The Eskay Creek deposit is generally classified as an example of a high-grade, precious metals-rich epithermal volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit; however, it has also been suggested to be an example of a subaqueous hot spring gold-silver deposit.

Several distinct styles of stratiform and discordant mineralization are present at the Eskay Creek Project, defined over an area approximately 1,400 m long and up to 500 m wide. The main body of mineralization, which was mined out by previous operators, is the 21B Zone, is a stratiform tabular body of gold-silver-rich mineralization roughly 900 m long, 60 to 200 m wide, and locally exceeding 20 m thick. Individual clastic sulphide beds range from 1–100 cm thick and become progressively thinner up sequence. Mineralized zones are composed of beds of clastic sulphides and sulphosalts containing variable amounts of barite, rhyolite, and mudstone clasts. Imbricated, laminated mudstone rip-up clasts were observed locally at the base of the clastic sulphide-sulphosalt beds, indicating turbiditic emplacement of some beds. In the thickest part of the orebody, pebble and cobble-sized clasts occur in a northward trending channel overlying the Eskay Rhyolite.

Gold and silver occur as electrum and amalgam while silver mainly occurs within sulphosalts. Precious metal grades generally decrease proportionally with decrease in total sulphides and sulphosalts. Clastic sulphoside beds contain fragments of coarse-graine ........

The Project is located predominantly to the south of Tom Mackay Creek with a small portion extending to the north. Infrastructure will be located on the south side of Tom Mackay Creek, with the pit extending to the north beyond Tom Mackay Creek. Underground mining has previously been conducted in the northern portion of the Project at depth. The potential for underground development beneath the open pit was examined in preliminary evaluations during the 2021 PFS but was not included as part of the PFS. There is still potential for the inclusion of underground mining in future mining studies.

Pit designs were developed for the north and south pit areas. The initial phases were designed for the purpose of obtaining a technical sample and necessary NAG waste material to create supporting infrastructure. The north pit will consist of an additional three main phases, while the south pit will only contain a single small phase. The pit optimization shells used to determine the ultimate pits were also used to outline areas of higher value for targeted early mining and phase development. The south pit is significantly smaller than the north pit and is likely to be mined near the end of the mine schedule. The south pit generally has harder rock and lower gold grades. Rhyolite is the dominant rock type that will remain in the mined-out pit walls before reclamation.

Each pit phase was designed to accommodate the proposed mining fleet. Mining will occur on 10 m benc ........

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