The area is underlain by Upper Triassic Nicola Group volcaniclastics and sediments which are separated into the younger Whistle Creek Formation and the older Hedley Formation. The rocks are intruded by Early Jurassic hornblende porphyritic diorites of the Hedley Intrusions. A second plutonic suite comprising the Cahill Creek pluton also intrudes these rocks and consists of massive, biotite or hornblende-bearing granodiorites of Middle Jurassic age.

The showing is hosted in strongly sheared and fractured argillite of the Whistle Creek Formation. The unit is cut by numerous northeast and northwest-striking fault and fracture zones, some of which are mineralized and have been explored by trenches and shafts dating back to the mid-1920's. One shear zone is exposed in two shallow shafts (pits) over a distance of 20 metres. The zone strikes northwest and is 60 centimetres wide. The central part of the zone is bleached, silicified and mineralized with very fine- grained sulphides thought to be galena. The remainder of the zone is very limonitic. Two grab and two chip samples of the zone assayed 4.3 to 14.3 grams per tonne gold and 1.0 to 16.8 grams per tonne silver, respectively (Assessment Report 10882, Figure 14). The richest sample, a 96-centimetre chip sample of oxidized shear zone material with minor sulphides, assayed 14.3 grams per tonne gold and 16.8 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 10882, page 28, sample 48581).

Various quartz-carbonate veins containing arsenopyrite and pyrite, are exposed in the old workings in the immediate vicinity. A chip sample across a 0.6-metre wide, 3-metre long vein striking 035 degrees and dipping 65 degrees, assayed 13.6 grams per tonne gold, 3.8 grams per tonne silver, 0.21 per cent lead and 27.0 per cent arsenic (Assessment Report 10018, page 3, sample 2A).

Another similar zone of mineralization, referred to as the Junction occurrence, is located approximately 200 metres east of the Snowstorm zone.

More recent work, during the 2000’s, identified mineralized structures that appear to follow two distinct structural trends, the volcanic-sedimentary bedding and the oblique shear zones. These two trends make an angle of approximately 45 degrees and their relationship indicates a dextral sense of shearing that pre-dated the mineralizing event. The shear zones are characterized by hydrothermal alteration, fault gouge, quartz veins and stringers with disseminated sulphides ± associated gold. The mineralization tends to concentrate along step-like, en echelon structures, most frequently at lithological contacts.

In 2007, two samples (82408 and 82411) from trenches on the Snowstorm zone yielded 7.07 and 2.98 grams per tonne gold, while channel samples (82407 and 82379) from two historic pits on the Junction zone yielded 9.92 grams per tonne gold with 3.9 grams per tonne silver over 0.2 metre and 4.36 grams per tonne gold with 7.0 grams per tonne silver over 1.0 metre, respectively (Molak, B.B. (2008-02-26): Geological Report on the Gold Hill Prospect).

In 2009, two chip samples (26806 and 26807) from a historic pit on the Junction zone yielded 0.987 and 1.345 grams per tonne gold, 3.5 and 2.9 grams per tonne silver over 1.0 and 0.6 metres, respectively (Molak, B.B. (2011-01-11): Report of Exploration on the Gold Hill Prospect).

Work History

The area has been explored since the 1920s with trenches and shafts dating to this period.

During 1973 through 1976, Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd. completed programs of prospecting, soil sampling and geological mapping on the area.

During 1982 through 1989, Philex Gold and Energy Corporation carried out programs of soil sampling, geophysical (magnetometer) surveys, geological mapping and sampling over the old workings.

During 1998 through 2001, Philex and Primo Resources International Inc. continued programs of geological mapping and ground geophysical surveys.

During 2002 through 2010, Vega Gold Ltd. completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, rock and soil sampling and trenching on the area.