The Diane occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1370 metres on a west-facing slope of Iron Mountain, south of Stirling Creek and approximately 8 kilometres south of Merritt.

Regionally the area is underlain by a northeast-trending belt of volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. These have been divided into three subparallel belts by two persistent north-trending, high-angle fault systems: the Alleyne-Summers Creek system to the east and the Allison system to the west. The north- to northeast-trending, steeply east-dipping western belt, in which the Diane occurrence is wholly situated, comprises an east- to southeast-facing sequence of calc-alkaline flows that grade upward into pyroclastic rocks, epiclastic sediments and abundant limestone. The rocks are chiefly andesites, but range compositionally from basalt to rhyolite and vary from aphanitic to coarsely porphyritic. The pyroclastic members include tuff, lapilli tuff, breccia and tuff breccia, and are intimately related with the flows. Local calcareous marine sedimentary members, chiefly limestone with lesser argillite and conglomerate, also occur.

The occurrence is underlain by a complex basal package of aphanitic, amygdaloidal and porphyritic flows and pyroclastic rocks of intermediate composition. These rocks are overlain by a transitional sequence of intermediate to felsic flows and pyroclastics with local fossiliferous limestone and limy sediment interbeds and minor lenses of banded jasper. These sequences form part of the Upper Triassic Nicola Group and have been subdivided into four units. The first unit comprises limestones and limy sediments, the second is mixed rhyolite to rhyodacite flows and minor tuffs, the third is mixed dacite to rhyolite flows and pyroclastics and the fourth is mixed andesite flows and pyroclastics. The rocks exposed on the property have undergone lower greenschist facies metamorphism (chlorite, epidote, sericite and carbonate alteration mineralogy). The Nicola Group rocks strike north-northeast with variable southeast dips. Gentle large-scale folding is apparent. Two sets of northeast- and northwest-trending faults are evident.

Massive hematite, controlled and localized in fractures and occurring in association with limonite and malachite, is the predominant mineralization. Both the limonite and malachite appear to be secondary after pyrite and chalcopyrite, which occurs locally. Fracture intensity appears to determine both the distribution of hydrothermal mineralization and the amount of alteration in the hostrock. At present, seven mineralized zones have been located and the majority of these zones follow northwest fractures. In several locations, late-stage quartz-hematite-limonite veining has been superimposed on the massive hematite mineralization. The width and continuity of this veining varies along strike, but appears to be strongest where fracturing in the volcanics is most intense. The emplacement of this mineralization, which is locally auriferous, has not affected the massive hematite, but has resulted in intense alteration of the surrounding rocks.

At the Original (Diane, Aberford and Olympic) zone, trenching has exposed fault-controlled hematite-limonite±malachite mineralization over a distance of approximately 250 metres. This mineralization is hosted by andesitic flows and pyroclastics and strikes between 133 and 143 degrees, with steep southwest dips. The mineralized trend varies in width, averaging 5 to 10 metres and up to 20 metres, and appears to splay into several thinner zones to the north. A discontinuous zone of auriferous quartz veining hosting iron oxides with lesser chlorite and sericite has been defined within this trend over a strike length of approximately 125 metres and appears to have resulted in the pervasive silicification of the host volcanics.

In 1984, a grab sample (JER 1098) assayed 12.2 grams per tonne gold, 34.2 grams per tonne silver and 27.19 per cent copper, whereas chip sampling yielded an average of 3.9 grams per tonne gold, 4.3 grams per tonne silver and 0.11 per cent copper over 3.9 metres (Assessment report 12799). Later that year, sampling of trenches yielded up to 5.14 grams per tonne gold over 6.0 metres in trench J, 1.25 grams per tonne gold over 6 metres in trench G, 2.44 grams per tonne gold and 0.259 per cent copper over 5.0 metres in trench H and 3.60 grams per tonne gold over 9.0 metres in trench I (Assessment report 13114).

In 1986, trenching on the zone yielded up to 5.7 grams per tonne gold over 2 metres in trench T86-7 and from 5.6 to 9.7 grams per tonne gold over 1 metre in trenches T86-5, -8 and -9, whereas a rock sample (STR86-38R), collected approximately 100 metres northeast of the Original zone, yielded 1.23 grams per tonne gold, indicating a possible subparallel zone of mineralization (Assessment Report 16058).

In 1988, diamond drilling on the Original zone yielded up to 15.56 grams per tonne gold, 16.4 grams per tonne silver and 0.269 per cent copper across 1.38 metres (58.97 to 60.35 metres down hole) in hole STR-88-1 (Assessment Report 17721).

In 2006, six chip samples (C504455 through C504460) from the main trenched zone yielded an average of 0.86 grams per tonne gold, 0.300 per cent copper and 3.0 grams per tonne silver, including 2.69 grams per tonne gold, 4.8 grams per tonne silver and 0.145 per cent copper over 6 metres from trench 6 and 1.10 grams per tonne gold, 5.0 grams per tonne silver and 0.551 per cent copper over 5 metres from trench 5 (Assessment Report 28719).

In 2008, two chip samples (0162027 and 0159519) assayed 3.41 and 2.16 grams per tonne gold with 0.12 and 0.20 per cent copper over 1.28 and 1.5 metres, respectively, whereas two other chip samples (0162030 and 0159508) yielded 1.04 and 1.31 per cent copper, respectively (Assessment Report 30403).

