The main mineralized occurrences at Amaruq are hosted within a northeast-trending sequence of mafic and ultramafic sub-volcanic to volcanic rocks interlayered with various combinations of fine-grained clastic rocks, chert, graphitic iron- rich mudstone and iron formation. They correspond to mesothermal-type lode-gold mineralization, including (but not restricted to) hybrid, stratiform and vein-type iron-formation-hosted gold deposits. Many of the zones with the highest gold values at Amaruq are characterized by extensive quartz veining or flooding not restricted to iron formation, but also invading other sedimentary and volcanic units. High- strainzone faulting/shearing and other structural processes acted as important controls on the gold mineralization. The Amaruq deposit is divided into three sectors: Whale Tail, IVR and Mammoth. Three contrasting styles of mineralization coexist in these sectors: (1) pyrrhotiteamphibole-carbonate injections and replacement in iron formation, (2) silica-flooding with arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite in chert-rich units, and (3) quartz ± carbonates ± sulphide ± native gold in discordant shear zones.

The Amaruq Mineral Deposit is divided into three sectors: Whale Tail, IVR and Mammoth. Three contrasting styles of mineralization coexist in these sectors: (1) Pyrrhotiteamphibole-carbonates injections and replacement in iron formation, (2) Silica-flooding with arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite in chert-rich units, and (3) Quartz ± carbonates ± sulphide ± native gold in discordant shear zones.

Whale Tail zone hosting lithologies form a homoclinal sequence from inferred oldest to youngest from north to south. There is three main domain: (1) the Whale Tail north domain, (2) the Whale Tail central domain, and (3) the Whale Tail south domain. The North domain consists of a clastic sedimentary sequence (greywacke, mudstone and minor chert) with a tholeiitic ultramafic flow sequence (rare undeformed rock shows relict spinifex texture) and a silicate-facies iron formation horizon. The Central domain, also referred to as the central sedimentary sequence (CSS), comprises carbon-rich clastic (greywacke and mudstone) and chemical (chert and iron formation) sedimentary rocks. At the south of this unit there is a significant blacker mudstone horizons (carbon- and locally graphite-rich) with abundant sulphides (pyrite and pyrrhotite). There is three chert-rich levels in the CSS they are also significant hosts to gold mineralization. The CSS pinches out in the northeastern part of the Whale Tail Zone so that the two maficultramafic marker horizons come in contact with one another. The South domain sequence contains a mafic- ultramafic flow transitional to calk-alkaline sequence that graded into a schistosed, chlorite- biotite-rich, mafic dominated volcanic/volcaniclastic rock package which further grades into turbiditic greywackes with minor chert. A foliated diorite pluton bounds the south domain to the south.

Gold mineralization is predominantly hosted by silicate±sulphiderich iron formation that contains disseminated to semi-massive pyrrhotite, disseminated arsenopyrite with local pyrite. Gold mineralization is also contains within chert and/or graphitic chert affected by weak to strong penetrative silicification, named “silica flooding” containing disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite. The location of ore zones at Whale Tail, seems to be mainly controlled by structural processes, such as openings created along lithological contacts due to rheological contrasts (Côté-Mantha et al., 2017).

The average horizontal thickness of the high- grade (HG) zones is 5.0 m and varies from 3.0 m to 18.0 m, it can be followed for 2.5 km along strike and 800m at depth. The dip of the mineralization can vary from -40° to -70° and trend northeast- southwest.

The IVR sector consists of a complexly strained, folded and transposed, volcanic-dominated sequence. The main host rocks are ultramafic volcanic rocks of tholeiitic affinity commonly interlayered with lesser cherts and silicate ± sulphide iron formation horizons (Côté-Mantha et al., 2017).

IVR deposit is dominated by shear-zone-hosted, boudinaged quartz veins containing coarse-grained visible gold. Wallrocks of quartz veins are strongly biotiteand/or sericite-altered and contains disseminated arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite and local pyrite. These veins are best developed in the mafic and ultramafic volcanics, where they are hosted in biotitecarbonate ± sericite altered and moderately to strongly schistose zones. These veins seem more abundant and best developed in the hinge zone of the regional fold. The ore zones emplacement at IVR is largely controlled by formation of high-strain zones cutting through the whole rock sequence.

IVR zones are dipping shallowly at -30° to the southeast and trend at N045. The average thickness of the zones varies from 3.0 m to 15.0 m. These zones can be followed from surface outcrop to a depth of 650 m with a lateral strike length of 2.0 km. The IVR zones remain open both at depth and laterally.

