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Capstone Copper

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FY2013 Annual Report · Capstone Copper
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Suite 900 - 999 West Hastings Street 
Vancouver, BC  V6C 2W2 

ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM 

For the year ended December 31, 2013 

Dated as of March 14, 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS ................................................................................................................... IV 

ITEM 1 - CORPORATE STRUCTURE .....................................................................................................................7 

1.1 
1.2 

NAME, ADDRESS AND INCORPORATION ........................................................................................................... 7 
INTERCORPORATE RELATIONSHIPS ................................................................................................................. 8 

ITEM 2 - GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS ..........................................................................................9 

2.1 

THREE YEAR HISTORY ................................................................................................................................ 9 

ITEM 3 - DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS ......................................................................................................... 11 

3.1 
3.2 
3.3 
3.4 
3.5 
3.6 

GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................. 11 
MATERIAL MINERAL PROPERTIES ................................................................................................................ 15 
PINTO VALLEY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 
COZAMIN MINE (MEXICO) ........................................................................................................................ 24 
MINTO MINE (YUKON) ............................................................................................................................ 36 
SANTO DOMINGO PROJECT (CHILE) ............................................................................................................. 49 

ITEM 4 - RISK FACTORS .................................................................................................................................. 61 

ITEM 5 - DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS ........................................................................................................ 69 

ITEM 6 - DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 70 

6.1 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE ............................................................................................... 70 

ITEM 7 - MARKET FOR SECURITIES .................................................................................................................. 70 

ITEM 8 - DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS ................................................................................................................ 71 

8.1 
8.2 
8.3 

NAME, OCCUPATION AND SECURITY HOLDING ................................................................................................ 71 
CEASE TRADE ORDERS, BANKRUPTCIES, PENALTIES OR SANCTIONS ........................................................................ 74 
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ........................................................................................................................... 75 

ITEM 9 - AUDIT COMMITTEE INFORMATION .................................................................................................... 75 

9.1 
9.2 
9.3 
9.4 
9.5 
9.6 
9.7 

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER ..................................................................................................................... 75 
COMPOSITION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ..................................................................................................... 75 
RELEVANT EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE ....................................................................................................... 75 
RELIANCE ON CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS............................................................................................................. 76 
AUDIT COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT .................................................................................................................. 76 
PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ................................................................................................... 76 
EXTERNAL AUDITORS SERVICE FEES (BY CATEGORY) .......................................................................................... 76 

ITEM 10 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS ............................................................................. 77 

ITEM 11 - INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS ............................................ 77 

ITEM 12 - TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR ................................................................................................... 77 

ITEM 13 - MATERIAL CONTRACTS ................................................................................................................... 77 

ITEM 14 - INTERESTS OF EXPERTS ................................................................................................................... 77 

NAMES OF EXPERTS ............................................................................................................................................. 78 
INTERESTS OF EXPERTS .......................................................................................................................................... 78 

ITEM 15 - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................ 78 

SCHEDULE “A” – AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

 
 
Date of Information 

In  this  Annual  Information  Form,  unless  the  context  otherwise  requires,  the  “Company”  or  “Capstone”  refers  to 
Capstone Mining Corp. and its subsidiaries.  All information contained herein is as of March 14, 2014, unless otherwise 
stated. 

Financial Statements 

This  Annual  Information  Form  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements 
and  management’s  discussion  and  analysis  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2013.    The  financial  statements  and 
management’s  discussion  and  analysis  are  available  under  the  Company’s  profile  on  the  SEDAR  website  at 
www.sedar.com. 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information 

This Annual Information  Form, and the documents incorporated by reference herein, may contain “forward-looking 
information”  within  the  meaning  of  Canadian  securities  legislation  and  “forward-looking  statements”  within  the 
meaning  of  the  United  States  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995  (collectively,  “forward-looking 
statements”).   These  forward-looking statements are  made as of the date of this document and Capstone does not 
intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required under 
applicable securities legislation. 

Forward-looking  statements  relate  to  future  events  or  future  performance  and  reflect  our  expectations  or  beliefs 
regarding future events.  Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the 
estimation  of  mineral  resources  and  mineral  reserves,  the  realization  of  mineral  reserve  estimates,  the  timing  and 
amount  of  estimated  future  production,  costs  of  production  and  capital  expenditures,  the  success  of  our  mining 
operations,  environmental  risks,  unanticipated  reclamation  expenses  and  title  disputes.    In  certain  cases,  forward-
looking  statements  can  be  identified  by  the  use  of  words  such  as  “plans”,  “expects”,  “budget”,  “scheduled”, 
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes” or variations of such words and phrases, or statements 
that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or 
the  negative  of  these  terms  or  comparable  terminology.    By  their  very  nature,  forward-looking  statements  involve 
known  and  unknown  risks,  uncertainties  and  other  factors  that  may  cause  our  actual  results,  performance  or 
achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied 
by the forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, among others, risks related to:  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

inherent hazards associated with mining operations; 
future prices of copper and other metals; 
counterparty risks associated with sales of our metals; 
our ability to raise capital; 
foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; 
accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; 
changes in general economic conditions; 
uncertainties and risks related to the potential development of the Santo Domingo Project; 
increased operating and capital costs; 
challenges to title to our mineral properties; 
operating in foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental regulation; 
compliance with governmental regulations; 
dependence on key management personnel; 
compliance with environmental laws and regulations; 
reliance on approvals, licenses and permits from governmental authorities; 
impact of climatic conditions on our Pinto Valley, Cozamin and Minto operations; 
potential conflicts of interest involving our directors and officers; 
aboriginal title claims and rights to consultation and accommodation; 
limitations inherent in our insurance coverage; 
land reclamation and mine closure obligations; 

- i - 

 
 
 
 
 
 

labour relations; 
increasing energy prices; 
competition in the mining industry; 
risks associated with joint venture partners; and 
our ability to integrate new acquisitions into our operations. 

For a more detailed discussion of these factors and other risks, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 60. 

Although  we  have  attempted  to  identify  important  factors  that  could  cause  our  actual  results,  performance  or 
achievements to differ materially from those described in our forward-looking statements, there may be other factors 
that cause our results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.  There can be no 
assurance  that  our  forward-looking  statements  will  prove  to  be  accurate,  as  our  actual  results,  performance  or 
achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.  Accordingly, readers should not place 
undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. 

Currency 

The Company reports its financial results and prepares its financial statements in United States dollars.  All currency 
amounts  in  this  Annual  Information  Form  are  expressed  in  United  States  dollars,  unless  otherwise  indicated.  
References to “C$” are to Canadian dollars and references to “MX$” are to Mexican pesos. 

The United States dollar exchange rates for the Company’s principal operating currencies are as follows: 

Canadian dollar (C$)(1) 

Average 
High 
Low 

Mexican peso (MX$)(2) 

As at December 31 

2013 

1.0298 
1.0704 
0.9838 
2013 

2012 

0.9996 
1.0418 
0.9710 

2012 

2011 

1.0110 
1.0604 
0.9449 

2011 

Average 
High 
Low 

12.5587 
13.7212 
11.8850 
1.  Information on US$ to C$ exchange rates obtained from Bank of Canada daily noon exchange rates. 
2.  Information on US$ to MX$ exchange rates obtained from oanda.com. 

13.1456 
14.1257 
12.6433 

12.7691 
13.4394 
11.9807 

Conversion Table 

In  this  Annual  Information  Form,  metric  units  are  used  with  respect  to  the  Company’s  mineral  properties,  unless 
otherwise  indicated.    Conversion  rates  from  imperial  measures  to  metric  units  and  from  metric  units  to  imperial 
measures are provided in the table set out below. 

Imperial Measure 

= 

Metric Unit 

Metric Unit 

= 

Imperial Measure 

2.47 acres 

1 hectare 

3.28 feet 

1 metre 

0.62 miles 

1 kilometre 

0.4047 hectares 

0.3048 metres 

1.609 kilometres 

1 acre 

1 foot 

1 mile 

0.032 ounces (troy) 

1 gram 

31.1 grams 

1 ounce (troy) 

1.102 tons (short) 

1 tonne 

0.907 tonnes 

1 ton 

0.029 ounces (troy)/ton 

1 gram/tonne 

34.28 grams/tonne 

1 ounce (troy)/ton 

- ii - 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Compliance with NI 43-101 
As required by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”), Capstone has 
filed technical reports detailing the technical information related to its material mineral properties discussed herein.  
For the purposes of NI 43-101, the Company’s material mineral properties are the Pinto Valley Mine, Cozamin Mine, 
Minto  Mine,  and  the  Santo  Domingo  Project.    Unless  otherwise  indicated,  Capstone  has  prepared  the  technical 
information  in  this  Annual  Information  Form  (“Technical  Information”)  based  on  information  contained  in  the 
technical reports, news releases and other public filings (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”) available under the 
Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.  Each Disclosure Document was prepared by or under the supervision 
of or approved by a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.  For readers to fully understand the information in this 
Annual  Information  Form,  they  should  read  the  Disclosure  Documents  in  their  entirety,  including  all  qualifications, 
assumptions  and  exclusions  that  relate  to  the  Technical  Information  set  out  in  this  Annual  Information  Form  which 
qualifies the Technical Information.  The Disclosure Documents are each intended to be read as a whole, and sections 
should not be read or relied  upon out of context.   Readers are advised that mineral resources that are not mineral 
reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.  The Technical Information is subject to the assumptions and 
qualifications contained in the Disclosure Documents. 

Classification of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources 

In this Annual Information Form and as required by NI 43-101, the definitions of proven and probable mineral reserves 
and measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources are those used by Canadian Provincial securities regulatory 
authorities  and  conform  to  the  definitions  utilized  by  the  Canadian  Institute  of  Mining,  Metallurgy  and  Petroleum 
(“CIM”)  in  the  “CIM  Standards  on  Mineral  Resources  and  Reserves  –  Definitions  and  Guidelines”  adopted  on 
August 20, 2000 and amended December 11, 2005 and November 27, 2010 (“CIM Standards”). 

