The Sudbury magmatic copper–nickel sulphide deposits are part of the Paleoproterozoic Sudbury Structure which comprises the SIC and associated dykes, and the overlying Paleoproterozoic Whitewater Group rocks. Footwall rocks to the Sudbury Structure are Archean gneisses and granitic and mafic igneous rocks to the north and Paleoproterozoic metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Huronian Supergroup to the south. The Sudbury Structure is exposed as an elliptical ring with a northeast-trending long axis of ~72 km and a short axis of ~27 km. The upper northeast-trending contact of the surface expression of the SIC is often referred to as the North Range, similarly the South Range is associated with the areas along or near the southern surface exposure of the SIC contact. Margins of the SIC are characterized with an average inward dip of about 45º along the north part of the SIC; however, they are generally steeply dipping or overturned in the south and east sections. Major components of the SIC include the differentiated norite–gabbro-granophyre Main Mass and a group of minor intrusions, collectively termed the Sublayer. Three major variants of the Sublayer are recognized: the first comprises igneous-textured gabbro–noritic material, the second consists of igneous-textured quartz diorite, while the third variant comprises a wide variety of metamorphictextured rocks collectively known as “footwall breccia”. The Sublayer is localized either at the contact between the Main M ........

The Sudbury operations consist of production stage underground mines (Coleman, Copper Cliff, Creighton, Garson, Totten), a non-operating mine (Stobie), with exploration stage and non-producing deposits

The Ontario Operations use conventional bulk stoping or narrow vein cut-and-fill mining methods, depending on the mine and geological setting. Conventional open pit mining is planned for the Copper Cliff Pit.

Underground mines are Owner operated, and use conventional equipment. The planned open pit will also use conventional equipment and be either Owner operated or operated by third-party contractor.

Mines are accessed using a combination of shafts, declines, and internal ramps.

Several mining methods are used across the Ontario Operations: these include variations on open stoping (longitudinal, transverse, slot–slash, vertical retreat, uppers retreat), and mechanized cutand-fill (post-pillar cut-and-fill, narrow vein cut-and-fill, drift-and-fill). Each mine has a substantial history of which mining methods work best under various geological and geotechnical conditions. This production record is considered when selecting the mining method.

The ore and waste handling system varies at each mine. Ore can be transported using load–haul–dump vehicles to a central loading area or ore pass, and then trucked to an underground crusher, from where it is hoisted to surface; or, if the mine has decline access, it is trucked to surface ........

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