Mineral Exploration

NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL REGIONS W inte r 20 17 41 Aben Resources Ltd. carried out drilling on its Forrest Kerr project. In early October, results for the first of six holes were reported. The hole, a 280-metre step-out north of historical drilling, returned 10.0 metres of 6.7 g/t gold and 0.9 per cent copper. In July, Seabridge Gold Inc. reported that sampling and geophysical programs were concluding on its Iskut project and that the results would be used to establish locations for 8,500 metres of drilling on the Quartz Rise target, which appears to be a stacked lithocap precious metals system. In June, Desert Star Resources Ltd. announced signing an agreement to acquire 100 per cent interest in the Kutcho project from Capstone Mining Corp. for $28.8 million. In July, Desert Star announced a pre-feasibility study with updated resource figures. At a 1.0 per cent copper cut-o", combined measured and indicated resources are estimated at 16.853 million tonnes of 1.89 per cent copper, 2.87 per cent zinc, 0.36–g/t gold and 32.8–g/t silver. Dolly Varden Silver Corporation reported drilling results for its Dolly Varden project, which consists of the Torbrit, Dolly Varden, Wolf and North Star deposits. Drilling between the Torbrit and Wolf deposits resulted in a new discovery (Central zone), with results that included 16.10 metres (13.19 metres true thickness) grading 269.0–g/t silver, 0.30 per cent lead and 0.21 per cent zinc. Followup drilling confirmed this discovery, returning results of 7.15 metres (6.72 metres true thickness) grading 1,180.7–g/t silver, 1.83 per cent lead and 0.26 per cent zinc. Based on these results, plans for drilling increased from 5,000 to 12,000 metres. Nickel/copper projects Garibaldi Resources Corp. reported that diamond drilling at its E&L project intersected two intervals of sulphide mineralization totalling 176 metres in a sequence of mafic and ultramafic rocks. Coal Allegiance Coal Limited announced a favourable pre-feasibility study for its Telkwa Metallurgical Coal project and plans for a feasibility study and permit applications. NORTHWEST REGION ŸSKEENA¢ Precious metals New Gold Inc. continued advancing its environmental assessment process for its Blackwater gold project, anticipating approval in 2017, and undertook geotechnical work related to mine design. Proven and probable reserves stand at 8.2 million ounces gold and 60.8 million ounces silver. As proposed, Blackwater would be a 60,000-tonnes-per-day operation with a 17-year mine life. Independence Gold Corp. completed a mobile metal ions (MMI) soil survey on its 3Ts property, and identified new exploration targets. Joe Hirak drilled on his Prophecy project near Manson Creek, following up on a vein discovery of galena with gold. Gitennes Exploration Inc. continued work on its Hixon and Snowbird properties with ground magnetic surveys, mapping and sampling. In September, Tower Resources Ltd. announced plans for drilling on its Nechako Gold project beginning in mid-October. Porphyry projects AuRico Metals Inc. completed 12,000 metres of drilling to infill and extend its deposit at Kemess East (KE). At Kemess Underground (KUG), AuRico continued engineering studies to evaluate whether development could be integrated with KE. An environmental certificate was issued for KUG in April, and in early September the company made an application for KUG to the Major Mines Permitting O"ice. It also produced an NI–43-101 report for both projects in July. The former Kemess South (KS) mine closed in 2011. However, KS infrastructure remains in place, and both camp and ore processing plant would be used to service the newly developed mines. KUG is about 6.5 kilometres north of the KS processing plant, and KE is about one kilometre east of KUG. KUG is considered a stand-alone operation for permitting purposes, to be mined by panel caving, with crushed ore conveyed underground to the processing plant. KE is also being treated as a stand- alone underground operation, but would PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Drilling at Aben Resources Ltd.'s Forrest Kerr project.

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