Gold mineralization in the Timmins, Thunder Creek, and 144 Gap Deposits occurs in steep northnorthwest plunging mineralized zones which plunge parallel to the local orientations of the L4 lineation features which also plunge parallel to the lineation, including folds and elongate lithologies. Mineralization occurs within, or along favourable lithostructural settings within 100 metres of the Holmer and Rusk Shear Zones. Mineralization comprises multiple generations of quartz-carbonatetourmaline ±albite veins, associated pyrite alteration envelopes, and disseminated pyrite mineralization. Textural evidence suggests that veining formed progressively through D3 and D4 deformation. All phases of gold-bearing veins cut and postdate the AIC and syenitic to monzonitic intrusions, although mineralization is often spatially associated with ore preferentially developed within these intrusive suites (Rhys, 2010).

At the Timmins Deposit, the character and sequence of veining in the Main, V1 and V2 veins is similar in all exposures. Rhys (2003) defined three phases of veining in the Timmins Deposit surface showings, all of which were also apparent in his recent observations (Rhys, 2010 and 2011), although an additional phase of shallow dipping quartz extension veins was also recognized during this field work (Rhys, 2010). The sequence of veining observed is as follows, with most veins in the upper Timmins Deposit mineralization forming composite veins which have this paragenetic sequence.

In the Thunder Creek area, there are two main styles of mineralization: 1) the Rusk Shear Zone adjacent to and in the footwall of the pyroxenite unit, and; 2) the Porphyry Zone which is hosted by the quartz monzonite intrusion which lies to the southeast in the immediate footwall to the Rusk Shear Zone below an elevation of approximately 500 metres below surface.

Mineralization in the Rusk Shear Zone comprises areas of either higher quartz-carbonate-pyrite vein density, and/or areas of elevated medium- to coarse-grained disseminated pyrite and associated pyritequartz veinlets. Both of these styles were observed to occur in the intensely foliated, often compositionally laminated carbonate-albite-quartz-magnetite portions of the shear zone. Mineralization also locally preferentially overprints pink, K-feldspar-rich syenite dykes and local plagioclase-dominant probable diorite dykes in the shear zone, with clots and aggregates of coarsepyrite, often associated with quartz-albite-carbonate veinlets.

“Porphyry Zone” mineralization is developed in the quartz monzonite intrusion that occurs at depth in the footwall to the Rusk Shear Zone immediately adjacent to areas of mineralization in the shear zone. Mineralization is associated with sheeted sets of quartz extension veins which occur in abundance of up to several veins per metre within the intrusion. Most veins are less than 3 centimetres thick and comprise white quartz with pyrite. Disseminated pyrite locally occurs in the wall rock adjacent to the veins and free visible gold was locally observed in association with pyrite both in veins and disseminated in the host rock.

Gold mineralization in the 144 Gap Deposit occurs generally between 600 and 1,000 metres below surface in the footwall of the high strain zone within and adjacent to syenite bodies in the footwall mafic volcanic lobe. The main mineralized areas occur between approximately 20 to 120 metres into the footwall of the high strain zone; however, mineralization also occurs locally within the shear zone itself. There are two main styles of mineralization identified in the 144 Gap Deposit area: 1) syenite-hosted quartz-pyrite extension vein sets and associated mineralization, and; 2) disseminated and vein-controlled pyrite in carbonate-sericite altered areas of higher strain in the shear zone and in altered mafic units along and within dyke margins.

Mesothermal shear hosted gold mineralization in the Bell Creek mine area occurs along selvages of quartz veins and wall rocks, in stylolitic fractures in quartz veins, in fine grained pyrite, and in association with amorphous carbon. High grade gold mineralization occurs within quartz veins contained in alteration zones.

Gold mineralization in the Bell Creek area as occurring along selvages of quartz veins and wall rocks, in stylolitic fractures in quartz veins, in fine grained pyrite, and in association with amorphous carbon. High grade gold mineralization occurs within quartz veins contained in alteration zones. The alteration zones are characterized by carbonate, graphitic and amorphous carbon, fine grained pyrite, sericite, and/or paragonite and are enriched in Au, As, Bi, and W. This style of alteration is referred to by mine geologists as “grey zones” and is an exploration target in Hoyle Township.

