The NL (Ruby) occurrence is located along Highway 101, approximately 300 metres northeast of the west end of North Lake on Sechelt Peninsula.

Regionally, the area is underlain by a series of northwest-trending volcanic and sedimentary rocks comprised of basaltic volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic Karmutsen and Quatsino formations (Vancouver Group), argillite, greywacke, wacke and conglomerate turbidites of the Lower to Middle Jurassic Bowen Island Group and volcanic and marine sedimentary rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Gambier Group, which form roof pendants that have been intruded by diorite and quartz diorite of the Jurassic to Cretaceous Coast Plutonic Complex.

Locally, a roadcut along the highway reveals a vein (NL zone) hosted in granodiorite within the Jurassic to Cretaceous Coast Plutonic Complex. The vein strikes 045 to 050 degrees for an exposed length of 30 metres and dips 65 degrees north. The vein varies up to 0.27 metre in width. Diamond drilling indicates the vein continues downdip for at least 55 metres. Six subsidiary tension veins ranging from 3 to 15 centimetres in width are developed in the granodiorite along the northwest side of the main vein over a distance of 20 metres. The tension veins strike 080 to 100 degrees for up to 8 metres and dip 65 degrees north. The veins are comprised of marcasite in a gangue of quartz.

In 1982, a chip sample of the main vein taken across a width of 0.46 metre assayed 23.6 grams per tonne gold and 40.1 grams per tonne silver, and samples of a tension vein taken over a length of 1.8 metres assayed 50.39 grams per tonne gold and 54.5 grams per tonne silver (Samples R-NL-1, R-NL-X-5; Assessment Report 11129).

In 1984, a chip sample over 1.0 metre of intensely altered wallrock assayed 7.5 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12641).

In 1985, drilling on the NL vein yielded intercepts including 28.8 grams per tonne gold with 44.8 grams per tonne silver over 0.6 metre in hole NL DDH-3; 37.0 grams per tonne gold with 27.5 grams per tonne silver over 0.9 metre in hole NL DDH-10 and 11.4 grams per tonne gold with 24.3 grams per tonne silver over 1.2 metres in hole NL DDH-12 (Assessment Report 14736).

In 1988, two samples (88 B-027 and 88 B-033) of mineralized quartz veins, 0.15 and 0.40 metre wide, from the NL zone yielded 125.8 and 35.7 grams per tonne silver with 35.39 and 22.05 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 17941).

In 1993, a sample (no. 6) from the NL vein yielded 66.2 grams per tonne gold and 77.0 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 23354).

In 1995, a sample was taken from a shallow trench exposing the North Lake FW vein near Highway 101 where the vein splits into hangingwall and footwall portions separated by 61 centimetres of barren granodiorite. A grab sample (5WJR-1) from the footwall of the vein yielded 1.41 grams per tonne gold and 15.77 grams per tonne silver, and a grab sample (5WJR-2) of from the hangingwall of the vein yielded 2.81 grams per tonne gold and 4.46 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 24069).

In 2009, a select grab sample (EG-09-03) from the centre of the NL vein yielded 161.01 grams per tonne gold and 228 grams per tonne silver, and a sample (EG-09-02) from the top 0.1 metre of the vein assayed 6.13 grams per tonne gold and 10 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 31010).

In 2011, a chip sample (87644) from the NL zone yielded 9.0 grams per tonne gold and 21 grams per tonne silver over 0.6 metre (Assessment Report 32343).

In 2019, three closely spaced samples (DA19-S0009, -S0012 and -S0013) from the NL zone yielded values from 17.6 to 60.6 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 39205).

In 2021, a rock sample (NL-1) of quartz vein material from the NL zone assayed 13.25 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 39676).

The now buried TY zone is located approximately 240 metres northeast of the NL zone has been described as a quartz flooded shear zone, 2.5 metres wide, striking 290 degrees and dipping steeply north. Several 20- to 50-centimetre wide quartz veins are reported in the hangingwall of the shear zone. The quartz veins host up to 10 per cent pyrite, chalcopyrite and other sulphides.

In 1985, grab samples from trenches on the TY zone yielded up to 6.99 grams per tonne gold and 175.5 grams per tonne silver, and a drillhole (TY-11) yielded 2.78 grams per tonne gold and 80 grams per tonne silver over 1.2 metres (Assessment Report 14736).

In 1988, a sample (WH-020) from several pieces of mineralized rubble at the TY zone yielded 6.85 grams per tonne gold and 32.9 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 17941).

Work History

The earliest record of exploration in the area occurred in 1913 when R. Dunsford Jr. drove a tunnel (Stein adit, MINFILE 092GNW061) near Earls Cove. In 1937, the Cambrian Chieftain (MINFILE 092GNE011) property was discovered 7 kilometres to the south. Additional massive sulphide mineralization was discovered in about 1952 at the Skookum (MINFILE 092GNE008), on the shores of Agamemnon Channel.

In 1982, Chalice Mining Inc. staked the area as the Chalice claims and conducted a program of rock sampling and geological mapping. The NL (Ruby) occurrence was discovered at this time. The following year, a program of prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling was completed on the surrounding area as the Wally and Bacon claim groups. In 1984, a further program of geological mapping and geochemical sampling was conducted on the Chalice claims. In 1985, Chalice Mining Inc. completed a program of prospecting, trenching, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, an induced polarization survey and diamond drilling, totalling 572 metres, in 21 holes on the Wally 3 and Chalice 1 claims.

In late 1987 and early 1988, Blue Chip Resources Inc. conducted a program of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and a 7.7 line-kilometre induced polarization survey on the Chalice 1, Stein and Wally 2-3 claims of the Egmont property.

In 1993, a prospecting program and a 3.62 line-kilometre self-potential survey was conducted on the area as the Windancer and Taj claim groups. In 1995, Menika Mining Ltd. completed a program of prospecting and a 13.2 line-kilometre self-potential survey on the Windancer, Taj and JR claims of the Ruby Group.

In 1996, four diamond drill holes, totalling 725.6 metres, were completed by Charles R. Boitard on the area as the Ruby 3 claim. The following year, a further four diamond drill holes, totalling 527.6 metres, were completed on the Ruby 1-3 claims. No significant intercepts were reported in either drill programs.

In 2004, the area was prospected as the Dancer 1-4 claims by Justin Cloud and Justin LaRue. In 2006, a 1.6 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey was conducted on the Dancer claims. The following year, a 0.9 line-kilometre self-potential survey was completed on the claims. In 2008, a further 0.6 line-kilometre self-potential survey was completed on the Dancer claims. Also at this time, the area immediately north and east were prospected as the JI and Rhiannadancer claims by Donald Bragg and John LaRue, respectively.

During 2009 through 2015, Donald Bragg conducted programs of prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical (rock, soil and silt) sampling on the JI claims. Also in 2011 and during 2015 through 2018, Ama Gold Exploration Ltd. conducted minor geochemical and metallurgical sampling programs and an archaeological impact assessment study on the Dancer claims.

During 2019 through 2022, Ama Gold Exploration Ltd. conducted programs of prospecting, geological mapping, rock sampling, remote sensing surveys and a 0.3 line-kilometre self-potential survey on the area as the Dancer/Chalice project.