The M 34 (West Bay zone) occurrence is located near the western end 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, as defined by diamond drilling, variably potassic- (chlorite, biotite, sericite and magnetite), phyllic- (sericite-pyrite-quartz) and propylitic- (epidote-chlorite) altered lapilli and ash tuffs with quartz, zeolite and calcite veins host disseminated and fracture-controlled pyrite and chalcopyrite with minor molybdenite mineralization associated with advanced argillic- (sericite-pyrophyllite) altered quartz-felspar porphyry dikes. The mineralized zone is open along strike with a decreasing grade to the west, is fault displaced to the east with a true thickness of approximately 60 metres dipping to the north and has been traced along strike for approximately 600 metres along a northeast by southwest trend.
In 1987, a series of drillholes designed to test under the western end of Frances Lake, approximately 250 metres northeast of the A zone (MINIFLE 092L 099) and near the southern shore of the lake, yielded 0.45 per cent copper over 165.0 metres in drillhole E-74, which was directed to the north; a second drillhole (E-75) directed south from the same location yielded 0.34 per cent copper over 16.5 metres before entering a fault zone, whereas a third drillhole (E-77), also from the same location and directed to the west, yielded 0.33 per cent copper over 78.0 metres (Assessment Report 16778). Another drillhole (E-81), located at the west end of Frances Lake and directed northeast, yielded 0.36 per cent copper over 390.0 metres (Assessment Report 16778). Other drillholes were completed on the north side of the lake: Drillhole E-82, which was directed to the southwest, yielded up to 0.34 per cent copper over 81.0 metres, whereas drill hole E-84, located west of E-82 and also directed to the south west, yielded intercepts of 0.26 per cent copper over 51.0 metres and 0.43 per cent copper over 9.0 metres (Assessment Report 16778).
In 1994, drilling on the northwestern end of the West Bay zone yielded intercepts of 0.35 per cent copper over 57.9 metres in hole E-182, 0.30 per cent copper over 41.4 metres in hole E-183 and 0.29 per cent copper over 12.2 metres in hole E-184 (Assessment Report 23377).
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. Sixty-two diamond drill holes, totalling 4035 metres, were reportedly completed on the A 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 west of the Island Copper (MINFILE 092L 158) pit.
In 1987, BHP-Utah Mines completed 14 drillholes, totalling 2905.0 metres, on the M 34 claim. 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.
