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Jerritt Canyon Mines – Yukon Nevada Gold
www.yukon-nevadagold.com / TSX: YNG
In 1972, the first gold was discovered at the Jerritt Canyon District, with the first gold poured on July 4, 1981. Open pit mining occurred between 1981 and 1999. Portal-accessed, underground mining commenced in 1993 with the SSX-Steer Complex and the Smith mine.
Since mining began, Jerritt Canyon has produced over 7 million ounces of gold.
Goldstrike Mines (Carlin Meikle & Betze-Post) – Barrick Gold Corporation
www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
Goldstrike is located on the Carlin Trend, the most prolific gold mining district in the Western Hemisphere, about 60 kilometers northwest of Elko, Nevada, USA. The Goldstrike operations include the Betze-Post open pit and the Meikle and Rodeo underground mines. Goldstrike remains the Company’s largest gold producer.
In 2008, the Goldstrike Property produced 1.71 million ounces of gold at average total cash costs of $452 per ounce1. Goldstrike’s proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 are estimated at 12.8 million ounces of gold.
Ruby Hill Mine – Barrick Gold Corporation
www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
The Ruby Hill mine is located on the Battle Mountain / Eureka gold trend, less than one kilometer from the town of Eureka and 193 kilometers south of the Goldstrike Property.
Ruby Hill is an open-pit, heap leach operation which entered production on time and in line with budget in early 2007. In 2008, Ruby Hill produced 98,000 ounces of gold at total cash costs of $373 per ounce1. Proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 are estimated at 831,000 ounces of gold2.
Rock Creek Property (Join Venture)
Teck Resources - www.teck.com/ / NYSE: TCK
Ironwood Gold Corp. – www.ironwoodgold.com / OTCBB: IROG
The potential of this strategically situated property can be put into context by realizing that many major companies are have worked in the Carlin Trend (Texas Gulf, Homestake, Barrick, Goldfields, Placer Dome and Newmont) all who have found extensive gold deposits with alteration and major structures similar to that found in the Rock Creek claims. Similarly, rock sampling in a north-south direction over the claims by Teck Resources has found numerous rock chip surface samples with anomalous gold concentration.
This property is in the northern part of the Carlin Trend and has similar geology and deep seated structures found in the mineralized zones within the more southern part of the trend. Newmont, Barrick and other companies have located and are mining gold deposits that have at least 1-5 million ounces of gold and some, like the Goldstrike mine (Barrick), had 17million ounces of gold reserves in 2005. Newmont has reserves of over 33 million ounces and is the largest land owner in the trend. Over 50 million ounces of gold has been mined already and it is estimated that the trend has the potential to produce 200 million ounces.
Rock Creek with its geographical, geological and structural setting and indications of gold has the capability to host a similar 1 – 5 million ounce deposit with the potential of even greater than 5 million ounces. This is exemplified by the Jerritt Canyon gold deposit (10-25 million ounces) owned by Yukon Nevada Gold due east of the Rock Creek property and the Anglo Gold Property (2-5 million ounces) located just to the north of Jerritt Canyon.
Tonkin Springs Project - US Gold
www.usgold.com / NYSE.A: UXG / TSX: UXG
The Tonkin Project Area is located 18 miles south-southeast of Barrick Gold’s Cortez property. Cortez includes the Pipeline mine to the north, the original Cortez mine area and the Cortez Hills-Pediment discoveries to the south. Barrick is currently developing the Cortez Hills-Pediment discoveries and expect to produce 1 millions ounces of gold annually commencing in 2010.
In May 2008 US Gold updated the Tonkin 43-101 compliant resource estimate. The measured + indicated gold resource for the Tonkin Project has increased to 1,447,000 ounces of gold contained in 35.6 million tons with an average grade of 0.041 oz Au/t. In addition, the inferred resource has increased to 311,000 ounces contained gold in 9.3 million tons averaging 0.033 oz Au/t from 153,000 ounces contained gold in 3.5 million tonnes averaging 0.044 oz Au/t.
Turquoise Ridge Mines (Joint Venture)
Barrick Gold Corporation - www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
Newmont Mining Corporation* - www.newmont.com/ / NYSE: NEM
The Turquoise Ridge property is located in the Potosi Mining District, about 70 kilometres northeast of Winnemucca, Nevada, on the eastern flank of the Osgood Mountains. Barrick owns a 75% interest and is the operator; Newmont owns the remaining 25%.
Turquoise Ridge consists of two underground mines – the Turquoise Ridge and Getchell mines. Mining at Turquoise Ridge uses underhand cut-and-fill mining methods due to the relatively low rock quality in the ore zones. The Getchell mine was placed on care and maintenance in early 2008.
