The Barkerville prospect lies within metamorphosed Devonian or Mississippian sediments overlain by the Mississippian-Permian Dragon Mountain and Downey Creek Successions. The Devonian sediments are comprised predominantly of clastic rocks with lesser amounts of carbonate rocks. The rocks have been subjected to low-grade regional metamorphism and intense deformation, but they still commonly show bedding and other sedimentary features. Deformation has impressed a secondary foliation on most clastic units and most rocks have a marked dimensional orientation involving mica, quartz, feldspar and even carbonate minerals.