The Poormans Creek Placer occurrence is located just north of Poorman Lake, on Poormans Creek, approximately 110 kilometres north of the community of Dease Lake.

Regionally, the area is underlain by limestone, marble and calcareous sedimentary rocks of the Rosella Formation and quartzite and quartz arenite sedimentary rocks of the Boya Formation, both of the Lower Cambrian Atan Group, undivided sedimentary rocks of the Stelkuz Formation and calcareous sedimentary rocks of the Espee Formation, both of the Neoproterozoic Ingenika Group.

A total of 3.6 kilograms (126 ounces) of gold was extracted from the creek in the period from 1876 to 1890. The placer gold probably originated from gold-quartz veins in metasediments and greenstones of the Sylvester Allochthon (Mississippian to Permian) and was transported east by glacial ice.

Placer gold and associated historical workings are also reported on an un-named, south-flowing creek that drains into the northeastern end of Poormans Lake. These deposits are thought to be glacially derived and moved.