The Laken occurrence lies west of the logging road, approximately 1.5 kilometres north of the west end of Pimainus Lakes.
The area is underlain by several phases of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Guichon Creek batholith. The showing occurs in Bethsaida phase medium to coarse-grained biotite granodiorite varying to quartz monzonite. Mafic minerals constitute 5 to 12 per cent of the rock with biotite occurring as coarse, euhedral "books". Quartz (20 to 30 per cent) occurs as anhedral, round quartz "eyes". Bethsaida phase rocks are in a northwest trending contact to the west with Skeena variety granodiorites and Bethlehem phase coarse-grained biotite-hornblende granodiorite. Very large poikilitic hornblende crystals are characteristic of the Bethlehem phase. A narrow band of poorly defined Highland Valley phase rocks outcrops as Chataway variety medium to coarse-grained hornblende granodiorite in gradational contact with Guichon variety fine to medium-grained biotite-hornblende quartz diorite. The oldest and most westward exposed rocks are Border (Hybrid) phase coarse-grained, foliated, hornblende quartz diorite with areas of diorite and amphibolite. Bethsaida rocks on the property are intruded by numerous aplite and pegmatite dikes, and Neogene fine-grained andesite and dacite dikes.
The Bethsaida/Bethlehem and Bethlehem/Chataway contacts are fairly abrupt but the Chataway/Guichon and Guichon/Border contacts are very indistinct (Assessment report 2793). Contacts are generally northwest trending.
A north-northwest trending topographic low may represent a major fault in the Bethlehem rocks. Joints spaced about 10 per metre are vertical and occur in two well-formed sets striking 110 degrees and 020 degrees respectively.
Irregular hydrothermal alteration is widespread and locally intense. Sericite, epidote, chlorite and hematite with minor calcite, clay and limonite are the most common secondary minerals. The alteration zone trends parallel to the Bethsaida/Bethlehem contact, its width indefinite. Bornite and malachite are associated with hematite, sericite and quartz veins in shallow dipping shear zones trending perpendicular to the alteration zone. Drilling is reported to have intersected copper and molybdenite mineralization to the north (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1966).
Drilling, by Copco, is reported to have yielded intercepts of 0.07 per cent copper and 0.024 per cent molybdenum in hole 2 and 0.12 per cent copper with 0.011 per cent molybdenum in hole 1 (Assessment Report 855).
Work History
In 1966, T.C. Explorations Ltd. completed a 25.6 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the area as the Lake, Laken and Spot claims. Several historic drill holes were reported on the occurrence by this time.
In 1970, Keevil Mining Group Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling, trenching and ground electromagnetic and seismic surveys on the area as the Lake, Laken, Ples and Spot claims.
In 1980, Cominco Ltd. completed 60.0 line-kilometres of ground magnetometer and induced polarization surveys on the area as the Island property. The following year, 22.9 line-kilometres of induced polarization surveys were completed on the property.
Also in 1980, Lornex Mining Corp. Ltd. completed 20 percussion drill holes, totalling 2127.5 metres, and one diamond drill hole, totalling 148 metres, on the area as the Bear, Dawn and J.D.G. claims. The following year, 14 percussion drill holes, totalling 1624.6 metres, were completed on the Dawn, Lynn and Bear claims.
