The host rocks are a part of the lower part of the Devonian Raneces Formation limestone.  The Carlés calcic skarn forms a rind around a granodioritic intrusive.  Intercalated pyroxene- and garnet-bearing rocks comprise the skarn; irregular layers of retrograde magnetite-amphibole host the higher grades of gold and copper.  Known mineralization is higher grade and more continuous along the northern and eastern parts of the intrusive.  Principal minerals are chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrhhotite, arsenopyrite, and electrum.  The mineralized layers are subvertical and are from 2 metres to 15 metres wide.
 
From 2000 through 2005, 305,000 tonnes of 4.5 g/t gold and 0.77% copper were mined by open-pit methods.  From 2003 through 2006, 444,000 tonnes of 5.1 g/t gold and 0.82% copper were mined by underground methods.
 
The Company’s recent drill program was designed to upgrade inferred resources in order to prepare the mine plan.  Conceptually, it is projected that material from the Carlés North underground will provide about 235,000 tonnes of feed to the mill for at least 2 years.  The results of the drill program manifested the continuity of the mineralization at depth.  The table below summarizes those results.

Carlés Drill Results


Click to enlarge