The Pine (Lemon Lake) occurrence is located on the north fork of Gibbons Creek, between Long and Chain lakes, approximately 11.5 kilometres east-north east of the community of Horsefly.
Copper mineralization is associated with the Triassic-Jurassic? monzonitic to dioritic Lemon Lake stock, which occurs within volcanic rocks of the Nicola Group in the central Quesnel belt. The stock has intruded Upper Triassic basalt and overlying Lower Jurassic breccias containing felsic volcanic and plutonic clasts. These latter breccias are partly coeval with, and form an apron about, the felsic stock. Both the volcanic and the intrusive rocks have alkalic to subalkalic compositions with shoshonitic affinities.
The volcanic rocks adjacent to the stock and parts of the stock itself have undergone propylitic alteration, characterized by the development of calcite, chlorite and epidote. Zeolite alteration in places may also be of hydrothermal origin. Biotite alteration and secondary potassium feldspar is commonly associated with copper mineralization in syenodiorite and monzonite. Copper mineralization also occurs sparsely in the surrounding volcanics. Weakly anomalous gold values have been determined in propylitized volcanic rocks surrounding the stock. Mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, malachite, pyrrhotite, magnetite, pyrite and molybdenite.
Results from the 2007 exploration indicate that copper and gold mineralization on the Lemon Lake property occurs exclusively in the Lemon Lake stock, and is associated with moderate to strong potassic alteration. Potassic alteration is pink in colour, and is most commonly pervasive throughout the host rock, and less frequently concentrated in veinlets. Sulphide minerals are also most commonly disseminated throughout the host rock, and less frequently concentrated in structures such as veins or fractures. Anomalous samples are all located within close proximity to the inferred contact between the stock and the volcanic rocks. An area of sub-crop consisting of altered diorite was sampled. The diorite contains up to 5-10 per cent disseminated sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite) with moderate amounts of malachite locally distributed throughout the outcrop. Alteration consists of moderate K-feldspar and localized epidote.
In 1967, a drill hole (no. 3) intercepted two, 3- metre wide, mineralized zones yielding 0.33 and 0.43 per cent copper, while a surface sample yielded 0.23 per cent copper over 6 metres (Property File - Mt. Calvery Resources Ltd. [1981-01-01]: Data Compilation - Lemon Lake Cu/Au Prospect).
In 1969, percussion drilling, over an area of approximately 500 by 150 metres, yielded 0.12 per cent copper over 24 metres in hole no.1, 0.12 per cent copper over 36 metres in hole no.2, 0.126 per cent copper over 39 metres in hole no.3, 0.22 per cent copper over 9 metres in hole no.4, 0.22 per cent copper over 6 metres in hole no.12, 0.16 per cent copper over 18 metres and 0.17 per cent copper over 12 metres in hole no.22 (Property File - Mt. Calvery Resources Ltd. [1981-01-01]: Data Compilation - Lemon Lake Cu/Au Prospect).
In 1984, trenching yielded up to 0.25 per cent copper over 21.3 metres; gold was not assayed (Northern Miner, April, 1984).
In 2005, a chip sample yielded 0.84 gram per tonne gold, 6.2 gram per tonne silver and 1.35 per cent copper (Property File - K. Dawson [2006-01-11]: Letter RE: Examination of Lemon Lake porphyry Ca-Au prospect).
In 2007, A sub-crop sample (07DAP202) of altered diorite yielded 0.18 gram per tonne gold and 0.24 per cent copper (Assessment Report 29454).
Since the 1960s, the Lemon Lake area has been explored for gold and silver potential. Historical work includes geophysical surveys, soil sampling, geological prospecting, mapping and trenching, in addition to reverse circulation and diamond drilling.
In 2007, the goals of exploration work conducted on behalf of Cedar Mountain Exploration Inc. were to locate the historic Pine showing, historic drill locations, and historic anomalous gold and copper targets. The Pine showing was not located at this time. Areas of historic drill locations were found; however, in all cases the presence of outcrop in these areas is non-existent to scarce.
