The Moonlight copper deposit is classified as a porphyry copper deposit with associated gold, silver and molybdenum credits.

Oriented core and inspection of the bedrock in drilling sumps and shallow prospect workings showed that copper mineralization was contained on fractures with a wide variety of orientations. Strong copper mineralization was commonly observed on veinlets trending N20-35W and dipping 15-35 SW. In addition to the mineralization in shallow dipping fractures, copper is contained on NS steep
to moderately E dipping, N60-75E steeply N dipping, N70-85W steeply south dipping veinlets.

Both Sheffield and Placer have recognized that there at least two styles or stages of mineralization at the Moonlight deposit. The paragenetically earlier style is characterized by disseminated copper minerals located interstitial to quartz, feldspar, chlorite and especially disseminated rosettes of tourmaline. This mineralization usually consists of fine grained chalcopyrite but zones of disseminated bornite are also common. High in the system disseminated hypogene chalcocite has also been occasionally observed. Bornite has been observed to rim chalcopyrite grains in some places. Placer characterized this mineralization as late stage magmatic or pneumatolytic. A metasomatic origin should not be precluded. This style of mineralization shows some association with potassium feldspar and a very strong association with tourmaline and sometimes chlorite abundance.

The second transgressive stage of mineralization is characterized by veinlets or stockwork breccias which often have a gangue of tourmaline and lesser quartz with strong hematite. Strong copper mineralization was commonly observed on veinlets trending N20-35W and dipping 15 -35 SW. The overall orientation of the Moonlight deposit appears to be parallel to these gently southwest dipping fractures and indicates a good exploration target underneath the metavolcanics to the southwest. In addition to the mineralization in shallow dipping fractures, copper is contained on N-S steep to moderately E dipping, N60-75E steeply N dipping, N70-85W steeply south dipping veinlets. Although fracture hosted mineralization is widespread and often high grade at Moonlight, drilling to date has not revealed extensive vein- like structures similar to those mined at the Superior and Engels mines.

The Engels deposit is characterized as a shear zone-hosted, structurally-controlled, tabular breccia body(s) hosted within mafic units of the Lights Creek Stock as well as the metavolcanic rock into which the stock was intruded. Copper and silver mineralization at Engels appears to be associated with late-stage differentiates of the more felsic units of the Lights Creek Stock.

The steeply northward plunging, tabular Engels copper ore body is contained in a vertical shear zone that ranges from 25-125 ft in width. The ore principally consisted of bornite and chalcopyrite hosted in a hornblende gabbro body. Younger quartz diorite and quartz monzonite bodies are associated with the gabbro and likely played an important role in the placement of the copper mineralization.

The Superior and Sulfide Ridge deposits are classified as a porphyry copper deposits with associated silver and, to a lesser extent gold.

The Superior mine is thought to have formed at a higher temperature than the Moonlight deposit. The previously mined deposit consists of a stockwork of seven parallel, northeasterly striking, and easterly dipping (550-800) vein zones. The veins principally consist of chalcopyrite and some bornite, along with associated magnetite and pyrite and are 8-20 ft thick. Magnetite is more prevalent at the Superior Mine than at the Moonlight deposit while specularite, common at Moonlight is non-existent at Superior. The Superior mine exhibits some porphyry like attributes and similarities to Moonlight in that they are both found within an intrusive body in close proximity to an older metavolcanic sequence. Its copper mineralization is contained in stockwork vein system hosted in a similar quartz monzonite body to the host of the Moonlight deposit. Mineralization historically was mined from steeply dipping, thick chalcopyrite rich veins, steeply dipping controls to the mineralization at Moonlight are only now being considered important.

Mining will be open pit-only using drill and blast, truck and shovel methods. Mining is planned to be conducted using 50 ft benches with a maximum overall pit slope of 45 degrees. The mine plan developed for the PEA is based on Geovia Whittle™ optimization. Over the mine life 650 million tons will be moved which includes 365 million tons as mill feed and 286 million tons as waste rock and rejected low grade material below cut-off grade.

The mining fleet includes 244 ton trucks, loaded by 29 yd3 diesel hydraulic shovel and 26 yd3 wheel loader. Drill and blast will be done with track mounted drill rigs drilling 10 inch holes. Explosives are planned as down hole service by explosives supplier. Haul roads are designed to be 100 ft wide to allow for two-way traffic at a maximum gradient of 8%.

Strip ratios vary over life of mine ranging from 0.2 to 1.4 with an average of 0.78.

The treatment technology proposed for the project is the conventional flotation concentration. The processing plant will consist of crushing and grinding circuits, followed by a flotation process to recover and upgrade copper and silver from the feed material.

The mill feed will be crushed by one 63” x 89” or equivalent gyratory crusher to 80% passing approximately 6”. Crushed material will be fed into a stockpile of 55,000-ton live capacity and then be further crushed by three cone crushers (each with an installed power of 1,000 hp, two in operation and one standby) followed by two high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR, each with an installed power of 7,500 hp). The product from the HPGR circuit will be further ground to 80% passing 110 micron by two ball mills (each with an installed power of 25,000 hp). The slurry from the hydrocyclones will feed one bank of rougher flotation cells, each with 10,500 ft3 volume. The rougher concentrate will be reground to 80% passing approximately 50 micron prior to three stages of cleaner flotation by conventional flotation cells. The flotation concentrate will be thickened and filtered and sent to the concentrate stockpile for subsequent shipping to the smelter. The tailings produced will be impounded in a tailings management facility (TMF) located at south of the processing plant.