The Tamarack North Project hosts magmatic Ni-Cu-Co-PGE sulphide mineralization. These deposits form as the result of segregation and concentration of liquid sulphide from mafic or ultramafic magma and the partitioning of chalcophile elements into the sulphide from the silica melt (Naldrett, 1999).

Ni-Cu-Co sulphide deposits are economically important because they present favourable economics compared to the mining and processing of Ni laterite deposits. This is due to their relatively high-grade and comparatively low capital cost requirements. The various mineralized zones at the
Tamarack North Project occur within different host lithologies, exhibit different types of mineralization styles, and display varying sulphide concentrations and tenors. These mineralized zones range from massive sulphides hosted by altered sediments in the MSU, to net textured and disseminated sulphide mineralization hosted by the CGO in the SMSU; to a more predominantly disseminated sulphide mineralization as well as layers of net textured sulphide mineralization, in the 138 Zone. Mineralization in the 138 Zone, where interlayered disseminated and net textured mineralization occurs is referred to as MZ mineralization. All these mineralization types are typical of many magmatic sulphide ore bodies around the world. The current known mineral zones of the Tamarack North Project (SMSU, MSU and 138 Zone) that are the basis of this resource statement are referred to as the Tamarack Zone. Also located within the Tamarack North Project are four currently lesser defined mineral zones, namely the 480 Zone, the 221 Zone, the 164 Zone, and the CGO Bend.

The Ni-Cu-Co-PGE mineralization at the Tamarack North Project, occurs as various types ranging from disseminated to net textured to massive sulphides. Sulphide mineralogy is dominantly pyrrhotite (Po), pentlandite (Pn), chalcopyrite (Cpy), with minor cubanite. Pn occurs as coarse grains and as intergrowths with Po.

Although some of the mineralization names at the Tamarack North Project are used to describe mineralization lithologically in terms of sulphide concentration, they have been used by Kennecott to describe specific ore bodies. These ore bodies have different mineralization styles, with different metal tenors, genetic implications and different resource potential.

The 164 Zone
The mineralization type within the 164 Zone (Figure 7-8), which is located around 1.5 km S of the 138 Zone typically occurs as variable massive sulphide veins and pods < 2 m thick with blebby disseminated mineralization occurring at the base of FGO intrusion on the wallrock contact (500 m depth), and often within hornfelsed and partially melted sediments near the chilled contact with the FGO. Mineralization is generally low tenor and has been interpreted as early cumulate mineralization associated with the base of the FGO. In the 164 Zone, the base of the FGO is more complex. Thick intervals of variable textured gabbro, magmatic breccia, and thin sills or dykes occur within the partially melted meta-sediment where coarse blebby disseminated mineralization occurs in variable textured gabbro with granophyric patches.

The 138 Zone
A wide range of disseminated to net-textured and patchy net-textured sulphides typically occur in the 138 Zone. This type of mineralization is referred to as MZ mineralization. In the 138 Zone, MZ type sulphides appear to form a wedge-like zone of 200 m length, 120 m to 160 m height and a width of approximately 50 to 90 m, starting at ~350 m depth. The mineralization is hosted in FGO and contaminated FGO, i.e. in MZNO and FGO lithologies.

The SMSU
The SMSU forms the bulk of the defined mineral resource and occurs in the upper part of the CGO intrusion as an elongated boudin-aged tubular-shaped zone at the top of the CGO. Two SMSUs (Upper and Lower) have been modelled. The Upper SMSU body dimensions are 400 m long, 40 m to 80 m wide and 40 to 70 m vertically at a depth of 300 m to 325 m. The Lower SMSU body dimensions are 350 m long, 40 m to 65 m wide and 40 to 70 m vertically at a depth of 445 m to 485 m.

The MSU
MSU-type mineralization is defined as containing 80-90% sulphide. The MSU also refers to a mineralized body hosted by intensely metamorphosed and partially melted meta-sediments occurring as fragments or wedges of country rock at the base of the FGO with typical dimensions of 10 to 30 m wide by 0.5 m to 18 m thick. The MSU has a strike length of 550 m at a depth of 275 m (N) to 550 m (S).

The CGO Bend Zone
The CGO Bend Zone consists of basal FGO MSU-MMS mineralization and signifies where CGO forms a dog leg bend immediately N of the Tamarack Zone. The CGO Bend sulphide mineralization is a footwall accumulation of primary sulphides in the FGO keel and basin that vary in thickness from 0.2 m to 2.3 m, strike length of ~500 m, at an average depth of 150 m depth and a weak plunge to the S at 10°. The sulphides are blebby to massive in texture. Historic drill hole 13TK0187, which graded 3.82% Ni and 1.62% Cu, 0.63 grams per tonne (g/t) PGE and 0.36 g/t Au over 2.33 m from a depth of 138.94 m was drilled in the northern section of the eastern CGO Bend.

The 480 Zone
Drilling in a narrow linear, E-W trending, positive magnetic anomaly at the northern portion of the Tamarack North Project, referred to as the 480 Zone, has intersected disseminated and net textured sulphide mineralization at a relatively shallow depth. The host olivine cumulates visually resemble olivine cumulates of the FGO intrusion to the S and include intervals of quartz xenolith rich magmatic breccia similar to those in the 164 Zone.

Mineralization in the Weathered Laterite Zone
A weathered lateritic profile is irregularly preserved in the northeastern part of Tamarack North project beneath Cretaceous and Quaternary cover and has concentrated Ni, Cu, Cr, and Fe. The weathered profile is up to 10 m thick, at 35 m depth and consists typically of a 0.5 m pisolithic, limontic hard cap, underlain by massive greenish saprolite, and saprock with remnant igneous textures. Native Cu up to 2% (visual estimation) can be observed as 1 to 3 mm nuggets and veinlets in the weathered profile and persists into the serpentinized upper part of the FGO (Goldner, 2011).

