The property lies within the Precambrian-Paleozoic(?) Shuswap Metamorphic Complex along the northwestern margin of the Frenchman Cap Dome. The core of the dome is composed of a mixed paragneiss and orthogneiss succession of probable Aphebian age. The dome is mantled by unconformably overlying metasedimentary rocks consisting of quartzites, calcareous schists, marbles and pelitic schists and locally intruded by carbonatite.

The metasediments comprise the limbs of the Grace Mountain syncline, a tight isoclinal fold trending southeasterly.

The mineralized zones occur on both limbs of the syncline within the 'Cottonbelt Sequence', a heterogeneous package of dominantly calcareous rocks (Fieldwork, 1978). At the base of the Cottonbelt sequence is a buff-weathering carbonatite layer overlain by calcareous schists and a calcareous to relatively pure white quartzite. A distinctive grey-weathering, white limestone overlies the quartzite, which is overlain by interlayered micaceous and calcareous schists and an impure grey-weathering crumbly limestone. The sulphide layer, enveloped by a thin layer of very siliceous calcareous schist and garnet sillimanite schist, defines the top of the Cottonbelt sequence.

The mineralization comprises an oxide-sulphide layer, traced intermittently through a strike length of 5 kilometres in the western (upper) limb (Cotton Belt zone) of the Grace Mountain syncline and 2 kilometres in the lower limb (McLeod zone). It varies in thickness from a few tens of centimetres to approximately 2 metres. Mineralization generally consists of coarse-grained sphalerite, magnetite, galena and minor pyrrhotite in a dark green, pyroxene- amphibole-quartz-garnet 'skarn' rock or, as layers within a lighter coloured, more siliceous calcareous gneiss, or as disseminated grains in a siliceous granular marble.

The mineralized zones are parallel with bedding in the metasediments and dip about 35 degrees southwest. Several adits, shafts and raises have exposed mineralization intermittently over a strike distance of 1650 metres. The main ore zone, as exposed on surface, is up to 3.7 metres wide and 76 metres long.

About 2.5 kilometres northwest of the main zone, within the same stratigraphic unit, are several smaller occurrences of sulphides (see Copper King (082M 144)). The McLeod zone (082M 125) lies about 460 metres northeast of the Cotton Belt zone.

Work History

In 1905, the first claims were staked over the Cotton Belt occurrence area. The following year the Copper King (MINFILE 082M 144) and McLeod (MINFILE 082M 125) occurrence areas were staked. Various exploration programs to expose mineralization at surface and in underground workings continued through 1925 when all the claims were amalgamated under the Cotton Belt Mining Co. who conduced exploration in 1926 and 1928. In 1926, Cotton Belt Mining completed 16 drill holes, totalling 1016 metres.

By 1928, development on the Cotton Belt occurrence comprised numerous surface cuts and/or trenches that extended from Level 4 and the Bass shaft in the north-north west through to Level 1 and the Victoria shaft to the south- south east. Underground workings included the Cotton Belt 1 through 4 Levels and the Bass and Victoria shafts of which the Level 2 workings were the most extensive with a total of 261 metres of development. Mineralization was reported to have been exposed over most of the level and to average 0.45 to 0.60-metre wide and reach widths of up to 0.9 to 1.2 metres. The Level 1 workings are located 30 metres vertically below the Level 2 workings and a 46-metre raise was driven between the two levels. The Level 3 workings are located approximately 530 metres along trend to the north- north west and 95 metres lower in elevation than the previous levels. The Bass shaft and Level 4 workings are located approximately 550 metres further north- north west and 90 metres lower in elevation. Underground workings are reported to total approximately 634 metres. Also by this time workings on the McLeod and Copper King occurrence were reported to include a 20 and 53-metre long adits, respectively.

In 1951, the area was prospected and rock sampled by A.R. Allen. The overall average of samples from the Cottonwood and McLeod zones was reported to be 5.84 per cent lead, 3.16 per cent zinc and 67.2 grams per tonne silver over 75.8 centimetres (Williams, J.D. (2012-06-12): Technical Report on the Copper King – Cotton Belt Property).

In 1963, Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd. completed a soil sampling program on the northern extensions of the Cotton Belt and McLeod zones. During 1966 through 1973, Great Northern Petroleum and Mines Ltd. completed programs of ground magnetometer and polarization surveys, airborne magnetic and VLF-EM surveys, geological mapping, underground rehabilitation and sampling and trenching.

In 1976, L. Adams prospected and sampled the Copper King and McLeod occurrences. Also During 1976 through 1978, Metallgesellschaft Canada Ltd. completed programs of ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys, geological mapping, rock sampling and two diamond drill holes, totalling 527 metres, on the Cotton Belt, Bass shaft and McLeod occurrence areas. In 1985, Cannon Minerals Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and 14.085 line-kilometres of ground geophysical surveys on the Cotton Belt Level 2 to Victoria shaft areas.

Unclassified reserves of the Cotton Belt zone are less than 1 million tonnes grading 6 per cent lead, 2 per cent zinc and 50 grams per tonne silver (Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Bulletin, April 1982, page 119).

During 1987 through 1992, Canquest Resource Corp. acquired all the claims covering the known mineral occurrences. In 1994, Canquest completed a 453 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area. In 1995, with Explore B.C. Program support, CanQuest Resource Corporation completed geological and geophysical surveys and 1937 metres of diamond drilling in 27 holes, confirming the great lateral extent but limited and very variable thickness of the deposit due to intense and complex deformation of the host rocks (Explore B.C. Program 95/96 - M70). Resources are estimated at 725,000 tonnes grading 11 per cent combined lead and zinc (about 5 per cent lead and 6 per cent zinc) and 58.3 grams per tonne silver (Information Circular 1996-1, pages 23, 25). In 1996, a further three diamond drill holes, totalling 1348.74 metres, were completed north west of the Bass shaft area.

In 2007, the Copper King adit area was examined by B.J. Price. In 2011, TriGold Resources Inc. completed a program geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and an airborne geophysical survey on the area as the Copper King-Cotton Belt property. A grab sample (545628) taken from the Victoria shaft at the south end of the Cotton Belt zone assayed 23.82 per cent lead, 0.29 per cent zinc and 192 grams per tonne silver, while a chip sample (545633) taken to the north west of the shaft assayed 5.46 per cent lead, 1.22 per cent zinc and 62 grams per tonne silver over 0.8 metre true width (Williams, J.D. (2012-06-12): Technical Report on the Copper King – Cotton Belt Property). Dump samples (545631 and 545639) from the Levels 2 and 1 yielded 5.92 and 9.91 per cent lead, 4.99 and 2.63 per cent zinc with 48 and 71 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Williams, J.D. (2012-06-12): Technical Report on the Copper King – Cotton Belt Property).