Redcorp Ventures says its Tulsequah mine, located in northwestern British Columbia, will position the company to become the next mid-tier producing mine of zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver metals.

Premier Business Partners:

Modular Transportable Solutions Ascent Helicopters Helifor Canada Corp. Arctic Construction Ltd.

Incorporated in 2000, Redcorp Ventures says it is poised to become the next mid-tier producing mine of zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver metals with its Tulsequah property. The mine is located in northwestern British Columbia and wholly owned by the Vancouver-based company’s subsidiary, Redfern Resources Ltd.

Tulsequah is a former producing mine that was owned and operated by Cominco from 1951 to 1957. Cominco suspended its operations primarily for two reasons, according to Salina Landstad, Redcorp manager of public relations and corporate communication.             “First, due to low metal prices, it wasn’t economically feasible to continue mining,” she says. “Also, the fact it was a seasonal operation wasn’t proving to be economically viable to continue mining.”

In 1981, Redfern – which Redcorp acquired in 2000 – began exploring the area and staked a block of claims around the Cominco property. Drilling of diamond drill holes ensued until 1992, when Redfern took over Cominco’s interest in the property and completed exploration, feasibility and evaluation work.

“The company’s outlook took a very positive turn in early 2006, when we decided to reevaluate the Tulsequah project in light of improving metal prices,” President and CEO Terry Chandler says. “Completion of the feasibility study marks a pivotal achievement for the company and demonstrates the inherent value of the Tulsequah project.

“Further, we believe that there is considerable opportunity to expand the reserve through additional exploration at the mine … thereby extending the mine life.”

Overcoming Obstacles
Tulsequah’s remote location has proven to be an interesting hurdle for Redcorp, Landstad notes. “There is no access to the site, no roads leading from any town or city to the site, so all of our access methods have been fly-in and fly-out,” she says. “It is quite expensive to start flying supplies in and concentrates out, so we started to evaluate our options. We identified the air cushion barges, which would allow us to use the Taku River on a year-round basis to supply the mine with equipment and supplies and bring concentrate out.

“But, one key characteristic about the river is it’s a changing system,” she continues. “In the summer months, it’s a flowing river; in the winter months, it freezes and becomes an ice road. In the early fall and late spring, the water levels drop, so we needed to find a method of transportation that would offer the ability to travel on this river system.

“For our purposes, this barge is uniquely suited because its low ground pressure offers the environmental sensitivity that we need as the river changes and has the capacity to hold all of our supplies as well as moving concentrate out when we are in production,” Landstad adds.

The 300-ton, 208-foot by 88-foot barge is capable of holding 450 tons of cargo. In the 1970s, a smaller but similar version was used to construct the Trans Alaskan pipeline. In total, Redcorp will own three barges and one is presently under construction. It is scheduled to be delivered to Juneau, Alaska, by September 2008.

Gearing Up
“This is our second season of conventional barging operations using the Taku River,” Landstad says. “Last year’s program ran from June to September, and we were able to deliver construction equipment and supplies to support the construction efforts to date.

“In June 2008, we began our second barging program, transporting additional construction materials – bridges, culverts, etc. – earth moving equipment, construction equipment and supplies.

“The season will continue until approximately October 2008, at which time we will replace the conventional barges with the air cushion barge.”

Development efforts on site have focused on the construction of site roads within the property area, she notes.

“To date, we are a little over 50 percent complete with these roads. We’ve also built an airstrip, which is now in use, and storage lay-down areas,” Landstad says.

“As work continues, we will commence mine site preparation, mobilization and construction of the permanent camp, construction of the mill buildings and begin underground development.”

Mine Facts
Redcorp expects to begin production on the $297 million mine project in mid-2009. Its process plant will operate at 2,000 tons per day. Tulsequah’s annual projected production numbers include:

• 40,000 tons of zinc
• 9,000 tons of copper
• 3,800 tons of lead
• 1.7 million ounces of silver
• 50,000 ounces of gold
  

Tulsequah will operate for approximately two years as a ramp-entry truck haulage operation. Trucks will haul the ore up the ramp and dump into a bin located above the 5400 Level.

The existing 5200 Level drift will be used as the primary access to the mine for all personnel, equipment, services and supplies; however, it will be enlarged to accommodate modern diesel trackless equipment.

Waste rock will be retained in the mine as loose unconsolidated rock fill in secondary stopes. Waste that is required to be removed will be hoisted and dumped into a waste pass that will extend from the 5200 Level. At all times, two different waste products will be segregated and stored for proper storage and reclamation.

Infrastructure on the project will include:

• A mineral processing building;
• A maintenance facility for underground and surface equipment to be combined with a warehouse;
• A 200-employee camp will be installed as the final operating camp;
• A two-story administration building with a canteen and a kitchen;
• A 12.8 megawatt diesel-generated power plant;
• A two-story technical services building with mine dry and wicket area; and
• An assay office will be installed as a sleeper unit, allowing additional beds during construction and later reconfigured as the assay office.
  

Redcorp also owns two additional early to mid-stage projects in Portugal – the Lagoa Salgada polymetallic base and precious metals project and the Vila de Rei gold project.