Four main styles of base metal mineralization have been identified on the Property:
• Hydrothermal Quartz Veins (MQV);
• Stockwork (STK);
• Stratabound (SMS); and
• Mississippi Valley type (MVT).

MQV Mineralization
Vein-type mineralization developed within the cherty dolomites of the Ordovician-Silurian age Upper Whittaker Formation and shaly dolomites of the lower Road River Formation, along the axial plane of the Prairie Creek Anticline (PCA).

MQV type mineralization comprises massive to disseminated galena and sphalerite with lesser pyrite and tetrahedrite-tennantite in a quartz-carbonate-dolomite matrix. Secondary oxidation is variably developed, yielding mainly cerussite (lead oxide) and smithsonite (zinc oxide); tetrahedrite-tennantite has undergone only minor oxidation. Silver is present in solid solution with tetrahedrite-tennantite and to a lesser extent with galena. Veins dip steeply to the east; widths generally vary between less than 0.1 m up to 5 m, with an average horizontal thickness of approximately 2.7 m.

The MQV is the most extensively developed of the known mineral zones. Underground development and diamond drilling have demonstrated the continuity of the MQV over a horizontal strike length of 2.3 km. The MQV trends approximately north-south and dips between vertical and 40º east (average dip is 65º east). It remains open to the north and may continue for a further 4 km to the Rico showing. Diamond d ........

Prairie Creek will be an underground mine extracting the majority of mineralized material from the steeply-dipping, narrow MQV. Smaller mineralized material quantities will be mined from the STK and SMS zones, generally later in the mine life. Three levels of adits (970 L, 930 L, 883 L) were established previously. Five shrinkage stopes were partly mined above the 930 and 883 levels, giving a stockpile of about 10,000 tonnes of mixed mill feed and waste that is currently located adjacent to the mill.

The MQV zone area covers a strike distance of about 2,100 m and a vertical distance of about 400 m. Below 883 L, mining levels will be established at generally 60 m intervals with 20 m sublevels. Initial stoping will start from the 883 L. As mining on the MQV progresses to depth, mineralized material mined will be supplemented by the STK and SMS zones. Lower levels will be developed to depth through ramp access over the first approximately five years of operation.

Mining will be by Longhole Open Stoping Longitudinal Retreat (LHOS) in the MQV vein and in the STK area. Longhole Upper Retreat Stoping (LUR) will be employed in the SMS area. An average mining rate of 2,400 tonnes per day of mineralized material is projected. At steady-state, approximately 864,000 tonnes of mineralized material per year will be mined. Mine life is projected to be 20.1 years from start-up of the processing plant.

MQV material will be the majority of mill feed producti ........

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