Mining Your Business, Volume 1, Issue 2

MINING your business

november

2021 Vol. 1, Issue 2

E-NEWSLETTER | A NORTH OF 60 COMPANION publication

Gold Terra is aiming to find more gold on their district size land package in Yellowknife Uncovering a copper porphyry in an historic placer gold mining camp Western Atlas Resources Inc. exploring gold in Nunavut

miningnorthof60.com

IN THIS ISSUE Message from the editor, Shayna Wiwierski – 4 Yukon mining and exploration update – 5 Update from Western Atlas Resources Inc. – 8 Fortune Minerals’ NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper development – 10 Gold Terra’s drilling success close to Yellowknife demonstrates there could be a lot more high-grade

MINING your business DEL Communications Inc. www.delcommunications.com President & CEO David Langstaff Managing Editor Shayna Wiwierski shayna@delcommunications.com Director of Online Marketing & Sales MIC PATERSON mic@delcommunications.com Advertising Manager dayna oulion

gold to be found in this historic mining district – 13

Sales Representatives brent astrope | brian gerow

Uncovering a copper porphyry in a

Cover Photo Courtesy of gold terra corp.

historical placer gold mining camp – 16 Mining an untapped resource: Women in non-traditional occupations – 18 Registering with NAPEG – 20 Another year, another sealift! – 22 Heritage rights and Indigenous involvement – 24 Smithers and the Smithers Regional Airport target mining – 26

Contributing Writers mimi kennedy-chassie | vince Mccormick Kaitlyn MOrris © 2021 DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced­by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher­.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information­and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements­made by advertisers.

Opinions and recommendations­made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher­, its directors, officers or employees.

DEL Communications Inc. and miningnorthof60.com are extremely grateful to our advertisers for their support in this publication. We invite you to visit their sites by clicking the companies below.

Aurora College................................................................................................................ 3 Cannorth Environmental Services.............................................................................25 Desgagnes Transarcktik.............................................................................................23 Gold Terra Resource Corp.......................................................................................... 15 Lockett Consultation Services Inc............................................................................... 4 NAPEG............................................................................................................................ 21 Onyen..............................................................................................................................27 Sixth North Gold Mining Ltd.......................................................................................27 2

message from the editor

shayna Wiwierski Welcome to Volume 1, Issue 2 of Mining Your Business e-newsletter.

Lots has been happening in the Canadian territories of the Yukon, Nunavut, and the NWT since our last issue. In the Yukon alone, as you will read in the report on page 5, the 2021 mining season approached normal, and operating mines managed to ramp-up production after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are so many companies exploring in Canada’s north, and this issue of Mining Your Business only covers the tip of the iceberg. On page 8, Western Atlas Resources Inc. showcases their Meadowbank project, which is positioned along trend and immediately adjacent to Agnico Eagle’s Meadowbank and Amaruq producing gold mines in Nunavut. On page 10, Fortune Minerals talks about its NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper vertically integrated development project and how it will enable to transition to new technologies.

Now of course this issue covers more than just development. We feature a story from

NAPEG on page 20 and how they regulate their members in the public interest, as well as a story from Aurora College on how they are attracting more women into the mining profession.

• Western Atlas Resources Inc.

Those stories are just a taste of what we have in store for you in Issue 2 of Mining Your Business. I hope you enjoy this e-newsletter and we hope you will help us spread the message about this exciting publication to your colleagues and friends.

Also, if you haven’t signed up already, we invite you to share this and to sign up for our newsletter at miningnorthof60.com/ mining-your-business/.

• The Smithers Regional Airport

Finally, we wish to thank all the companies who have contributed a story for Volume 1, Issue 2 of Mining Your Business.

Special thanks goes out to the following contributors: • ATAC Resources Ltd. • Canada North Environmental Services (CanNorth) • The Yukon Geological Survey, Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources, Government of Yukon

Lockett Consultation Services Inc. Over 25 Years Experience in the NWT and Nunavut

• Taqramut Transport Inc. • NAPEG • Gold Terra Corp.

• Aurora College • Fortune Minerals We invite all interested companies to share their news and editorial ideas with us. If you would like to contribute a story for future issues of Mining Your Business e-newsletter, please contact myself, Shayna Wiwierski, at shayna@delcommunications.com.

Also, please keep an eye out for our annual magazine, North of 60, which will be released in early 2022. If you have news you wish to share for our flagship publication, please feel free to reach out to me at the email address listed above.

Visit us online at miningnorthof60.com.

Enjoy! 7

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Yukon mining and exploration update This article was written by the Yukon Geological Survey, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Government of Yukon * note all dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars.

The Yukon mining industry is gradually recovering from the impacts of COVID. Thanks to measures put in place by mining and exploration companies, contractors and suppliers, and supported by the Yukon Government, the 2021 season approached “normal” and operating mines managed to ramp-up production.

Current estimates for the 2021 exploration season expenditures are greater than $100 million, compared to $76 million in 2020.

Development expenditures are estimated at $70 million ($54 million in 2020) for ongoing development work at the Eagle and Minto mines, the restart of mining operations at Keno, and preparatory work on the Coffee and Kudz Ze Kayah projects. Mine production revenue from Yukon’s three operating hardrock mines is estimated to end the year at approximately $500 million. An early estimate for 2021 placer production is approximately 83,000 crude ounces with a value approaching $140 million, slightly lower than that of 2020.

The Yukon Mineral Exploration Program (YMEP) budget for 2021 is $1.48 million.

The funding is being directed to 21 placer and 32 hard rock projects. YMEP is expected to leverage approximately $4.5 million in matching company funds.

Mining operations High copper prices throughout the year have benefitted the Minto Mine. Minto Exploration Ltd. has continued to ramp-

The Yukon Geological Survey is currently tracking 72 active hard rock exploration projects.

5

up production rates at the high-grade, underground, copper-gold-silver mine.

The company initiated a 13,000-metre drilling program mid-summer focusing on the Minto North deposit and on undeveloped parts of the property in and around the existing deposits and infrastructure that, based on past geophysical surveys and geochemistry, are highly prospective.

Victoria Gold Corp. has been steadily ramping up production at its intrusionrelated Eagle Gold Mine. The company reported record production for the month of August (20,744 ounces of gold) and they are on track to reach 2021 guidance levels of between 180,000 and 200,000 ounces. The company is also conducting a 15,000-metre drill program at its Raven, Lynx, and Rex-Peso targets.

