Magmatic nickel-copper-platinum group element (PGE) deposits occur as sulphide concentrations associated with a variety of mafic and ultramafic magmatic rocks. The magmas originate in the upper mantle, and an immiscible sulphide phase occasionally separates from the magma as a result of the processes occurring during emplacement into the crust. The sulphide phase generally partitions and concentrates nickel, copper and PGE elements from the surrounding magma. The heavy sulphide droplets once concentrated and separated from the magma tend to sink towards the base of the magma, and form concentrated pockets or layers of sulphides that crystallize upon cooling to form mineral deposits.

Nickel-bearing sulphides and a nickel-iron alloy are enriched (grades > 0.35% nickel) in stratiform bands within the dunite subzone and are also broadly disseminated at lower concentrations throughout the dunite and lower peridotite subzones. The number and thickness of these bands varies from place to place in the deposit. Nickel sulphide and alloy concentrations decrease gradationally away from the centre of these bands toward the interband zones where mineralization continues at lower concentrations. The total nickel contained in these rocks occurs in variable proportions in sulphides, alloy and silicates depending on primary magmatic nickel mineralogy and the degree of serpentinization of the rock.

Disseminated nickel mineralization is characterized by disseminated blebs of pentlandite ((Ni,Fe)9S8), heazlewoodite (Ni3S2), and the ferronickel alloy, awaruite (Ni2.5Fe), occurring in various proportions throughout the sill. These minerals can occur together as coarse agglomerates, predominantly associated with magnetite, up to 10,000 µm (10 mm), or as individual disseminated grains ranging from 2 to 1,000 µm (0.002 to 1 mm). Nickel can also occur in the crystal structure of several silicate minerals including olivine and serpentine.

Mineralized zones containing pentlandite, awaruite, and heazlewoodite, are classified into the following mineralization assemblages; sulphide dominant, alloy dominant and mixed.

The sulphide mineralization assemblage occurs in higher-grade bands (grades > 0.35% nickel) that are subparallel to the dip of, and principally in the centre of, the sill. Sulphide mineralization is dominated by pentlandite (Pn) and/or heazlewoodite (Hz) with lesser awaruite (Aw). Pentlandite and heazlewoodite occur as medium to coarse-grained blebs occupying intercumulus spaces in a primary magmatic texture, sometime exhibiting secondary overgrows within magnetic blebs. These blebs are often intimately associated with magnetite ± brucite ± chromite ± awaruite, in intercumulus spaces. Where awaruite is present with sulphides, it often observed to be a secondary overgrowth on pentlandite within the primarily textures intercumulus magnetite blebs. Up to three sulphide bands are found within the dunite where it is the thickest in the central southeast region of the sill.

The alloy mineralization assemblage is characterized by the presence of awaruite with little to no sulphides. Awaruite occurs as fine grains (generally <1 mm) associated with small intercumulus magnetite or chromite blebs. Awaruite can also be observed as a secondary overgrowth on serpentine within the pseudomorphed grain. Alloy mineralization zones occur where primary sulphides are not present and serpentinization is near complete.

The mixed mineralization assemblage typically represents a transition from sulphide to alloy or sulphide (pentlandite) to sulphide (heazlewoodite) mineralization. The mixed mineralization assemblage contains varying amounts of sulphide (pentlandite and heazlewoodite) along with similar quantities of awaruite. Mineralization can occur as coarse sulphide-magnetite blebs associated with awaruite or as finely disseminated discrete grains.

The Dumont pit measures approximately 4.9 km along strike, 1.4 km at the widest point and reaches a maximum depth of 560 m. A total of 2,514 Mt of material will be excavated, using large surface mining equipment that will operate at high production rates.

A trade of study conducted during the PFS determined that the optimal match of load and haul equipment at Dumont would be the largest class of rope shovel (= 40m3 dipper and payload of up to 110 tonnes) loading 230 t payload trucks in three passes. During the FS, this analysis was updated using the most up to date cost and productivity data from all the OEMs potentially able to supply equipment to the project.

The excavators are not fully utilized, with the FS mine plan resulting in average production of 3.3 and 10.8 Mt/a for the clay and rock units, respectively (77% and 42% of theoretical productivity). The rope shovels will be utilized closer to their maximum, with average production
of 35.4 Mt/a.

The process plant and associated service facilities will process ore delivered to primary crushers to produce nickel concentrate and tailings. The proposed process encompasses crushing and grinding of the run-of-mine (ROM) ore, desliming via hydrocyclone circuit, slimes rougher flotation, slimes cleaner flotation, nickel sulphide rougher flotation, nickel sulphide cleaning flotation, magnetic recovery of sulphide rougher and cleaner tailings, regrinding of magnetic concentrate and an awaruite recovery circuit (consisting of rougher and cleaner flotation stages).

Concentrate will be thickened, filtered and stockpiled on site prior to being loaded onto railcars or trucks for transport to third-party smelters. The slimes flotation tailings, magnetic separation tailings and awaruite rougher tailings will be combined and thickened before TSF placement.

The process plant will be built in two phases. Initially, the plant will be designed to process 52.5 kt/d with allowances for a duplicate process expansion to increase plant capacity to 105 kt/d. Common facilities will include concentrate thickening and handling and sulphuric acid off-loading and containment.