Ore is transported to Newmont’s Twin Creeks mill for processing. The refractory gold ore is treated using pressure oxidation technology and gold is recovered using conventional carbon-in-leach technology.
In 2008, the Company’s 75% share of Turquoise Ridge’s production totaled 124,000 ounces of gold at total cash costs of $515 per ounce1. Barrick’s share of proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 is estimated at 4.0 million ounces of gold2.
Twin Creeks Mine– Newmont Mining Corporation
www.newmont.com/ / NYSE: NEM
Twin Creeks continued mining high-grade ore after it was acquired by Newmont in 1997. The deposit is filled with various types of ore, which combine to create unique processing challenges.
Located 50 miles (80.4 kilometers) northeast of Winnemucca, Nevada, Twin Creeks is 100 percent owned by Newmont Mining Corporation.
Note: Newmont currently reports reserves and production numbers by area and does not publicly quote separate mine numbers.
Marigold Mine (Joint Venture)
Barrick Gold Corporation - www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
Goldcorp, Inc. www.goldcorp.com / TSX: G / NYSE: GG
Marigold is located approximately 64 kilometers southeast of Winnemucca, Nevada. Barrick has a 33% interest in the mine with the remaining interest owned by Goldcorp.
This open-pit operation uses heap-leaching to process its ore.
In 2008, Barrick’s share of production was 48,000 ounces of gold at average total cash costs of $584 per ounce1. The Company’s share of proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 is estimated at 511,000 ounces of gold2.
Phoenix Mine – Newmont Mining Corporation
www.newmont.com / NYSE: NEM
The Phoenix open pit gold and copper mine, located in the high desert, began production in 2006. Phoenix was part of the Battle Mountain Gold acquisition in January 2001 and has one of the largest milling operations in North America. Upon commissioning in 2006, the operation had an estimated life of 20 years, but exploration could reveal deposits that would extend the mine’s life.
Located 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) south of Battle Mountain, Nevada, Phoenix is 100 percent owned by Newmont Mining Corporation.
Bald Mountain Mine – Barrick Gold Corporation
www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
The Bald Mountain mine lies within the Southern Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada, approximately 110 kilometers northwest of Ely, Nevada and 110 kilometers southeast of Elko, Nevada.
The operation is an open-pit, run-of-mine, heap leach gold mine. The ore treatment method is based on conventional heap leaching technology followed by carbon absorption.
In 2008, Bald Mountain produced 105,000 ounces of gold at a total cash cost of $638 per ounce1. Proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 are estimated at 2.85 million ounces of gold2.
Cortez Pipeline Mine – Barrick Gold Corporation
www.barrick.com / NYSE: ABX
The Cortez gold mine is located 100 kilometers southwest of Elko, Nevada in Lander County. Cortez is wholly-owned by Barrick following the acquisition of the 40% joint venture interest (previously owned by Kennecott Explorations (Australia) Ltd., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc) in early 2008.
The Pipeline property is 11 kilometers northwest and the Cortez Pediment property (which includes the Cortez Hills deposit) is 4 kilometers southeast of the original Cortez milling complex. The Pipeline and South Pipeline deposits are being mined by conventional open-pit methods.
In 2008 Cortez’s production totaled 428,000 ounces of gold at total cash costs of $589 per ounce1. The Company’s proven and probable mineral reserves as of December 31, 2008 are estimated at 13.4 million ounces of gold2.
Midas Mine - Newmont Mining Corporation
www.newmont.com / NYSE: NEM
Nestled in a remote cluster of hills in north-central Nevada, Midas began high-grade underground mining in the late 1990s, under the ownership of Franco-Nevada Mining Corp. In May 2001, Normandy Mining Limited purchased Midas from Franco-Nevada. Six months later, Newmont became owner of the mine following our merger with both Normandy and Franco.
Located 60 miles (97 kilometers) northeast of Winnemucca, Nevada, Midas is 100 percent owned by Newmont Mining Corporation.
Gold Quarry/Rain Mines - Newmont Mining Corporation
www.newmont.com / NYSE: NEM
The Gold Quarry operation is part of Newmont's Carlin Trend Complex located 40 miles west of Elko, Nevada. Newmont's Nevada properties operate as an integrated unit with different mine ore types and grades being transported within the Complex to utilize a variety of processing facilities. Newmont currently reports reserves and production numbers by area and does not publicly quote separate Gold Quarry numbers. Newmont reports that the Carlin Open Pit portion of the Nevada reserve base, which includes Gold Quarry, was 9.5 million ounces at the end of 2007.