Alexco Resource Corp. initiated a restart to mining operations at Keno Hill late in 2020. They started with mill-feed from the Bellekeno deposit and are expecting initial ore production from the Bermingham deposit in Q3, and from the Flame & Moth deposit in Q4, 2021. The company is in the process of completing a 19,000-metre deep-drilling campaign on the Bermingham Northeast Deep zone using directional drilling techniques, and has announced more than 50 significant high-grade silver intercepts targeting the zone.

Mine permitting BMC Minerals Ltd. awaits a final decision from the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) on its Kudz Ze Kayah Project.

Kudz Ke Kayah is a VMS deposit containing 19 million tonnes grading 6.35 per cent zinc, 1.9 per cent lead, 0.93 per cent copper, 148 g/t silver, and 1.39 g/t gold.

Newmont Corporation is also awaiting a decision from YESAB on its Coffee Gold Project. YESAB is in the Developing Screening Report and Recommendation stage. The property hosts a NI 43-101 6

resource containing 58.1 million tonnes at 1.43 g/t gold in the measured, indicated, and inferred categories (M, I & I).

Exploration activity The Yukon Geological Survey is currently tracking 72 active hard rock exploration projects (see accompanying map), 27 of which are projected to spend more than $1 million. Gold is the main commodity of interest, with 57 per cent of exploration and development spending directed to the precious metal, followed by silver (29 per cent), copper (eight per cent), and zinc-lead (six per cent), with nickel-PGE and tin projects representing less than one per cent. A selection of the larger projects, by budget, are discussed below.

Work is ongoing at many of the projects and results from this year’s work are expected to trickle in throughout the fall and winter.

Western Copper and Gold Corp.

(Western) continues to advance its Casino porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project in western Yukon. In May, the company announced that Rio Tinto Canada Inc. had completed a $25.6 strategic investment, acquiring an eight per cent interest in the company. In June, Western announced a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for an open pit mine, with a concentrator nominally processing 120,000 tonnes per day and a gold heap leach facility nominally processing 25,000 tonnes per day. The PEA determined a $2.3 billion After-Tax Net Present Value (NPV), a 19.5 per cent After-Tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and a base case 25-year mine life with a possible extension to a 47-year mine life. The 2021 exploration program included 10,000 metres of drilling for metallurgical, geotechnical and exploration purposes, as well as further resource definition. The (M, I & I) mill resource is 3.6 billion (B) tonnes containing 10.7B lbs copper and 19.1 million ounces gold. The heap leach resource (M, I & I) is 249 million tonnes containing 2.0 million ounces gold.

Banyan Gold Corp. announced a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate in 2020 on its AurMac gold project near the Eagle Gold Mine. The inferred resource (Airstrip and Powerline targets), is 52.6 million tonnes at 0.535 g/t gold, for a total resource of 903,945 ounces gold. In March of this year, the company announced a 15,000-metre drill program for the project, and after continued success and mid-summer financing, they increased the program to 30,000 metres. Highlights from this season’s program to-date include 144.8 metre grading 0.74 g/t gold in hole AX-21-101 at the Powerline target.

In the fall of 2020, New Pacific Metals Corp. spun out the Skukum Gold Project into newly listed Whitehorse Gold Corp.

The project includes three deposits with resources; Mt. Skukum (90,000 tonnes @ 9.28 g/t gold, 12.9 g/t silver (I)), Skukum Creek (1.5M tonnes @ 5.55 g/t gold and 146.1 g/t silver (I & I)), and Goddell (0.8M tonnes @ 7.53 g/t Au (I & I)). The company is completing an 18,000-metre drill program on the property. Results to date include 6.2 metres grading 2.5 g/t gold and 431.8 g/t silver in hole SC21-008.

Newly listed company Snowline Gold Corp. commenced drilling programs on their Einarson, Rogue, and Ursa properties in the Rogue River area in east-central Yukon. The company planned 3,000 metres of drilling. They also planned an airborne VTEM survey, soil sampling mapping and prospecting. The company reported a number of instances of visible gold in core, and results from the first batch of analyses included 6.5 metres grading 13.2 g/t gold in hole J-21-011.

In the spring of this year, St. James Gold Corp. announced that it was acquiring the Florin Gold Deposit (formerly Red Mountain Gold Deposit) from Florin Gold Ltd. The company announced an updated inferred resource estimate for the deposit at 171 million tonnes grading 0.45 g/t gold. Exploration plans for 2021 included a 13,000-metre drill program.

Results are pending.

Rockhaven Resources Ltd. 2020 PEA envisioned a 12-year mine life producing 750,000 ounces gold and 13.8 million ounces silver for the project. Exploration plans for 2021 included 12,000 metres of drilling, engineering studies and baseline environmental studies. The drill program has three prongs – discovery focused drilling on a porphyry coppergold-molybdenum target proximal to the epithermal veins, resource definition infill, and regional target evaluations.

Results are pending.

Fireweed Zinc Ltd. continues to advance its Mac Pass sediment-hosted lead-zinc project. The project hosts the Tom and Jason deposits, which will see a small amount of work in 2021, and the newly discovered Boundary Zone, which will see the bulk of 2021 exploration. The program consists of diamond drilling, a ground gravity survey, and soil geochemical surveys. Results from the first two holes of the drill program have been released.

Hole NB21-001 intersected 46.96 metres grading 7.71 per cent zinc, 0.70 per cent lead, and 32.1 g/t silver. Hole NB21-002 intersected three intervals of varying styles of mineralization: a vein hosted

interval from 87.10 to 127.34 metres (40.24 metres) returned 4.57 per cent zinc, 0.02 per cent lead, and 7.9 g/t silver; a laminated stratiform interval from 175.01 to 208.00 metres (32.99 metres) intersected 9.91 per cent zinc, 1.64 per cent lead, and 39.6 g/t silver; and a massive to semi-massive sulphide interval from 316.39 to 356.47 metres (60.68 metres) returned 8.22 per cent zinc, 0.71 per cent lead, and 53.6 g/t silver.

Cantex Mine Development Corp. is active again this year on their North Rackla property. Plans for 2021 include structural geological mapping, trenching, soil sampling, prospecting, and diamond drilling. They have a few target types on the property: massive sulphide in the Main Zone (lead-zinc-silver), goldarsenic-copper soil anomalies (Anomaly G67), and high-grade gold. Surface sampling at Anomaly G67 returned a rock sample that contained 39.60 g/t gold, and sampling at Anomaly G38 returned many samples at greater than one g/t gold, including a 57.70 g/t gold result.

At Anomaly G14, 16 surface samples returned an average of 3.42 per cent copper and 2,743 g/t silver. At Anomaly

G66, 12 rock samples returned an average of 10.45 per cent copper and 32 g/t silver.

Drill results are pending.

