Exploration for copper porphyry deposits in the area began in the 1950's with the discovery of the Lorraine deposit. Exploration continued through the 1970's and 1980's when favorable gold and copper prices renewed interest in alkaline porphyry deposits, resulting in the discovery of the Mt. Milligan deposit 40 km east of the Trident property.

While following up on anomalous stream sediment geochemistry in 1969, Colin Campbell located the areas now known as the A Zone and Campbell's Trench.

Falconbridge optioned the claims from Colin Campbell and conducted exploration programs in 1970 and 1971. This work consisted of soil geochemistry, geological mapping, a magnetometer survey, an Induced Polarization survey and diamond drilling. An access trail was also established that proceeded west along the north shore of Chuchi Lake, before proceeding north to the A Zone. Soil geochemistry outlined a significant copper anomaly over a broad area and a follow-up IP survey identified a number of chargeability anomalies. The chargeability anomaly designated A had a coincident copper in soil anomaly and mineralization on surface. A total of 13 packsack holes and 19 diamond drill holes were completed by Falconbridge. Results from this drilling outlined a historic (non 43-101compliant) resource estimate of 2-2.7 MT grading 0.6% copper at the A Zone.

Following a property visit in October of 1987, an Option Agreement for the Col claims was signed with Kookaburra Gold Corporation in March of 1988.

The 1988 work program established a grid from the  A Zone to the Campbell Trench Zone and collected 878 soil samples that were analyzed for Cu, Au, As, Pb, Zn, Ag & Fe.

In 1989 a work program completed trenching of nine trenches totaling 490 m, in addition 116 rock samples analyzed for Cu, Au and As. The previously established grid was expanded to the north, east and south with a further 78 soil samples collected and analyzed for Au and 6 element ICP. 22.4 line-km of pole-dipole IP survey was run on this grid. After the IP data was processed, and anomalies outlined,
217 soil samples were collected on select lines of the grid to test portions of the IP anomalies obtained. Select samples taken from chalcopyrite-bornite-chalcocite mineralized volcanics from the Slide Zone, assaying as high as 3.34% Cu, 0.106 opt Au and 1.6 opt Ag. Geological mapping was also completed.

Following a hiatus in 1990, exploration continued in 1991 with additional IP surveys, soil sampling and mapping. A diamond drill program consisting of 1524 m 11 holes was completed. The focus of this diamond drilling program were coincident copper soil geochemistry and IP chargeability anomalies approximately 1 km to the east of the A Zone. Results were described as disappointing and that they encountered a large shattered zone of intensely chloritized syenite and monzonite in all holes. The chlorite suggests that this is a propyllitic zone peripheral to a porphyry deposit, and the best copper mineralization occurs with potassic alteration. Potash metasomatism, along with copper mineralization, seems to increase west of the area drilled in 1991.

In 2006, Solomon Resources Ltd.optioned the Col property and subsequently added to the property by staking the Magnet West and Magnet East claims. The Col-Magnet property consisted of 48 mineral claims totaling 19,926 hectares. In the spring of 2007, Solomon contracted Fugro Airborne Systems Inc. to conduct an airborne DIGHEM survey over the property. The survey consisted of 1458 line-km. The data collected from the survey was processed and interpreted to produce magnetic and apparent resistivity maps. In the discussion submitted by Fugro it was noted that some porphyry deposits in British Columbia are characterized by resistivity highs and an associated slightly elevated magnetic susceptibility. Mt. Milligan is one such example. The report also recommended that any plug-like resistive units in the project area should be considered targets, particularly those exhibiting a weak to moderate magnetic correlation. The 2007 work program completed 2,564 m of diamond drilling (14 holes) on the central Col claims, extensive soil geochemical surveys, stream sediment surveys, trenching, geological mapping and stream sediment sampling. The focus of work was on the central Col claims, and expanding the known mineralization at the A Zone. An intersection of 0.6% copper and 0.14 to 0.32 g/t gold was reported over 25 meters in the A Zone. Prospecting in 2007 by Solomon at the Slide Zone located mineralization in the volcanics where select grab samples returned 17,700 ppm Cu, 948 ppb Au & 16.4 g/t Ag (sample 96568), 2113 ppm Cu (sample 96569), 5535 ppm Cu 429 ppb Au (sample 96571), and 3739 ppm Cu, 302 ppb Au (sample 96570).

A follow up program in 2008 consisted of eight diamond drill holes on 5 discrete targets totaling 1,043 m of NQ core. Highlights of this drilling include 0.43% copper and 0.51 g/t gold over 30 m (DDH-2008-1). Mineralization was reported to be associated with highly potassic altered dikes hosted in biotite-hornblende monzonite. Sulphides consisted of bornite, pyrite and chalcopyrite (Solomon Resources Ltd. Press Release, September 3, 2008).

In 2013, Pacific Empire optioned the Col claims and completed a reconnaissance field program. In 2014 Pacific Empire entered into exploration agreement with Oz Minerals and during 2014 Oz completed 23.55 line-km IP survey and 847.5 m of diamond drilling in 2 holes.  The IP survey covered all existing IP surveys on the property and outlined a number of moderate, discrete chargeability anomalies in the area where historical exploration had been focused. In the northeast portion of the grid, two relatively large, high-amplitude anomalies were identified. This area has seen very little exploration to date and represents a priority target area for Pacific Empire in 2024. The first drill hole was collared to the west of Campbells trench and intersected 12m of 0.3% Cu from 452m to 464m at the bottom of the hole.

