The Atan South (Barite Hill) occurrence is located on a small hill north the Dease River and approximately 650 metres southeast of the west end of Atan Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by quartz arenite sedimentary rocks of the Boya Formation and calcareous sedimentary rocks of the Rosella Formation, both of the Lower Cambrian Atan Group, which strike 120 to 135 degrees and dip 45 to 60 degrees southwest. Northeast-trending faults are common. To the southwest, limestone, slate, siltstone and argillite of the Cambrian to Ordovician Kechika Group are exposed.

Locally, discontinuous outcrops of barite have been identified along a 30- to 55-metre-long zone striking 020 degrees. Also, in the area brecciated cherts host malachite and azurite staining with minor disseminated sulphides.

In 1994, a chip sample (AR-94 010) from a malachite-stained fracture, striking 125 degrees and dipping 75 degrees south, in a brecciated chert assayed 1.23 per cent copper, whereas a 0.5-metre chip sample (AR-94 015) from a malachite- and azurite-stained brecciated chert with minor disseminated sulphides and calcite stringers, located approximately 350 metres north-northwest of the previous sample and south of Atan Lake, assayed 1.24 per cent copper, greater than 0.20 per cent antimony and 27.8 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 23813).

In 2016, a rock sample (AT-3) from Barite Hill assayed 0.48 per cent copper (Assessment Report 36244).

Work History

The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Atan (MINFILE 104P 047) occurrence, 1 kilometre to the northwest, and a complete exploration history can be found there.