Cautionary Note to US Investors Concerning Estimates of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources  

The  disclosure  in  this  Annual  Information  Form  uses  mineral  resource  and  mineral  reserve  classification  terms  that 
comply with reporting standards in Canada, and, unless otherwise indicated, all mineral resource and mineral reserve 
estimates included in this Annual Information Form have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101.  NI 43-101 is a 
rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer 
makes of scientific and technical information concerning  mineral projects.   These standards differ  significantly from 
the  disclosure  requirements  of  the  SEC  set  forth  in  Industry  Guide  7.    Consequently,  mineral  resource  and  mineral 
reserve information contained in this Annual Information Form is not comparable to similar information that would 
generally be disclosed by US companies in accordance with the rules of the SEC. 

In particular, the SEC’s Industry Guide 7 applies different standards in order to classify mineralization as a reserve.  As 
a  result,  the  definitions  of  proven  and  probable  reserves  used  in  NI  43-101  differ  from  the  definitions  in  Industry 
Guide 7.  Under SEC standards, mineralization may not be classified as a “reserve” unless the determination has been 
made  that  the  mineralization  could  be  economically  and  legally  produced  or  extracted  at  the  time  the  reserve 
determination is made.    Accordingly, mineral reserve  estimates  contained in this Annual Information Form  may not 
qualify as “reserves” under SEC standards. 

In  addition,  this  Annual  Information  Form  uses  the  terms  “measured  mineral  resources”,  “indicated  mineral 
resources”  and  “inferred  mineral  resources”  to  comply  with  the  reporting  standards  in  Canada.    The  SEC’s  Industry 
Guide 7 does not recognize mineral resources and US companies are generally not permitted to disclose resources in 
documents they file with the SEC.  Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in 
these  categories  will  ever  be  converted  into  SEC  defined  mineral  “reserves.”    Further,  “inferred  mineral  resources” 
have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically.  
Therefore, investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists.  In 
accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of “inferred mineral resources” cannot form the basis of feasibility or other 
economic studies, except in rare cases.  In addition, disclosure of “contained ounces” in a mineral resource estimate is 
permitted disclosure under NI 43-101 provided that the grade or quality and the quantity of each category is stated; 
however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report  mineralization that does not  constitute “reserves” by SEC 
standards  as  in  place  tonnage  and  grade  without  reference  to  unit  measures.    For  the  above  reasons,  information 
contained  in  this  Annual  Information  Form  containing  descriptions  of  our  mineral  resource  and  mineral  reserve 
estimates  is  not  comparable  to  similar  information  made  public  by  US  companies  subject  to  the  reporting  and 
disclosure requirements of the SEC. 

- iii - 

 
GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 

In this Annual Information Form, the following technical terms have the following meanings: 

AAS 

Ag 

alteration 

anomaly 

assay 

Au 

biotite 

breccia 

chlorite 

CIM 

COG 

Cu 

deposit 

diamond drill holes 

atomic absorption spectroscopy. 

silver. 

chemical and mineralogical changes in a rock mass resulting from the passage of fluids. 

a deviation  from uniformity.   In the search  for minerals,  it is an area in  which higher or 
lower than background concentrations of minerals may be found. 

an analysis of the contents of metals in mineralized rocks. 

gold. 

a magnesium-iron mica widely distributed in igneous rocks. 

a fragmental rock whose components are angular and not water-worn. 

in geology, the general term for hydrated silicates of aluminum, iron and magnesium. 

Canadian  Institute  of  Mining,  Metallurgy  and  Petroleum  and  the  CIM  Standards  on 
Mineral  Resources  and  Reserves  –  Definitions  and  Guidelines”  adopted  on  August 20, 
2000 and amended December 11, 2005 and November 27, 2010. 

cut off grade.  

Copper. 

a  mineralized  body  which  has  been  physically  delineated  by  drilling,  trenching  and/or 
underground  work  and  may  contain  a  sufficient  average  grade  of  metal  or  metals  to 
warrant further exploration and/or development expenditures.  Such a deposit does not 
qualify  as  a  commercially  mineable  reserve  until  final  technical,  legal  and  economic 
factors have been resolved. 

holes  drilled  by  a  method  whereby  rock  is  drilled  with  a  diamond  impregnated,  hollow 
drilling bit which produces a continuous, in situ record of the rock mass intersected in the 
form of solid cylinders of rock which are referred to as core. 

disseminated 

a texture in which minerals occur as scattered particles in the rock. 

dmt 

dmtu 

DFS 

dyke 

fabric 

fault 

Fe 

feldspar 

foliation 

g 

grade 

g/t 

dry metric tonnes. 

dry metric tonne unit. 

definitive feasibility study. 

an introsive tabular body of igneous rock that cuts across the layering or fabric of the host 
rock. 

the  spatial  arrangement  and  orientation  of  rock  components,  whether  crystals  or 
sedimentary particles, as determined by their sizes, shapes, etc. 

a fracture in a rock across which there has been displacement. 

iron. 

one of a group of rock forming minerals which include microcline, orthoclase, plagioclase 
and anorthoclase. 

the  preferred  planar  orientation  of  minerals  and  mineral  aggregates  in  metamorphic 
rocks. 

gram. 

the  amount  of  valuable  mineral  in  each  tonne  of  ore,  expressed  as  ounces  per  ton  or 
grams per tonne for precious metal and as a percentage by weight for other metals. 

grams per metric tonne. 

- iv - 

 
ha 

host rock 

HQ 

hydrothermal 

hectares. 

a volume of rock within which mineralization or an ore body occurs. 

approximately 63mm diameter drill core. 

applied to metamorphic and magmatic emanations high in water content; the processes 
in  which  they  are  concerned;  and  the  rocks  or  ore  deposits,  alteration  products,  and 
springs produced by them. 

igneous 

a type of rock that is crystallized from a liquid magma. 

Indicated Mineral 
Resources 

Inferred Mineral 
Resources 

IOCG 

K 

Koz 

Kt 

LOM 

M 

mafic 

masl 

Measured Mineral 
Resources 

mineral reserve 

in  accordance  with  CIM  definitions,    that  part  of  a  mineral  resource  for  which  quantity, 
grade  or  quality,  densities,  shape  and  physical  characteristics  can  be  estimated  with  a 
level  of  confidence  sufficient  to  allow  the  appropriate  application  of  technical  and 
economic parameters to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability 
of  the  deposit.    The  estimate  is  based  on  detailed  and  reliable  exploration  and  testing 
information  gathered  through  appropriate  techniques  from  locations  such  as  outcrops, 
trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for geological and 
grade continuity to be reasonably assumed. 

in accordance with CIM definitions, that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and 
grade or quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and limited sampling 
and reasonably assumed, but not verified, geological and grade continuity.  The estimate 
is  based  on  limited  information  and  sampling  gathered  through  appropriate  techniques 
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. 

iron oxide copper gold. 

thousands. 

thousands of ounces. 

thousands of tonnes. 

life of mine. 

millions. 

ferromagnesian minerals and rocks where these minerals are abundant. 

metres above sea level 

in  accordance  with  CIM  definitions,  that  part  of  a  mineral  resource  for  which  quantity, 
grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics are so well established that 
they can be estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of 
technical and economic parameters to support production planning and evaluation of the 
economic  viability  of  the  deposit.    The  estimate  is  based  on  detailed  and  reliable 
exploration,  sampling  and  testing  information  gathered  through  appropriate  techniques 
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits,  workings  and drill holes that are spaced 
closely enough to confirm both geological and grade continuity. 

in  accordance  with  CIM  definitions,  the  economically  mineable  part  of  a  Measured  or 
Indicated Mineral Resource demonstrated by at least a preliminary feasibility study.  This 
study must include adequate information on mining, processing, metallurgical, economic 
and  other  relevant  factors  that  demonstrate,  at  the  time  of  reporting,  that  economic 
extraction can be justified.    A mineral reserve includes diluting minerals and allowances 
for losses that may occur when the material is mined. 

- v - 

 
mineral resource 

in  accordance  with  CIM  definitions,  a  concentration  or  occurrence  of  diamonds,  natural 
solid  inorganic  material,  or  natural  solid  fossilized  organic  material  including  base  and 
precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals in or on the Earth’s crust in such form and 
quantity  and  of  such  a  grade  or  quality  that  it  has  reasonable  prospects  for  economic 
extraction.    The  location,  quantity,  grade,  geological  characteristics  and  continuity  of  a 
mineral  resource  are  known,  estimated  or  interpreted  from  specific  geological  evidence 
and knowledge. 

Mineralization 

significant  amounts  of  mineral(s)  that  is  (are)  of  economic  interest  which  may  be 
established by prospecting, trenching and drilling. 

Mlbs 

MS 

Mt 

MW 

millions of pounds. 

magnetic susceptibility. 

millions of tonnes. 

megawatts. 

NI 43-101 

National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. 

NQ 

NSR 

ore 

outcrop 

Pb 

pyrite 

QML 

approximately 47mm diameter drill core. 

net smelter return. 

rock that contains one or more minerals or metals, at least one of which has commercial 
value and which can be recovered at a profit. 

an exposure of rock at the earth’s surface. 

lead. 

a common iron sulphide mineral commonly found in hydrothermal veins and systems and 
commonly associated with gold mineralization. 

Quartz Mining License. 

Qualified Person 

has the meaning set out in NI 43-101. 

quartz 

SAG 

silica 

tpd 

tpy 

vein 

volcanic 

WUL 

Zn  

a common rock forming mineral made up of silicon dioxide. 