In November of 2020, Granite Creek Copper Ltd. completed the acquisition of Copper North Mining Corporation and the Carmacks project. The large contiguous property package contains the Stu occurrences, which have been rebranded as Carmacks North.

Granite Creek undertook a three-phase exploration program in 2021 that included reverse circulation drilling in Zones 2, 5, and 12 in the southern part of the Carmacks project and at Zone A of Carmacks North. The company also completed diamond drilling at Zone 2000S in the southern part of the Carmacks project. Highlights from the program released to date include a 105.52 metre intercept in hole CRM21-011 at Zone 2000S that grades 0.96 per cent copper, 0.01 per cent molybdenum, 0.18 g/t gold and 4.06 g/t silver.

The exploration season is still underway and many programs are still active.

Results are expected to continue trickling in. 7

SEARCH BY CATEGORY OR SEARCH BY KEYWORD – GET LISTED FOR FREE The buyer’s guide is a searchable index of northern mining companies serving the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Northern Canada.

Search by category or search by keyword for: northern mine sites, north of 60 consulting services, mining supplies, mining services, construction companies, exploration companies, welding services, drilling and blasting, trucking and transport and other industrial services to the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Northern Canada mining industry.

Three listing levels – Free Listing, Logo Listing and Enhanced Logo Listing

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Western Atlas’ Meadowbank Project is fully permitted for exploration, inclusive of diamond drilling up to 20,000 metres per year and a 40-person camp.

Western Atlas Resources Inc. A successful team targeting high-value precious and base metals projects in Nunavut, Canada Western Atlas Resources Inc. (TSXV: WA) is currently exploring its 100 per cent owned, Meadowbank project, positioned along trend and immediately adjacent to Agnico Eagle’s Meadowbank and Amaruq producing gold mines in Nunavut, Canada. Western Atlas’ Meadowbank Project is fully permitted for exploration, inclusive of diamond drilling up to 20,000 metres per year and a 40-person camp.

The company was started in 2016 with their Meadowbank project. Its district scale footprint of 580 square kilometres 8

was staked and registered between the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017, and was fully permitted by August 2017. Over the course of the past five years, they ran an extensive exploration program that has yielded high-grade values for gold and silver (up to 13.3g/t Au and over 40g/t Ag), and has led to the definition of numerous targets for follow up with drilling. In 2020 they started the first diamond drill program to start testing one of the numerous targets so far identified. The completed drill program has identified near surface, broad intersects of nickel,

cobalt, chromium (essentially the minerals of the future), and anomalous values for gold and silver.

Their future drill programs will target potential higher-grade precious and base metals mineralization at the Meadowbank project.

The board of directors of Western Atlas have a combined multi-decade experience, with both natural resources and capital market industries. Together, the board have raised over $5 billion to finance natural resource projects. Some of the

Why Nunavut?

Nunavut is a pro-mining jurisdiction with over four decades of prosperity mining.

It allows you to stake or acquire mineral properties, with a district scale footprint, which provides an opportunity for multiple discoveries. board are behind many success stories within the industry, like, for example Bolivar Gold, which was sold for over $300 million to Goldfield, and Gran Colombia Gold, the largest gold and silver underground producer in Colombia, to name a few. They have been able to assemble a board and management with the right combination of technical and business skills that will enable Western Atlas to grow from being an exploration company to development, and eventually to a production company.

Why Nunavut? Nunavut is a pro-mining jurisdiction with over four decades of prosperity mining. It allows you to stake or acquire mineral properties, with a district scale footprint, which provides an opportunity for multiple discoveries.

On top of that, it is home to world-class mining companies such as Agnico-Eagle, Sabina Gold & Silver, among others.

Nunavut is also home to multimillionounce gold deposits. Over 13 million ounces of gold in proven and probable reserves, and 15 million ounces of gold in measured and indicated resources have already been certified in the area.

There are excellent infrastructures in the area where the company operates. The Western Atlas team is based in Baker Lake, the closest community, which is serviced year-round, has a modern airport, modern facilities, and is a hub for mining activities. Moreover, there’s a four-season 110-kilometre road that connects the community of Baker Lake to the Amaruq mine. This road, which belong to Agnico Eagle, crosses through our properties.

Baker Lake is also a community that values priorities like environmental safety, harmony, and respect. These priorities and values are at the core of Western Atlas’ modus operandi. They are committed

to the safety and well-being of all their employees, of the Nunavut community, and of all communities in which the company operates. They also support local communities and businesses. Inuit and local personnel and businesses are contracted for the company’s exploration program, for mining services and logistics, wildlife management, food and accommodation, aircraft, cargo, and other general services. They also work together with the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization for the operation of wildlife and environmental monitoring.

For more information, please refer to the company’s website at www.westernar.com. 7 9

Fortune Minerals’ NICO Cobalt-Gold-BismuthCopper Development

A Canadian vertically integrated critical minerals project to enable the transition to new technologies As the clean energy transition accelerates, the world’s major economic and industrial powerhouses are becoming increasingly concerned about their supply chain vulnerabilities with the critical minerals needed to pursue new technologies. Foremost in this evolution is the transformation of the automotive industry to electric vehicles (EVs) and the demand for battery metals in response to unprecedented investment in the energy systems required to power them. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a United Kingdom-based minerals advisory firm, is tracking over 225 lithium-ion battery megafactories that have been constructed or announced since 2015. These include the TeslaPanasonic ‘Gigafactory’ in Nevada, however, new plants are being announced weekly all over the world. In September alone, BMW entered into contracts for $24 billion of batteries to meet its EV requirements through 2024. Ford also reported the single largest manufacturing investment in its 118-year history with an $11.4 billion commitment with SK Innovation to build three battery factories, and an electric pickup truck assembly plant in the United States. The demand for energy metals like cobalt, lithium, 10

Aerial view of Fortune Minerals NICO cobaltgold-bismuth-copper project in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

and nickel used to make the cathodes of high-performance rechargeable batteries is forecast to rise exponentially.

The mining industry will be challenged to keep up with the advancement of new technologies and increasing demand for metals. New discoveries are increasingly scarce and it typically takes more than a decade to advance a new mine to commercial production after the higher risk exploration stage has successfully identified a deposit. Higher metal prices are needed to incentivize exploration and build the mines needed to balance the markets for these commodities. Governments will also need to assist developers to build the raw material supply chains required to keep our factories operating.

