The Mac and Ken group of mineral claims are located on the south side of the Quesnel River in the vicinity of its confluence with Dancing Bill Creek, and covers part of the historic Bullion Pit (MINFILE 093A 025). The property is accessible by a 3 kilometre gravel road, which runs west from the Williams Lake-Likely Highway at a point approximately 8 kilometres southwest of Likely.
The general area of the property is underlain predominantly by Upper Triassic Nicola Group pyroxene basalt and pyroxene-hornblende basaltic breccia, which has been intruded by an Early Jurassic composite alkalic stock of diorite, monzonite and syenite. Calcareous sandstone and argillite is dominant on the north side of Quesnel River. Propylitic alteration (epidote, chlorite, calcite) with associated pyrite is evident to varying degrees of intensity throughout the intrusive rocks in the area. Epidote and pyrite appear to be the most abundant alteration minerals.
The property is transected by numerous faults, which trend in two dominant directions, northwest and northeast. The former runs through the length of the Bullion Pit and also influences the course of Quesnel River; the latter provides the channel way for Drop Creek and Dancing Bill Creek over the last 400 to 600 metres before they enter the Quesnel River. The northwest-trending faults appear to be strike-slip faults, whereas the northeast-trending faults appear to be associated with block-faulting. There is an abundance of limonite alteration in the gossanous faults over extensive distances, particularly in the areas where Drop Creek and Dancing Bill Creek transect French Bar Bluff. The syenite stock has been intruded along one of the northwest-trending faults.
Mineralization consists of auriferous chalcopyrite, and pyrite as fine disseminations, blebs and hairline fracture fillings, pyrite as stockwork stringers up to 1 to 3 centimetres across, magnetite of varying intensity and lesser amounts of bornite. Malachite and, to a lesser extent, azurite, resulting from alteration of the copper bearing mineralization, is widespread. The pyrite stringers in the gossan zones are intensely weathered and severely leached.
In 1982, a sample (RA-33) assayed 0.512 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 10947).
In 1995, a 1.5 metre chip sample (M1-6) of moderately limonitic, sheared and brecciated diorite with up to 10 per cent pyrite as blebs, stringers and disseminations and traces of chalcopyrite and bornite analyzed 0.03 per cent copper and 1.15 grams per tonne gold. Two other nearby grab samples (Z-5 and DBTS-1) assayed 0.42 and 0.70 per cent copper with 0.67 and 0.25 gram per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 24538).
In 2011, five grab samples yielded from 0.081 to 0.789 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 33119).
In 1964, interest in the mineral potential of the area was first expressed by D. Speed who staked what is now the Mac 1 claim block on the basis of similarities to the Mount Polley deposit (MINFILE 093A 008). In 1982, Kenton Natural Resources completed a program of geochemical sampling on the area. In 1985, Domex optioned the property and carried out a field program that included limited EM geophysics, and diamond drilling. One drillhole west of the Mac 1 (formerly Rita 1) claim boundary is reported to have intersected diorite and diorite breccia. No records were available to indicate whether or not the hole intersected any mineralization. In 1989, A. Higgins of Vernon, British Columbia, held an interest in the Rita 1 claim (now Mac 1) by virtue of an agreement with D. Speed of Likely. Mr. Higgins compiled a report on the copper-gold potential of the Rita 1 claim, which included the assays of seven grab and two channel samples he collected during his field examinations. In 1990, Western Canadian Mining Corporation made a brief reconnaissance of the property and collected six widely spaced samples. In 1994, Spring Valley Resources made arrangements to acquire the Mac 1, 2-4 claim blocks, and staked the Ken 1-4 claims adjacent to and southeast of Mac 1. A 12 metre hole was drilled in the northwest corner of the Ken 4 claim, just west of Drop Creek. Between 1994 and 1995, a geological evaluation and 12 rock samples were taken on behalf of Spring Valley Resources. During 2005 through 2007, Valley High Ventures completed programs geological mapping, rock sampling and 30 line-kilometres of ground magnetic and induced polarization surveys on the area as the October claims. During 2009 through 2014, Bearing Resources and Glengarry Developments completed programs of soil and rock sampling, geological mapping, 10 diamond drill holes, totalling 2087.7 metres, and ground induced polarization and magnetometer surveys on the area as the October Dome property.
