Three types of mineralization are present at Florida Canyon. The primary type is disseminated gold mineralization within siltstone and silty sandstone. In addition, gold mineralization occurs along brecciated contacts and karsted areas of the Natchez Pass limestone. The third type of gold mineralization occurs as epithermal hot springs type vein mineralization.

Florida Canyon was a large tonnage low grade Neogene aged epithermal gold system adjacent to an active geothermal system. The close spatial association with the geothermal system has led to a general belief that Florida Canyon is a hot springs-type epithermal gold deposit. Hydrothermal alteration assemblages and the mineralogy of both oxidized and unoxidized gold mineralization at Florida Canyon have been characterized as having formed in a low-sulfidation epithermal environment.

Mineralization
The location and geometry of the mineralized bodies at Florida Canyon are a result of structure; the presence of favorable silty argillite, quartzite, and limestone host rocks; and the position of the host rocks relative to structural conduits. The higher-grade zones of mineralization tend, in general, to follow the high-angle, northeast- and northwest-trending fault and shear zones. The more moderate- or lower-grade zones are controlled by favorable host rocks more distal to feeder structures.

Rock units that are more favorable hosts to mineralization include silty argillite, hornfels cont ........

Florida Canyon is a conventional open pit hard rock mining operation. Typical of other mines in Nevada, bench heights are 20 ft and the loading and haulage fleet are 13 to 14 cu yd front loaders matched to 100-ton rigid frame haul trucks. Most of the loading and hauling equipment have been leased from Caterpillar and include Maintenance and Repair contracts on the leased units (MARC).

The mining plan that defined the Mineral Reserve was developed by the staff of IMC working on site with the team at FCMI. It should be noted that this mine plan and schedule is practical and IMC check calculations confirm it to be economic at the design prices and at current spot prices. However, there is room for optimization and improvement going forward.

A mine production schedule was developed from the phases that would supply 750 tons per month (9,000 ktons/yr) of feed to the crusher. Total loading capacity at the mine is limited to about 70,000 to 75,000 tpd which on an annual basis is 25,550 to 27,375 kton/yr of total mining capacity.

The mine schedule was developed from a set of mine phase or pushback designs. Phase designs are practical expansions of the pit that included all necessary access roads and working room for equipment. FCMI often utilizes pushbacks that are as narrow as 120 to 140 ft. Although not optimal for equipment productivity, many of the current operating conditions at FCMI were retained in the phase designs.

Some of the ph ........

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