The Tamarack deposit will be mined using underground mining methods.

Different underground mining methods will be utilized for the deposits: bulk long hole mining
method for SMSU (consisting of an Upper and Lower SMSU) and selective drift-and-fill
method for the narrower MSU. The selected mining methods will provide flexibility and selectivity to ensure consistent feed blend to the process plant at a rate of 2,000 tpd.

Mining Method for the Upper and Lower SMSU
The mining method proposed for the Upper and Lower SMSU is transverse long hole open stoping with cemented paste backfill.

For the Upper and Lower SMSU ore bodies, mining will be progressed by means of the following steps:

- Mine levels [ [mL50] and [mL0] will be developed away from the shaft to reach the Upper SMSU. Levels [mL-115] and [mL-130] will be developed to reach the Lower SMSU;
- Declines (ramps) will be developed from each level, parallel to each of the Upper and Lower SMSU ore bodies. Following this, crosscuts will be developed into the orebodies, an overcut (for drilling and blasting) and an undercut (for loading and mucking) for each stope;
- Stopes will be mined in a “primary-secondary” sequence from the bottom levels and advancing upwards;
- A vertical slot parallel with the SMSU is developed from where fan drilling will be used to blast the trough. Blast holes are then drilled from an overcut therefore the overcut will be silled out prior to longhole blasting. After blasting, a remote-controlled load-haul-dump (LHD) vehicle will be used to remove the blasted material from the stope via the undercut and into trucks for haulage to the ore pass, ore-bin and skip. Once the stope is fully mucked out, cemented paste backfill will be placed from the overcut;
- Once the cemented paste backfill has cured in two primary stopes on a level, the secondary stope in between can be mined out. Once the secondary stopes have been mined out and backfilled, the stope above the initial primary can then be mined. This pattern continues throughout the ore body, advancing in a vertical chevron style pattern;
- In order to support this mining method, a cemented paste backfill of adequate strength is required. The hardness of the secondary stope backfill, could be less than that of the primary stopes. This will reduce cement use and thus reduce costs. In addition, any waste rock from development will be placed in secondary stopes to reduce cost and the need to hoist it to surface for storage.

Mining Method for the MSU
The mining method proposed for the MSU is overhand, transverse drift-and-fill with a cemented paste backfill.

Mining will be progressed by means of the following steps:

- From level [mL-45], a main access ramp parallel to the MSU ore body will be developed;
- From this main access ramp, short crosscuts will be developed towards the MSU ore body;
- The crosscut, a short, bottom, slashing ramp will be developed at a gradient not exceeding 20% downwards;
- Once the ore body is reached, the ramp will be levelled out and development continues at a flat gradient towards the hanging wall of the ore body in a transverse direction. This is the first / bottom stope. Excavation of each stope will be done with conventional drill-and-blast mining techniques;
- The bottom stope is then filled with cemented paste backfill up to the short crosscut, tight filling to the back of the stope;
- Depending on the vertical height of the MSU ore body a second short ramp will be developed from the same crosscut followed by a second stope above the first bottom stope. Each backfilled bottom stope will serve as the floor for the one above. Depending on the vertical height of the MSU ore body, a final third upwards slashing ramp with a maximum inclination of 20% will be developed (from the same crosscut), followed by a third stope above the second stope;
- As stopes will be “stacked” on top of and adjacent to one another, a cemented paste backfill of adequate strength will be required;
- Any remaining MSU, above the third stope, will be accessed from a different ramp and set of crosscuts, following the same mining methodology;
- Stopes will be mined simultaneously on a “primary-secondary” sequence, taking into account cemented paste backfill curing times. The transverse, overhand drift-and-fill mining method provides the necessary scheduling flexibility required for maximizing high-grade ore recoveries. This method allows for quick ramp up once development is in place.

The crushing circuit consists of a jaw crusher that is operated in open circuit followed by a cone crusher that is operated in closed circuit with a vibrating screen. The two-stage crushing circuit is designed to operate at approximately 70% utilization and a design factor of 25%, equating to a feed capacity of approximately 162 tph. Mineralized ROM material is delivered to a ROM bin feeding the crushing and screening section of the plant. A grizzly with rock breaker that is installed underground removes any oversize material greater than 800 mm. The ROM material is with an F100 of 800 mm crushed to a product size P80 of 16 mm in the two stages of crushing. Classification of the cone crusher product is performed on a vibrating screen.

The cone crusher product is transferred to a 1,670 m3 fine ore bin to decouple the crushing and grinding circuits due to the lower mechanical availability of the crushing circuit. The ore is then transferred from the fine ore bin to a 4.5 m x 7.8 m EGL ball mill that is operated in closed circuit with classifying hydrocyclones to generate a flotation circuit feed with a P80 of 100 µm.

The metallurgical process consists of bulk rougher and scavenger flotation followed by separate cleaning of the rougher and scavenger concentrates. The upgraded rougher concentrate is subjected to Cu/Ni separation. The process generates separate Cu and Ni concentrates. Further, the bulk scavenger tailings are treated in a desulphurization stage to produce a low-mass HS stream and high-mass, potentially NAG tailings.

Bulk Rougher, Bulk Scavenger, and Secondary Scavenger Flotation.
The ball mill cyclone overflow gravitates to the bulk rougher flotation cells at a mass flow rate of 90.6 tph. The selective sulphide collector sodium isopropyl xanthate (SIPX) and frother methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) are added to the flotation feed box to achieve copper and nickel recovery and grades. Bulk rougher flotation is carried out in five tank cells with a volume of 30 m3 each. The bulk rougher concentrate is transferred to the bulk rougher cleaning circuit.

The bulk rou ........