The Chopin area is underlain by a sequence of folded and faulted upper Triassic andesitic volcanic and clastic sedimentary rock units of the Stuhini Group. The sequences of clastic layered rocks consist of volcanic wackes, andesitic flows, and argillite interbeds.

The central part of the property is underlain by a 600 to 800 metre thick volcaniclastic-andesitic tuff unit. To the west it is interbedded with black argillite which may, in part, be correlative with upper members in the Stuhini Group. A lesser member of this unit is a grey limestone up to 5 to 10 metres thick. East of the main Handel Fault, within Snippaker Ridge saddle, the limestone hosts fossils that are reported to be of Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic age.

Underlying the volcaniclastic-andesitic tuff unit along the western part of the property is a fine to medium-grained greywacke that is at least 600 metres thick. Alteration within the greywacke unit is extensive. Locally, it contains large zones of dark green hydrothermal, chloritic alteration. Very localized, yellow-rust colored alteration due to clay minerals and the oxidation of pyrite to limonite is widespread in the Yellow Bluff zone.

Banded siltstone is found within the greywacke. The bands are white to buff colored, calcareous and range from 1 to 20 millimetres in width. Along the north slopes, in the Yellow Bluff area, the bands are sometimes green. Bedding strikes about 065 degrees and dips near vertically to the south.

Alteration and pyrite mineralization in the Chopin (Yellow Bluff) zone extends over 365 metres vertically by a width of about 125 metres. Mineralization is almost exclusively pyrite with trace amounts of chalcopyrite. Pyrite occurs as fracture fillings and is often massive in coarse, 1 to 3 millimetre cubes, within a vuggy, leached, limonitic siliceous boxwork. The pyrite is characteristic- ally white or silver-white in color. The massive pyrite mineralization is controlled by fractures with only about 1 per cent disseminated pyrite between the fractures. Massive pyrite occurs in fractures which trend about 330 degrees. Mineralization also occurs in two other fracture sets which trend 040 degrees and 060 degrees, respectively.

Calcite is a pervasive mineral in the pyritic stockwork. It is not often found as massive vein filling. Quartz is usually associated with the larger, massive pyrite filled fractures. An unidentified translucent green, semi-micaceous, extremely soft mineral is found in the upper third of the Chopin face.

In 1983, 15 rock samples were collected from the Chopin face. One sample assayed 0.0054 gram per tonne gold and 2.0 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 11326). In 1987, a sample taken from the Yellow Bluff zone assayed 0.134 gram per tonne gold and 0.065 per cent copper. Another sample assay 0.3 gramsper tonne gold (Assessment Report 16684).

Approximately 1250 metres east of the Yellow Bluff, a massive pyrite pod was located and a 0.5 metre rock chip sample taken across the pod assayed 24.0 grams per tonne gold and 31.8 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 16684).

See Bronson (104B 300) for further information on the Chopin and details of a common work history.