This turn-key, mining-milling project is a fully operational mining facility that includes a 200+ tpd flotation plant with a gravity gold separation circuit. In 2008, a complete CIL gold leaching circuit was designed and purchased with approximately 60% installed to date. The mine also includes a fleet of mining vehicles, a self-contained diesel power plant, maintenance facilities, drilling equipment, an 85 person camp, office facilities and a 1.2 km long landing strip. "Mining and processing operations at Nixon Fork are fully permitted and bonded."
In 2009 the company began a $1.25M evaluation of the project to confirm the status of the geological work, confirm both the gold grade from the tailings pond, and further metallurgical through testwork. The evaluation program is continuing into 2010, with key milestones including a determination of a go, no-go decision for completing the CIL circuit to process tailings in March/April 2010; defining exploration targets for underground and surface drilling commencing in May; the preparation of a new resource estimate for the property by fall 2010, and the determination of a go, no-go decision for the resumption of underground mining by the end of the year.
The Nixon Fork mine hosts a skarn deposit with complex geology. Understanding the rock types and structure is paramount to demonstrating the continuity of mineralization. The company believes that the information from the previous operators to be relevant, it is management's objective to re-establish a new geological model and mine plan by completing the following:
at the mine site, the company has a team of geologists that are currently re-logging all existing core at site in conjunction with underground mapping of current workings (a component of the re-logging will be to reduce and compile historic rock codes from over 300 to approximately 30) re-assaying selective intercepts, and confirming or correcting hole surveys re-logging and re-assaying portions of the most recent drill programs undertaken by the previous operators
management plans to drill up to 20,000 m in 2010 in both underground and surface programs.
Upon completion of this work, a new resource estimate scheduled for completion late in 2010, will be prepared for the property, using
From 2004 through 2009 the previous operator spent approximately US$52 million on upgrades to the processing facilities, mine infrastructure, permitting and bonding with only a limited amount of their budget spent on exploration.
The company’s address is