of rock, silt, and soil sampling on the area as the Craigmont West property.

During late 2008 through 2012, Happy Creek Minerals completed programs of geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling, geological mapping, three diamond drill holes, totalling 740.9 metres, an induced polarization survey and a 1463.0 line-kilometre airborne gamma ray spectrometer and magnetic survey on the area as the West Valley and Abbott properties.

During 2013 through 2019, Happy Creek Minerals Ltd. completed programs of geological mapping, geochemical (rock, silt, and soil) sampling, a 32.3 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and re-interpretation of historical airborne geophysical data on the area as part of the Rateria-West Valley property.