The BlackRock Metals deposit is an Fe-Ti-V oxide deposit associated with a mafic layered intrusion. It is located in the Lac Doré mafic layered intrusion located approximately 20 km south of Chibougama, at the southeast end of the Abitibi subprovince of the Superior geological province. The genesis of this deposit type is related to processes of fractional crystallization where layers rich in oxides (especially Fe and Ti) settle out by magmatic segregation in large mafic intrusions.

The Lac Doré complex stretches northeast to southwest over a distance of about 24 km, with BlackRock Metals holding the rights to about 17 km. It is deformed by a large anticline and metamorphosed to the schist facies, as are the volcanic rocks that host it. The mineralized zone consists of gabbro rich in magnetite ilmenite (vanadiumferrogabbros) rhythmically layered with anorthosite beds.

Two main mineralized zones have been identified on the BlackRock Metals property: the Southwest Zone and the Armitage Zone, which cover 2.5 km and 3.3 km sections of vanadium-bearing ferrogabbro horizons, respectively. BlackRock Metals’ current development efforts are focused on the Southwest Zone.

The oxide-rich layers of the Southwest Zone have been exposed in multiple trenches on surface and intersected in more than 60 diamond drill holes. The resulting mineralized envelope characterized by BlackRock Metals ranges in thickness from some 100 to 300 m. The geological sections are oriented at N130° and are 200 m apart in the southwest area (Sections 100 to 1400) and 100 m apart in the northeast area (Sections 1600 to 2600). On section, the holes generally dip 45° and strike N310°, with two holes per section in the southwest area and three holes per section in the northeast area. The stratification is characterized by an average dip of 75° (60° to 90°) and a N130° strike.

As the deposit outcrops on surface, the ore will be mined by open pit. The pit will be oval and elongated in shape, about 2.8 kilometres long by a maximum of 450 m wide and about 280 m deep. The surface of the pit will therefore cover about 1.26 km2 . The roads in the pit will be 34 metres wide to allow the 220-tonne trucks to pass each other safely. The roads will have a maximum slope of 10%. Vehicles will exit the pit to the southwest, near the facilities.

At full capacity, BlackRock Metals plans to mine about 12.4 Mt of ore per year to produce 3 Mt of concentrate per year. At the end of operations, 152 Mt of ore, 264 Mt of waste rock and 7.6 Mt of overburden will have been extracted to produce 38 Mt of concentrate.

The ore will be hauled from the pit to the primary crusher by 220-tonne dump trucks. The crusher will be located in the building closest to the pit to minimize haulage distance, in a place where it can be safely operated. The primary crusher will operate 65% of the time. It will be a 1.52 m x 2.26 m gyratory crusher that can crush up to 4,670 tph. The ore exiting the gyratory crusher will be less than 300 mm in diameter, and will be fed by a 4,700-tph capacity conveyor to the secondary, 1,300 hp cone crusher. Lateral guides will seal the chute from the crusher to the conveyor to prevent fine particles from escaping and causing dust in the building, which is nevertheless equipped with a dust collector. In addition, the floors in the primary crusher building will be cleaned with water, and the sludge produced will flow to a low point (located in the basement) where the water will be pumped outdoors, into tanker trucks if needed, and sent to the tailings pond, as it will have been in cont ........