The Bell Creek mineralization differs in style from many deposits in the Porcupine Mining camp in being composed largely of disseminated pyrite-pyrrhotite-related mineralization; slightly younger gold-bearing quartz veins may be present but are not predominant.  This style of mineralization occurs in the deeper parts of the Dome Mine and in the Rusk Zone at the Timmins West mine, but is more common to the east, in the Holloway-Holt McDermott area and at the Larder Lake, where pyritic mineralization is often termed “flow ore” (Rhys 2012).

The Timmins operation consists of two underground gold mines, the Timmins West mine and the Bell Creek mine, which both feed the Bell Creek mill.

Bell Creek
Bell Creek is accessed by a production shaft and portal/ramp system from the surface. Access ramps are driven from the main ramp system to establish sublevels on 20-23 m vertical intervals. Primary level development headings are generally mined 4.0m wide by 4.5m high. Silling development headings are extracted at 3.0m wide by 3.0m high. Primary ramps are typically driven at a maximum declination of 15 percent. Mining is currently being conducted by longhole stoping methods.

Ore is hauled to the surface by skips through the shaft or by truck via the portal/ramp system for ore mined at the 505mL and above, where it is stockpiled on surface prior to being loaded into the crusher located at the Bell Creek Mill.

Development waste is kept underground where it will serve as backfill material for the extracted stopes.

Timmins West
The Timmins West includes three mineralized gold deposits; the Timmins Deposit, Thunder Creek Deposit, and 144 Gap Deposit.

The Timmins Deposit mineral resource extends from near surface (surface is at 10,015m elevation on the mine grid) to approximately 1,525m below surface. There are three main geological mineralized zones; Vein Zone, Footwall Zone, and Ultramafic Zone. Each zone is further comprised of smaller zones, separated by waste rock. The zones vary in transverse width from 1.5m to approximately 30m. Generally, the mineralized domain strikes east-west and dips 55 degrees to the north, although locally individual zones are shallower dipping.

The primary access to the underground workings will continue to be via the existing TWM shaft, and ore and waste rock will be trucked to the existing 650L grizzly/rockbreaker station for sizing and subsequent skipping to surface. The 144 Gap Deposit is accessed via existing accesses originating at the Thunder Creek 695L (accessing 144 Gap at 775L) and 765L (accessing 144 Gap at 835L).

Longhole with delayed backfill stoping, using both pastefill and unconsolidated development waste as backfill, has been the primary mining method used to date at the TWM. All future mining is planned to be via longhole mining. The mineralized zones at the Timmins Deposit vary in transverse width and dip. Mining shapes have been designed for all indicated mineral resources that have been included in the mineral reserve estimate. A combination of longitudinal and transverse longhole is used. For longitudinal longhole mining, sublevels are established at 20m vertical intervals. The mineral resource will generally be accessed in the center (along strike) and stope undercut and overcut sills developed to the east and west extents. Stope lengths are 20m along strike and mining will retreat from the extremities toward the initial access point.

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Ore from Bell Creek and Timmins West mines is processed at the Bell Creek mill. The designed 5,359 tonne per day processing plant consists of a one stage crushing circuit, ore storage dome, one-stage grinding circuit with gravity recovery, followed by pre-oxidation and cyanidation of the slurry with carbonin-leach (“CIL”) and CIP recovery. Ore from the Company’s Timmins West Mine is also processed through the Bell Creek Mill.

Ore feed is dumped directly onto a 16” by 16” grizzly at the truck dump and a remote controlled rockbreaker is used to break up the oversized material. The ore is fed with an apron feeder to a series of conveyors reporting to a scalping grizzly feeder in the crushing building. The openings between the fingers on the grizzly feeder are 3.5”, with the oversize reporting to a 44” x 34” C110HD Metso jaw crusher. The jaw crusher is set to a closed side setting of 4”. The discharge from the crusher is combined with the -3.5” material from the grizzly feeder a ........