Fortune Minerals is well positioned for this transition to new technologies with its NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper vertically integrated development project. It will consist of a mine and concentrator in the Northwest Territories and a related hydrometallurgical refinery in southern Canada where it will process concentrates from the mine to higher value metals and

Fortune Minerals test mining operations.

chemicals. Fortune has expended more than $135 million to advance its NICO project from an in-house discovery to the development stage. The NICO Deposit has a NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Reserve of 33.1 million tonnes containing 1.1 million ounces of gold, 82 million pounds of cobalt, 102 million pounds of bismuth, and 27 million pounds of copper to sustain open pit and underground mining for 20 years at the planned 4,650 tonnes per day mill throughput rate. A feasibility study and environmental assessment approvals have already been completed, and the project has been de-risked by test mining and pilot plant processing. Fortune is finalizing a new refinery site among several brownfield options and will then update the feasibility study with the optimizations it has recognized to mitigate capital cost creep and produce a more financially robust project. Improvements include the availability of a new government road to the community of Whati that will open to the public in late 2021, enabling construction from all-season road access. The NICO refinery is expected to have average annual production of 1,800 tonnes of cobalt contained in a cobalt sulphate product, 41,000 ounces of gold, 1,700 tonnes of bismuth contained in ingots and oxide products, and 300 tonnes of copper.

Fortune’s NICO Deposit and its satellite Sue-Dianne Copper-

Silver-Gold Deposit are the only Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG)-type deposits currently delineated in Canada. Global analogues include the supergiant Olympic Dam Mine in South Australia, the Carajas deposits in Brazil, and the Candelaria deposits in Chile, which commonly contain in excess of a billion tonnes of ores. The NICO and Sue-Dianne deposits are both open for potential expansion, and large geophysical anomalies have been identified on the company’s leases indicating significant potential for identifying more ores. Fortune is drill testing some of these geophysical targets now.

Critical minerals are identified by governments as having essential use in new technologies and they cannot be easily substituted by other minerals. The supply chains are at risk due to geographic concentration of production, and/or production from countries with political uncertainty or policy risks that may restrict their availability. The NICO Deposit contains cobalt, bismuth, and copper, which are all defined as critical minerals in Canada.

Cobalt is a metal with diverse uses in metal alloys, chemicals, pigments, and catalysts. The largest use is in rechargeable batteries, which are responsible for about 65 per cent of global cobalt consumption in a 150,000 tonne current market. The 11

Fortune’s NICO Deposit is also the largest known deposit of bismuth in the world with about 12 per cent of global reserves. Bismuth is a critical mineral with important uses in the automotive industry for glass frits, anti-corrosion coatings, and paint, leveraging unique expansion properties during cooling required in dimensionally stable alloys and compounds.

accelerating demand for cobalt in lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, portable electronic devices, and stationary storage cells is expected to more than double the consumption by the end of this decade. According to the International Energy Agency, demand could climb by up to 20 to 25 times if the world meets the climate targets set by the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Approximately 71 per cent of global cobalt production is mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo) and more than half of this is controlled by Chinese companies. China also controls 80 per cent of the world’s refined cobalt chemical supply.

Political instability and social issues in the Congo, geographic concentration of production, and policy risks associated with China’s domination of refined cobalt supply is motivating governments in the west to identify new reliable supplies in safe jurisdictions where there are strong Environmental-SocialGovernance (ESG) values, and transparency and custody control of products through the entire supply chain.

Fortune’s NICO Deposit is also the largest known deposit of bismuth in the world with about 12 per cent of global reserves.

Bismuth is a critical mineral with important uses in the automotive industry for glass frits, anti-corrosion coatings, and paint, leveraging unique expansion properties during cooling required in dimensionally stable alloys and compounds.

Bismuth is a safe heavy metal with anti-bacterial properties needed in medicines like Pepto-Bismol©. The bismuth market is approximately 20,000 tonnes per annum and consumption is growing as a non-toxic and environmentally safe replacement for lead in solders, brass, free-machining steel and aluminum, ceramic glazes, glass, ammunition, and fishing sinkers. China produces 75 per cent of the global bismuth supply and controls 60 per cent of the reserves. NICO would provide a new Canadian vertically integrated source to mitigate supply chain concerns.

With more than one-million ounces of gold contained in the NICO Deposit, there is also a highly liquid coproduct that is countercyclical to the markets of the other contained metals.

Copper will also be recovered from the refining of cobalt.

In addition to the critical minerals contained in the NICO 12

Deposit, Fortune’s business plan for its refinery includes expanding production by custom processing concentrates from other smaller projects that cannot justify the investment in their own downstream process plants. Fortune also expects to treat waste residues from chemical plants and scrap metals.

The longer-term vision for the facility is to become a collection point for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries in western North America.

Government Role “The question is not whether we require minerals and metals to reach our climate goals, but rather if Canada will become the supplier the world needs.” - Pierre Gratton, The Mining Association of Canada.

There are currently very few smelters and refineries in Canada that can process complex concentrates to recover critical minerals with acceptable metallurgical performance needed to support robust economics. Traditional smelters and refineries are not configured to deal with some by-products associated with critical minerals and typically charge excessive penalties for metals that might otherwise contribute revenues.

Consequently, critical minerals projects must typically engineer, permit, finance, develop, and operate their own refineries, adding significant additional capital costs and technical risks to planned developments. There is a role for government to support new refineries in Canada that will ensure that the value-added processing is done domestically and the contained minerals are available to our manufacturing industries. Western governments outside of Canada are also looking for greater security and diversification of supply chains, particularly in the current environment of political and trade tensions with China.

Recognizing the strategic opportunity of critical minerals in the growing green economy, Australia recently established an A$2 billion loan facility to assist its new projects. The U.S. is also providing financial backing to their critical minerals industry.

Canada will need to invest in the industry if it is going to participate in the production of critical minerals. 7

Gold Terra’s drilling success

close to Yellowknife demonstrates there could be a lot more high-grade gold to be found in this historic mining district

Gold Terra’s focus is to demonstrate the continuity of gold deposits associated with the historic gold envelope of the Con Mine and the potential of the gold-bearing Campbell Shear near the City of Yellowknife.

The current Yellorex Zone drilling is part of the Gold Terra’s large land package that has high potential for other gold, silver, and base metal deposits to be found.

Gold Terra is aiming to find more gold on their district size land package located on the doorstep of Yellowknife and set in the historic Yellowknife mining district that produced approximately 14 million ounces of high-grade gold from the former Con and Giant Mines. The company’s management believes there is a lot more gold to be found after their successful 2021 drilling program returned high-grade gold intersections such as 5.22 g/t over 17.86 metres, including 11.2 g/t gold over 4.57 metres in Hole GTCM21 -14, 14.09 g/t Au over 4.65 metres in Hole GTCM21-005, and 5.69 g/t Au over 1.50 metres in Hole GTCM21-004. As the 2021 drilling program continues, Gold Terra will have good news flow with additional assay results over the next few months.

