Geology

The Wolverine deposit is a classic volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit hosted in felsic volcanic and argillaceous sedimentary rocks of probable mid-Paleozoic age. The massive sulphides occur in two tabular semi-continuous lenses.

The Wolverine deposit consists of two tabular lenses of moderately dipping massive sulphide mineralization within Devono-Mississippian rhyolite and argillite strata. The deposit, discovered in 1995, has been defined by more than 158 drill holes. Each of the lenses has a thick core zone that ranges from 6 to 25 metres in true thickness, flanked by thinner massive sulphide mineralization. The core zone tends to have greater amounts of pyrite and be lower grade in base and particularly precious metals as compared with the thinner mineralization.

The new mine plan provides for greater recovery of the thinner ores and increases ability to optimize the mining schedule and achieve greater metal recovery in early years of production.