The Bay 56-59 occurrence is located approximately 2.2 kilometres east of the eastern end of Quatse 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, at the common boundary between the Bay 56 and 59 claims, disseminated pyrite and a small amount of chalcopyrite are present in felsite and andesite tuffs. Molybdenite is also present as a thin coating along fractures. Propylitic alteration is common.

To the north, on the Bay 68 claim and as identified by drilling, a 42.7 metre interval of pyrite-garnet-magnetite skarn horizons hosts chalcopyrite and minor molybdenite mineralization in altered limestone (marble) of the Quatsino Formation and a 3.5-metre-thick banded garnet-magnetite skarn interpreted as part of the Parson Bay Formation. An unidentified, soft, black, disseminated, metallic mineral, possibly enargite(?), is also reported. The skarn zones are underlain by a mafic porphyry hosting disseminated chalcopyrite and molybdenite. Further mineralized skarns and tuffs have been identified by drilling on the Bay 69, Bay 70, Bay 85, Bay Fr. and Bar claims.

In 1983, drilling yielded intercepts of 0.13 per cent copper over 54.0 metres in hole W-5 on the Bay 69 claim and 0.16 per cent copper over 91.2 metres in hole W-7 on the Bay 57 claim (Assessment Report 12271).

In 1984, drillhole WP-6 yielded 0.14 per cent copper and 0.017 per cent molybdenum over 69.0 metres (Assessment Report 13536).

In 1985, drillhole E-64, located on the Bay 59 claim, yielded 0.24 per cent copper over 171.0 metres (Assessment Report 14084).

In 1986, drillhole E-069, located near the Bay 68 and Bar claims boundary, yielded up to 2.45 per cent copper and 19.5 grams per tonne silver over 3.0 metres from the upper Quatsino Formation skarn zone, whereas samples from the lower skarn zone yielded up to 2.93 per cent copper over 3.0 metres with molybdenite occurring variably with values up to 0.48 per cent molybdenum over 3.0 metres (Assessment Report 15707). Samples of the mafic porphyry varied from 0.2 to 0.3 per cent copper and 0.010 to 0.050 per cent molybdenum (Assessment Report 15707).

Another drillhole (W-5), located a short distance west of E-069, intercepted horizons of massive garnet skarn yielding 0.73 per cent copper over 36.0 metres, including 2.04 per cent copper, 0.31 per cent zinc and 11.95 grams per tonne silver over 3.0 metres from the lower skarn horizon (Assessment Report 16687).

Also at this time, drillhole E-65, located on the Bay 70 claim, intercepted epidote-garnet-carbonate skarn and tuff hosting sphalerite and minor chalcopyrite mineralization yielding 1.56 per cent zinc over 0.6 metre, 6.56 per cent zinc and 0.45 per cent copper over 1.2 metres, 0.76 per cent copper over 1.8 metres and 0.88 per cent copper over 2.4 metres (Assessment Report 14777).

In 1989, diamond drilling of mineralized skarn horizons yielded intercepts of 0.44 per cent copper over 12.3 metres in hole E-88, located on the Bar claim; 0.35 per cent copper and 0.024 per cent molybdenum over 42.7 metres in hole E-95, also located on the Bar claim; 0.83 per cent copper, 0.022 per cent molybdenum and 4.1 grams per tonne silver over 24.4 metres in hole E-90, located on the Bay 68 claim; 0.40 per cent copper over 6.6 metres in hole E-91, located on the Bay 85 claim; 0.34 per cent copper over 12.2 metres in hole E-94, located on the Bay 69 claim; 0.34 per cent copper over 15.2 metres in hole E-96, located on the Bay 59 claim and 0.44 per cent copper over 6.1 metres in hole W-6, located on the Bay 56 claim (Assessment Report 18805).

Work History

In 1965 and 1966, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of geological mapping, soil sampling and ground geophysical programs on the area as the Bay and Cove claims.

In 1983 and 1984, programs of geological mapping, seven drillholes, totalling 646.0 metres, and six percussion drill holes, totalling 481.7 metres, were completed on the area. In 1985, BHP-Utah Mines completed a ground geophysical survey, six diamond drill holes, totalling 1182.7 metres, and four percussion drill holes, totalling 358.2 metres, on the Bay and Cove claims. In 1986, two drillholes, totalling 475.1 metres, were completed on the Bay claims. In 1988 and 1989, BHP-Utah Mines completed programs of soil sampling, a 390.0 line-kilometre airborne geophysical survey and nine drillholes, totalling 2704.5 metres, on the area.

In 2016, the area was prospected by Tech-X Resources Ltd. In 2020, a minor program of rock sampling and a 1.9 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey was completed on the area as the Bay 56 property.