In 2016, three grab samples (no. 6, 7 and 8) yielded from 0.392 to 1.865 grams per tonne gold and 0.107 to 0.759 per cent copper (Assessment Report 36197).

In 2020, two samples (B8295252 and B8295253) from the Diane (Original) zone yielded 1.65 and 3.63 per cent copper with 0.460 and 0.248 gram per tonne gold (Besserer, D. [2021-05-21]: NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Comstock Property, Nicola Valley, South-Central Interior of British Columbia).

The South zone is located approximately 225 metres south of the Original zone and comprises malachite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and quartz-specularite veins or stockwork along narrow shears and fractures in mixed porphyritic and aphanitic andesite flows and lithic tuffs.

In 1984, grab samples (JER 1157 and 1154) from the South zone yielded up to 5.8 grams per tonne gold, 11.6 grams per tonne silver and 1.61 per cent copper (Assessment report 12799). Later that year, another sample assayed 5.29 per cent copper across 1.0 metre (Assessment Report 12860).

In 1986, sampling of trench T86-12 on the South zone returned assays of up to 0.45 per cent copper over 2 metres (Assessment Report 16058).

The Lowell zone is located approximately 250 metres southeast of the South zone and comprises similar mineralization. Fracture sets in the Lowell zone appear to strike 040 degrees and dip steeply to the southeast.

In 1986, sampling of the Lowell zone yielded up to 0.20 per cent copper over 7 metres and 0.13 per cent copper over 4 metres in trench T86-13 (Assessment Report 16058).

In 2008, four continuous chip samples from the Lowell trench yielded 1.06 grams per tonne gold and 0.31 per cent copper over 3.38 metres, whereas grab samples yielded up to 19.5 grams per tonne gold and 8.87 per cent copper (Assessment Report 30403).

In 2014, a grab sample (COM 4) from Lowell zone area yielded 0.892 per cent copper and 0.47 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 34963).

The Zinc zone is approximately 960 metres south of the Original zone and comprises a homogeneous felsic tuff with a small shear or fracture containing limonite and a few quartz veinlets.

In 1984, samples from this area yielded up to 1.06 per cent copper (Assessment Report 12860).

In 1986, a rock sample (STR-40R) of a limonitic, grey-pink rhyolitic tuff assayed 5.4 per cent zinc, whereas three samples from a trench on the zone yielded an average of 1.6 per cent zinc over 3 metres (Assessment Report 16058).

The North zone is located north of Stirling Creek below a former Cat road and comprises an andesitic crystal tuff and dacitic tuff hosting quartz+/-hematite-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins.

In 1984, chip samples (JER 18-8 and 18-10) from the North zone yielded up to 19.0 grams per tonne gold, 46.0 grams per tonne silver and 2.06 per cent copper, whereas sampling of trenches on the zone yielded up to 0.447 per cent copper with 0.26 gram per tonne gold over 5 metres in trench U and 0.835 per cent copper and 0.12 gram per tonne gold over 4 metres in trench T (Assessment Report 12799 and 13114). Also at this time, sampling north- northwest of the North zone yielded values up to 0.825 per cent copper, 8.1 grams per tonne silver and 1.83 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12860).

In 2008, a chip sample (0159525) yielded 0.68 per cent copper over 1.73 metres, whereas a grab sample (0159524) yielded 2.48 per cent copper (Assessment Report 30403).

The STG zone is located several hundred metres east of the North zone and comprises disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite in vesicular flows and as fracture fillings in crystal tuff and volcanic breccia.

In 1984, two grab samples (STG1 and 4) yielded up to 0.24 gram per tonne gold, 133.0 grams per tonne silver and 1.44 per cent copper (Assessment Report 12799).

The LA zone is located down slope of the Original zone at an elevation of approximately 1200 metres and comprises a 0.1-metre-wide quartz-specularite vein.

In 1984, samples the zone yielded up to 0.131 per cent copper, 14.2 grams per tonne silver and 3.16 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12860).

Work History

The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Leadville (MINFILE 092ISE052) occurrence and a complete exploration history can be found there.

In 1980 and 1981, Chevron Standard completed programs of soil and rock sampling on the area as the Diane claims (Stirling Group). In 1984, Kidd Creek Mines Ltd. completed a program of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling and geophysical (induced polarization and magnetic) surveys on the area.

During 1983 through 1988, Aberford Resources completed programs of rock and soil sampling, trenching, geological mapping, ground and airborne geophysical surveys and nine diamond drill holes, totalling 569.9 metres, on the area as the Diane claims of the Stirling property.

During 1987 through 1989, Golden Dynasty Resources Ltd. completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, ground electromagnetic and magnetic surveys and four diamond drillholes, totalling 455.7 metres, on the area immediately east of the occurrence as the Iron Mountain property.

In 2006, West Range Exploration Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping and rock sampling on the area as the Iron Mountain property. In 2008, Paget Minerals examined the area and collected rock samples.

During 2013 through 2018, the area was prospected, mapped and sampled by K. Ellerbeck. In 2019, Lode Resources Inc. completed a program of soil sampling, a ground electromagnetic (very low frequency) survey and seven short packsack drill holes, totalling 7.92 metres, on the area as the Comstock property.

In 2020, Freeman Gold Corp. completed a program of prospecting, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, a 12.85 line-kilometre induced polarization survey and a 12 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey on the area as the Comstock property.