Semi-Autogenous grinding. 

silicon  dioxide  (SiO2),  which  occurs  in  the  crystalline  forms  as  quartz,  cristobalite, 
tridymite,  as  cryptocrystalline  chalcedony,  as  amorphous  opal,  and  as  an  essential 
constituent of the silicate groups of minerals. 

tonnes per day. 

tonnes per year. 

a sheet-like body of minerals formed by fracture-filling or replacement of the host rock. 

formed by volcanic activity. 

water use license. 

zinc. 

- vi - 

 
ITEM 1 - CORPORATE STRUCTURE 

1.1 

Name, Address and Incorporation 

The  Company  was  incorporated  pursuant  to  the  Company  Act  (British  Columbia)  on  July  17,  1987  under  the  name 
330338  BC  Ltd.    The  Company  changed  its  name  to  Fire  Star  Resources  Ltd.  on  April  21,  1989,  and  to  International 
Bancorp  Ltd.  on  August  17,  1989,  and  to  IBL  Equities  Ltd.  on  March  5,  1991.    On  January  2,  1996,  the  Company 
changed its name to Serena Resources Ltd. and consolidated its share capital on a 5:1 basis.  On May 17, 2001, the 
Company changed its name to Consolidated Serena Resources Ltd. and consolidated its share capital on a 5:1 basis.  
On March 6, 2003, the Company changed its name to Capstone Gold Corp., and on February 8, 2006, the Company 
changed  its  name  to  its  current  name,  Capstone  Mining  Corp.    The  Company  is  now  governed  by  the  Business 
Corporations  Act  (British  Columbia).    On  January  12,  2005,  Capstone  amended  its  Notice  of  Articles  to  change  it 
authorized capital from 100,000,000 common  shares to an unlimited number of common shares and to reduce the 
threshold percentage of votes required to approve a special resolution from 75% to 66⅔%, amongst other things. 

On November 24, 2008, Capstone and Sherwood Copper Corporation (“Sherwood”) completed a court-approved plan 
of  arrangement  pursuant  to  which  Capstone’s  wholly-owned  subsidiary  acquired  all  of  the  issued  and  outstanding 
common  shares  of  Sherwood  in  exchange  for  common  shares  of  Capstone,  and  the  subsidiary  and  Sherwood 
amalgamated  to  form  a  new  corporation  named  “Capstone  Mining  North  Ltd.”    On  January  1,  2009,  Capstone  and 
Capstone Mining North Ltd. were amalgamated to form Capstone Mining Corp. 

On  June  17,  2011,  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  the  Company  acquired  all  of  the  issued  and  outstanding  common 
shares  of  Far West Mining  Ltd.  (“Far  West”)  by  way  of  a  court-approved  plan  of  arrangement.    See  “Acquisition  of 
Far West”.    Concurrent  with  the  acquisition  of  Far  West,  the  Company  entered  into  an  agreement  with 
Korea Resources  Corporation  (“KORES”),  pursuant  to  which  Capstone  sold  to  KORES  a  30%  indirect  interest  in 
Far West.  See “KORES Strategic Partnership”. 

On April 22, 2013, the Company incorporated 0968158 BC Ltd. under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) 
and  on  August  7,  2013,  0968158  BC  Ltd.  changed  its  name  to  Capstone  PV  Mining  Corp.    On  April  22,  2013,  the 
Company  incorporated  two  indirect  wholly-owned  Delaware  subsidiaries,  which  later  changed  their  names  to 
Capstone US Mining Corp. and Pinto Valley Mining Corp.  On October 11, 2013, Pinto Valley Mining Corp. completed 
the acquisition of the Pinto Valley Mine and Capstone US Mining Corp completed the acquisition of 99.9% of all of the 
outstanding stock of San Manuel Arizona Railroad Company (“SMARRCO”).  The remaining 0.1% of SMARRCO is held 
by the three directors of SMARRCO, as required under Arizona railroad law. 

On  September  27,  2013,  the  Company  established  a  branch  in  Luxembourg  (“Luxembourg  Branch”)  for  purposes  of 
investment and financing within the Capstone group of companies.  The Luxembourg Branch incorporated a wholly-
owned  subsidiary,  Capstone  Luxembourg  Finance  Sarl  (“Luxembourg  Finance”)  to  provide  financial  lending  to 
Capstone  subsidiary  companies.   On  October  4,  2013,  Luxembourg  Finance  provided  a  loan  to  Capstone  US  Mining 
Corp.  for  purposes  of  funding  the  acquisition  of  the  Pinto  Valley  Mine.    On  September  16,  2013,  the  Company 
incorporated Capstone Finance Ltd. under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).  

The Company is a reporting issuer in each of the Provinces of Canada.  The Company’s common shares trade on the 
Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) under the symbol “CS”.  Its principal business and registered and records address 
is at 900 - 999 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC  V6C 2W2. 

The Company carries on its US operations, primarily the Pinto Valley Mine and associated San Manuel Arizona Railroad 
Company  (“SMARRCO”)  in  Arizona,  through  Pinto  Valley  Mining  Corp,  a  company  incorporated  on  April  22,  2013, 
pursuant to the laws of the United States.  The Company owns 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of 
Pinto Valley Mining Corp., a wholly owned US subsidiary. 

The  Company  carries  on  its  Mexican  operations,  primarily  the  Cozamin  Mine  in  the  State  of  Zacatecas,  through 
Capstone Gold,  S.A.  de  C.V.  (“Capstone  Mexico”),  a  company  incorporated  on  December  31,  2003,  pursuant  to  the 
laws of Mexico.  The Company owns 99% of the issued and outstanding securities of Capstone Mexico; the remaining 
1% is beneficially owned by the Company and held in trust by its attorney of law in Mexico.  All salaried employees at 

- 7 - 

 
the Cozamin Mine are employed through Capstone Services S.A. de C.V. and all employees paid on an hourly basis are 
employed through Capstone Mining S.A. de C.V. 

The  Company  carries  on  additional  Mexican  operations,  primarily  the  Cumbral  Exploration  Project,  through 
Capstone Exploraciones  S.A.  de  C.V.  (“Capstone  Exploraciones”),  a  company  incorporated  on  November  29,  2012, 
pursuant  to  the  laws  of  Mexico.    The  Company  owns  99%  of  the  issued  and  outstanding  securities  of  Capstone 
Exploraciones; the remaining 1% is owned by 0807370 BC Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. 

The Company carries on its Canadian operations, primarily the Minto Mine, located in the Yukon and through Minto 
Explorations  Ltd.  (“MintoEx”),  a  company  incorporated  on  April  20,  1993,  pursuant  to  the  laws  of  the  Province  of 
British Columbia.  The Company owns 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of MintoEx. 

The Company carries on its Chilean mineral-related activities, primarily the Santo Domingo Project, through its partial 
indirect  ownership  of  Minera  Santo  Domingo  SCM  (formerly,  Minera  Lejano  Oeste,  S.A.),  a  company  incorporated 
pursuant  to  the  laws  of  Chile.    The  Company  owns  70%  of  the  issued  and  outstanding  common  shares  of 
0908113 BC Ltd.,  which  owns  100%  of  the  issued  and  outstanding  common  shares  of  Far West,  which  in  turn  owns 
100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Minera Santo Domingo SCM.  A subsidiary of KORES owns the 
remaining 30% of 0908113 BC Ltd. 

The Company carries on additional Chilean mineral-related activities, through Capstone Mining Chile S.A., a company 
incorporated pursuant to the laws of Chile.  The Company owns 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares 
Capstone Mining Chile S.A.  This activity, described in more detail below, is primarily focused on the exploitation of an 
option  agreement  with  Sociedad  Química  y  Minera  de  Chile  S.A.  (“SQM”)  to  earn  up  to  70%  of  a  property,  Project 
Providencia, located in Region II of Chile. 

1.2 

Intercorporate Relationships  

The  following  chart  describes  the 
February 24, 2014.  The percentage of ownership is indicated for each entity: 

inter-corporate  relationships  among  the  Company’s  subsidiaries  as  at 

- 8 - 

 
 
 
ITEM 2 - GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS 

The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of mineral properties.  Over the 
past three completed financial years, the Company has continued to operate, expand and explore mineral properties.  
The  Company’s  principal  product  is  copper,  although  significant  amounts  of  zinc,  lead,  gold  and  silver  are  also 
produced and sold.  The  Company currently carries on  mining operations  in the United States,  Mexico and Canada, 
have advanced exploration/development projects in Chile and has exploration projects in Chile and Mexico.   

2.1 

Three Year History 

Financial Year Ended December 31, 2011 

On  March  14,  2011,  Capstone  reported  the  results  of  a  pre-feasibility  study  for  the  Phase  V  expansion  at  the 
Minto Mine  which  included  underground  mineral  reserves  associated  with  the  Minto  East,  Area  2  and  118  ore 
deposits. 

On  May  30,  2011,  the  Company  announced  the  results  of  a  NI  43-101  compliant  mineral  resource  estimate  for  the 
Wildfire/Copper Keel area at the Minto Mine. 

On  June  20,  2011,  the  Company  announced  the  results  of  an  initial  mineral  resource  estimate  for  the  Mala  Noche 
Footwall Zone at the Cozamin Mine. 

On August 15, 2011, the Company announced the results of the pre-feasibility study on the Santo Domingo Project. 

Acquisition of Far West 

On April 17, 2011 the Company and Far West announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement pursuant 
to  which  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  the  Company  agreed  to  acquire  all  of  the  issued  and  outstanding  common 
shares of Far West, by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement. 

