Mining and Exploration highlights

Transcription

1 Mining and Exploration highlights Omineca and Northeast regions, British Columbia, C. Paul Jago - P.Geo., Regional Geologist, Prince George BC

2 Main mineral deposit types mined and/or explored for in 2014: - Epithermal gold-silver & gold vein Mines and selected exploration projects, Porphyry copper-gold ± Ag ± Mo Porphyry molybdenum - Sediment-hosted zinc-lead ± Ag - Niobium ± REE (specialty metals) - Nickel-iron alloy (awaruite) - Barite veins - Phosphate - Limestone, Dimension stone - Med volatile bituminous coal - Anthracite coal

3 Updated mineral exploration expenditure & drilling statistics Expenditure $70.8 million in 2015 (23.3% less YOY) Drilling 57,350 m (14.6% less YOY)

4 Mineral production in BC $6.9 B Average increase of $345 M/y since 2003 Skeena Region = 43.0% Omineca-Northeast Region = 26.1% 69% of expenditure from Northern BC $26 M/y 2014 $272 M 2013 Average increase of since 2003 (2015)

5 Northeast Region: - Peace River Coalfield

6 Peace River Coalfield: mines five metallurgical coal mines (and mine developments) placed on C&M since 2013: Trend-Roman - Anglo American plc Perry Creek - Walter Energy, Inc. Brule - Walter Energy, Inc. Willow Creek -Walter Energy, Inc. Quintette-Babcock - Teck Coal Limited HART RANGES 2015: mined inventory transported in January at: Trend-Roman - Anglo American plc and processed and transported to May at: Brule - Walter Energy, Inc. Willow Creek -Walter Energy, Inc.

7 Peace River Coalfield: mine evaluation Metallurgical coal Sukunka - Glencore plc (75%), JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. (25%) Env. Assessment (under review) updated resource/geologic model eng. & env. studies - proposed open-pit mine <3 Mt saleable coal (initially) >20 year mine life, ~540 jobs ops 145 Mt in situ resource (M & I) HART RANGES Murray River - HD Mining Int l Ltd. Env. Assessment (issued in Oct, 2015) driving decline (1350 m) drilling (11 holes - hydrogeo., explor.) 2016: bulk sample complete - mine permitting proposed underground longwall mine avg. production of 4.8 Mt/y saleable coal. 25 year mine life, ~760 jobs ops Mt (proven reserve)

8 Murray River HD Mining International Ltd.

9 Peace River Coalfield area: mine evaluation Industrial mineral phosphate (fertilizer) Wapiti East - Fertoz International Ltd. scoping study, upgraded resource <75,000 t/y mine lease application submitted (late 2014) proposed seasonal shallow open-pit mine >20 year mine life 0.81 Mt at 22.3% P 2 O 5 (Ind.) 2016: 10,000 t bulk sample sales (Wapiti East & Fernie projects) field & lab testing for organic certification direct application fertilizer product HART RANGES

10 Omineca Region: - Kechika trough - Toodoggone River area - Muskwa ranges Fireside - Fireside Minerals Ltd barite production: 65,000 tonnes mined 32,000 tonnes milled sold as a weighting agent for drilling fluids in oil/gas exploration, prevents blowouts

11 1300 m strike length 700 m down-dip extent 20 m avg. true thickness Kechika trough: grassroots to advanced Sediment-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag Akie - Canada Zinc Metals Corp. diamond drilling (8 holes; 5350 m) airborne gravity gradiometry data updating NI resource estimate environmental baseline studies permitted for underground development & drilling ST QN CA NA Cardiac Creek deposit (Akie) 19.6 Mt at 8.2% Zn, 1.6% Pb, 13.6 g/t Ag (Ind.) = 3540 Mlbs Zn, 685 Mlbs Pb, 8.6 Moz Ag 8.1 Mt at 6.8% Zn, 1.2% Pb, 11.2 g/t Ag (Inf.) Drilling highlights m of 10.22% Zn, 2.34% Pb, g/t Ag (A ) m of 8.63% Zn, 1.68% Pb, g/t Ag (A ) m of 9.47% Zn, 2.11% Pb, g/t Ag (A ) m of 9.71% Zn, 1.74% Pb, g/t Ag (A ) Kechika Regional 140 km trend of contiguous properties airborne gravity gradiometry data received for: Yuen North & Mt. Alcock properties

