The NIC occurrence is located at an elevation of approximately 1300 metres on a north-facing slope, south of Nuaitch Creek and approximately 6.5 kilometres west-southwest of the creeks’ junction with the Nicola River.

Regionally, the area is underlain by andesitic volcanic rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Spius Creek Formation (Spences Bridge Group), which are locally overlain by andesitic volcanic rocks of the Eocene Princeton Group. Granodioritic intrusive rocks of the Permian to Triassic Mount Lytton Complex outcrop to the southeast.

Locally, low-sulphidation–type epithermal gold mineralization is hosted by quartz veins in volcanics of the Lower Cretaceous Spius Formation (Spences Bridge Group). The main zone comprises two quartz veins (A and B) separated by a 0.55-metre-wide zone of quartz breccia and stockwork veining. The A vein is 25-centimetre wide, strikes north-south and dips approximately 80 degrees west, while the B vein is 30 centimetres wide, strikes 020 degrees and has a vertical dip. The veins are hosted in a silicified basalt with moderate sericite alteration and quartz stringers.

Work History

In 2001, the Prospect Valley property was staked by Fairfield Minerals Ltd. In early 2002, Fairfield Minerals merged with Almaden Resources Corp. Later that year, Almaden Resources completed a program geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling and 2836 metres of trenching in 35 trenches on the property.

The NIC occurrence was discovered 2003 by Almaden Minerals Ltd. and covers an area of mineralized quartz vein occurrences. A total of 40 reconnaissance grab and chip samples collected from floats and outcrops have returned gold analyses averaging 1.63 grams per tonne gold. These samples include 20 samples with gold values ranging from 0.10 to 23.60 grams per tonne gold and from 1 to 180 grams per tonne silver (Press Release, Almaden Minerals Ltd., January 7, 2004). Later that year, sampling of pits and hand trenches on the Nic Discovery zone yielded 0.797 and 0.669 gram per tonne gold over 1.0 and 0.5 metre, respectively (Assessment Report 27779).

In 2005, Consolidated Spire Ventures Ltd. in conjunction with Almaden Minerals Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, soil sampling and 324 metres of trenching in 33 trenches on the property.

In 2006, Consolidated Spire Ventures Ltd. completed a 28-hole drill program, geophysical surveys and geochemical sampling on the Prospect Valley property. Five of the holes targeted the NIC showing, with the highlight being hole NIC 2006-01, which intercepted a quartz vein and alteration zone and assayed 3.2 grams per tonne gold across 1.3 metres (Assessment Report 29316). Also at this time, 40 rock chip samples of vein material from the NIC zone yielded an average of 1.63 grams per tonne gold with values of up to 27.3 grams per tonne gold and 209.1 grams per tonne silver, whereas channel sampling of hand trenches yielded 9.24, 3.72 and 2.7 grams per tonne gold over 0.5, 0.7 and 1.4 metres, respectively (Assessment Report 29316).

In 2007, Consolidated Spire Ventures Ltd. completed an airborne magnetometer survey, mapping and trenching and a drill program on the Prospect Valley property.

In 2008, Consolidated Spire Ventures Ltd. had a National Instrument 43-101 compliant report completed, which identified 13 exploration target areas.

In 2009, Altair Ventures Inc. optioned the property from Consolidate Spire Ventures Ltd. Altair then proceeded to complete an exploration program through late 2009 and 2010 consisting of soil sampling, prospecting and a drill program. A float sample (PV10-R08) of quartz veining, taken from a ridge approximately 1.2 kilometres north-northeast of the Nic occurrence, yielded 1.46 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 32333).

In 2010, Consolidated Spire Ventures Ltd. changed their name to Berkwood Resources Ltd.

In 2011, Altair Ventures Inc. completed sampling as well as prospecting on the Prospect Valley property.

In early 2012, Berkwood Resources Ltd. regained 100 per cent control of the Prospect Valley property and had a National Instrument 43-101 compliant report compiled. Later in 2012, Berkwood Resources completed a summer program of soil and rock sampling, trenching and mapping throughout the Prospect Valley property.

In 2014, Berkwood Resources Ltd. completed a magnetic survey on the area south of the South Discovery (MINFILE 092ISW111) zone.

In 2015, Berkwood Resources Ltd. completed a program of geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, core re-logging and a 3.5 line-kilometre ground electromagnetic survey on the property. Chip samples yielded up to 0.882 gram per tonne gold over 0.80 metre (Sample 126769; Assessment Report 35960).

In 2016, Westhaven Gold Corp. completed a program of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, 148.1 metres of trenching in four trenches and eight diamond drill holes, totalling 1519.2 metres, on the Prospect Valley property. An outcrop chip sample (Q151954) of limonite-clay–altered basaltic andesite with disseminate pyrite and quartz veining, exposed for a length of approximately 10 metres and located approximately 220 metres south-southwest of the occurrence, yielded 0.91 gram per tonne gold over 0.9 metre (Assessment Report 36768).

In 2017 and 2018, Westhaven Ventures completed programs of geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, 2376 line-kilometres of airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys, 31.8 line-kilometres of ground magnetic surveys, a 6 line-kilometre passive seismic survey and 29 diamond drill holes, totalling 11 882 metres, on the area as part of the Spences Bridge Group (SBG) of properties.

In 2019, Westhaven completed a program of prospecting, geochemical (rock and soil) sampling, petrographic and Terraspec analysis on select 2018 drillcore samples, a LiDAR survey, 327 line-kilometres of ground magnetic surveys, a 20.3 line-kilometre DC resistivity survey and 49 diamond drill holes, totalling 21 849.3 metres, on the Spences Bridge Group (SBG) of properties.

In 2020, Westhaven completed a further program of geochemical (rock, silt and soil) sampling, various ground geophysical surveys and 102 diamond drill holes, totalling 43 268.7 metres, on the Spences Bridge Group (SBG) of properties.