The Discovery occurrence is situated in the Duckling Creek area of the Swannell Ranges (Omineca Mountains), approximately 12 kilometres northeast of Old Hogem and 38 kilometres west of Germansen Landing.

The area is underlain by Middle Triassic to Lower Jurassic Takla Group volcanics, which have been intruded to the north, west and southeast by mesozonal plutonic rocks assigned to the Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous Hogem Intrusive Complex. The plutonic rocks form an elongate batholith, extending from Chuchi Lake north to the Mesilinka River. The structural setting of the batholith and the intruded Takla Group is one of vertical tectonics associated with graben development (Bulletin 70).

Takla Group rocks in the area of the occurrence are predominantly basaltic in composition and host abundant, though erratically distributed, epidote (with or without pyrite) as veinlets, stringers, pods and patchy replacements. These rocks are cut by numerous pre-Hogem pyroxene porphyry ‘feeder’ dikes. Hogem Complex intrusions range in composition from monzonite through syenite and are potassic altered, locally hosting up to 50 per cent pink feldspar as veins and envelopes several centimetres wide around fractures. Dikes of fine- to medium-grained syenite porphyry cut the volcanic rocks in the area. Near the contact, a dark hybrid rock of uncertain composition has been mapped. It is, however, almost certainly related to the emplacement of the intrusions.

Mineralization is exposed in three trenches over a strike length of 12 metres. Here, disseminated and massive sulphides are hosted within a highly epidotized east-trending shear zone cutting basalt. In the easternmost trench, the zone varies up to 1-metre wide and contains patches of massive pyrite. In the next trench, 5 metres to the west, the highly fractured zone is still 1-metre wide but hosts approximately 25 per cent pyrite with minor bornite and covellite. A further 7 metres west, poddy, pyritized zones up to 2.7 metres wide are exposed. Malachite can be observed locally as fracture coatings within a few metres of this mineralization and pyrrhotite was noted locally. Although reports differ, very fine-grained chalcopyrite is thought to occur in association with the pyrite.

The best assay obtained from samples of this mineralization was 12.54 per cent copper across 1.22 metres (Geology, Exploration and Mining in British Columbia 1971, page 211). Another sample across 2.44 metres reportedly assayed 2.7 per cent copper, 24 grams per tonne silver and 0.34 gram per tonne gold (Assessment Report 10241, page 1). Three holes drilled in 1970 to test the zone determined that it is discontinuous at depth and along strike.

Work History

In 1981, a program of rock and soil sampling was completed by Donna Mines on the Discovery and Timber showings on the Duckling property. Four rock samples, 71857 B to 71861 B, assayed greater than the upper detection limit of 1 per cent copper, and 18.6 to 50.0 grams per tonne silver (Assessment Report 10241).

In 1987, 326 soil samples and 55 rock samples were collected and assayed by Cathedral Gold Corp. on the Ling property. Sample LNG-87-66R returned 5.775 grams per tonne gold, LNG-87-62R returned 3.8 per cent copper and grab sample LNG-87-78R analyzed 0.44 per cent copper, 64.5 grams per tonne silver and 2.385 grams per tonne gold (Assessment Report 16831)

In 1989, 163 soil samples and 73 rock samples were collected by Cathedral Gold Corp. on the Ling property as a follow up to 1987 rock sampling.

In 1991, Manson Creek Resources conducted an exploration program consisting of 84 soil samples east of Duckling Creek.

In 2000, a reconnaissance drill program was carried out by Eastfield Resources Ltd. to test the copper and gold mineralization discovered in 1999 within the Mackenzie zone located in the southeastern corner of the Lorraine property in the Duckling Creek area. Drilling, totalling 352 metres, was completed over five holes. Soil samples (91) were taken for assay and located a coherent, narrow, 200-metre long copper-gold anomaly.

In 2005, Teck Cominco drilled five diamond drill holes, conducted an induced polarization and magnetic geophysical survey, and collected 588 soil samples within the MacKenzie target area.