12 1000 m strike length 300 m down-dip extent <60 m thickness Kechika trough: grassroots to advanced Cirque - Teck Resources Limited, Korea Zinc Company Limited drilling (5370 m; 5 holes) geochemical sampling (rock, soil) mapping, prospecting airborne gravity gradiometry data received ST QN CA NA Kechika Regional (Pie Option): Yuen, Cirque East, Pie, Elf drill target definition geochemical sampling (rock, soil) mapping, prospecting, core relogging gravity geophysical survey (12.5 line-km) airborne gravity data received Pb-Zn anomaly (2.2 x 0.5 km) defined on Yuen (MacIntyre, Bulletin 103) North Cirque deposit (Cirque) non NI compliant: 38.5 Mt at 8% Zn, 2.2% Pb, 47.2 g/t Ag (Ind.)

13 Akie Cirque

14 Magnetite, apatite, phlogopite, Nb-oxides Muskwa ranges: grassroots to mine evaluation Carbonatite-hosted niobium Aley - Taseko Mines Limited Env. Assessment (pre-ap.) eng. & metallurgical studies geochemical characterization of ore environmental baseline data collection ST 1200 x 400 m proposed open pit QN CA NA proposed open-pit mine - 10,000 t/d processing avg t/y niobium production 24 year mine life 83.8 Mt at 0.50% Nb 2 O 5 ; ~292,900 tonnes Nb (P&P) MVT zinc-lead deposit Coral - Minfocus Exploration Corp. geochemical sampling (rock), mapping, prospecting 3.21% Zn, 0.70% Pb avg. grade in 12.9 m long trench

15 2 km Toodoggone River area: advanced to mine evaluation Porphyry Cu-Au-Ag-Mo Kemess Underground - AuRico Metals Inc. proposed underground panel cave mine 2015: geotechnical drilling, test pitting 2016: Env. Assessment (under review) feasibility study update 24,600 t/d processing - 12 year mine life ST QN CA NA ore is m below surface using Kemess South infrastructure pre-production capex = C$603 million 4-year development period, >400 jobs avg. annual production: 106 Koz Au, 47 Mlbs Cu LOM production: 1.4 Moz Au, 573 Mlbs Cu, 4.5 Moz Ag Mt at 0.27% Cu, 0.54 g/t Au, 2.0 g/t Ag (P&P) = Mlbs Cu, 1.9 Moz Au, 6.9 Moz Ag Mt at 0.22% Cu, 0.42 g/t Au, 1.8 g/t Ag (M&I)

16 Toodoggone River area: advanced to mine evaluation Porphyry Cu-Au-Ag-Mo Kemess East - AuRico Metals Inc. one km east of KUG 2015: drilling (15 holes; 27,719 m) Kemess East & Kemess Offset zones open in three directions ST QN CA NA geochemical sampling (rock), mapping, prospecting high-grade deposit core delineated 2016: metallurgical testwork program 39.2 Mt at 0.40% Cu, 0.50 g/t Au, 2.0 g/t Ag = 344 Mlbs Cu, 627 Koz Au, 2.5 Moz Ag (Ind.) updated resource estimate based on lithological, structural & alteration models Mt at 0.37% Cu, 0.38 g/t Au, 2.0 g/t Ag (Inf.) High grade core: 19.2 Mt at 0.47% Cu, 0.72 g/t Au, 2.0 g/t Ag (Ind.)

