The SAB (Lead Zone) occurrence is located on the west side of the Kettle River, approximately 1.5 kilometres north west of its junction with Winnifred Creek.

The area is primarily underlain by quartz diorite and granite of the Jurassic Nelson Plutonic Suite(?) with isolated outcrops of undivided metamorphic rocks of the Proterozoic to Paleozoic Shuswap Assemblage.

Mineralization in the area is characterized by numerous randomly oriented quartz veins and lenses, moderate to extreme brecciation, and minor to moderate K-feldspar, sericite and kaolinite alteration. Variable amounts of pyrite in a quartz stockwork carry silver and gold values. Mineralization is structurally controlled and is associated with north east and north west trending faults. Alteration zones of propylitic, argillic and phyllic alteration have been mapped and show features of both porphyry copper-gold- silver and epithermal gold-silver deposit models.

Locally, at least two areas of mineralization have been explored and are referred to as the South (BS 12 and Lead vein) zone and Lead zone.

At the Lead zone, massive sulphide veins are hosted in a shear zone that has been exposed over a continuous length of 170 metres and traced over 300 metres. The zone has been tested to a depth of 75 metres by drilling and remains open at depth. The shear zone strikes 070 to 080 degrees with a moderately steep dip to the south, while the veins are reported to strike 260 to 280 degrees west and dip 70 degrees south. The veins are comprised of galena, sphalerite and pyrite with minor chalcopyrite, native and/or ruby silver with quartz and calcite.

In 1980, a sample (80-1) from the Lead zone assayed 1313 grams per tonne silver, 0.19 per cent cadmium, 0.79 per cent lead and 26.3 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 9576). In 1981, diamond drilling of the Lead zone yielded: 329.3 grams per tonne silver, 5.20 per cent lead and 3.35 per cent zinc over 1.04 metres in hole 81-13; 210.2 grams per tonne silver, 0.32 per cent lead and 8.01 per cent zinc over 1.12 metres in hole 81-17 and 290.3 grams per tonne silver, 1.54 per cent lead and 9.87 per cent zinc over 0.46 metre in hole 81-19 (Assessment Report 18533). In 1983, diamond drilling yielded up to 0.5 gram per tonne gold, 205.2 grams per tonne silver, 4.24 per cent lead and 7.91 per cent zinc over 0.3 metre in hole 83-6, while hole 83-11 yielded up to 6.2 grams per tonne gold and 2.7 grams per tonne silver over 0.6 metre (Assessment Report 18533). In 1984, surface samples from the K-1 trench, located 39 metres west of the Lead zone open-cut, assayed up to 755.8 grams per tonne over 1.2 metres to 1939 grams per tonne silver over 1.35 metres, while diamond drilling (Hole 84-1) of the east end of the Lead zone yielded up to 0.6 gram per tonne gold and 101.7 grams per tonne silver over 3.12 metres, including 3.3 grams per tonne gold and 506.2 grams per tonne silver over 0.30 metre (Assessment Report 18533). In 1996, sampling of the K-1 trench yielded up to 711.7 grams per tonne silver over 2.50 metres (Assessment Report 24533). In 1999, a grab sample (CV99-23) assayed 1090 grams per tonne silver, 34.45 per cent lead and 9.5 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 26382). In 2016, a grab sample (663205) assayed 7.73 per cent lead, 11.35 per cent zinc and 1010 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 36584).

At the South (BS 12, Lead vein) zone, located approximately 250 metres to the south- south east, a vein or series of sub-parallel veins are exposed, discontinuously, over a 185- metre strike length in road cuts and trenches. The vein varies from 0.5 to 4.1 metres wide and averages 1.5 metres. Sulphide mineralization consists of galena, pyrite and sphalerite and occurs as blebs and semi-massive to massive veinlets up to 5 centimetres thick. The quartz veining and breccias are hosted by an argillic to phyllic- altered porphyritic granite cut by late biotite-lamprophyre dikes.

In 1973, a 1.2-metre chip sample of a quartz vein (Lead Zone) from the BS 12 claim assayed 10.8 grams per tonne gold and 156.6 grams per tonne silver, while select grab samples yielded up to 9.7 grams per tonne gold, 930.2 grams per tonne silver, 9.20 per cent lead and 0.50 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 4979). In 1978, a channel sample (78-B5) across 0.76 metre of upper vein assayed 1.4 grams per tonne gold, 48 grams per tonne silver, 1.46 per cent lead and 0.47 per cent zinc, while another channel sample (78-B6) across two veins, totalling 0.65 metre wide, assayed 6.5 grams per tonne gold, 15 grams per tonne silver and 0.31 per cent lead (Assessment Report 7259). In 1999, four grab samples (CV99-03, 12026, 12031 and 7703) yielded values up to 53.25 grams per tonne gold, 526.2 grams per tonne silver, 4.65 per cent lead and 9.98 per cent zinc (Assessment Report 26382). In 2005, nine samples (36203 to 36211) from the South zone assayed from 0.002 to 0.136 per cent copper, 0.004 to greater than 1.0 per cent lead, 0.176 to greater than 1.0 per cent zinc, 4.5 to greater than 100 grams per tonne silver and 0.04 to 11.53 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 28121). In 2016, a grab sample (663202) assayed 4.87 per cent lead, 7.56 per cent zinc and 471 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 36584).

In 1983, a 22-tonne bulk sample, averaging 3.76 grams per tonne gold and 143.7 grams per tonne silver, was shipped to Slocan City for metallurgical testing (Assessment Report 15639). The results of this testing are not on record and it is not known what amounts of ore were taken from the various zones, but the bulk of the ore is reported to have come from the Lead zone open-cut.

The property was staked as the BS 1-12 claims in 1972 by S.E. Arnold, who had found mineralized quartz veins exposed in road-cuts. In 1973 and 1974, S.E. Arnold and R.W. Yorke-Hardy prospected, mapped and sampled the area. They located numerous mineralized quartz veins and gossans on the BS 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 claims. In 1977, Yorke-Hardy carried out geochemical and electromagnetic surveys. Anomalies identified in 1977, were followed in 1978 by road construction, mapping, trenching and five percussion drill holes, totalling 329.8 metres. In 1979, a 3.5-kilometre induced polarization survey and additional trenching, mapping and sampling was carried out on the area as the BAS claims.

In 1980, Mohawk Oil Co. Ltd. carried out a 25-hole, 3114- metre diamond drill program on the SAB claim group. The 1980 program was followed by an induced polarization survey in 1981; VLF-EM surveys in 1981 and 1982; geochemical surveys for silver and gold in 1981, 1982 and 1984; a magnetometer survey in 1982; induced polarization and resistivity surveys in 1984; prospecting in 1985 and additional diamond- drill programs in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984. In 1982, a pilot mill was constructed on the property and in 1983, concentrates were sold to the Cominco smelter in Trail, BC. Very little of this work, with the exception of the 1980 drill program, the 1981 induced polarization survey and the 1985 prospecting program, was filed for assessment.

In 1986, Triple Star Resource completed a program of geochemical sampling on the area to the south as the Split 1-2 claims. In 1989, Y-H Technical Services completed a program of ground geophysical surveys and a compilation report, which re-interpreted the prospect as an epithermal deposit and includes some of the results of Mohawk Oil's diamond drill and geophysical programs. In 1996, a program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling was completed. In 1999, the area was prospected and rock sampled as the Kettle claims. In 2004 and 2005, Leroy Ventures completed programs of rock, silt and soil sampling, geological mapping, trenching, a 33.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey and a 235.0 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey on the area. In 2016, Rich River Exploration prospected and sampled the area.