The Esperanza (Amar) occurrence is located at an elevation of 460 metres on a north-flowing tributary of the Artlish River referred to as Toray Creek, approximately 14.5 kilometres east of the Artlish River mouth on Tahsish Inlet.
Regionally, the area lies within a broad northwest-trending sequence of interbedded sediments and volcanics of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Parson Bay Formation (Bonanza Group) and Upper Triassic Quatsino Formation (Vancouver Group). This assemblage lies on the northeastern flank of the extensive granodiorite Zeballos intrusion phase of the Jurassic Island Plutonic Suite.
Locally, gold-magnetite occurrences lie within a belt of magnetite occurrences that extends from Zeballos River for approximately 10 kilometres in a northwest direction. The mineralization occurs at or near the conformable contact between Quatsino Formation crystalline limestone and both the overlying highly altered and folded Parson Bay Formation volcanic and sedimentary rocks and the Lower Jurassic Bonanza Group.
At the Esperanza (Amar) occurrence, pyritic beds are hosted by siltstone intercalated with calcareous beds that locally swell into actinolitic zones. The hostrock is believed to represent the Parson Bay–Quatsino transition zone. The pyritic zone contains pyrrhotite, magnetite, lesser arsenopyrite and minor chalcopyrite. The mineralized zone has been traced along strike over a length of 170 metres and a width of 30 metres.
In 1980, chip samples from trenches yielded up to 20.73 grams per tonne gold over 1.0 metre (sample b8) from trench 3, whereas the no.1 trench averaged 4.9 grams per tonne gold over 4.2 metres (Assessment Report 8612). Other samples (697-2) yielded up to 0.294 per cent copper (Assessment Report 8612).
In 1984, a rock sample (VAL-84004) assayed 2.8 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 12327).
In 2013, a sample (32959) assayed 2.3 grams per tonne gold and 0.684 per cent copper over 2.0 metres (Assessment Report 34209).
The area has been explored in conjunction with the nearby Hiller 8-12 (MINFILE 092L 301) occurrence since the 1960s. In 1980, Esperanza Explorations Ltd. completed a program of rock and soil sampling, prospecting and trenching on the area as the White Dome claim.
In early 1984, a program of soil, silt and rock sampling was completed on the area as the Valentine claims. Later that year, Falconbridge Ltd. completed a program of rock sampling, geological mapping, a 4.5 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey, minor trenching and 22 diamond drill holes, totalling 1531.58 metres, on the area as the Hiller 25-26 claims. In 1985, program of soil sampling, airborne geophysical surveys and 10 diamond drill holes, totalling 957 metres, were completed. This work was primarily centred on the A25 (MINFILE 092L 302) occurrence, located a short distance to the northwest. In 1986, Falconbridge Ltd. completed an airborne geophysical survey on the Hiller and surrounding Zeb claims. Also at this time, the area was prospected as the Whitedome 1 claim. In 1988, Footwall Explorations Ltd. completed 900 metres of drilling on the Hiller-Churchill property.