Far  West  shareholders  were  entitled  to  elect  to  receive,  in  exchange  for  each  Far  West  share  held  either  (i)  1.825 
shares of Capstone and C$1.00 in cash, (ii) 2.047 shares of Capstone and C$0.001 in cash, or (iii) C$9.19 cash, subject 
to proration on the basis of an aggregate maximum cash amount of approximately up to C$79.0M and provided that 
no Far West shareholder that elected option (iii) above, would receive less than C$1.00 in cash per Far West share.  
Far  West  received,  at  the  meeting  of  its  security  holders  held  on  June  13,  2011,  security  holder  approval  for  the 
arrangement and on June 17, 2011 Capstone completed its acquisition of Far West. 

As part of the acquisition, Capstone issued 12,091,629 options in exchange for 5,907,000 options of Far West, which 
equates to an exchange ratio of 2.047 Capstone options for every Far West option exchanged.  Those options issued 
by Capstone were on the same terms and conditions as those exchanged by the Far West holders.  As a result of these 
exchanges, Capstone recorded the fair value of the vested options of $19.3M as a cost of the transaction.  In addition, 
Capstone issued 4,451,221 warrants in exchange for 2,439,025 warrants of Far West which equates to an exchange 
ratio of 1.825 Capstone warrants for every Far West warrant exchanged.  Those warrants issued by Capstone were on 
the same terms and conditions as those exchanged by the Far West holders, except for the exercise price, which was 
reduced by C$1.00.  As a result of these exchanges, Capstone recorded the fair value of the vested warrants of $4.0M 
as a cost of the transaction. 

The  Company  filed  a  Form  51-102F4  Business  Acquisition  Report  on  July  7,  2011  in  respect  of  its  acquisition  of 
Far West. 

KORES Strategic Partnership 

Concurrent with the acquisition of Far West, the Company announced that it entered into a strategic partnership with 
KORES.    Under  the  terms  of  the  partnership,  Capstone  sold  to  KORES  a  30%  indirect  interest  in  Far  West  for  cash 
consideration  of  $194.2M.    As  a  result  of  this  partial  disposition  of  its  ownership  interest  in  Far  West,  Capstone 
recorded a $44.9M reduction to the carrying value of the Far West mineral properties on the date of purchase.  This 

- 9 - 

 
reduction in mineral properties represented the amount paid by KORES for its 30% interest in excess of a 30% share of 
the fair value of the Far West net assets acquired on closing. 

KORES  agreed  to  arrange  on  a  commercially  reasonable  best  efforts  basis  for  a  debt  financier  to  offer  to  provide 
financing  for  65%  of  the  bankable  feasibility  study  capital  costs,  as  well  as  fund  30%  of  the  balance  of  capital 
requirements based on its equity ownership share. 

The Company issued 40,198,632 shares by way of a private placement at C$4.3526 per share to a KORES subsidiary for 
gross cash proceeds of C$178.0M. 

Financial Year Ended December 31, 2012 

On  February  8,  2012,  the  Company  announced  an  updated  NI  43-101  compliant  mineral  resource  estimate  for  the 
Mala Noche Footwall Zone at the Cozamin Mine. 

On February 9, 2012, the Company announced that Jan Castro had resigned from Capstone’s board of directors. 

On  April  11,  2012,  the  Company  entered  into  a  $200M  Senior  Secured  Revolving  Corporate  Credit  Facility  with  the 
Bank  of  Nova  Scotia  (as  Lead  Arranger  and  Administrative  Agent),  Canadian  Imperial  Bank  of  Commerce  (as  Co-
Syndication  Agent),  Bank  of  Montreal  (as  Co-Syndication  Agent)  and  HSBC  Bank  Canada  (the  “Credit  Facility”).    The 
Credit Facility has a four year term with annual extensions permitted, subject to approval by all lenders, and attracts 
an  interest  rate  of  US  dollar  London  Inter-bank  Offered  Rates  (“LIBOR”)  plus  1.75%  (adjustable  in  certain 
circumstances).  The Credit Facility replaces Capstone’s previous $40M corporate revolving term credit facility with the 
Bank of Nova Scotia. 

On May 14, 2012, the Company announced that KORES’ representative on Capstone’s board had changed.  Effective 
May 9, 2012, Hak-Kyun Shin  resigned from, and Wook Jin Choi  was appointed to the Company’s board of directors.  
Pursuant to the formation of the strategic partnership for the development of the Santo Domingo project, KORES is 
entitled to nominate one representative to Capstone’s board. 

On June 4, 2012, the Company announced that effective June 4, 2012, Kalidas Madhavpeddi had been appointed to its 
board of directors. 

On June 18, 2012, the Company announced the results of the Phase VI pre-feasibility study on the Minto Mine. 

On  August  16,  2012,  the  Company  announced  that  Tony  Giardini  had  been  appointed  as  Senior  Vice  President  and 
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, replacing Richard Godfrey, who left the Company. 

On  October  23,  2012,  the  Company  announced  that  KORES’  representative  on  Capstone’s  board  had  changed.  
Effective  October  23,  2012,  Wook  Jin  Choi  resigned  from,  and  GookHo  (GH)  Lee  was  appointed  to,  the  Company’s 
board of directors. 

On October 25, 2012, the Company announced the results of the first NI 43-101 compliant mineral resources estimate 
for two new areas, the Fireweed and Inferno North areas, at its Minto Mine.  The resource estimate added 101 million 
pounds of copper in the indicated category and 86 million pounds in the inferred category, at a 1.2% copper cut-off 
grade at the Minto Mine. 

On  October  31,  2012,  the  Company  announced  that  Tony  Giardini  had  resigned  as  Senior  Vice  President  and 
Chief Financial Officer of the Company. 

On  December  27,  2012,  the  Company  announced  TSX  approval  of  the  Company’s  Notice  of  Intention  to  make  a 
Normal Course Issuer bid (“NCIB”).  Pursuant to the NCIB, Capstone proposes to purchase through the facilities of the 
TSX and other Canadian marketplaces, from time to time, if considered advisable, up to an aggregate of 34,014,871 
shares,  being  approximately  10%  of  the  public  float  of  Capstone’s  common  shares,  as  of  December  21,  2012.  
Purchases commenced through the TSX on December 31, 2012, and concluded on December 30, 2013.  The Company 
further  announced  that  BMO  Nesbitt  Burns  would  be  appointed  as  the  brokerage  firm  responsible  for  making 
purchases of common shares under the NCIB on behalf of Capstone.  All purchases pursuant to the NCIB were made 

- 10 - 

 
through the open market through the facilities of the TSX and other Canadian marketplaces and will be in accordance 
with the rules and policies thereof.  The purchase price paid for all common shares were the prevailing market price at 
the time of purchase.  The Company may purchase a daily maximum of 271,787 common shares, representing 25% of 
the average daily trading volume of 1,087,151 common shares subject to certain prescribed exemptions. 

Financial Year Ended December 31, 2013 

On March 7, 2013, the Company announced an updated NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the Mala 
Noche Footwall Zone at the  Cozamin Mine.  On May 14,  2013, the Company announced that D. James Slattery had 
been appointed as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. 

On August 8, 2013 the Company announced that it has entered into an option agreement with Sociedad Química y 
Minera de Chile S.A. (“SQM”) to earn up to 70% of a property, Project Providencia.  The initial option is on 350,000 
hectares  in  Chile’s  II  Region  and  would  be  reduced  overtime  to  a  maximum  of  50,000  hectares  if  a  joint  venture  is 
formed. 

Acquisition of Pinto Valley copper mining operation and the associated San Manuel Arizona Railroad Company 

On  April  28,  2013,  the  Company  announced  it  had  entered  into  a  definitive  agreement  with  BHP  Copper  Inc.,  a 
subsidiary of BHP Billiton Ltd. (“BHP”), to purchase BHP’s wholly-owned Pinto Valley copper mining operation and the 
associated  San  Manuel  Arizona  Railroad  Company  (“SMARRCO”)  in  Arizona,  USA  for  US$650M.    The  purchase  price 
was paid in cash and is subject to customary adjustments.  The purchase price was satisfied from Capstone’s existing 
$200M  Senior  Secured  Revolving  Credit  Facility  ($176M  available)  and  from  a  new  2.5-year,  $200M  Senior  Secured 
Reducing Revolving Credit Facility, that are respectively committed and underwritten by The Bank of Nova Scotia, and 
cash on hand.  The new facility will include customary covenants and closing conditions, including closing of the Pinto 
Valley  acquisition,  and  will  bear  interest  at  market  rates.    The  acquisition  agreement  was  not  conditional  upon 
financing. 

On  June  12,  2013,  the  Company  filed  a  NI  43-101  report  titled  “Pinto  Valley  Property  Mineral  Resource  Estimate” 
supporting the mineral resource estimate of the Pinto Valley copper mining operation. 

On October 11, 2013, the Company announced it had completed the previously announced acquisition of the Pinto 
Valley copper mine and the associated San Manuel Arizona Railroad Company from BHP Copper Inc. 

The Company filed a Form 51-102F4 Business Acquisition Report on December 20, 2013 in respect of its acquisition of 
the Pinto Valley copper mining operation and the associated San Manuel Arizona Railroad Company.  

ITEM 3 - DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS 

3.1 

General 

Capstone’s  strategic  goal  is  to  be  the  best  managed  copper  company  within  our  peer  group,  delivering  industry 
leading  returns.    Capstone  is  focused  on  profitability,  a  growing  production  profile  and  operating  in  a  safe  and 
responsible  manner.  Our  well  defined  growth  strategy  has  two  tiers.    The  first  is  organic  growth  of  our  existing 
development  projects  and  extension  of  our  existing  mines.    The  second  is  through  the  acquisition  of  producing 
properties.    Both  are  focused  on  copper  and  in  politically  safe  and  mining  friendly  jurisdictions  in  the  Americas.  
Capstone’s material mineral properties consist of:  

 
 
 

 

the Pinto Valley Mine, an open pit copper-molybdenum mine located in Arizona, US;  
the Cozamin Mine, a copper-silver-zinc-lead underground mine located in the State of Zacatecas, Mexico; 
the  Minto  Mine,  an  open  pit  and  underground  copper-gold-silver  mine  located  in  the  Whitehorse  Mining 
District, Yukon, Canada; and 
the Santo Domingo Project, a large scale copper/gold/magnetite project in Chile, in which Capstone holds a 
70% interest through a long-term strategic partnership with KORES.   

