PORCUPINE

MINING

Underground mining is conducted at the Hoyle Pond site at a planned rate of 1,178 tonnes per day. Hoyle Pond underground mine is accessed both by decline and by a shaft, which accesses the bottom track haulage level at 720 metres.

The current ramp is now advancing to depths greater than 1,100 metres below surface and is interconnected with a recently commissioned internal winze at a depth of approximately 920 metres. The current winze configuration has potential for expansion to a depth beyond 1,300 metres below surface. Mining methods employed are conventional cut and fill, shrinkage, panel mining, and longhole methods in wider zones.

The Dome open pit completed mining in 2005. Extensive stockpiles were accumulated during mining and these will be used to supplement ore from the active Pamour open pit in 2006 The Pamour open pit ramped up to full production during 2005 and will be mined in three stages utilizing the existing Dome open pit equipment, mining methods and procedures. Mining is conducted using conventional open pit mining methods utilizing diesel powered drills, electric cable shovels, 136 tonne haulage trucks, front-end loaders, dozers and other support equipment. All mining is carried out on 9 metre benches. Pit wall inter-ramp angles vary; haulage ramp gradients are set to 10%. Pamour ore is transported to the Dome mill via a 12 kilometre dedicated haul road utilizing 136 tonne haulage trucks.

The Dome underground operation was restarted in 2006 after being placed on care and maintenance in 2004 due to depletion of resources at then current gold prices.