The favourable host rock sequence at the Mammoth zone is essentially made up of dominant ultramafic volcanic rocks of tholeiitic affinity alternating with lesser mafic volcanics, clastic sedimentary rocks, and silica and/or iron-rich chemical sedimentary units (chert and silicate ± sulphide iron formations). Again, in terms of the Whale Tail zone’s stratigraphy, the host rock sequence at the Mammoth zone is laterally equivalent to the north domain, with no known equivalent of the CSS or the south domain.

The average horizontal thickness of the Mammoth’s ore zone is 5.0 m and varies from 3.0 m to 40.0 m, it can be followed for 600 m along strike and 440 m at depth. The dip of the mineralization can vary from -50° to -80° and trend N045.

The Amaruq satellite site includes two pits, Whale Tail and IVR pits of which Whale Tail pit is in permitting process as part of the Phase I process. IVR pit permitting will follow, to enable mining anticipated to commence in 2020. The mining method historically used at the Meadowbank mine (open pit truck and shovel) will be applied to mining operations at the Amaruq project. There are sufficient mineral reserves for about seven years of mining activity starting with pre-production in 2017. The milling feed plan extends from mid-2019 to 2024, with some stockpile processing occurring in 2025. A total of 193 million tonnes of material (ore plus waste) will have been moved by the end of the life of mine, providing 19.0 million tonnes of ore grading 3.68 g/t gold (2.25 million in situ ounces of gold) to the processing plant.

The pit shells produced with the Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm were used as a guideline for the pit designs where mining takes place on 7-m-high benches with a final bench height of 21 m. To maximize the ore recovery and minimize dilution, the 7 m benches will be split-benched and mined in two 3.5-m lifts in ore zones. The pit design includes ramp access to reach the bottom of both open pits. The ramp widths are set to 28.0 m at a gradient of 10%. The ramp width decreases to 21.0 m for single-lane traffic at the pit bottom (last five benches) and the gradient has been increased to 12% for the last three benches in order to reduce stripping. The ramp width includes a protection berm and a drainage ditch.

Whale Tail pit will have final dimensions of 1,100 m long by 650 m wide and 285 m deep. The IVR pit will have two portions: the V0 pit will have final dimensions of 450 m long by 220 m wide and 90 m deep, while the V2 pit will have final dimensions of 320 m long by 320 m wide and 120 m deep.

Significant metallurgical testing has been conducted on samples from the Amaruq satellite deposit since 2014 to confirm its amenability to processing at the Meadowbank mill. Comminution test work and subsequent simulations have confirmed that a 9,000-10,000 tonne per day processing plant throughput can be achieved with conservative ore blends, the cyanidation/CIP circuit at Meadowbank is adequate for the Amaruq satellite deposit at Meadowbank and the current thickening and pumping capacity is expected to be sufficient. In order to increase the overall gold recovery of the Amaruq ore, a gravity pre- concentration process followed by a concentrate regrind is being added. It is expected that these modifications will be complete by mid-2019. Gold recovery is expected to be approximately 93% for the Whale Tail ore and approximately 95% for IVR ore based on testing.

The ore from the Amaruq satellite deposit at Meadowbank will be transported to the Meadowbank facilities with a long haul off-road truck fleet. The ore is dumped into the gyratory crusher or into stockpiles designated by ore-type. The feed from the primary crusher is conveyed to the cone crusher in a closed circuit with a vibrating screen. The crushed ore is delivered to the coarse ore stockpile and ore from the stockpile is conveyed to the mill. The grinding circuit is comprised of a primary SAG mill operated in open circuit and a secondary ball mill operated in closed circuit with cyclones. A portion of the cyclone underflow stream is sent to the concentrator, which separates the heavy minerals from the ore. The grinding circuit incorporates a gravity process to recover free gold and the free gold concentrate is leached in an intensive cyanide leach-direct electrowinning recovery process.

The cyclone overflow is sent to the grinding thickener. The clarified overflow is recycled to the grinding circuit and thickened underflow is pumped to a pre-aeration and leach circuit. The cyanide circuit consists of seven tanks, providing approximately 42 hours of retention time. The leached slurry flows to a train of six CIP tanks. Gold in the solution flowing from the leaching circuit is adsorbed into the activated carbon. Gold is recovered from the carbon in a Zadra elution circuit and is recovered from the solution using an electrowinning recovery process. The gold sludge is then poured into dore bars using an electric induction furnace.

The CIP tailings are treated for the destruction of cyanide using the standard sulphur-dioxide-air process. The detoxified tailings are then pumped to the permanent tailings facility. The tailings storage is designed for zero discharge, with all process water being reclaimed for re-use in the mill to minimize water requirements.