The Deb 5 (Malachite Ridge, Malachite Adit, Malachite Trenches and SR) occurrence(s) are located along a ridge south east of Malachite Creek, approximately 2.4 kilometres north west of Vermont Mountain.
The area is underlain by a repeating sequence of dark-grey to black shales with interbedded limestones, alternating with thick-bedded, coarse-grained, grey to brown ortho-quartzite sandstone and grits of the upper Proterozoic Horsethief Creek Group.
Locally, stratabound mineralization consisting of very fine grained disseminated to massive sphalerite, galena, pyrite and arsenopyrite is hosted by dark black shale and/or silty sericitic dolostone over a strike length of approximately 1 kilometre. The mineralized horizon(s) vary from 0.3 to 0.5 metres thick. Mineralization has been identified in at least four areas referred to as the Malachite Adit, Malachite Ridge, Malachite Trenches and SR zones.
At the Malachite Ridge and Malachite Adit zones, bedded galena and sphalerite mineralization hosted by black limestone beds has been traced over a strike length of 200 metres, while at the Malachite Trench zone, disseminated galena and sphalerite are hosted by limestone and dolostone. The SR zone consists of massive galena and minor pyrite mineralization hosted by a tightly folded sideritic shale.
In 1980, a surface sample assayed 7.6 per cent combined lead-zinc (Property File - First Nuclear Corp. [1980-01-01]: 1980 Summary Report on Project 11, Spillimacheen).
Drilling in in 1983 intersected narrow stratabound massive sulphide mineralization. Two holes testing the Malachite showing on the Deb claim in 1983 were drilled beneath Trench #2, which was dug in 1982 and, had returned very high results: 4.43 per cent lead, 8.2 per cent zinc and 133.71 grams per tonne silver over 0.50 metre (Assessment Report 11806). One hole intersected 30 centimetres of disseminated galena but yielded low values. The other hole failed to intersect mineralization. Drill hole DEB-83-11, drilled near “Malachite Adit”, intersected galena and sphalerite in association with quartz-carbonate veins and yielded 2.47 per cent lead, 5.05 per cent zinc and 17.14 grams per tonne silver over 0.25 metre (Assessment Report 18232).
In 1979, Norcen Energy Resources Ltd. optioned the holdings of Cochrane Oil and Gas Ltd. between Vermont and Warren Creeks and carried out a program of geological mapping, prospecting, geochemical soil sampling, geophysics and diamond drilling. In 1980, Norcen continued to work on the same area with a program of geological mapping, regional and detailed geochemistry, geophysics and diamond drilling. In 1982 and 1983, additional programs were carried out on these claims by Cochrane Oil and Gas and Bluesky Oil and Gas Ltd., including diamond drilling. In 1979 and 1980, the First Nuclear Corporation staked a substantial number of claims, from McMurdo Creek at the north end to the northern boundary of the Cochrane ground just north of the Ruth Vermont Mines, following the results of a 1979 stream sediment geochemical survey. Field work in 1980 included geological mapping, prospecting and geochemistry. In 1981, the First Nuclear Corporation continued exploration of the DEB claims with geological mapping, sampling and prospecting. At the end of this program the size of the claim group was reduced to 376 units covering the favourable and anomalous stratigraphy. In 1982, MineQuest Exploration Associates Ltd., working on contract to Samim Canada Ltd., further explored the DEB claims, principally through geological mapping, prospecting, reconnaissance soil geochemistry, mostly on widespread contour lines, and rock-sampling and trenching. In 1983 work by Samim saw 7.7 kilometres of IP surveys completed; a total of 493 metres drilled in 11 BQ holes; and 1096 soil, 227 rock and 27 silt samples collected. In 1997, Mountain Star Resources Ltd. conducted a property examination on the area as the VMT and BB claims.
