The Queen Bee occurrence is located on the western slopes of Mount Sicker, north of Nugget Creek. The showing lies 1 kilometre to the north of the Lenora-Tyee volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit (MINFILE 092B 001) and is of related origin.

Regionally, the area is located within the Cowichan uplift and is underlain mainly by andesitic to rhyolitic volcanics of the Middle to Upper Devonian McLaughlin Ridge and Myra Formations (Sicker Group). The local stratigraphy is disrupted by folding, faulting (pre-Triassic as well as Paleogene–Neogene), intrusions of gabbro and diabase sills and dikes (known as the Mount Hall gabbro) that are coeval with the Upper Triassic Karmutsen Formation (Vancouver Group).

Early reports indicate a quartz vein hosting free gold was exposed by an adit on the Queen Bee (L.00G) Crown-granted claim. Later work (diamond drilling), in 1986, intersected a mineralized, chloritized and locally barium-enriched package consisting of well-bedded dacitic ash, tuff and chert in holes MTS-25 and -26. The package contained up to 20 per cent pyrite and 6 per cent chalcopyrite. Pyrite-pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite stringer mineralization was encountered in epidotized andesitic volcaniclastics stratigraphically above the ‘Mine Package’ in both holes.

Work History

By 1898, a 20-metre tunnel had been driven into a reef (quartz vein) that contained free milling gold. Two shafts were reported in 1900: one 21 metres deep with 37 metres of drifting and the other almost 11 metres deep with 24 metres of opencut.

In 1972, Duncanex Resources completed a program of prospecting, geological mapping and a 34.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the area as the CF Group. In 1978, Union Miniere Exploration and Mining Corp. Ltd. conducted a soil sampling program on the area immediately north as the Twin E claim. During 1978 through 1980, S.E.R.E.M. Limited completed programs of geological mapping, ground geophysical surveys, soil sampling and two diamond drill holes on the area as the Rocky claims and Nugget Creek property.

In 1986, Corporation Falconbridge Copper (Minnova) drilled five diamond drill holes (MTS-10, -13, -15, -25 and -26) on the old Queen Bee Crown grant area to test the ‘Mine Package’ section of rocks. Drillhole MTS-25 yielded intercepts including 1.13 per cent copper over 0.5 metre at 87.3 metres down hole, 0.99 per cent copper with 1.18 per zinc over 1.45 metres at 113.85 metres down hole and 1.94 per cent copper with 0.1 per cent zinc over 0.23 metre at 117.25 metres down hole, and drillhole MTS-26 yielded intercepts including 2.12 per cent copper over 0.6 metre at 168.90 metres down hole (Assessment Report 15719). Also at this time, a 23.3 line-kilometre induced polarization survey was completed on the area.

During 1987 through 1990, Minnova completed programs of geochemical sampling and at least 24 diamond drill holes, totalling 6319.7 metres, on the area as the Mount Sicker and Twin properties.

In 2008, Westridge Resources completed a 440.3 line-kilometre airborne geophysical (magnetic and electromagnetic) survey on the area as part of the Fortuna property.

In 2010 and 2011, Rock-Con Resources completed a program of prospecting and rock sampling on the Mount Sicker property. A rock sample (8.6), taken from the adit tailings, assayed 0.26 per cent copper (Assessment Report 32278).

In 2013 and 2014, Conarry Ventures Inc. conducted programs of prospecting and rock sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker property. Six grab samples (E5123788 and E5123793 to E5123797) from chips across a 6-metre mineralized chloritic cherty tuff exposed in the Queen Bee adit yielded an average of 0.22 per cent copper (Assessment Report 34604).

In 2020, 911 Mining Co. conducted a program of prospecting and geochemical (rock and silt) sampling on the area as the Mount Sicker property.

In 2021 and 2022, Scenc Resources Corp. completed a minor program of geological mapping, rock sampling, a 1.8 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey and four backpack drill holes, totalling 14.9 metres, on the Mount Sicker property. Later in 2022, Sasquatch Resources Corp. completed a program of prospecting, geological mapping, drillcore and rock sampling and a 418.2 line-kilometre airborne electromagnetic survey on the Mount Sicker property.