To date, over 14,500 soil samples have been collected and digitized, 67 drill holes totaling 8,312 meters have been completed. Numerous geophysical surveys including Induced Polarization and Airborne Electromagnetic surveys have also been completed.

The property is located within the Quesnel Terrane, a volcanic arc terrane that formed along or near the western North American continental margin and accreted to the margin in the late Early Jurassic (186-181Ma). Quesnellia is found along most of the length of the Canadian Cordillera and in the Nation Lakes area is characterized by Late Triassic to Early Jurassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of island arc affinity. The Quesnel arc had two phases of development, Late Triassic and Early Jurassic. The firrst, Late Triassic early arc development phase is dominated by augite phyric basalt and alkali basalt (shoshonitic) volcanism. Basal sediments of the Slate Creek succession (235-204 Ma) grade upwards into increasingly volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Inzana, Willy George, Plughat Mountain and Witch Lake successions (230-204 Ma), collectively referred to as the Takla Group. A depositional hiatus marks a break in volcanic activity prior to the onset of renewed volcanic activity in the Early Jurassic.

The second phase of arc development began in the early Jurassic and is characteristic of a more mature arc, developed on thicker crust. These early Jurassic volcanic suites were compositionally more heterogeneous and dominated by plagioclase and plagioclase-augite phyric, sub-alkaline to shoshonitic lithologies. The Triassic arc successions are overlain paraconformably by the early Jurassic suites of the Chuchi Lake and Twin Creek successions.

The Hogem batholith differs from other Upper Triassic batholiths in the Quesnel terrane in two signifcant ways.

1. It is unusually long lived (Late Triassic to Cretaceous) rather than confined to a shorter interval near the Triassic-Jurassic boundary such as the Guichon and Iron Mask Batholiths.
2. The Guichon and Iron Mask Batholiths are calc-alkaline and alkaline respectively, whereas the Hogem Batholith is composed of four phases which alternate from alkaline to calc-alkaline, with each phase becoming progressively more felsic.

The economic importance of the Quesnel arc is demonstrated by its rich endowment of porphyry copper-gold mineral deposits.

The Trident project area is underlain by Early Jurassic shoshonitic volcanic rocks of the Chuchi Lake Succession and a variety of intrusive phases related to the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Hogem Intrusive Suite, within the accreted Quesnel Terrane. Volcanic rocks are dominated by andesitic porphyry ows and pyroclastics. Intrusive rocks make up a wide variety of rock types, ranging from horblende pyroxenites to syenites. Intrusive rocks in the Trident area are dominated by monzonites which are cut by younger syenites. At the A Zone, discrete porphyry intrusions that are responsible for copper-gold mineralization appear to be cutting all intrusive phases and may represent a later intrusive episode.

Mineralization in the Trident area encountered in historic drilling consists of quartz-chalcopyrite ± bornite veins, veinlets and disseminations associated with calc-potassic, potassic and propylitic alteration assemblages. Intercepts up to 102 m of 0.588% Cu & 0.244 g/t Au have been encountered, with many smaller but higher grade intercepts achieved as well. It is these smaller, yet higher-grade intercepts that appear to be directly related to the porphyry intrusions encountered in diamond drilling. Mineralization on the property is most significant in three areas, 1) the A Zone, 2) Campbell Trench and 3) Slide Zone. 

At the A Zone, copper-gold mineralization occurs along a strike length of approximately 300 metres at an azimuth of 120o and where best developed it is approximately 30 meters wide over a length of approximately 175 metres. This zone was tested by a number of small diameter drill holes by Falconbridge in 1971 with the best intersections assaying 0.84% Cu over 45.7 meters and 0.70% Cu over 51.8 metres (DDH-1971-13 and DDH-1971-20, respectively). In 2007, Solomon Resources followed up with diamond drilling at the A Zone and demonstrated that mineralization extended at depth.

Until 2014, mineralization at the A Zone was believed to be associated with a shear zone, however while reviewing drill core from the A Zone, PEMC observed the presence of very well mineralized porphyry intrusions that are most likely responsible for the coper-gold mineralization due to their intimate relationship with quartz-sulphide veining and mineralization.

Campbell Trench Zone

Located approximately 1 km to the northwest and 150 m higher in elevation, the Campbell Trench Zone may be representative of a higher level within the porphyry-epithermal spectrum. This area is characterized by the presence of large quartz veins associated with copper-gold mineralization. Visible gold was observed in outcrop at this location in 2007.

Visible gold 

One of the more intriguing examples of mineralization on the property can be found at the Slide Zone. Located approximately 1 km to the northeast of the A Zone, the Slide Zone occurs within Chuchi Lake Succession volcanic rocks and is characterized by a wide variety of mineralizatoin styles.

 Select grab samples from the area in 2007 returned the following values:

17,700 ppm Cu, 948 ppb Au, 16.4 ppm Ag; Sample 96568
5,535 ppm Cu, 429 ppb Au; Sample 96571;
3,739 ppm Cu, 302 ppb Au; Sample 96570

In this area, the occurrence of mineralized monzonite clasts within volcanic rocks suggests the source may be a hydrothermal breccia in the immediate area. This is a priority target for follow up in 2024.