The Mt Carrington deposits are hosted by the Drake Volcanics; a NW-trending 60km x 10km Permian bimodal volcano-sedimentary sequence within the Wandsworth Volcanic Group near the north-eastern margins of the southern New England Fold Belt.

The Drake Volcanics overlie or is structurally bounded by the Carboniferous to Early Permian sedimentary Emu Creek Formation to the east and bounded by the Demon Fault and Early Triassic Stanthorpe Monzogranite pluton to the west. The sequence is largely dominated by andesite and equivalent volcaniclastics, however basaltic through to rhyolitic facies stratigraphic sequences are present, with numerous contemporaneous andesite to rhyolite sub-volcanic units intruding the sequence. The Razorback Creek Mudstone underlies the Drake Volcanics to the east, and Gilgurry Mudstone conformably overlies the Drake Volcanic sequence. In addition, Permian and Triassic granitoid plutons and associated igneous bodies intrude the area, several associated with small scale intrusion-related mineralisation. The Drake Volcanic sequence and associated intrusive rocks are host and interpreted source to the volcanogenic epithermal Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn mineralisation developed at Mt Carrington. The majority of the Drake Volcanics and associated mineralisation are centred within a large scale circular caldera with a low magnetic signature and 20km diameter.

The Strauss and Kylo deposits are low sulphidation epithermal vein type mineralisation that m ........

It has been assumed that the Strauss and Kylo deposits will be mined by open pit mining methods.

Slope parameters of 8m bench height is selected. The pit optimisations and pit designs were developed without considering the value of Inferred material to determine the ultimate pit limits. However, there is a relatively small amount of Inferred material that is within the final pit limits (approximately 12% of the total mill feed inventory).

The Whittle optimisations have resulted in the merging of the three deposits into a single final pit. However, there is still a starter pit for each deposit.

It is envisaged that a mining contractor will carry out the mining activities with technical and management direction from White Rock. The mine is planned to be operated over three discrete open pits each incorporating drill and blast, load and haul, and ore and waste management tasks.

The initial six-month pre-strip is also required before a continuous ex-pit ore supply can be assured. There is an historic low-grade stockpile from the previous mining operations (1987-1990) which requires removal as soon as practicable in order to help improve acid rock drainage management at the site. This historic low-grade stockpile material will be reclaimed and processed during the commissioning phase of the process plant. It is envisaged that reclaiming of this stockpile will commence about 3-4 months after the start of the pre-strip mining. The annual p ........

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