- 11 - 

 
     
In addition to ongoing exploration at the Cozamin Mine aimed at increasing mine life and throughput, Capstone has a 
portfolio of early stage base metals exploration projects that have the potential to add to production over the longer 
term.  This exploration is focused in mining friendly jurisdictions, with preference given to areas where a team is in 
place and the permitting process is well understood. The two primary exploration projects the Company is pursuing at 
the present time are: 

 

 

Capstone entered into an earn-in and joint venture agreement with Westminster Resources Ltd. on April 17, 
2012 for the Cumbral Property located in Sonora, Mexico and may earn a 70% interest in the property.  This 
property was assigned to a 100% owned exploration subsidiary of the Company, Capstone Exploraciones, S.A. 
de C.V., and is being actively explored. 
Capstone entered into an option agreement with SQM to earn up to 70% of Project Providencia in Region II, 
Chile, which is a very large under-explored land package in the world’s most prolific copper jurisdiction.  The 
initial option is on 350,000 hectares and would be reduced over time to a maximum of 50,000 hectares if a 
joint venture is formed.  Capstone is the operator of the  project and may earn up to a 70% interest in the 
Property with the right to withdraw from the project at any time.   

Capstone is actively pursuing additional exploration opportunities through earn-in and joint venture models. 

[The remainder of this page is left intentionally blank] 

- 12 - 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Principal Products and Operations  

The  Company’s  principal  products  are  copper,  zinc,  lead,  moly,  silver  and  gold  in  concentrates  as  well  as  copper 
cathode.    Further  information  regarding  the  three  mines  (Pinto  Valley,  Cozamin  and  Minto)  is  contained  in  the 
respective  Material  Mineral  Property  sections  further  below  in  this  document.    The  following  table  summarizes  the 
production operating statistics for 2012 and 2013: 

Operating Statistics

Production (contained metal)
Copper (000s pounds)
Zinc (000s pounds)
Lead (000s pounds)
Moly (000s pounds)
Silver (000s ounces)
Gold (ounces) 2

Pinto Valley 1
 Q4 2013 

Cozamin

Minto

 2013 

 2012 

 2013 

 2012 

29,618
-
-

14
59
-

45,515
17,825
2,728
-
1,682
-

46,909
17,221
2,891
-
1,576
-

37,238
-
-
-
162
18,361

35,928
-
-
-
184
18,599

Cathode Production

Copper (000s pounds)

Mining

Waste (000s tonnes)
Ore (000s tonnes)
Total (000s tonnes)

Milling

Milled (000s tonnes)
Tonnes per day
Copper grade (%)
Zinc grade (%)
Lead grade (%)
Moly grade (%)
Silver grade (g/t)
Gold grade (g/t) 2

Recoveries

Copper (%)
Zinc (%)
Lead (%)
Silver (%)
Gold (%) 1

Concentrate Production

Copper (dmt)
Copper (%)
Silver (g/t)
Gold (g/t) 2

Zinc (dmt)
Zinc (%)
Lead (dmt)
Lead (%)
Silver (g/t)

Moly (dmt)

1,421

-

-

-

-

10
4,538
4,549

3,730
45,491
0.42
-
-
0.01
-
-

85.0
-
-
-
-

50,235
26.8
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

14

-
1,209
1,209

1,206
3,305
1.86
1.12
0.19
-
61.0
-

92.1
60.1
54.5
71.1
-

81,351
25.4
574
-
16,928
47.8
2,205
56.1
2,541
-

-
1,171
1,171

1,173
3,205
1.95
1.03
0.20
-
58.9
-

93.0
64.9
55.8
71.0
-

81,305
26.2
540
-
16,057
48.6
2,216
59.2
2,324
-

9,696
2,013
11,709

9,805
943
10,748

1,402
3,842
1.31
-
-
-
4.6
0.5

92.3
-
-
78.5
78.4

1,342
3,666
1.34
-
-
-
5.1
0.6

90.5
-
-
84.1
74.0

46,303
36.5
109
12

43,423
37.5
132
13

-
-
-
-
-
-

-
-
-
-
-
-

1 Pinto Valley’s results for the 82 day period of Capstone ownership (Oct 11/13 to Dec 31/13). 
2 Gold is not assayed on site, resulting in a significant lag time in receiving this data. 

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During the year ended December 31, 2013, gross revenue of $368.4M was generated on the sale of 166,967 dmt of 
copper  concentrates,  17,379  dmt  of  zinc  concentrates,  2,103  dmt  of  lead  concentrates  and  600  tonnes  of  copper 
cathode.  Payable metals sold included 100.1 million pounds of copper, 14.7 million pounds of zinc, 2.3 million pounds 
of lead, 16,131 ounces of gold and 1.7 million ounces of silver. 

The following table summarizes the gross sales revenue for 2013 and 2012: 

Gross Sales Revenue by Metal 

Year ended 
Dec. 31, 2013 
($ 000’s) 
329,853 
12,569 
2,234 
9,911 
13,855 
368,422 

Year ended 
Dec. 31, 2013 
% 
89.5 
3.4 
0.6 
2.7 
3.8 
100.0 

Year ended 
Dec. 31, 2012 
($ 000’s) 
289,217 
11,676 
2,425 
11,363 
13,474 
328,155 

Year ended 
Dec. 31, 2012 
% 
88.1 
3.6 
0.7 
3.5 
4.1 
100.0 

Copper 
Zinc 
Lead 
Gold 
Silver 
Total 

Precious Metals Streams 

During 2008, the Company sold all of its gold and silver production from the Minto Mine over the life of mine to Silver 
Wheaton Corp. (“Silver Wheaton”) in consideration for an upfront payment of $37.5M and a further payment of the 
lesser  of  $300  per  ounce  of  gold  and  $3.90  per  ounce  of silver  (subject  to  a  1%  inflationary  adjustment  after  three 
years  and  each  year  thereafter)  and  the  prevailing  market  price  for  each  ounce  delivered.    If  production  from  the 
Minto  Mine  exceeds  30,000  ounces  of  gold  per  year,  Silver  Wheaton  will  be  entitled  to  purchase  only  50%  of  the 
amount in excess of that threshold.  The Company has recorded the proceeds received as deferred revenue and will 
recognize this amount as an adjustment to revenue as the appropriate ounces are delivered. 

Under its April 2007 agreement with Silver Wheaton the Company has a commitment to sell the Cozamin Mine’s silver 
production over a 10 year period to Silver Wheaton.  Under the terms of the arrangement, Silver Wheaton agreed to 
pay for each ounce of refined silver from the mine the lesser of $4.00 per ounce of silver (subject to a 1% inflationary 
adjustment  after  three  years  and  each  year  thereafter)  and  the  prevailing  market  price  for  each  ounce  of  silver, 
subject to price adjustments.  Further, the Company agreed to deliver a minimum of 10.0 million ounces of silver to 
Silver Wheaton over a ten year period.  If, at the end of ten years, the Company has not delivered the agreed upon 10 
million  ounces  of  silver,  then  it  has  agreed  to  pay  Silver  Wheaton  $1.00  per  ounce  of  silver  not  delivered.    To 
December 31, 2013 a total of 8.9 million ounces had been delivered against the contract since its inception. 

Competitive Conditions  

The  mining  industry  is  intensely  competitive,  particularly  in  the  acquisition  of  additional  mineral  reserves  and 
resources  in  all  of  its  phases  of  operation  and  the  Company  competes  with  many  companies  possessing  similar  or 
greater financial and technical resources. 

The Company’s competitive position is largely determined by its costs compared to other producers throughout the 
world and its ability to maintain its financial integrity through metal price cycles.  Costs are governed to a large extent 
by the location, grade and nature of the Company’s mineral reserves as well as by operating and management skills.  
In  contrast  with  diversified  mining  companies,  the  Company  focuses  on  copper  production,  development  and 
exploration,  and  is  therefore  subject  to  unique  competitive  advantages  and  disadvantages  related  to  the  price  of 
copper  and  to  a  lesser  extent,  the  price  of  base  metal  by-products.    If  copper  prices  substantially  increase,  the 
Company will be in a relatively stronger competitive position than diversified mining companies that produce, develop 
and explore for other minerals in addition to copper.  Conversely, if copper prices substantially decrease, the Company 
will be at a competitive disadvantage to diversified mining companies. 

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Environmental Protection 

The Company’s operations (Pinto Valley, Cozamin and Minto) and development project (Santo Domingo) are in the US, 
Mexico,  Canada  and  Chile  and  are  subject  to  national  and  local  laws  and  regulation  in  respect  of  the  construction, 
operating standards and the eventual abandonment and restoration costs for the site.  Since the Cozamin Mine, and 
certain areas of the Minto Mine are relatively small tonnage and higher grade operations, the overall financial impact 
of the environmental protection requirements is minor relative to the overall financial performance of the Company.  
Each operation is subject to an asset retirement obligation review at year end, which assesses the abandonment and 
restoration cost  for the operation at that point, and any changes are reflected in the  balance sheet and  could flow 
through  the  earnings  statement.    While  the  financial  obligations  will  increase  as  disturbance  increases,  given  the 
relatively  modest  amounts  involved,  such  impacts  are  likely  to  be  relatively  minor  from  a  capital  and  earnings 
perspective, in the near term.  Pinto Valley Mine, has a long history of operations in an established mining district of 
Arizona.    As  a  low-grade,  high  tonnage  operation  the  reclamation  issues,  while  different  from  those  at  Capstone’s 
other  operations,  were  reviewed  with  regulators  in  2013  and  detailed  local  guidance  and  regulations  around 
acceptable  closure  practices  are  well  understood.    In  addition,  the  site  has  undergone  significant  progressive 
reclamation. The Santo Domingo project is currently unpermitted; the environmental protection requirements could 
affect the project’s advancement by delaying or preventing approvals consistent with the economic development of 
the  project.    Chile  has  a  well-defined  permitting  process  and  clear  environmental  protection  objectives  and  timely 
approval is expected for a project of the scope of Santo Domingo in its environmental setting. 