In 2021, Gold Terra completed their initial 7,242 metre drilling program in April and after good results, the company started their second 10,000-metre drill program in July. The current 13

drilling program is focused on the Yellorex Zone in the Campbell Shear immediately south of the former Con Mine on property optioned from Newmont Ventures Limited and Miramar Northern Mining Limited. The Yellorex Zone is a high-priority target for the company as the zone has the same signature as the gold-bearing zones in the former Con Mine and is on the southern extension of the Con Mine’s gold-bearing Campbell Shear structure that produced five-million ounces of gold from the mine. Once the Yellorex drilling is complete, the potential for more discoveries remains high as the two-kilometre stretch along the Campbell Shear remains open at depth and along strike. The aim of the drilling is to delineate a potential gold mineral resource to add a potential anchor resource which could drive a mine development study.

The current Yellorex Zone drilling is part of the company’s large land package that has high potential for other gold, silver, and base metal deposits to be found. Gold Terra’s district size 800 squarekilometre contiguous land package covers 70 kilometres of strike length along the main mineralized break known as the Campbell Shear in proximity to the former high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The company has outlined 1.2 million inferred ounces on four gold deposits knows as the Crestaurum, Sam Otto, Mispickel, and Barney, and will look to expand some of these zones in the future. Close to current mineral resource, the Crestaurum North 14

and the Ranney Hill Shear targets have had previous drilling, trench, and channel grab sampling which returned values ranging from 4.11-24.9 g/t Au, along with one very highgrade grab sample of 746 g/t Au. Previous drilling results at the Ranney Hill Shear zone support the interpretation that this area may provide an additional 2.5-kilometre strike of untested shear for potentially expanding the current mineral resources. Other future targets include the high-grade silver and polymetallic silver-lead-zinc-gold mineralization zones at the Barney, Angel vein, and Homer Lake areas.

As Gold Terra continues with their high-grade Yellorex Zone drilling program, the silver and polymetallic deposits create additional targets that may potentially add value to future exploration, drilling and development planning. The company’s focus is to demonstrate the continuity of gold deposits associated with the historic gold envelope of the Con Mine and the potential of the gold-bearing Campbell Shear near the City of Yellowknife. Gold Terra offers a rare opportunity to invest in a world-class high-grade discovery on the doorstep of Canada’s most prolific past gold production.

For more information and company news, please go to our website at www.goldterracorp.com. 7

GOLD TERRA RESOURCE CORP. TSX-V: YGT; FRANKFURT: TXO; OTC QX: YGTFF

Multi-million ounce potential in Yellowknife Gold Belt.

Drilling to delineate gold underway on high-grade Newmont option claims south of former Con Mine.

www.goldterracorp.com 15

ATAC Resources Ltd.’s road-accessible Connaught Property in Western Yukon, located within the headwaters of the Sixtymine Placer camp.

Uncovering a copper porphyry in a historical placer gold mining camp 16

Just because an area has seen significant exploration for one style of mineralization, doesn’t mean there isn’t more to be found. That’s the story with ATAC Resources Ltd.’s road-accessible Connaught Property in Western Yukon, located within the headwaters of the Sixtymile Placer camp (reported to have produced over 500,000 ounces of gold).

The Connaught property has long been explored for high-grade silver-lead-gold epithermal veins, with exploration work documented back into the mid1900s – including small-scale high-grade mining in the 1960s and 1970s. A renewed focus this year has uncovered what appears to be copper porphyry mineralization with significant size potential. ATAC has held the property for close to 20 years, with sporadic exploration on the 26 distinct silver-leadgold veins, but this new discovery has the potential to refocus attention onto a much larger prize.

A renewed focus this year has uncovered what appears to be copper porphyry mineralization with significant size potential.

“When we started ATAC, we were a prospect generator with a large portfolio of properties,” said Graham Downs, president and CEO. “With our focus on a flagship property elsewhere in Yukon, we sold off most of our other holdings over the years, but liked Connaught too much to ever let it go. The results from this year’s work are incredibly exciting, and we’re very glad we kept the property.”

Historical reports by previous operators highlighted the possibility for a porphyry centre to be present on the property – an intrusive source linked to the known epithermal veins – however, until this year, systematic exploration had never been conducted to test the theory.

“A major shift for us came last year when we received age dates on the intrusive mineralization,” continued Downs. “The dates came in at 70 Ma – close in age to Western Copper and Gold’s Casino deposit in Yukon, and right in line with Kenorland’s Tanacross project in Alaska, suggesting we could be looking at a similar mineralizing event.”

Another barrier to exploration was a fragmented claim base over the key exploration area. With the age dates in hand, and encouraging soil data on their existing claims, ATAC set out to consolidate the land package. In late 2020 they made deals with two local prospectors and staked infill claims to secure the target area, setting the stage for the start of systematic exploration this year.

and 113 kilometres of ground magnetics data collected. Ten trenches were also excavated within a 1,200-by-600-metre copper-in-soil anomaly – an area roughly the size of the Casino deposit – with nine of the 10 trenches returning visual copper mineralization, including malachite, azurite, tenorite and/or chalcopyrite.

ATAC has released results from the first two trenches, with Trench A returning 93 metres of 331 ppm copper, and trench B returning 69 metres of 548 ppm copper.

Highlight grab samples from the trenches have returned up to 0.69 per cent copper in highly altered and leached quartz monzonite porphyry rock.

In 2021 the company conducted extensive exploration activities to evaluate the porphyry potential. Additional soil sampling was completed across the newly acquired claims, with over 2,000 samples collected. Two large ground geophysical surveys were also completed, with 39 line-kilometres of induced polarization

“We’re incredibly encouraged by what we’re seeing so far,” explained Downs.

“This property lies in an unglaciated environment, which means copper grades are depleted at surface due to atmospheric leaching over millions of years.” For comparison, the leached cap at the nearby Casino deposit in Yukon grades 300 ppm

and averages 70 metres thick, according to Western Copper and Gold’s recently updated mineral resource. This puts ATAC’s first trench result right in line, and the second at nearly double Casino’s surface grade.

“Stay tuned for more news from this project as we prepare for a maiden drill program targeting the porphyry in 2022,” concluded Downs.

