The Ox showing is located on a ridge approximately 1.5 kilometres southwest of Old Settler Mountain, 24 kilometres north of Harrison Hot Springs, 8 kilometres east of Harrison Lake and 120 kilometres east of Vancouver.
The Ox Lake area is underlain by a northwest-trending, steeply northeast-dipping belt of Paleozoic and Mesozoic metasediments assigned to the Cogburn Schist. This unit comprises schistose quartzite, mica schist, argillite and limestone and was metamorphosed in the Cretaceous. These rocks have been subsequently intruded by quartz diorite belonging to the Oligocene Chilliwack Batholith. Adjacent to the diorite contact, the pelitic metasediments have been hornfelsed and the limestone has been recrystallized. Massive, medium-grained amphibolite was also observed hosting altered diorite fragments in this area.
Approximately 850 metres northwest of the outlet of Ox Lake, skarn mineralization has developed within a bed of limestone adjacent to the intrusive contact. Massive magnetite, the dominant skarn mineral, occurs in up to two-metre-wide lenses with accessory pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, malachite and typical skarn silicate minerals. Gold and silver mineralization is situated within the hornfelsed aureole of a quartz diorite stock. Gold reportedly occurs within the magnetite skarn zones and with veins and disseminations of pyrrhotite. Sporadic outcrops indicate a strike length of at least 100 metres (Assessment Report 15271).
Geological mapping was conducted in the area by the Geological Survey of Canada in 1924, 1926, 1935, 1938 and 1939. In 1969, B.E. Lowes conducted additional mapping as part of a thesis for the University of Washington. No record of exploration exists prior to 1969.
The claims were first staked in 1970 as the Ox group, when a pit was blasted in the main showing on the property. By 1971, the Ox group was included in the Nickel Syndicate Ni claim group. The Nickel Syndicate—a joint venture between Giant Explorations Limited and Giant Mascot Mines Limited—staked the Ni claims in 1969 and began a reconnaissance-style exploration program. Between 1969 and 1975, the syndicate completed regional geological mapping, prospecting, stream sediment sampling, drilling, an airborne magnetic survey, detailed grid exploration (soil geochemistry, magnetic geophysics and rock sampling) and induced polarization geophysical surveys. The airborne magnetic survey was completed in 1970 and consisted of 539.13 line kilometres (335 line miles) flown over an area of 220 square kilometres (85 square miles). Six target areas were defined from the magnetic survey results. Grids were cut over each target area and used for geological mapping, ground magnetic surveys and soil and rock-chip sampling. The majority of the work was concentrated on an area near the junction between Talc and Daioff creeks. In 1971, induced polarization surveys were used to define potential drill targets. Twenty diamond drill holes totalling 1756 metres (5760 feet) were drilled to test anomalies on two grid areas. Results of the drilling were never reported and core logs, assays, drillcore and most hole location data are missing. Reports from the time indicate a major tonnage of low-grade nickel mineralization had been discovered through initial drilling and widespread surface sampling of the property. The deposit was more than 609.6 metres (2000 feet) in length and 243.84 metres (800 feet) in width, with a 213.36-metre (700-foot) vertical range with initial estimates indicating a yield of 907 718 474 tonnes per 152.4 metres depth (100 000 000 short tons per 500 feet depth; George Cross Newsletter, September 1, 1971). Chip sampling over a 32.37-hectare (80-acre) area returned average grades of 0.22 per cent nickel (Assessment Report 28695). In 1971, a geologist from the provincial government collected 10 chip samples from the deposit area. Analysis of the chip samples generally confirmed a grade of 0.19 to 0.22 per cent sulphide nickel plus approximately 0.02 per cent silicate nickel (Geology, Exploration and Mining in BC, 1971). In 1975, additional lines were cut on one of the grids and an electromagnetic survey was completed.
By 1985, the claims had been restaked as the Scuzzy and Scrungy claims. In 1985, claim owners John B. Knight and Robert C. Thomson carried out a prospecting and rock sampling program on the property to identify areas of mineralization and skarn outcrop. Ten rock samples were collected and sent for assay. In 1986, D.J. Nowak conducted a limited exploration program on the Scrungy and Scuzzy claim group on behalf of claim operator Radcliffe Resources Limited. Nowak collected seven soil and six rock samples, examined skarn mineralization and conducted air-photo mapping of the diorite-metasediment contacts. The soil samples were collected from the area around the copper skarn showing and the rock samples were collected from float and outcrop in the gossanous zone and the copper skarn showing. No ore-grade gold or silver mineralization was encountered, though anomalous gold results were obtained from soil and rock samples.
The PD-1 to PD-10 and PT-1 claims were staked by D. Deering and associates in 2000. Exploration began with the intention of evaluating and locating the continuation of the BC Nickel Mine Belt to the southeast. From 2000 to 2001, L. Stephenson completed an exploration program of geological mapping and geochemical stream silt sampling to establish and evaluate the trend of the ultramafic showings. Approximately 27 stream silt samples, 20 of which were sent for analysis, and five rock samples were collected, all of which were cut and polished. Results of the assays were reflective of the nonmineralized diorite and metasediments present on the claims and gave a good indication of background mineral levels in the area.