Overall,  the  Company’s  assets  are  in  mature  and  stable  mining  jurisdictions  and  the  environmental  protection 
requirements are not anticipated to be a significant impediment to Capstone carrying out its business, nor should they 
result in an unsustainable burden on the Company’s earnings. 

Employees  

As of December 31, 2013, the Company had approximately 1,307 employees and approximately 626 contractors. 

The  Company’s  workforce  is  not  unionized  with  the  exception  of  approximately  354  hourly  employees  at  the  Pinto 
Valley  Mine  which  are  members  of  six  unions,  governed  by  one  collective  bargaining  agreement  negotiated  by  the 
United Steelworkers Union. 

Foreign Operations  

Three of the Company’s material properties are located in foreign jurisdictions, being the Pinto Valley Mine located in 
the United States, Cozamin Mine located in Mexico and the Santo Domingo Project located in Chile. 

Social and Environmental Policies  

The  Company  places  great  emphasis  on  providing  a  safe  and  secure  working  environment  for  all  of  Capstone’s 
employees and contractors, and recognizes the importance of operating in a sustainable manner.  There were no fatal 
or  long-term  disability  accidents  or  significant  environmental  incidents  at  any of  Capstone’s  operations  through  the 
financial year ended December 31, 2013.  The Company-wide lost time incident frequency rate (including contractors) 
was reduced from 1.15 in 2012 to 0.35 in 2013.  Capstone’s Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee 
meets at least four times annually to review the Company’s performance and compliance as related to such matters.  
Capstone  has  adopted  an  Environmental,  Health,  Safety  and  Sustainability  Policy,  and  has  communicated  the 
importance of  working in a safe and secure working  environment to all employees and significant contractors at all 
sites. 

3.2 

Material Mineral Properties 

As at the date of this Annual Information Form, Capstone’s material mineral properties consist of the: 

Pinto Valley Mine, an open pit copper mine, located in the State of Arizona, United States 
Cozamin Mine, an underground copper mine located in the State of Zacatecas, Mexico; 

 
 
  Minto Mine, an open pit copper mine located in the Whitehorse Mining District, Yukon, Canada; and 

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 

Santo  Domingo  Project,  a  large  scale  copper  development  project  in  Chile,  in  which  Capstone  holds  a  70% 
interest through a long-term strategic partnership with KORES.  

3.3 

Pinto Valley   

The  Pinto  Valley  Mine  is  the  subject  of  a  report  titled  “Pinto  Valley  Property  Mineral  Resource  Estimate,  NI  43-101 
Technical  Report”  dated  December  11,  2013  (the  “Pinto  Valley  Report”).    This  technical  report  was  compiled  by 
Kirkham  Geosystems  Ltd.  and  written  by  Garth  Kirkham,  P.  Geo.,  a  Qualified  Person  as  defined  in  NI  43-101.    The 
description of the Pinto Valley Mine in this document is based on assumptions, qualifications and procedures which 
are  set  out  only  in  the  full  Pinto  Valley  Report.    Reference  should  be  made  to  the  full  text  of  this  report,  which  is 
available in its entirety on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile. 

Project Description and Location 

The  Pinto  Valley  poly-metallic  base  metal  mine  is  located  in  the  Globe-Miami  district  in  Gila  County,  Arizona 
approximately 80 miles east of Phoenix in the southern United States.  The Pinto Valley Mine and Concentrator are at 
an  elevation  of  1,300  m.    The  core  of  the  Pinto  Valley  property  consists  of  69  patented  lode  mining  claims.    Also 
included in the property are 53 patented mill sites.  Adjacent to the patented claims are 329 unpatented lode mining 
claims and mill sites.  Seven parcels of fee (private) land are associated with the property. 

Capstone  entered  into  a  purchase  agreement  with  BHP  Copper  Inc.  April  28,  2013  for  the  Pinto  Valley  Mine  and 
associated railroad operations.  100% ownership of the properties by Capstone was acquired as of October 11, 2013 
for a cost of $650M USD.  A 2% net smelter return (NSR) royalty applies to 26 of the unpatented mining claims which 
are not expected to be mined until after 2026. 

The  Pinto  Valley  operations  require  17  permits  granted  from  various  state  and  federal  agencies;  operations  of  the 
railroad requires five permits mainly from Arizona State.  Permits are in good standing. 

Environmental  liabilities  at  the  Pinto  Valley  Mine  relate  to  the  heap  leach  facility,  tailings  deposits  and  associated 
engineered containment infrastructure, waste rock dumps as well as some water stored at the site that is impacted by 
operations as well as the removal of all operational infrastructures.  A closure plan has been developed and approved 
(most recently  in October  2013 as part of the permit transfer process) detailing methods and costs associated with 
restoring the site to an acceptable environmental standard.  Engineered covers will be placed on tailings and waste 
rock such that interactions with surface water are minimized.  Very little water will be released from the site during 
closure and appropriate diversions will be established to direct any storm water away from impacted areas. Letters of 
credit totaling $87.1M have been filed with the Arizona State Mining Inspector (“ASMI”) and the Arizona Department 
of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) in accordance with the mandate of these agencies and associated regulations and 
policies.  These financial security amounts represent the estimated reclamation cost for the mining operations at the 
end of the 12 year permitted mine plan on an undiscounted basis.  These amounts are reviewed when the proponent 
alerts the agency to a change in the mine plan or closure measures. 

Pinto  Valley  Mine  has  all  of  the  necessary  permits  to  conduct  mining  activities  for  the  next  twelve  years,  with  the 
exception of an approved Plan of Operations that is currently under review by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).  The Plan 
of Operations is a compilation of several special use permits and other authorizations to use USFS lands adjacent to 
the private lands where mining activities occur.  This Plan is subject to a National Environmental Policy Act review that 
was  initiated  under  BHP  and  is  continuing  with  Pinto  Valley  Mining  Corp.  as  the  proponent.    Once  approved,  it  is 
expected that an additional financial assurance will be required by the USFS, likely in 2015. As at December 31, 2013, 
the  Company  was  approximately  50%  through  the  process  with  no  material  risks  identified.    The  Company’s 
assessment  is  that  any  modifications  to  the  Plan  of  Operations  following  this  review  would  not  likely  result  in  any 
material change to permitted operating parameters or financial obligations under any applicable permits.    The major 
instruments  or  authorizations  permitting  and  governing  operations  for  the  project  include  an  Aquifer  Protection 
Permit from ADEQ, a Mined Land Reclamation Plan approved by ASMI and an approved Plan of Operations (“USFS”).   

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Accessibility, Climate, Local Resources, Infrastructure and Physiography 

The Pinto Valley Mine is located 13 km (8 miles) west of Miami, a town of approximately 1,800 residents, and 21 km 
(13  miles)  west  of  Globe,  the  County  seat,  with  approximately  7,500  residents.    Because  of  a  long-standing  mining 
tradition in the area, local services are already in place to supply the mine's needs.  The current level of community 
services  is  deemed  to  be  adequate  for  the  needs  of  the  mine.    Medical  facilities  are  available  at  the  Cobre  Valley 
Community Hospital located in Miami.  Fire, police, public works, transportation, and recreational facilities are in place 
and  fully  functioning.    The  community  has  an  adequate  supply  of  permanent  housing  and  temporary  housing  to 
accommodate the Pinto Valley Mine's current workforce. 

Infrastructure  for  Pinto  Valley  includes  the  existing  maintenance  shops,  administration  offices,  environmental 
facilities,  water  and  electric  distribution  systems,  and  other  miscellaneous  facilities.    Off-site  infrastructure  includes 
the incoming electric power generation and transmission capacity provided by the Salt River Project (SRP), the local 
highway  system  provided  by  state  and  federal  governments,  the  local  transportation  services  provided  by  various 
contractors, and the telephone and data communications systems.  Tailings are deposited in existing permitted tailings 
storage facilities using the same practices from previous operations.  The majority of the tailings are placed in Tailings 
Dam  No.  4;  Tailings  Dam  No.  3  is  used  for  tailings  placement  during  maintenance  activities  at  Tailings  Dam  No.  4.  
There is an adequate source of water with potable water coming from 4 groundwater wells and service water from a 
Peak Well system.   

A large network of roads has been built to serve the Pinto Valley Mine.  The primary access, FR 287, is a paved road; all 
other  roads  are  unpaved.    Some  roads  are  well-maintained  to  accommodate  daily  traffic,  whereas  others  are  not 
maintained  and  require  four-wheel  drive  vehicles.    Although  FR  287  is  a  public  road  that  passes  through  the  mine 
property,  public  access  to  the  mine  facilities  is  restricted  and  managed  by  gates  and  Pinto  Valley  Mine  security 
personnel. 

The climate is the region is semi-arid with an average annual precipitation in the region of 58.4 cm and falls occurring 
in a bimodal pattern.  Most of the rainfall occurs during the winter and summer months, with dry periods in the spring 
and fall.  The average annual maximum temperature is 25°C.   July is the warmest month with an average maximum 
temperature of 36°C.  The average annual minimum temperature for the coolest month is 1°C in January. 

The Pinto Valley Mine is located in east-central Arizona in the structural transition zone between the Sonoran section 
of the Basin and Range physiographic province to the south-southwest, and the Colorado Plateau to the north.  The 
terrain surrounding the mine property is generally mountainous, dominated by sharp landforms and prolific exposures 
of the variety of bedrock formations present in the region.  The Pinto Valley Mine is entirely within the Pinto Creek 
watershed, where local elevations range from about 1,067 m to 1,524 m above mean sea level.  

