The Pot 1 occurrence is a showing of gold-silver-copper mineralization between Merritt and Princeton, just east of the historical Aspen Grove copper camp. The occurrence is situated approximately 1 kilometre northeast of Pothole Lake, between Quilchena and Pothole creeks and approximately 7 kilometres east-northeast of the community of Aspen Grove.

The occurrence is hosted in the Upper Triassic Nicola Group, which regionally consists of alkalic and calc-alkalic volcanics and intrusions of island arc origin, and which is the principal component of the Quesnel terrane in southern British Columbia (Geological Survey of Canada Maps 41-1989, 1713A). This belt has been of major economic interest because of its potential for porphyry copper-gold mineralization.

The occurrence lies in the northern assemblage of the Eastern belt or facies of the Nicola Group (after Preto, Bulletin 69). This assemblage mainly consists of alkalic volcanic flows and well-bedded submarine volcaniclastic rocks ranging from tuffaceous volcanic siltstones characteristic of the lower part to coarse volcanic conglomerate and laharic breccias in the upper part. The assemblage is characterized by a paucity of intrusive rocks in comparison to the main Aspen Grove copper camp, located in the Central Belt a few kilometres to the west and separated by the Kentucky-Alleyne fault system (Bulletin 69).

Locally, the occurrence area is underlain by purple to grey-green augite plagioclase porphyritic andesite to basalt (or trachyandesite and trachybasalt; Bulletin 69; Preliminary Map 15).

Mineralization is comprised of erratically disseminated chalcopyrite, malachite, azurite and pyrite associated with quartz-carbonate veins, up to 30 centimetres wide and striking north-northeast, in an epidote-carbonate–altered andesite (Preliminary Map 15; Assessment Report 13714 and 22566). The copper minerals occur in narrow zones striking southwest, transverse to the regional strike but parallel to a fault 1 kilometre to the northwest (Bulletin 69).

Work History

In 1966, Marengo Mines Ltd. completed a 38.3 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Red and Vida claims.

In late 1984 and early 1985, Laramide Resources Ltd. conducted reconnaissance geological, geochemical and magnetometer surveys on the area as a part of the Nicola property. Individual rock samples from the showing assayed up to 0.95 gram per tonne gold and 4.8 grams per tonne silver, whereas a composite chip sample across the showing assayed 2.55 grams per tonne gold and 1.9 grams per tonne silver over 130 metres (Assessment Report 13714, Drawing No. 2, sample W301). Gold and silver values appear to be proportional to the degree of alteration and copper mineralization.

In 1992, Laramide Resources Ltd. conducted rock and soil sampling on the area as the Pot claims. A representative sample (107403) from the main trenched zone yielded 0.729 gram per tonne gold and 0.494 per cent copper, whereas grab samples (107409 and 107454) from outcrops of malachite-stained, propylitic-altered andesite intruded by granitic dikes, located approximately 300 metres northeast and 500 metres east-northeast of the main zone, yielded 0.291 and 0.486 per cent copper with 0.212 and 0.031 gram per tonne gold, respectively (Assessment Report 22566). Also at this time, a sample (107401) from an area of andesite hosting malachite and bornite mineralization located approximately 700 metres southeast of the main zone yielded 0.633 per cent copper and 0.112 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 22566).

In 2002, Lateegra Resources Corp. and Commerce Resources Corp. completed a program of soil sampling, ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveying and six diamond drill holes, totalling 466.6 metres, on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the Au/Wen property.

In 2003, Previa Resources Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, and a 38.0 line-kilometre very low frequency electromagnetic, magnetometer and induced polarization survey on the area as the Pothole Lake property. Geophysical results indicate an underlying structural or intrusive control on mineralization, with prospective extension to the north (Assessment Report 27112).

In 2005, Previa Resources Ltd. completed a 5.5 line-kilometre very low frequency electromagnetic and magnetometer survey on the Pothole Lake property that indicated that the occurrence is located at the intersection of two features that extend to the northwest and northeast (Assessment Report 28397). The following year, a 5.0 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey was completed on the property.

In 2007, Rose Marie Resources Ltd. (formerly known as Previa Resources Ltd.) conducted a very low frequency electromagnetic survey on the Pothole Lake property that identified a 400-metre-long, north-trending anomaly open to the south and closed to the north (Assessment Report 29964).

In 2008, Cheetah Ventures Ltd. (formerly known as Rose Marie Resources Ltd.) completed a 5.0 line-kilometre very low frequency electromagnetic survey on the Pothole Lake property that identified southerly extensions of three of the four anomalies from the 2006 survey (Assessment Report 30690).

In 2010, Emperor Minerals Ltd. (formerly known as Cheetah Ventures Ltd.) completed a 6.0 line-kilometre very low frequency electromagnetic survey on the Pothole Lake property. Results identified two north-trending anomalies that locally intensify near a projected structural intersection (Assessment Report 32362).

During 2013 through 2017, Victory Resources Corp. completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling and photogeological (structural) analysis on the area as the Wen-Toe and Toni properties.

In 2018, Cazador Resources Ltd. completed a program of prospecting, photogeological mapping and a 32.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey on the area as a part of the Aspen Grove property.