Deposit Type
VMS deposits are the product of hydrothermal vents on the sea floor that form syngenetically with active volcanism and/or plutonism. They form at or just below the sea floor as a product of the discharge of high temperature, seawater-dominated hydrothermal fluid. There are six main elements typically present and are considered essential for the formation of VMS hydrothermal systems and their associated base metal deposits.

This deposit type is typically an accumulation of massive to semi-massive sulphides that are syngenetic, stratabound, and in part strataform. They usually consist of two parts: a concordant massive sulphide lens and an underlying discordant vein-type sulphide stringer or stock-work zone that is within a footwall alteration zone. In some cases, the stringer zone extends into the hangingwall as well, which appears to be the case at Picket Mountain. This continuation of the stringer zone into the hangingwall may indicate the continuation of the hydrothermal system and could represent additional exploration opportunities.

VMS deposits typically form in a diverse spectrum of volcanic-sedimentary environments that range from those dominated by flow, volcaniclastic, and or sedimentary rock types. Any of the three end members may be dominant, but what is characteristic for exploration purposes are the overall characteristics listed above.

Mineralisation
The mineral zone at Pickett Mountain is a volcanogenic m ........

Two mining methods will be employed at Pickett Mountain. The West Zone is narrow and high-grade and will utilise an Alimak mining methodology. Alimak stopes will be 100m high in the upper part of the West Zone and increase to 125m high below the 5150 level. In the wider areas of the East Zone, below 5145 elevation, a longhole mining method will be employed utilising 6-inch blastholes with stoping at 50m vertical spacing. Both methods will employ a primary/secondary mining sequence.

Mining horizons would be developed on each main level (5350, 5250, 5150, 5025, 4900, 4775, 4650, and 4600 levels) Each Alimak vein stope would be 20m along strike with 1 drawpoint per stope in the centre, from the footwall drift.

An undercut over the full width and length, on the lower main level of the potentially economic mineralisation block, would be developed. An Alimak raise would be driven in the centre of a stope from the undercut to the level above the stope. The raise would be screened over its entire length to facilitate drillers working in the raise. Cable bolts would be installed into the hanging wall of the stope, from the Alimak platform in the raise, to support the hanging wall. The Alimak installation would be left in the raise and a longhole ring drill installed on the work platform of the Alimak. The longhole drill would drill 70 mm horizontal drill holes (approximately 8.5m in length) parallel to the footwall and hanging wall of the potentially economic mi ........

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