The former Standard mine is located 2.5 kilometres southeast of Burnell Lake and 3 kilometres northwest of Oliver, British Columbia.
Regionally, the area is principally underlain by medium grained intrusive rocks that form the Jurassic Oliver plutonic complex. To the south, the complex cuts Carboniferous to Permian Kobau Group metasedimentary rocks. On its northern margin, the intrusive mass is in contact with Eocene volcanics and sediments of Penticton Group.
In the Standard occurrence area, the Oliver plutonic complex is composed almost entirely of quartz monzonite. Three distinct phases are evident. A central core of massive, medium grained garnet-muscovite quartz monzonite is surrounded by biotite-hornblende quartz monzonite north of the core and porphyritic biotite quartz monzonite to the south. Hornblende diorite occurs in several small areas to the immediate north.
The Standard mine is hosted by the hornblende-bearing porphyritic quartz monzonite northern phase of the Oliver plutonic complex. Nearby, a swarm of fine to medium grained, quartz monzonite dikes cut this unit. The area has been extensively faulted and fractured. Regional hydrothermal alteration has resulted in epidote which occurs in seams up to 2.5 centimetres in width.
In 1934, an open-cut exposed a quartz vein with pyrite and galena mineralization. Where exposed, the vein varied from 0.46 to 1.37 metres wide. The vein strikes northwest and has a vertical dip.
The Snowflake vein strikes 040 degrees and dips 65 to 85 degrees to the southeast. The main (Snowflake or No. 1) vein is continuous for 150 metres throughout the length to the south end of the No. 2 adit where truncated against a magnetic augite lamprophyre dike (the 'central dike'). An intermediate section of the vein is also truncated by a dike. Over this section, the vein width varies from 30 to 106 centimetres, averaging 60 centimetres. South of the central dike, the vein width varies from 81 to 172 centimetres width, averaging 120 centimetres. On surface the main vein has been traced for 135 metres. The vein has also been displaced lateral and rotational by several small faults, commonly subparallel to the vein. Minor potassic alteration occurs adjacent to the vein and is most likely related to post-vein fluid movement. Several other veins are located to the north of the No. 2 adit. These veins are also faulted and fractured. Potassic alteration is also more intense.
Mineralization ranges from 5 per cent in auriferous sections to less than 0.5 per cent in the barren south section. In decreasing order of abundance, coarse patches of pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite and specks of hessite comprise mineralogy.
Ore at the Standard occurrence tends to occur as high-grade shoots. Gold values appear to be closely associated with galena and sphalerite. Barren sections of the vein contain considerable pyrite. Samples taken by Continental Consolidated and Norex in 1961 and 1962 yielded 28.86 grams per tonne gold across 1.06 metres (Assessment Report 12971). In 1983, a chip sample across the south stope yielded 56.91 grams per tonne gold and 435.43 grams per tonne silver from quartz vein with massive sulphides (Assessment Report 12971). Barren quartz yielded 15.43 grams per tonne gold and 2.23 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 12971). The best results of phase one diamond drilling in 1984 were from drillhole 1984-5. The one-metre interval between 68.7 and 69.7 metres yielded 8.43 grams per tonne gold and 97.37 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 12971). Results of the second phase of drilling were best in drillhole 84-6. The 0.80-metre interval between 63.7 and 64.5 metres yielded 10.4 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12971). In 1984, nine samples were taken from the main vein in the No. 2 adit. Sample 51296, taken 50.5 metres from the portal, yielded 8.67 grams per tonne gold and 102.17 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 12971). The best results of the 1987 drill program were from hole 87-5. A 0.81-metre interval at 69 metres yielded 5.55 grams per tonne gold and 51.08 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 15833).
Total recorded production from the former Standard mine included 2411 tonnes mined in 1961 by Norex Mines Ltd. and in 1962 by Continental Corporation Mines Ltd. Recovery included 165,343 grams of silver, 36,795 grams of gold, 3474 kilograms of lead and 2468 kilograms of zinc.
Little is known about the discovery and early history of the Standard occurrence. By 1934, the Standard occurrence was part of the Empire claim group consisting of the Empire (Lot 611) (082ESW093), Standard, Monarch and others. The claim group was owned by a Vancouver syndicate. Early workings consisted of a 12-metre open-cut exposing a quartz vein. The Standard occurrence and surrounding area were sampled extensively between 1961 and 1962 by Norex Mines Ltd. and Continental Consolidated Mines Ltd. Development work during this period consisted of several shafts, three adits (Nos. 1 to 3) and four diamond-drill holes at the end of the No. 2 adit; production was from the No. 2 adit. In the late 1970s the property was restaked as the Snowflake claim by B. Hegan and an option granted to Vermillion Resources Corp. In 1984, Vermillion Resources Corp. conducted exploration at the Standard occurrence that included 5 drillholes totalling 262 metres in the first phase and five holes totalling 330 metres in the second phase. Subsequent to diamond drilling, an electromagnetic survey was carried out but results were inconclusive. In 1986, Silver Saddle Mines Ltd. optioned the property. Two drillholes, geochemical soil sampling and another electromagnetic survey were carried out but the results only partially released. Millenium Resources Inc. optioned the property in 1987. Their program consisted of underground geological mapping and 610 metres of diamond drilling in ten holes. The Snowflake Property, including the Standard occurrence, was acquired by EKG Minerals Inc. from Ken Burke in February, 2005. In 2007, EKG Minerals Inc. completed a program of 2.19 line kilometres of geophysical surveys, geochemical sampling and prospecting. In 2014 and 2019, Hi Ho Silver Resources Inc. completed minor programs of rock sampling and structural analysis on the area as the Fairview property.