17 S N Toodoggone River area: advanced to mine evaluation Kemess East -AuRico Metals Inc. drilling highlights: 305 m of g/t Au, 0.433% Cu (KH-15-01) 301 m of g/t Au, 0.394% Cu (KH-15-02) 458 m of g/t Au, 0.437% Cu (KH-15-23) 590 m of g/t Au, 0.366% Cu (KH-15-27) 772 m of g/t Au, 0.365% Cu (KH-15-30) mineralization: m depth

18 Kemess East zone Kemess Offset zone

19 Toodoggone River area: early stage Epithermal Au-Ag Lawyers - PPM Phoenix Precious Metals Corp. drilling (24 holes, 4002 m), prospecting Cliff Creek North (1600 m strike length) & Duke's Ridge (1480 m) zones verify and infill historic results ST QN CA NA P2 vein discovery: 0.7 m over 274 g/t Au, 7542 g/t Ag first drilling program in 9 years Bowser Basin: advanced stage Anthracite coal Groundhog Atrum Coal Groundhog Inc. proposed Groundhog North Mining Complex updating PFS for underground & highwall mines 2016: underground bulk sample permit (<100 Kt) planned initial small-scale mine permit (<250 Kt/y) eng. studies and env. baseline data collection coal quality testing & washing simulations improved yields >80% for Duke E seam upgraded resource & geological model

20 Magnetite replacement and breccia body Lawyers Groundhog North - proposed initial portal development Mt in situ anthracite (M&I) - Groundhog North Mt in situ anthracite (M&I) - East of Skeena

21 Ingenika fault corridor: grassroots to early stage Porphyry Cu-Au Kliyul - Teck Resources Limited, Kiska Metals Corporation drilling (4 holes, 1908 m) geochemical sampling (rock), mapping, prospecting ST QN CA NA drilling highlights: m of 0.18% Cu, 0.53 g/t Au (KLI ) m of 0.20% Cu, 0.26 g/t Au (KLI ) Copper King - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. Menard - HPX Quesnellia Holdings 1 Inc. IP survey (5 line-km) at Copper King geochemical sampling (rock, soil, silt) at Menard mapping, prospecting Red Lion Garibaldi Resources Corp. aeromagnetic, radiometric survey, IP survey (47 line-km) geochemical sampling mapping, prospecting area of Cu-Au anomalous RGS stream sediments (including Kliyul)

22 Magnetite replacement and breccia body Ingenika fault corridor: grassroots to early stage Porphyry Cu-Au Kliyul - Teck Resources Limited, Kiska Metals Corporation

23 Omineca Region: - Quesnel Terrane

24 CA NA Quesnel Terrane: mine and early stage Porphyry Cu-Au-Ag Mt. Milligan - Thompson Creek Metals Company Ltd. ramp-up continued to 60,000 t/d processing in Jan 2016 second SAG mill discharge screen deck installed ST CC QN North Grid - Thompson Creek Metals Company Ltd. drilling (2000 m) on two targets: Mitzi, Snell similar geophysical-geochemical signatures as mineralized stocks at Mt. Milligan deposit SM engineering for permanent secondary crushing circuit 2015 production: 71.4 Mlbs Cu, Koz Au 2016 guidance: Mlbs Cu, Koz Au 2016 production from higher grade gold zones 2016 planned capex ~$72 M ($47 M secondary crusher) 23 year mine life, ~450 employ.

25 Reserves: Mt at 0.196% Cu, g/t Au (P&P) = 2185 Mlbs Cu, 5.69 Moz Au

26 CA NA Quesnel Terrane: mine and early stage Porphyry Cu-Au ST CC QN SM Kwanika, Kwanika East-Smoke & Jewel - Serengeti Resources Inc. 2015: heliborne magnetics survey (328 line-km at KE-S, 55 line-km at Jewel) 2 km-long ring-shaped cluster of mag highs (Jewel) Col-Later - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. IP survey (68 line-km) drilling (6 holes, 2493 m) testing two geophysical anomalies on the till-blanketed western side of property Chuchi - Kiska Metals Corp. IP survey (10 line-km), prospecting chargeability anomalies within and flanking the BP zone (1.5 x 1.5 km) intrusive centre new drill targets 2016: re-evaluating Kwanika PEA - drill program in deposit area (JV w. DAEWOO Minerals Canada Corp.)

