Graphite mineralization at the Quarry is hosted in a strongly folded marble unit within a paragneiss host rock, and mineralization is characteristic of flake graphite. Internal waste units of paragneiss and intrusive rocks have been identified within the marble. The fold hinge line is oriented approximately north-south and the hinge plane dips to the east at approximately 40° to 50° to nearly horizontal towards the south end of the deposit. Unconsolidated Pleistocene deposits are widespread in the area and overlay the deposit.

The mineralization consists of large graphite flakes and is commonly associated with regular banding of paragneiss, conforming to beds. The protolith is thought to comprise a clayey-carbonate sandstone. A change in the depositional environment resulted in the precipitation of a carbonate platform rich in organic matter with variable carbon content. A subsequent event of terrigenoussedimentation deposited sandstone with clay horizons on top of the carbonaceous carbonate platform.

High pressures and temperatures associated with the Grenville orogeny transformed the sedimentary protoliths to biotite gneiss, graphitic limestone marbles, and garnet gneiss that outcrop at the Quarry. The graphite mineralization is thought to be associated with the transformation of organic matter during metamorphism together with the contribution of deep fluids rich in CO2 resulting in graphitic limestone marbles. Slow cooling of the mineralized materia ........

Mining of mineralized material and waste rock is carried out by both Imerys employees and long-term contractors using conventional open pit methods consisting of the following activities:

• Pit wall clean-up and mechanical scaling by Imerys personnel using a small excavator fleet.
• Pit wall control and production drilling by drill contractor Forexplo Inc. (Forexplo) using conventional production drills.
• Blast tie-in and initiation completed by Imerys personnel. All other blasting related tasks are completed by Orica Canada Inc. (Orica) or Forexplo.
• Loading and hauling operations performed by Imerys personnel with front-end loader, hydraulic excavators, and rigid frame haulage trucks.
• Primary production equipment is supported by smaller front-end loaders, excavators, a dozer, and a grader.

The pit component of the Quarry has a maximum annual production rate of 235,000 tpa (1,000 tpd) of graphite-bearing material. Pit 2 is the last pit to be mined at the Quarry and is located at the north end of the property. Ore is hauled from active Pit 2 benches to the on-site crusher, a distance of more than two kilometres. Pit 2 mining activities are progressing in a retreat fashion to the north end of the pit, allowing waste backfilling to proceed at the south end of Pit 2/Pit 6.

In line with production requirements and the size of the primary mobile equipment fleet, mining of Pit 2 is completed with 12 m high benc ........

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