The  Pinto  Valley  Mine  is  near  the  boundary  of  areas  mapped  as  the  Interior  Chaparral  biotic  community  and  the 
Arizona Upland subdivision of Sonoran desert scrub biotic community.  Most of the plant and animal species observed 
have wide environmental tolerances from being on the eco tone of two major plant communities. 

History 

The  Globe-Miami  district  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  productive  mining  districts  in  the  United  States.  The  first 
recorded  production  from  the  district  was  in  1878.    Since  that  time,  over  15  billion  pounds  of  copper  have  been 
produced. 

Pinto Valley Mining Division originated as Miami Copper Company in 1909.  In 1960, the Tennessee Corporation took 
over Miami Copper Company, and, in 1969, Cities Service Company merged with the Tennessee Corporation.  In late 
1982, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Occidental) acquired Cities Service Company.  In February 1983, Occidental 
sold the Miami operations to Newmont Mining Corporation.  At this time, the company's name was changed to Pinto 
Valley  Copper  Corporation  (Pinto  Valley  Copper).    In  November  1986,  Newmont  merged  the  Pinto  Valley  Copper 
assets  into  Magma  Copper  Company  holdings,  and  Pinto  Valley  Copper  became  the  Pinto  Valley  Mining  Division  of 
Magma  Copper  Company.    In  December  1995,  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  Company  Limited  (BHP)  purchased  Magma 
Copper Company.  With the  merger of  BHP and Billiton in 2001, the Pinto Valley Mining Division became the Pinto 
Valley Operations of BHP Copper Inc. 

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Development  of  the  Pinto  Valley  open  pit  began  in  1972,  and  the  mine  and  concentrator  went  into  production  in 
1974.    Previously,  a  chalcocite-enriched  zone  of  the  deposit  was  mined  from  1943  until  1953,  as  the  Castle  Dome 
Mine.    Sulphide  ore  from  the  Pinto  Valley  open  pit  operation  was  processed  at  the  unit's  concentrator,  which 
produced a copper concentrate containing approximately 28% copper and a molybdenum disulphide by-product.  The 
copper concentrate was then trucked to a smelter and refinery in San Manuel, Arizona.  In February 1998, sulphide 
mining  and  milling  was  suspended  due  to  depressed  copper  prices.    The  concentrator  was  placed  under  care  and 
maintenance and the mining equipment fleet was sold.  Operating and environmental permits were maintained during 
the suspension of sulphide operations, as were the water and electrical systems, although these were maintained at 
lower  usage  rates  than  during  mining  and  milling  operations.    Cathode  copper  production  continued  during  the 
suspension of sulphide operations at the Pinto Valley and Miami SX-EW facilities. 

In  April  2006,  a  study  was  completed  to  determine  the  feasibility  of  rehabilitating  the  mill  and  flotation  plant  and 
restart  mining  activities.    A  provisional  approval  for  restart  was  granted  in  December  2006  and  final  approval  was 
granted  in  early  2007.    The  resource  and  reserve  estimates  made  in  1996  were  reviewed  and  validated,  and  these 
estimates were restated in June 2007.  The Pinto Valley Mine operated for 18 months before depressed copper prices 
forced  it  to  be  placed  under  care  and  maintenance  again.    The  notice  and  cessation  of  the  operation  occurred  on 
January 20, 2009. 

In 2011, a new study was commissioned to restart the mine; it was peer reviewed and approved by BHP Copper Inc. in 
January 2012 and the mill was restarted in December 2012. 

The declared resource and reserve statement (JORC compliant) for Pinto Valley by BHP Copper Inc. was published in 
“BHP  Annual  Report  2013”.    Capstone  has  not  completed  the  work  necessary  to  verify  the  classification  of  the 
resource and reserve statement.  Capstone is not treating the resource and reserve statement as NI 43-101 defined 
mineral resources and mineral reserves verified by a Qualified Person.  The historical estimates should not be relied 
upon.    The  Pinto  Valley  Operation  will  require  considerable  further  evaluation  which  Capstone’s  management  and 
consultants intend to carry out in due course.  Capstone does not have a copy of the report that includes the resource 
and reserve statement signed by a professional geologist.  Therefore, Capstone cannot verify the resource or reserves 
or comment on whether the estimate was made in compliance with the current standards.  Capstone is not relying on 
these estimates. 

Geological Setting 

The Globe-Miami mining district of central Arizona covers porphyry copper deposits (Creasey, 1980) associated with 
Paleocene  (59  to  63  Ma)  Granodiorite  to  Granite  Porphyry  stocks.    The  porphyry  copper  deposits  have  been 
dismembered by faults and affected by later erosion and minor oxidation.  Vein deposits and possible exotic copper 
deposits are also found within the district. 

The Globe-Miami district contains igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks of Precambrian, Paleozoic, Tertiary, 
and Quaternary age.  The hydrothermal ore deposits in the district comprise vein deposits and typical porphyry copper 
deposits.    The  primary  minerals  of  the  porphyry  copper  deposits  are  chiefly  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite  with  minor 
amounts of molybdenite; gold and silver are recovered as by-products. 

The host rock for the porphyry copper deposit is Precambrian age Lost Gulch Quartz Monzonite. 

The deposit is bound by post-mineral faults.  The South Hill fault is on the south side, the Jewel Hill fault is on the east 
side, and the Gold Gulch fault is on the west side.  Minor post mineral normal displacement has taken place on the 
Dome fault, a pre-mineral structure that strikes north-easterly across the north limb of the deposit. 

Diabase  forms  thin  dikes  in  pit  exposures.    These  dikes  commonly  contain  higher  copper  content  than  surrounding 
Quartz Monzonite.  In the eastern part of the deposit, a Diabase sill lies at the top of the ore.  Diabase west of the Gold 
Gulch  fault  is  mineralized  by  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite  veins  with  abundant  magnetite  near  mineralized  Granite 
Porphyry. 

Mapping  the  regional  Pinto  Valley  tenement  has  identified  a  number  of  new  mineral  occurrences.  Copper 
mineralization  was  observed  at  a  number  of  contacts  between  two  genetically  different  granitic  bodies.    Surface 

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exposure of porphyry breccia systems were also found bearing pyrite and chalcopyrite in a jarosite-dominated oxide 
precipitate.  These sites were analyzed with field portable TerraSpec which detected dickite, indicating hydrothermal 
alteration.  A number of massive magnetite/hematite seams bearing manganese, pyrite, and copper were mapped in 
skarn  contacts  around  the  fringe  of  limestone  bodies.    A  skarn  occurrence  was  found  in  contact  with  an  intrusive 
Diabase unit bearing a stockwork of sulphide-rich "D" veins.  Also a number of old workings were found throughout 
the  area,  testing  a  range  of  copper-bearing  geological  settings,  such  as  porphyry  stock,  pegmatitic  intrusive, 
mineralized skarn, intrusive contact, and oxide occurrence under tertiary cover. 

Exploration 

Surface mapping has been the main source of additional data throughout the identification phase for Pinto Valley 2 
(PV2).  Two campaigns were conducted on separate occasions to improve both the geotechnical and geometallurgical 
knowledge of the deposit.  All work stated in this section was performed by or on behalf of BHP Copper.  The surface 
mapping  for  geotechnical  information  focused  primarily  on  the  bedding  planes,  major  structures,  and  overall 
geological  strength  index.    Various  ore-types  were  confirmed  using  surface  mapping  and  by  reviewing  core  logs.  
Alteration zones and ore-types were identified in the pit wall and correlated against core samples taken in previous 
drill campaigns. 

Descriptions from the core logs were used to plot the correlation between rock type and alteration zone.  The primary 
ore-types  were  narrowed  down  to  Ruin  Granite,  Quartz  Monzonite,  and  Diabase.    These  ore-types  are  based  on 
relative  abundance,  gangue  mineralogy,  copper  grade,  alteration,  and  the  potential  impact  on  overall  production 
(recovery, throughput, and consumption of reagents/energy). 

During the brownfield surface mapping campaign in the Pinto Valley district a number of new copper mineralization 
occurrences were identified.  Three principle target zones are presented below: 

• 

Kozi Prospect 

o  Mapped over the Ruin Granite, southeast of the pit 
o  Reflected-light thin section of the rock shows a brecciated texture evidence of hydrothermal 

alteration, relict sulphide boxwork, and some pyrite grains 

o  Chemical assay reports for samples taken from this area indicate > 1% Cu 

•  Bondi Prospect 

o  Related to the Dripping Spring Quartzite, and some zone with hornfels of biotite-magnetite outcrop 

as a 90-metre high cliff face and narrow gully incised by active creek systems 

o  Near the tails facility 
o  Area warrants further review to identify the source of copper oxide precipitate 
o  Difficult to state the copper sources due to the oxidation observed in the quarzites 
o  The state is structurally complex and partially covered by post-mineral cover 

•  Mati Prospect 

o  Mapped limestone sequences 250 m northeast of the pit 
o  Copper sulphides related to magnetite replacement suggest a tertiary intrusion origin 
o 

Skarnification zone with prograde stage development of pyroxene and wollastonite and retrograde 
stage of epidote 

Two  other  small  zones  containing  copper  oxide  were  identified;  one  is  an  old  copper  mine  near  the  Carlotta  mine 
cross road in the southwest boundary of Pinto Valley, the other is an outcrop of Apache Leap Tuff related to a small 
paleochannel in an active creek. 

The  Company  will  be  assessing  the  results  of  this  historical  exploration  activity  and  the  potential  impact  on  the 
development of the mining operations and future exploration efforts. 