27 Col-Later Chuchi

28 Omineca Region: - Nechako Plateau - Cache Creek terrane - Slide Mtn terrane/cassiar platform Endako - Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. (75%), Sojitz Moly Resources Inc. July placed on care and maintenance reserves: 33.4 Mt at 0.049% Mo (M&I) = 36 Mlbs molybdenum

29 Nechako Plateau: mine evaluation ST CC QN SM CA Epithermal Au-Ag (int. sulfidation) Blackwater - New Gold Inc. Env. Assessment (under review) eng. & env. studies alternative TSF evaluation proposed open-pit mine - 60,000 t/d processing KO avg. annual production: 413 Koz Au, 1.74 Moz Ag (LOM) 17 year mine life, ~500 jobs Mt at 0.74 g/t Au, 5.5 g/t Ag = 8.17 Moz Au, 60.8 Moz Ag (P&P) W E ~1300 x 950 x 350 m depth mineralized-altered body BW-623: silica halos on pyrite-sphalerite pseudomorphs New Gold, m

30 Nechako Plateau: early stage ST CC QN SM CA Epithermal Au-Ag Porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag Blackwater South - New Gold Inc. 3 target areas: BW South, Dave, Kaolinite Ridge drilling (5150 m) - following up 2014 porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag discovery at NW margin of Blackwater pluton heliborne magnetics survey ground geophysics (IP, mag) geochemical sampling (soil, rock) mapping, prospecting KO Buck - New Gold Inc. heliborne geophysics (magnetics) geochemical sampling (rock) mapping, prospecting Late Cretaceous granite pluton DBS m at 0.19% Cu, 0.118% Mo, 2.58 g/t Ag 284 m at 0.10% Cu, 0.029% Mo, 0.84 g/t Ag DBS m at 0.09% Cu, 0.055% Mo, 0.65 g/t Ag 98 m at 0.05% Cu, 0.033% Mo, 0.47 g/t Ag

31 Nechako Plateau Cache Creek terrane: grassroots to early stage ST CC QN SM CA Epithermal Au-Ag (low sulfidation) Au-quartz veins 2 X Fred - Kootenay Silver Inc. Theia Resources Ltd. 2014: trenching, sampling (rock) KO 244 samples in 16 trenches avg g/t Au, 8.7 g/t Ag 2015: shallow drilling (4 holes, 717 m) incl m at 0.55 g/t Au, 9.39 g/t Ag 3.0 x 1.4 km area vein system Trout - Venerable Ventures Ltd. soil sampling 900 x 100 m NE-trending Au-As-Sb geochem anomaly BT - Porpoise Bay Minerals Ltd. trenching, prospecting area of anomalous gold surface samples <0.318 g/t Au

32 Slide Mtn terrane Cassiar platform: mine evaluation ST CC QN SM CA Industrial mineral limestone Giscome - Graymont Western Canada Inc. Env. Assessment (under review) KO eng. & env. studies final lime plant & quarry design bulk sample (1000 t), test pitting proposed 600,000 t/y limestone quarry vertical lime kiln to produce 198,000 t/y lime 50+ year mine life <60 jobs construction, ~15 ops >100 Mt of limestone in situ (Ind.) (>95% calcite, <5% Mg-carbonate)

33 In summary: Omineca region exploration expenditure for 2015 is estimated at $39.6 million - 7% less than in 2014 total drilling for 2015 is estimated at 55,200 m (32% more than in 2014) grassroots + early stage exploration = 24.7% of expenditure Northeast region exploration expenditure for 2015 is estimated at $31.3 million - 37% less than in 2014 total drilling for 2015 is estimated at 2,150 m - 92% less than in 2014 reflecting difficult metallurgical coal market conditions

34 Thank you. Q s? References Cui, Y., Miller, D., Nixon, G., and Nelson, J., British Columbia digital geology. British Columbia Geological Survey Open File Nelson, J. L., Colpron, M., and Israel, S.K., The Cordillera of British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska: tectonics and metallogeny. In: Colpron, M., Bissig, T., Rusk, B., and Thompson, J.F.H., (Eds.), Tectonics, Metallogeny, and Discovery - the North American Cordillera and similar accretionary settings. Society of Economic Geologists, Special Publication 17, pp Acknowledgments Thanks to the geologists and miners who were generous with their time and resources, and those who provided expenditure and related information. I also thank the Regional Geologists and the Mineral Development Office for additional support, and the skilled staff at the Ministry of Energy and Mines regional office in Prince George.