A large number of exploration works on Ruddock Creek Property (the “Property”) which is located at Revelstoke area in southeastern British Columbia, Canada have been conducted by various companies including Cominco Ltd. and Falconbridge Ltd. since 1960. Joint - venture (the “J/V”) between Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd., Itochu Corporation and Selkirk Metals Corporation which is wholly owned subsidiary of Imperial Metals Corporation began three years exploration program on the Property in June 2010.
Surface mapping, geochemical and geophysical survey and surface drilling were carried out in southeast of the Property from 1960 to 2004. As a result, zinc-lead massive sulfide deposit was discovered. From 2005 to 2009 Selkirk operated intensive drilling campaign at E zone resulting in many intersections of massive sulfide layers being found, which are considered as an extension from the mineralized outcrop on surface. After the J/V exploration commenced, the target area was extended to whole of the deposit. To date, 1,291 m underground development, totally 426 drill holes (88,488 m) and resource estimation for Upper E zone, Lower E zone and Creek Zone have been completed on the Property.
The J/V also carried out microscopic study intended to reveal ore forming process on 30 samples collected from G, V, Creek, and Lower E zone. As a result of the thin section observation and EDS analysis two types of the mineralization are suggested; one is related to the generation of Quartz Exhalative Ore which has some features of a sedimentary deposit, and the other is associated to Massive Sulfide Ore containing several characteristics possibly showing a carbonate-hosted replacement mineralization which had not been pointed out in previous works on the Property.
Preliminary economic assessment performed in 2012 indicates the Property has sufficient economic value to proceed towards pre-feasibility study.

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The Pallca mine in the Peruvian Andes has been producing lead-zinc ore since 2006. Then, intensive exploration and development activities have been carried out on deposits of the Berlin zone located in the east side of the Culebra complex (acidic intrusives). Through accumulation of results of geological investigation on the Berlin zone, following facts were revealed;
1. The mineralization is closely related to the V3 Upper Fault (Gomi Fault) and fold structure of the Santa Formation (Limestone). Also, quartz porphyry stocks and sheets always occur closely to skarn and mineralization.
2. On the basis of their mode of occurrence and mineral assemblage, ore genesis are divided into the following two stages; (1) early mineralization stage and (2) late hydrothermal mineralization stage.
3. According to analysis on distribution of skarnization and mineralization, the mineralization occurs intensively in the Carhuaz Formation (Shale, sandstone, limestone) rather than the Santa Formation in the southern part of the Berlin zone.
Based on the results of those analyses, the exploration program emphasized on the Carhuaz Formation in the south part Berlin zone made discoveries of large deposits in the Carhuaz Formation.
In addition, we measured the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions and EPMA quantitative analysis of skarn ore in the Berlin zone. As a result, it was found to exhibit a similar trend of change in each line and in calcite and clinopyroxene Fe content of sphalerite. it is considered that the ore-forming fluid has been moved from the side or deep of intrusive rocks.

