The area is underlain by Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation volcanics of the Vancouver Group. These are interbedded with, and overlain to the northeast by a northwest trending belt of Quatsino Formation limestone (Vancouver Group) known historically as the "lime-belt". The Vancouver Group rocks are in fault and/or intrusive contact to the northeast with intrusive rocks of the Coast Plutonic Complex.
On the White Swan occurrence a 3.4 by 2.6 metre shaft has been sunk for 15 metres, and from the bottom of the shaft 30 metres or more of drifts have been driven. In addition, considerable surface work in the shape of pits, trenches and open-cuts has been done.
Several bodies of pyrrhotite occur in limestone and andesite near their contact. A large pit, about 4 metres deep, has exposed three parallel mineralized fracture zones which strike about 72 degrees, all of which are included within a width of 5.5 metres. The larger central zone is about 1.2 metres thick, and the smaller deposits on either side range from 5 to 40 centimetres in thickness. These mineralized zones or deposits are composed mainly of pyrrho- tite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, quartz, garnets and epidote, the better ore material consisting mainly of quartz, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. An average sample was taken across the central deposit, 1.2 metres from the surface. This was assayed and proved to contain trace gold, no silver and 0.62 per cent copper (Geological Survey of Canada Summary Report 1913, page 73).
A mass of pyrrhotite about 3.6 metres thick was exposed in the old water filled shaft in 1913. An average sample was taken across this width and it assayed trace gold, no silver and 0.70 per cent copper (Geological Survey of Canada Summary Report 1913, page 73).
A 6-metre wide quartz vein containing pyrite and chalcopyrite was exposed at the northwest end of the old White Swan claim. A sample of pyrrhotite from the surface assayed trace gold, 6.86 grams per tonne silver and 1.0 per cent copper (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1913, page 285).
