The Bay 4 (B zone) occurrence is located near the northwestern shore of Frances (Bay) Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by northwest-trending belts of basaltic volcanics and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic Karmutsen and Quatsino formations (Vancouver Group) and mafic volcanics and sediments of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Bonanza Group (Holberg volcanic unit, Nahwitti River wacke and Parson Bay Formation). These volcanic and sedimentary rocks have been intruded by granodioritic rocks of the Early to Middle Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite.

Locally, magnetite and sparsely disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite are present in silicified andesite and tuff. Propylitic alteration is common and is more extensive where the rocks have been fractured and sheared.

In 1965, a 0.9-metre channel sample across a trench assayed 0.20 per cent copper, 12.55 per cent iron, 0.35 per cent titanium, 0.34 grams per tonne gold and trace silver (Assessment Report 710).

In 1989, drillhole E-92 yielded intercepts of 0.23 per cent copper over 39.0 metres and 0.32 per cent copper over 93.0 metres, including 0.50 per cent copper over 21.0 metres (Assessment Report 18744).

In 1994, drilling on the B zone yielded intercepts of 0.22 per cent copper over 30.5 metres in hole E-168, 0.26 per cent copper over 50.6 metres in hole E-169, 0.22 per cent copper over 33.5 metres in hole E-171, 0.78 per cent copper over 6.1 metres in hole E-172, 0.22 per cent copper over 42.7 metres of hole E-174 and 0.17 per cent copper over 21.3 metres in hole E-181 (Assessment Report 23377).

Work History

During 1965 through 1967, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of geological mapping, soil sampling and ground geophysical programs on the area as the Bay and Cove claims. Five diamond drill holes, totalling 688 metres, were reportedly completed on the B zone during this time but no records of these are known.

During the 1970s, 18 drillholes, totalling 5047 metres, were reportedly completed around Frances Lake and the western end of the Island Copper (MINFILE 092L 158) pit.

In 1986, Utah Mines completed a program of soil sampling and ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys on the area as part of the Island Copper Mine property. In 1987, BHP-Utah Mines completed 14 drillholes, totalling 2905.0 metres, on the M 34 claim. In 1988, BHP-Utah Mines completed a 390.0 line-kilometre airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey on the area. In 1989, BHP-Utah Mines completed four diamond drill holes, totalling 1867.8 metres, on the area. In 1994, BHP Minerals Canada Ltd. completed 18 diamond drill holes, totalling 1783.1 metres, on the area.