ATAC is a junior mining company focused on exploring for gold and copper in Yukon and Nevada. In addition to the Connaught property, it holds the 1,700-square-kilometre Rackla Gold Property in Central Yukon and has an option to earn in to 100 per cent of the East Goldfield Property in Nevada, where a 4,000-metre RC drill program is underway. The company trades on the TSX Venture exchange under the symbol ATC, is well-funded, with approximately $8 million in working capital, and has a demonstrated track record of discovery. 7 17

Mining an untapped resource Women in nontraditional occupations Industries and employers across Canada have for years been facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople and individuals experienced in operating heavy equipment. This is due in a large part to an aging workforce coupled with fewer young people pursuing these careers.

of those positions will require either technical training or

A September 2021 report by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) estimates that 700,000 skilled tradespeople are expected to retire by 2028, and predicts a 10,000-worker deficit in nationally recognized trades over the next five years. The inclusion of provincially regulated trades increase that estimate by a multiplier of ten. As well, new apprenticeships have been on the decline for more than a decade.

at present, a disproportionate number of skilled tradespeople in

The Northwest Territories (NWT) is no exception to the national trend. According to Skills4Success, a 15-year labour market analysis and projection report commissioned by the Government of the Northwest Territories, the NWT will see 28,500 to 36,700 job openings between 2015 and 2030. Most 18

In 2021, to encourage participation of more women, Aurora College – in collaboration with long-time training partner, the NWT Mine Training Society – offered its first Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) for Women program.

certification, or a post-secondary diploma or degree.

The prominence of skilled labour-intensive industries such as mining and construction in the NWT creates a vulnerability to such current and projected labour shortages. Traditionally and the north are temporary or fly-in non-resident workers.

One solution to the expected skilled labour shortage may be to take a page out of history: provide more opportunities for the largest under-represented demographic in the field – women.

During the Second World War, the sudden shortage of men in skilled labour positions opened the door to women, who filled the jobs successfully and proved capable of performing the duties of the positions.

After the war, however, most skilled labour positions reverted to male employees. Currently, women make up only five per cent

of skilled tradespeople in Canada, and that statistic includes

opportunities exist across the north for trained heavy

the hairstyling and aesthetics sector, of which 84 per cent of the

equipment operators, and women are under-represented in the

workers are women.

field.

The NWT mining sector is ahead of the national curve, as

The program is part of Aurora College’s larger goal of

women make up 15 per cent of that labour force. However,

encouraging more women and under-represented populations

women comprise 51 per cent of the population.

to enter trades and industrial training careers. While women

In the Northwest Territories, Aurora College has been delivering skilled trades education for more than 50 years. In 1968, Heavy Equipment Operator was the first course offered, and it has been delivered regularly since then. While women have enrolled in many skilled trades and apprenticeship programs at Aurora College, they are still a small minority of students in these programs.

In 2021, to encourage participation of more women, Aurora College – in collaboration with long-time training partner, the NWT Mine Training Society – offered its first Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) for Women program.

can and do enroll in the regularly scheduled deliveries of HEO and industrial training programs at Aurora College, research indicates that many women feel more comfortable attending all-female training programs for non-traditional occupations.

The program also allows the opportunity to offer workshops and discussions on topics within the course that are more likely to affect women.

With the success of the pilot program, Aurora College is now considering adding HEO for Women to its regular program rotation. HEO for Women is one initiative in Aurora College’s larger commitment to providing additional opportunities for women in the non-traditional skilled trade sector. Other

HEO for Women is a response to the needs of both the NWT

programs being considered include Women in Trades and

labour market and northern residents. Meaningful employment

specialized trades introduction programs for women. 7

19

A professional geoscientist presenting at the 2018 NAPEG Professional Development Symposium.

Registering with NAPEG A commitment to high standards of integrity, excellence, and protecting the public

By Vince McCormick with Mimi Kennedy-Chassie The Northwest Territories and the Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG) is a proud supporter of the Mining Your Business (MYB) electronic newsletter and the North of 60 Mining & Exploration Review.

In the last issue of MYB I shared with you some basic information about how NAPEG intersects with the mining industry as a regulator. I also shared how we try to make it as easy as possible to become registered. In this issue I will 20

share with you a little bit about how we regulate our members in the public interest.

requirements could be refused or assigned exams to confirm the quality, depth, and breadth of their education.

Geoscientists and engineers are required to obtain a university degree in a geoscience or engineering program that is approved by the board of examiners (BOE). Our usual route to licensing begins when a graduate applies to be a member-in-training (MIT) and their academic credentials are reviewed, evaluated, and approved by our BOE. Applicants who do not meet academic

MIT applicants must also verify that they are of good character and reputation.

After the assessment is complete, those who meet the requirements become MITs and officially begin gaining experience under the direct supervision of a professional engineer or professional geoscientist. After at least four years of satisfactory work experience, they then become eligible to apply for registration

as a professional engineer or geoscientist as either a member (who resides in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut) or licensee (resident elsewhere in Canada).

It’s possible that after review, the BOE may require you to gain additional experience. Without exception, all new professional applicants must pass the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE) to confirm knowledge of professionalism, law, and ethics.

As you can see, this is a very rigorous process and our professionals put in a lot of time and effort before they can be called a professional. This is no accident — competent professionals are a must for the safety of the public and the health of our economy. Managers of firms need to know that they are making their decisions based on the best possible information available and that includes expertise that can only be provided by professionals. Likewise, investors need confidence in the industry players that they are backing.

Once a professional geoscientist or engineer is licensed, their journey is ongoing. The pace of change and advancement in the modern world demands NAPEG registrants, like other professionals such as doctors and nurses, who must stay informed about current industry best practices and scientific and technological advances.

This process of lifelong learning is monitored by regulators like NAPEG by requiring that all registrants keep up to date through continuing professional development (CPD). CPD takes many forms, including formal coursework, the experience of ongoing professional practice, membership in technical societies, writing and presenting technical or professional publications, or contributing to the development of codes and standards.

These activities probably seem like obvious examples of CPD, but did you know that many informal activities can also be reported and recognized

by NAPEG? A good example of this is subscribing to and reading technical and trade publications such as Mining North of 60. These types of less formal learning opportunities are a great way to remain informed about new and interesting directions in industry practice and technological changes. Information about our CPD program is available on our website.

What else is NAPEG involved in?

that carries on outreach and educational activities, and offers scholarships and awards to qualified northern students pursuing post-secondary studies in engineering and geoscience. Information on how to donate to the foundation and scholarship opportunities can be found on our website here.

Questions? Visit our website or contact us at napeg@napeg.nt.ca.

NAPEG’S mission & vision In the public interest, NAPEG regulates and supports the professional practice of engineering and geoscience in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

In addition to our regulatory role, NAPEG supports the NAPEG Education Foundation, which is a registered charity

Our vision is to be a trusted authority contributing to a better future for our north. 7

Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists

NAPEG WWW.NAPEG.NT.CA If you are a Geoscientist or Engineer working North of 60°, don’t forget to register as a Professional.

