The Kwun Lake showing is located within the central Quesnel Belt which consists of Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Nicola Group sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Alkalic subvolcanic plutons intruding the volcanic rocks commonly host copper and associated gold mineralization. These plutons are comagmatic with the upper, more felsic parts of the volcanic stratigraphy.
The Kwun Lake showing is underlain by a zoned (diorite to syenodiorite) stock (the Lower Jurassic Kwun stock) which is surrounded by felsic tuff breccia to the north, east and south. To the west, a fault separates the stock and felsic breccias from older basalt. Basaltic wackes and basaltic breccia occur to the east of the felsic breccias and the Kwun stock.
Hydrothermal activity associated with the stock has resulted in a central potassic zone, characterized by secondary orthoclase, surrounded by a zone of propylitic alteration, characterized by the presence of chlorite, calcite and epidote. Secondary magnetite is common within propylitically altered rock.
Sulphide mineralization related to this hydrothermal system consists of small amounts of chalcopyrite, pyrite and bornite within brecciated and propylitically altered rock on the west side of the stock. A small zone, 3 to 6 metres wide, of anomalous gold containing values of 0.4 to 1.0 grams per tonne has been intersected in drillholes in a monzonitic phase of the stock (Assessment Report 9925).
The Kwun-Swarm claims area has been investigated for gold and copper mineralization since the early 1970s. In 1973, staking by Dome-Newconex was performed. In 1974, an exploration program comprised of mapping, soil sampling, a magnetometer and induced polarization (IP) survey, 12 percussion holes, and 2 diamond-drill holes was completed. In 1975, 11 percussion holes were drilled. In 1980-81, thirteen diamond-drill holes were completed by Orbex Minerals. In 1984, soil sampling was conducted by Fox Geological. In 1985, soil sampling, prospecting and mapping was completed by Dome. In 1986, 17.2 kilometres of spectral IP was completed by Dome.
Eastfield Resources Ltd. staked the Swarm claim to cover the Kwun property. The Beekeeper claims were part of the Kwun property until 1980. Subsequent to 1980, the history of the property is as follows. In 1980, the claim was acquired by Imperial Metals Corp. Between 1981-86, soil sampling, rock sampling, ground magnetic-VLF surveys, and trenching were completed (gold to 0.765 gram per tonne and 0.12 per cent mercury was noted on the claims). In 1986, the property was acquired by Eastfield Resources Ltd. and geologic mapping, ground magnetics and an IP survey completed. In 1987, Lornex Mining Corp. optioned the claims and performed soil sampling and completed three drillholes. In 1990, and IP and magnetometer survey by Cominco for Eastfield Resources Ltd. was completed.
In 1991, the Beekeeper 5-18 claims were staked by Eastfield Resources and the property optioned to Cogema Canada Ltd. who conducted a soil sample survey totalling 1806 samples. Claims were staked in 1994 to cover an area where previous work has identified a mineralized alkalic intrusion. The results of a 1995 reconnaissance sampling program was successful in finding new copper-gold occurrences including one outcrop from which a value exceeding 0.2 per cent copper and 1 gram per tonne gold was obtained. Imperial Metals Corporation and Wildrose Resources Ltd. (formerly Eastfield Resources Ltd.) own the property. In 1996, a diamond drill program consisting of ten core holes and one overburden test hole was completed on the Beekeeper claims for a total of 1370 metres.
During the 1997 field season a two-phased diamond drill program was completed. The first phase consisted of seven holes totalling 1107.8 metres conducted in March; the second phase comprised six holes totalling 996.3 metres conducted between November and December. The 1997 diamond drilling project focused on expanding the '96 zone', a previously drilled mineralized stockwork. The zone was extended a further 200 metres, with the most interesting assay of 0.439 gram per tonne gold over 36 metres (Exploration in British Columbia 1997, page 30). A highlight of the 1997 work was the identification of the "Middle Lake stock”. The Middle Lake stock, where drilled, is a highly pyritized potassic altered monzonite. This intrusion is blind and is overlain by wet, clay rich, glaciofluvial till. Holes 97-B-20, 21 and 22, drilled on 200 metre intervals over a 400-metre section intersected well altered monzonite over their full lengths. The alteration is dominantly potassic and includes abundant secondary potassium feldspar and biotite.
The initial Birch property, which covers the Beekeeper (093A 155) and Kwun Lake showings, was acquired by staking in 2003 and has been expanded since. In 2006, an auger soil sampling survey was completed by R.M. Durfeld.
In 2008, Great Bear Uranium Corp. completed a program of compiling historical trenching, drilling, geochemical and geophysical data and later that year a field program of geological mapping, prospecting and minor geochemical sampling. This work indicated two mineralized zones, referred to as the NW Au zone and SE Cu-Au zone. The NW Au zone is hosted by a monzonite-syenite over a 200 by 200 metre area with 5 to 46 metre intervals averaging from 0.8 to 1.0 gram per tonne gold, while the SE Cu-Au zone is hosted by a monzonite to diorite over a 300 by 300 metre anomalous zone with a 19 metre interval averaging 1.1 grams per tonne gold and 0.82 per cent copper in drill hole 96-03 (Morton, J.W., Durfeld, R.M. (2008-03-24): Technical Report on the Birch Property).
In 2010, Mountain Gold Resources Ltd. conducted a program of prospecting, geological mapping, minor geochemical sampling, trenching and a 29 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area. Trench samples are reported to have yielded values of up to greater than 0.3 gram per tonne gold and 0.10 per cent copper (Morton, J.W. (2011-10-25): Summary Report on the Birch Property).
In 2011, Iron Tank Resources Corp. completed a 213-line kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area.
