The Dove showing is located on the Dove 4 claim, 165 metres above the Yellowhead highway (now covered by B.C. Hydro pole 67-1), 24 kilometres southeast of Valemount.
The North Thompson and Albreda River valleys have undergone little exploration since the Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1800s. In the early 1970s, a stream sediment sampling program was done in the area by Hudson's Bay Minerals exploring for copper. The area received some interest in 1977 during exploration of the nearby Lempierre (083D 005) uranium deposit. In 1978, the Ingrid 1-4 claims (formerly WM 1-4 claims) were staked by V. Trarup to cover malachite mineralization discovered while putting in the hydro line. Redbird optioned the Ingrid claims and staked the Dove 1-6 claims in about 1985 and, in 1986, conducted a geochemical survey. Prospecting in 1987 consisted of blasting and trenching a native gold showing, soil sampling on the Dove 3-4 and Ingrid 1-4 claims, geochemistry, 7 diamond drill holes, 7 pack sack holes, cat excavation of mineralized zones, mapping and a magnetometer survey. This work outlined two mineralized zones (upper and lower).
The area is underlain by Upper Proterozoic rocks of the Malton Gneiss Complex. These comprise quartz mica schist, amphibolite, hornblende and/or biotite quartz-feldspathic gneiss, quartzite, granitic orthogneiss and feldspar augen gneiss. The rocks on the property are predominantly quartz mica schist, amphibolite and hornblende gneiss. All rock types contain numerous massive white quartz veins and stringers. There have been several folding episodes resulting in a fold with a west-northwest axis. The North Thompson Valley fault runs from Valemount to Blue River. The strata generally dips south-southwest but is variable.
The Dove occurrence consists of 2 vertically adjacent mineralized zones, containing gold and copper, and 2 mineralized stratiform units. The subsurface stratiform units are indicated by diamond drilling. Mineralization consists of native gold, malachite, bornite, and some hematite and chalcopyrite. Mineralization occurs along fractures and foliation surfaces and in quartz veins associated with biotite schist and hornblende gneiss.
A 70 metre exposure of the lower zone, about 3 metres wide, consists mainly of quartz veins, hornblende-quartz gneiss, quartz-biotite- muscovite gneiss and biotite schist. Assay values from samples ranged from 0.10 to 8.64 grams per tonne gold 0.2 to 51.9 grams per tonne silver and less than 0.01 to 1.82 per cent copper (Assessment Report 17427).
A 20 metre exposure of the upper zone, about 4 to 5 metres wide, consists mainly of quartz veins, hornblende-biotite-quartz gneiss, mica schist and quartz-mica gneiss. Assays values from samples ranged from 0.18 to 7.45 grams per tonne gold, 0.1 to 60.5 grams per tonne silver, and 0.01 to 1.77 per cent copper (Assessment Report 17427).
In general, drilling indicated low grades even in some sections which contain visible native gold. The most encouraging values occurred along trend of slickenside lineations which suggests that the deposit is, to some extent, structurally controlled. Mineralization, proven by drilling, occurs over an area of approximately 200 square metres.
Mineralization occurred relatively late and was associated with zones of deformation that apparently were confined mainly to less competent mafic rich units. Quartz veins, some mica schists and epidote rich layers in hornblende gneiss exhibit the highest degree of gold mineralization.
