Siltstones, sandstones, greywackes and conglomerates of the Lower Jurassic Takwahoni Formation (Laberge Group) are intruded and locally hornfelsed by hornblende diorite stocks of Late Cretaceous Windy Table Complex. South of the area are quartz monzonites, which are probably genetically related to the Tertiary Sloko-Hyder Plutonic Suite. The sediments are cut by quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes and sills.
Several mineralized quartz veins occur, mainly in hornfelsed and pyritic sediments and occasionally in diorite, within a 2 kilometre diametre area around a diorite stock. The veins contain massive arsenopyrite, stibnite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite. The veins, which vary from 2 to 50 centimetres wide and are traceable for over 150 metres, strike consistently 080 degrees with steep variable dips. Mineral zoning occurs along strike, from east to west, with arsenopyrite-stibnite and galena-chalcopyrite-sphalerite mineral assemblages, respectively. Local clay alteration occurs and black calcite veins occur near the mineralized zone. The age of the veins is likely Tertiary (one cuts quartz-eye porphyry).
A sample of a vein from Area 1, located in the northeast part of the mineralized area, assayed 0.56 per cent copper, 0.56 per cent lead, 0.07 per cent zinc, 31.0 grams per tonne silver, 5.5 grams per tonne gold, over 1.0 per cent arsenic and over 0.1 per cent stibnite. A sample of a vein 800 metres to the southeast assayed 12.9 grams per tonne silver and over 10 grams per tonne gold and a sample of a vein 1500 metres to the west assayed 0.3 per cent copper, 87.0 grams per tonne silver, 16.0 grams per tonne gold, over 1.0 per cent arsenic and over 0.1 per cent stibnite. A sample of a vein in diorite, in the south part of the mineralized area, assayed 0.069 per cent copper, 0.145 per cent lead, 7.44 per cent zinc, 18.3 grams per tonne silver, 0.85 gram per tonne gold, over 0.36 per cent arsenic and over 0.1 per cent stibnite. (Assessment Report 11497).
Stetson Resource Management (1988) reported that mineralization primarily occurs within two main zones referred below as the Big Onion-Vein Zone and the Cold Creek Zone.
The Big Onion-Vein Zone contains a series of quartz-carbonate veins with gold- silver-copper-lead-zinc-antimony-arsenic. The mineralized veins outcrop in Vein Creek and in Big Onion Tributary, 1 kilometre apart and on strike. A gold and copper soil geochemical anomaly also occurs on the plateau between the two creeks. Stetson obtained 11.25 grams per tonne gold over 15 centimetres in Vein Creek and 2.72 grams per tonne gold over 20 centimetres in Big Onion Tributary (Assessment Report 17910).
The Cold Creek mineralized zone to the south comprises a quartz-carbonate alteration zone approximately 2.8 metres wide that trends to the northeast from Cold Creek, cross-cutting the local lithologies. The alteration zone contains a north-easterly striking quartz vein that is 40 to 60 centimetres thick over a 30 metre strike length with massive sphalerite, galena, pyrrhotite, pyrite, stibnite and chalcopyrite blebs that had up to 3.63 grams per tonne gold over 60 centimetres. The vein then strikes to the west and contains massive galena, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite and pyrite over a 20 metre strike length as well as 1.75 grams per tonne gold and 2,876 grams per tonne silver over 25 centimetres (Assessment Report 17910). At the eastern end of the alteration zone is a crackle breccia with quartz and massive pyrite that contained 1.80 grams per tonne gold in a grab sample.
The property was first staked as the Vein claims by Chevron Minerals Ltd. in 1982 after regional heavy mineral stream sediment sampling survey work conducted by Chevron. In 1983, Chevron collected 549 soil samples and 71 rock samples. Chevron then allowed their claims to lapse in 1986.
The property was re-staked in 1987 as the Vine claims and optioned to Waterford Resources Inc by Tahltan Holdings. An exploration program was carried out for Waterford by Stetson Resource Management Corp. The work program consisted of geological mapping, prospecting, detailed rock chip and soil sampling.
In 1990, Tahltan Holdings was the registered owner and the Vine 1-4 claims were under option to Waterford Resources Inc. A program of geological mapping, soil geochemistry and geophysics was conducted.
In 2004, a portion of the original Vine claims was restaked by Clive Aspinall under a LOI with Solomon Resources Ltd. In 2004 Solomon collected a total of 16 rock (7 float and 9 bedrock) and 63 soil samples.
The 2007 work program carried out by Sungro Minerals Ltd on the Chevron claims consisted of an unsuccessful attempt to visit the property by helicopter. GIS compilation work was completed.
In 2010, a total of 12 soil and rock samples were collected from the plateau area between the Whoop – Goat Creek Zones. The objective of sampling program carried out in 2011 on behalf of Ram Explorations was to assess the effectiveness of soil geochemical surveys in the plateau area between the Goat creek and Whoop Zones and to examine the crackle breccia referred to in the MINFILE description.
In 2013, a site visit by Ram Explorations to the Chevron Property was made in order to assess a gossan zone that was identified during a previous helicopter recon program but not visited. The gossan zone is outside of the known mineralized areas that were identified by Chevron and the ot her previous property owners. A total of 9 soil samples were collected and submitted for analysis but did not yield any anomalous base or precious metal values. (Assessment Report 34491).
In 2016, Ram Explorations Ltd. completed approximately 2,000 ha. of digital elevation modeling, stereoscope and GIS Mapping (Assessment Report 36526). Hyperspectral data (ASTER alteration imagery) was obtained in order to determine if known mineralized areas within the Chevron Property exhibit hydrothermal alteration.
In 2017, Ram Explorations Ltd. completed a field visit identifying what is thought to be a previously unrecognized series of partially exposed gossan zones. a total of six soil samples were collected from various exposed parts of the gossan zone. The assays of all six of soil samples collected during the 2017 program are strongly anomalous in gold, copper, silver, arsenic, iron, lead, antimony and zinc. Gold values (up to 0.357 gram per tonne) and copper values up to 1,620 ppm (0.16 per cent) were obtained (Assessment Report 37153). The location of the high gold-in-soil sample is centred at UTM coordinates 6488203N, 660632E (zone 8). Drone mapping as a prospecting tool was also done.