If you are already registered with a Canadian Professional Association, it is easy to add a northern registration.

NAPEG...Integrity and Excellence 21

Desgagnés operates a large fleet of ships each season to serve the communities and mines of Canada’s far north.

Another year, another sealift!

Although unknown to most people, supply operations in the communities of Nunavik and Nunavut, and for the mining projects in the Canadian Arctic, holds no secrets for Desgagnés, which operates a large fleet of ships each season to serve the communities and mines of Canada’s far north.

For mining projects, it is a race against the clock requiring substantial logistical efforts to transport all the necessary cargo in the summer season to ensure that the mine can continue its operations until the following year. We must plan for everything, both the northbound and the backhaul cargo.

The remoteness and isolation of some mines result in high construction and operating costs. Therefore, mining companies require an experienced and highly qualified carrier for sound execution and reliable transportation.

Since mining cargo is mostly heavy and oversized, the expertise of our crews and logistics teams is of the utmost value.

22

The pandemic has brought its share of supply chain disruptions impacting several manufacturers and suppliers.

Even though the navigation season has not lengthened, and the challenges remain with the management of the supply chain, the crews often have to cope with what Mother Nature throws our way, so we are sometimes a few days away from loading a vessel and the cargo has yet to arrive at the terminal.

Cargo operations for each client in the mining industry are overseen by arctic operations superintendents, who oversee every step of every operation until the cargo is fully unloaded at its destination.

Superintendents are typically mariners by trade who have gained extensive cargo management expertise and stowage experience during their years of service.

Over the years, Desgagnés has continuously improved its operational procedures to maximize safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.

We participate in gathering information

Mining companies require an experienced and highly qualified carrier for sound execution and reliable transportation.

on marine mammals and ornithology, and ensure to comply with the measures in place in the arctic.

One of our challenges is certainly the development of specialized human resources. The maritime industry, like many other sectors, is faced with a shortage of qualified labour. The company, therefore, collaborates with the maritime institutions in Rimouski (QC), St. John (NF), and Vancouver (BC) and employs a local Inuit workforce as well.

Desgagnés invests and dedicates a lot of effort to develop the next generation.

The sailors who come aboard the ships generally work the entire season, from June to November, and they bring with them their unique expertise.

There are the ships, the expertise, and the passion that drives our teams and crews every sealift season. This energy is contagious. Each season when the ships return from the north in November, we all feel a sense that our common purpose has been accomplished. 7

23

Indigenous environmental technician carefully recording an artifact during excavation.

Indigenous field technician during a Heritage Resources Impact Assessment.

Heritage rights and Indigenous involvement Should heritage be considered an Indigenous right? This is an important question, and its answer has implications on the way that business is conducted around the world. Because potash mining in Saskatchewan is world class, the way in which heritage is handled should be carefully considered. With the emergence of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), there is increasing global awareness of Indigenous rights in relation to heritage. Specifically, Article 11, No. 1 of UNDRIP discusses “the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their [Indigenous] cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature”. If heritage is considered an Indigenous right, the next logical assumption would be that there should be Indigenous involvement and engagement in regards to the protection and management of their own heritage resources.

A problem, however, arises when global awareness and provincial legislation/regulation do not coincide. Unlike other countries, such as the United States, where heritage falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, there is no overarching federal legislation that looks after heritage resources in Canada.

Our heritage resources fall within the jurisdiction of provinces and territories. This lack of centralized heritage legislation creates a patchwork of rules and requirements throughout Canada, and while some predominant themes can be seen in legislation/regulation, the legislative/regulatory requirements for Indigenous involvement and engagement in heritage in each province and territory are quite different. Some provinces and territories, notably the Government of Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, and portions of Newfoundland and Labrador (i.e., Nunatsiavuk) have strong requirements for Indigenous involvement regarding protecting and managing their own heritage resources; however, at present there are no such requirements for Indigenous involvement found in The Heritage 24

Property Act (1980), the governing legislation concerning heritage resources in Saskatchewan.

While Indigenous involvement and engagement regarding heritage resources is not yet a requirement in Saskatchewan, it is evident through news outlets and social media (both globally and locally) that engaging with and involving Indigenous communities may not only be the right thing to do, but also makes good business sense. It is easy to see instances in the news where Indigenous communities have clashed with industry over their heritage (e.g., Red Pheasant vs. RM Winslow; Wet’suwet’en vs.

LNG Canada; Puutu Kunti and Pinikura vs. mining; Standing Rock vs. DAP). These clashes result in costly project delays and lowered public and investor confidence. Clashes such as these can be effectively avoided by involving and engaging Indigenous people with the management and protection of their own heritage resources.

On the other hand, some projects in Saskatchewan have reached above the minimal requirements and have worked towards involving and engaging Indigenous people. Below are some recent examples from the heritage division at Canada North Environmental Services, a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned firm based out of Saskatchewan.

A heritage resources impact assessment (HRIA) was completed for major pipeline construction and remediation projects in Saskatchewan and Manitoba where numerous archaeological sites were identified along and adjacent to the proposed pipeline routes. Indigenous crew members aided in archaeological mitigation/excavation, as well as construction monitoring. During construction, Indigenous monitors helped the archaeologist identify heritage resources, such as hearth features and artefacts in areas of high archaeological potential. These efforts resulted in the identification and collection of hundreds of artefacts, including a large amount of bone, fragmented bison skulls, and

stone tools/artefacts. Some of the finds are likely 2,000 years old.

The sheer number of sites and types of artefacts discovered during the heritage monitoring was remarkable, and the dig would not have been as successful without the help of Indigenous assistants/ monitors. In fact, many of the newly discovered archaeological sites were the result of artefacts identified by Indigenous community monitors in areas where sites were not expected.

Community members also helped by advising the archaeologists on culturally appropriate protocol for handling some of the artefacts.

Another project located near Cowan Lake, Saskatchewan involved two archaeologists working closely with an Indigenous monitor.

Stone artefacts were discovered during the archaeological survey by the archaeologists and Indigenous monitor. In general, artefacts are usually collected and taken back to laboratories where they can be analyzed and recorded in detail. In this case, at the request of local Indigenous elders, archaeologists were able to conduct their necessary artefact analyses in the field and then respectfully rebury the artefacts with tobacco, following the cultural protocol suggested by the elders. These respectful and culturally appropriate actions would not have occurred without the guidance of the onsite Indigenous monitor.

Archaeological projects can also be community led. An Indigenous community in northern Saskatchewan took the initiative to conduct its own archaeological research project ahead of potential

development with the intention of locating and protecting a special site. This project was a collaboration between elders and community who drew upon traditional Indigenous knowledge and between archaeologists who drew upon scientific archaeological methods. The community led the project while the archeologist provided support by offering specialized and scientific expertise.