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The Arqueros area comprising third party's mining concessions of approximately 50 km², is situated in the Lower Cretaceous strata-bound copper (-silver) metallogenic belt in Northern Chile. This area had persisted unexplored for many years in spite of its geographical proximity to some operating copper mines and active exploration sites. Sojitz Corporation and Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd., focusing on its potential of mineral deposit, jointly acquired their exploration rights in July and started exploring it in September, 2011. After two phases of activities, the companies have discovered concealed strata-bound copper (-silver) deposit hosted in a limestone member in the volcanic rock-dominated Lower Cretaceous Arqueros Formation.
In the first phase (September to December, 2011), surface geological and scout drilling surveys were conducted under the Overseas Geological Survey Program by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC). A great potential of copper ore deposit within the limestone member was revealed by the geological survey from a similarity of geology with the adjoining copper mine. And then a scout core drilling of 14 vertical holes (2,971.75 m) was performed in the prospective areas extracted by the geological survey. The two neighboring holes which are about 500 m away from each other, intersected mineralized intervals of 7.00 m @1.41% Cu, 23.8 g/t Ag and 10.90 m @0.81% Cu, 11.8 g/t Ag at a cut-off grade of 0.5% Cu, respectively, in the same limestone horizon.
In the second phase (April to June, 2012), additional 12 vertical core holes were arranged at 300 to 500 m spacing around the two holes over the area stretching 1.5 km from east to west and 2 km from north to south, and were drilled (totaling 3,191.75 m) to test lateral continuity of those ore intersections. Eight holes of them successfully confirmed copper mineralization of 5.5-20 m thick grading 0.8-1.6% Cu and 9-37 g/t Ag in that particular limestone horizon, which forms a continuous stratiform ore body spreading over an area of at least 1 km x 1.5 km. Mineralization consists of finely-disseminated chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite in an inter-clast matrix, dissolved calcareous fragments, and calcite veins and veinlets. Since the outer limit of mineralization has not yet been confirmed, this stratiform ore deposit can be extended toward the outside depending on the results of future exploration works.
At the present stage, estimating mineral resources is a task of immediate importance. For this purpose, a grid drilling at approximately 200 m spacing is required over the second phase-exploration area. A scout drilling in the surrounding area also is highly recommended for testing further extension of the discovered ore deposit.

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The Akouta mine, the largest underground uranium mine in the world, is located in the Tim Mersoi sedimentary basin, a well-known uranium province in northern Niger. Two mines in the province, the Arlit mine since 1971 and the Akouta mine since 1978, provided the entire uranium production of Niger until 2011, when operations started at a third mine, Azelik. To date, more than 120,000 tU has been produced from the province.
In the Tim Mersoi basin, the uranium deposits are sandstone hosted and largely tabular with local roll front structures (Akouta). The deposits were formed by complex interaction between tectonic, lithologic and paleogeographic factors. They occur from surface to a depth of 250 m and the grade is relatively low, between 0.1% and 0.6% U. The Carboniferous formations of the Guezouman (Akouta) and Tarat (Arlit), the Jurassic formation of the Tchirezrine (Imouraren deposit) or the Cretaceous formation of the Assouas (Azelik deposit) host the ore bodies.
At Akouta, the deposit lies 250 m deep at the base of the Guezouman sandstone. The mineralization is 1 m to 15 m thick and nearly flat-lying, with an average grade of 0.4% U. The mining method is room and pillar with conventional drilling and blasting equipment. With this method, the miners are in direct contact with low-grade ore and suitable ventilation measures are utilized to reduce the risk of radiation exposure.
OURD, with the support of Japanese utilities, mining and trading companies, joined the French Atomic Energy Agency in 1970 in exploration and development activities in Akouta. Since 1978, OURD has provided uranium to Japanese utilities from its share of mine production. Until the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, uranium supplied by OURD from Niger accounted for about one hour of total daily electricity produced in Japan.

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The Pogo gold mine, in Interior Alaska, U.S.A., is operated by Sumitomo Metal Mining Pogo LLC (SMM Pogo LLC.). It has been developed since 2006 and is considered a relatively “young” mine. Continuous, near mine exploration has been needed to add additional resource and reserve because the original life of mine was a short 10 years (assumed from initial feasibility study). Since 2009, when the operatorship was changed to SMM Pogo LLC. from Teck Resources Ltd., exploration has been concentrated in the vicinity of current mine area. The reason for this was to minimize the preparatory period of development in the case of discovery of additional feasible ore bodies. As a result of the drilling program from 2009 to 2011, based on the strategy above, the new E1 ore body was discovered in East Deep area, 400 m northeast of the developed Liese Zone. The E1 vein added 1,283 koz. (40 tonnes) gold and contributes more than 2 years extension to life of mine. This was achieved by clear strategy, prompt analysis of drilling results and its reflection to geological model and flexible exploration planning.

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