Base metal mineralization in the Liberty deposit consists of molybdenite (MoS2), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), chalcocite (Cu2S), galena (PbS), sphalerite (ZnS), tetrahedrite (Cu8Sb2S7), and pyrite (FeS2). Molybdenite occurs mainly in 0.1" to 1.2"-wide quartz veins and veinlets in amounts that range from 0.1% to more than 40% by volume, typically as a selvage on vein walls. Molybdenite is also found in wider (+1.2”) quartz veins, but these are much less common in occurrence. Chalcopyrite and pyrite also are common but lesser vein/veinlet constituents. Galena, sphalerite, and lesser tetrahedrite occur with quartz in separate generations of base metal veins and veinlets that were emplaced at the end of each mineralization pulse (Shaver, 1991).

In general, molybdenum-bearing quartz veins and veinlets are more concentrated along the margins of the Hall stock, forming an irregular shell or sleeve of higher grade mineralization around a lower grade core. However, the intensity of quartz veining does not correlate directly with higher grade molybdenum – barren quartz veins are common within the deposit. Disseminated molybdenite is rare, occurring only in a 100'- to 200'- thick portion of the North Hall stock as replacements in biotite and/or plagioclase sites (Shaver, 1991). In addition to quartz, minor gangue minerals present in the veins and veinlets include fluorite, scheelite, tourmaline, gearksutite, and creedite, with siderite, dolomite, and calcite occurring as vug fillin ........

The Liberty mine project will employ conventional hard rock, open pit mining methods. Ore production to the mill is planned at 26,500 short tons per day (st/d) (9,673,000 short tons per year). The mine plan and production schedule was developed with the goal of filling the mill at the required ore rate and maximizing the project return on investment. The total material rate starts at 32 million short tons per year (Mst/y) for the first six years and then ramps up to 42 Mst/y for six years before reducing to lower levels for the last half of the mine life.

The results of metallurgical testing have indicated that conventional flotation technology can be used to recover copper and molybdenum from the project feed material. The design basis for the processing facility is 26,500 dry short tons per day (dst/d) or 9.67 million dry short tons per year (st/y). It is contemplated that feed will be transported from the mine to the concentrator facility by off-highway haulage trucks. Mineralized material would then be processed to produce copper and molybdenum sulfide concentrates, with the copper concentrate being shipped by truck and the molybdenum concentrate packaged in super-sacks.

The proposed process operations are as follows:

- Crushing of the feed by primary gyratory crusher to reduce the feed size from run of mine to minus 6 inch.

- Stacking of primary crushed feed in a coarse ore stockpile and then reclaiming by in-tunnel feeders and conveyor belts, with one feed system for each of the two grinding lines ........