The Gold Dust occurrence is located about 65 kilometres east of Smithers.

The area is underlain by granitic rocks of the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Topley Intrusions and Upper Triassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Takla Group (Stuhini equivalents). These comprise chlorite and sericite schists, massive andesite (greenstone) and argillaceous siltstones. Granitic rocks comprise granodiorite and quartz monzonite. Porphyry dikes intrude granitic rocks. Jurassic Hazelton Group rocks also occur in the area.

Pyrite, chalcopyrite and molybdenite mineralization occurs as disseminations and in west-northwest trending fractures in granitic rocks in Tachek Creek. Mineralization appears more widespread marginal to the younger porphyry dikes. Samples from granitic rocks contained low copper values (0.126-0.124 per cent), molybdenum values up to 0.17 per cent and a single value of 1.2 grams per tonne gold (Assessment report 16874).

Schists north of the highway contain numerous quartz veins up to two metres in width. The veins generally occupy planes of schistosity. Samples contained up to 2.2 grams per tonne silver, 0.005 to 0.01 gram per tonne gold and up to 0.473 per cent copper (Assessment Report 16874).

Copper and molybdenum mineralization was discovered by prospectors in Tachek Creek in the late 1960s. In 1973, Amoco Canada Petroleum Co. Ltd. carried out geochemistry, geophysics and 500 metres of diamond drilling in three holes on the northeast part of the claims. In 1982, Dancer Energy and Resources Ltd. completed a geochemical survey over part of the Gold Dust I claim. Gerard Auger (owner) and Nick Carter conducted prospecting, geological mapping and rock sampling in 1987.

During 2012, Rio Minerals Limited and Apex Geoscience Ltd. on behalf of Altiplano Minerals Ltd. carried out a field program of continuous rock chip sampling on trenches excavated in 2010 (Tachek Creek North and South), extended the 2010 soil grid, and performed spot checks and horizon sampling of several previously noted anomalous areas. The field program consisted of the collection of 18 continuous rock chip samples and 175 soil samples. Several continuous rock chip samples returned elevated values of copper and molybdenite. In general, widespread copper mineralization in exposed outcrop was observed extending from Tachek Creek north to Tachek Creek south, a distance of 1125 metres. Sampling also occurred in the Gold Dust (093L 315) area.

In 2014, Altiplano Minerals Limited conducted an exploration program on the GD claims; 179 soil samples and 2 rock samples were collected. The soil samples were collected to check the continuity of the copper, molybdenum and/or gold anomalies identified in 2013, between and beyond existing soil sample lines.

Refer to Tachi (093L 144) for details of a common work history that included the Gold Dust area.