Projects like this can provide a framework for future studies, and furthermore, they can help protect special and significant sites from inadvertent disturbance.

Changes to federal heritage legislation are currently being addressed. Bill C-15, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was introduced by the Canadian Government on December 3, 2020. When passed by parliament, the federal government will be required to take all of the measures necessary to ensure that legislation is consistent with the declaration. While engagement and involvement with Indigenous communities regarding heritage projects may not be a requirement in Saskatchewan at this time, it is likely that the above Canadian act (when passed), and public/Indigenous opinion of this matter, will induce a change in legislation or regulation that will require Indigenous involvement with heritage in Saskatchewan. Heritage should be considered an Indigenous right, and Indigenous involvement in their own heritage benefits all involved and should be a consideration when planning projects. 7

CanNorth

Canada North Environmental Services Limited Partnership 211 Wheeler Street, Saskatoon, SK S7P 0A4 T: (306) 652-4432 • F:(306) 652-4431 E: info@cannorth.com • www.cannorth.com Additional offices in Yellowknife, NWT and Markham, Ontario

An aboriginal-owned consulting firm

providing cost-effective professional environmental services in: • Environmental Impact Assessment • Environmental Baseline Studies • Project Permitting and Approvals • Construction Monitoring • Aquatic and Fish Studies • Aquatic Toxicology • Water Quality Investigations • Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessments

• Hydrology • Species-at-Risk Surveys • Wildlife, Vegetation, and Soil Assessments • Habitat Restoration and Compensation Planning • Mapping Services • Heritage Resources Impact Assessments • Specialty Socio-Economic Services

Specializing in the mining industry 25

Smithers and the Smithers Regional Airport target mining

The Smithers Regional Airport is located five kilometres northwest of the Town of Smithers.

By Kaitlyn Morris, Community Economic Development coordinator Smithers is a community of choice with its unparalleled beauty, unique character, and strong local economic base which draws people in from around the world. Steady economic growth has been encouraged in Smithers since becoming the first incorporated village in British Columbia in 1921. Smithers is the regional centre for northwest British Columbia, and because of its central location and excellent transportation options, Smithers offers a greater variety of amenities and services compared to other towns of similar size. The location of Smithers provides easy access to international markets, which make us a destination of choice to invest, work, and live. Located on the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway (Route 16), Smithers has its own regional airport and other infrastructure, such as rail access to the Port of Prince Rupert to the west, that allows for easy movement of commodities and finished products to markets in Asia and around the globe.

The Town of Smithers is fortunate to have a regional airport serving the community and surrounding region. The Smithers Regional Airport is located five kilometres northwest of the Town of Smithers. Not only is it an important transportation system for the region, but it also acts as a key element in supporting the region’s economy. The airport has gone through significant upgrades in recent years that are essential to expanding both the tourism and mining opportunities in the Bulkley Valley. In August of 2017, the Airport Terminal Modernization Project commenced, with completion in June of 2019. This project involved the expansion of the terminal by approximately 5,000 square feet, a new departure lounge to accommodate an 26

additional 118 passengers, and integration of fully accessible washrooms in the new departure lounge. With the completion of the airport expansion project in 2019, the Smithers Regional Airport is now able to process passengers more efficiently, and accommodate larger aircrafts, landing more planes with an upgraded landing system and runway that is 7,544 feet (2,299 metres) long by 150 feet (45.7 metres) wide.

The Bulkley Valley is well known for its diverse economy.

Agriculture, forestry, mining, guide outfitting, recreation, tourism, local, provincial and federal government offices, transportation, health care, education, service, and small business ventures all provide several employment options. With the recent port expansion on the province’s west coast, Smithers is well situated to tap into international trade opportunities. Retail trade and service activities for the Bulkley Valley region are centered in Smithers, with a trading area population estimated at 25,000.

The economy of the region has diversified significantly in the past years; Smithers has benefited from a significant increase in mining development and exploration in the region. Several drilling and environmental firms have set up operations in Smithers to service prospective mining projects. Export sectors like forestry, petrochemicals, mining, agriculture, and fisheries are what make Northern B.C. the key economic driver of the province. Mining supports steady economic growth in Smithers.

We are fortunate to have the economic activity generated from mining in our pristine mountain town and encourage more mining operations to setup shop in Smithers. 7

ANNOUNCEMENT

Planet earth’s ESG reporting solution Onyen Corporation is pleased to announce that it has been selected as 2021’s Best ESG Reporting Solution and Best RegTech Startup of the Year by the Canadian RegTech Association/Association Canadienne de la technologie réglementaire.

Onyen provides a data collection system enabling companies to compile information on their Environmental, Social and Governance performance and practices, measure their performance against multiple international standards and prepare reports for internal tracking and external publishing. Aurania Resources Ltd., one of many Onyen customers who provided a supporting reference letter to the nominations, said:

“We found the Onyen platform to be cost-effective and very user friendly. As a junior company with limited funds and resources, this was a great fit for us. It took complicated information and broke it down into manageable sections. We are always striving to do the right thing from an ESG standpoint and we welcome input on what we can do better – the Onyen platform highlighted what we have been doing right and helped us look at the areas in which we can improve going forward. “ This is the inaugural year of the awards, sponsored by Ernst & Young Canada. The winners were selected by a panel of leading industry judges. Onyen commends the Association and Ernst & Young Canada for their initiative in supporting and recognizing the work of Canadian RegTech firms and is proud to accept these two prestigious awards.

onyen.com

MON GOLD PROPERTY Near Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

Restarting a Past-Producing Mine • Mon Gold is the only gold project in the NWT permitted for production • Bulk sampling program commencing with owned mining equipment and camp on site • Similar to the regional 1m oz, 1 oz/ton gold Discovery Mine • Crown pillar grades up to 688 g/t gold over 0.5 m; 98.8% met recoveries • Further exploration potential for VMS and shear zone gold

SIXTY NORTH GOLD MINING LTD. CSE: SXTY

FRANKFURT: 2F4

OTC-PINK: SXNTF

Contact: Dave Webb, Ph.D., P.Geol., P.Eng., President & CEO p: 604-818-1400 • e: dave@drwgcl.com

www.sixtynorthgold.com 27

REGISTER AT pdac.ca/convention

MARCH 7-11 MARCH 7- 9 IN PERSON TORONTO, CANADA

MARCH 10 -11 ONLINE ANYWHERE

Access top-quality programming Reconnect with a diverse community of exhibitors Gain insight from industry experts Valuable networking opportunities

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