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Mineralization 

The hydrothermal ore deposits in the district  comprise vein deposits and typical porphyry copper deposits.  On the 
basis  of  predominant  metals,  the  vein  deposits  can  be  further  divided  into  copper  veins,  zinc-lead  veins,  zinc-lead-
vanadium-molybdenum  veins,  manganese-zinc-lead-silver  veins,  gold-silver  veins,  and  molybdenum  veins  (Peterson, 
1962).  The primary minerals of the porphyry copper deposits are chiefly pyrite and chalcopyrite with minor amounts 
of  molybdenite;  gold  and  silver  are  recovered  as  by-products.    Sphalerite  and  galena  occur  locally  in  very  small 
amounts.  Silicate alteration associated with the deposits includes potassic, argillic, sericitic, and propylitic alterations. 

The  Pinto  Valley  is  a  hypogene  orebody  with  chalcopyrite,  pyrite,  and  minor  molybdenite  as  the  only  significant 
primary sulphide minerals.  It is the underlying protore of the chalcocite-enriched Castle Dome deposit exhausted in 
1953 (Peterson et al., 1951). 

Primary  sulphide  ore  minerals  consist  of  pyrite,  chalcopyrite,  and  minor  molybdenite  that  occur  in  veins  and 
microfractures,  and  less  abundantly  as  disseminated  grains  predominantly  in  biotite  sites.    The  ore  zone  grades 
outward into a pyritic zone with higher total sulphide content and the ore zone grades inward toward the low-grade 
core  which  has  lower  total  sulphides.    Molybdenum  distribution  generally  reflects  copper  distribution,  with  higher 
molybdenum values usually found in the higher-grade copper zones. 

Sulphide deposition at Pinto Valley is controlled to some extent by the host rock.  For the most part, the host is Lost 
Gulch Quartz Monzonite and Porphyritic Quartz Monzonite, which are similarly altered and mineralized.  The sulphide 
content decreases in Precambrian Aplite intrusions.  Aplite usually contains less than 0.25% copper, whereas adjacent 
Quartz  Monzonite  may  have  as  much  as  0.6%  copper.    The  deficiency  of  copper  in  Aplite  is  probably  due  to  the 
absence of biotite, which makes up about 7% of Quartz Monzonite.  Disseminated chalcopyrite shows an affinity for 
biotite, where it is seen to be disseminated through the biotite or partially replacing it. Additional chalcopyrite is also 
present in veins which cut both rock types. 

The shell has the appearance of a hook in plan view and mimics the pit outline.  Rock located south of the ore has 
decreasing sulphide content and numerous barren quartz veins.  This area has been interpreted as a low-grade core, 
and this low-grade zone corresponds spatially with the Granite Porphyry, which is seen as a poor lithologic host for 
ore-grade mineralization elsewhere in the deposit.  Rock located north of ore has progressively more abundant, late-
stage quartz-pyrite-sericite veins. 

The deposit is bound by post-mineral faults. The South Hill fault is on the south side, the Jewel Hill fault is on the east 
side, and the Gold Gulch fault is on the west  side. Minor post mineral normal displacement has taken place on the 
Dome fault, a pre-mineral structure that strikes north-easterly across the north limb of the deposit. 

Diabase  forms  thin  dikes  in  pit  exposures.    These  dikes  commonly  contain  higher  copper  content  than  surrounding 
Quartz Monzonite.  In the eastern part of the deposit, a Diabase sill lies at the top of the ore.  Diabase west of the Gold 
Gulch  fault  is  mineralized  by  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite  veins  with  abundant  magnetite  near  mineralized  Granite 
Porphyry. 

Drilling 

The pre-2006 Pinto Valley drilling programs comprised a combination of core, rotary, and churn drill holes.  Drilling 
documentation was limited to BHP Copper internal reports, and there were no listings for vintage data, methods used, 
or pre-2010 drilling procedures, other than those found in the internal reports.  Churn holes defined much of the early 
Castle Dome reserve, which has been mined out.  Post-Castle Dome holes were drilled on an original spacing of 400 ft 
east-west and 200 ft north-south.  Later, drilling was done to infill the original grid to 200 ft spacing in some areas.  
Drilling that has occurred since the 1986 block model was constructed includes 10 core holes and 3 reverse circulation 
rotary  holes  drilled  in  1992.    From  the  beginning  of  1996  to  April  1997,  67  reverse  circulation  exploration  and  infill 
holes were drilled: 48 RC holes (AD and NR-Series totalling 29,665 ft) drilled in 1996, and 19 RC holes (WW and 97-
Series totalling 8,520 ft) drilled during 1997.  The WW and 97-Series were drilled in the interior pit and through the 
Gold  Gulch  and  Continental  faults.    Seven  of  the  exploration  holes  were  drilled  east  of  the  existing  pit  and  laid  the 
ground work for future plans of an east pit expansion, known as the Satellite Pit. 

- 20 - 

 
The  current  Pinto  Valley  drill  hole  database  contains  a  significant  amount  of  drilling  that  defined  the  grades  in  the 
block model that have been mined out, especially as they relate to the Castle Dome mining activity. 

All drill hole collar locations  were surveyed.   The  majority of the drill holes are  vertical and, therefore, do not have 
downhole surveys.  However, a majority of the inclined holes do have downhole surveys. 

From  2006  through  2008,  there  have  been  various  drilling  campaigns  with  mixed  purpose:  delineation,  exploration, 
geotechnical, and resource classification upgrade drilling.  These include 18 G-Series geotechnical holes, 11 HW-Series 
holes in 2007, 17 PZ-Series holes drilled in 2008, 17 S-Series holes drilled in 2008, 24 B-Series holes drilled in 2008, and 
4 DH-Series holes drilled in 2008. 

The most current drilling occurred in 2010 which focused on exploration, and in 2011 and 2012 which focused on infill 
drilling for resource classification upgrade in support of restarting operations. Ten holes were drilled in 2010, 40 holes 
were drilled in 2011, and 64 holes were drilled in 2012.  

Sampling and Analysis 

Once drilling is completed, the core is transported to the core handling facility.  Here it is placed in wax-covered core 
boxes with depth markers for every drill run of up to 10 ft.  QuickLogs are done at core reception which includes initial 
lithology and a visual estimation of mineralization and alteration, particularly biotite content.  The mine is set up on a 
bar code system for ease of handling and to track the core and samples.  There is a triple bar code tag: the first tag is 
for the half core that remains in the box, the second tag is for the split that is sent to the lab for analysis, and the third 
tag is for the coarse duplicate and is used to tag the pulps and rejects.  The core is logged for geology and split by saw 
at one of two stations. 

The QuickLog data and the detailed logs are entered into an acQuire® relational database system which also records 
the  collar,  survey,  assay,  lithology,  alteration,  mineralization,  and  geotechnical  (RQD)  data.    This  data  is  tagged  and 
tracked using the bar codes, and all subsequent assay information provided by the laboratory, including the QA/QC 
data,  is  linked  to  the  database.    The  system  is  secured  by  BHP  using  protocols  and  procedures  which  appear  to  be 
extremely  stringent.    A  dispatch  report  is  created  which  is  then  sent  to  the  laboratory  and  subsequently  matched 
against the shipments.  Deviations and discrepancies are reported and investigated.  Any updated assay data from the 
laboratory  is  linked  to  the  bar  code  system  and  relayed  to  the  company  electronically  via  Excel®  CSV  files  and 
imported into acQuire® automatically.  The data is imported into MineSight for the purpose of resource estimation. 

A number of different companies and laboratories have provided assay services to Pinto Valley over the years.  Details 
of sampling and assaying procedures used during the earlier stages of operation are not readily available.  Procedures 
used by outside labs that ran assays for some of the later drilling campaigns, such as those performed by Mountain 
States  for  the  RC  holes  and  Chemex  for  the  AD  holes,  are  also  not  readily  available.    The  analytical  procedures 
currently in place at Pinto Valley are in line with industry standards for total copper, but procedures are BHP-specific 
with respect to acid soluble copper (i.e., digestion with 10% sulphuric acid, placed in a hot bath at 40 degrees Celsius, 
and read after 40 minutes). 

Samples  were  assayed  for  total  copper  and  acid  soluble  copper.    Composites  representing  30-50  ft  of  the  sample 
rejects  were  made  and  these  composites  were  assayed  for  total  copper,  oxide  copper,  molybdenum,  sulphur,  and 
trace  metals  of  gold  and  silver.    Comparisons  were  made  between  the  total  copper  and  acid  soluble  copper  assays 
from the original assay intervals and the composite intervals. 

Independent audits of the Pinto Valley assays were conducted in 1992 and 2000.  Results were as follows: 

• 
• 

• 

assay values in the Pinto Valley database have been reliably entered; 
total  copper  assays  in  the  Pinto  Valley  database  are  reproducible  and  can  be  considered  representative 
within normally-accepted limits of error; 
total  copper  assays  in  holes  below  the  current  pit  base  can  also  be  considered  representative  within 
normally-accepted  limits  of  error,  except  in  the  deeper  parts  of  some  RC  holes  where  they  may  be  low-

- 21 - 

 
• 
• 

biased. However, using these assays to estimate grades in the model is acceptable because they will tend to 
provide a conservative rather than an overly optimistic estimation of grades; 
acid soluble assays in the Pinto Valley database vary considerably depending on the drilling campaign and; 
reserves, resources, and production at Pinto Valley are reported as sulphide copper, which is calculated by 
subtracting acid soluble copper from total copper.  Because biases exist in the acid soluble copper assays, this 
procedure generates sulphide copper values that are biased relative to each other as a function of the drilling 
campaign.  However, sulphide copper values are only slightly lower than overall total copper values, so it can 
be  reasonably  assumed  that  the  sulphide  copper  values  are  also  globally  correct  within  normally-accepted 
limits of error. 

As part of the start-up Feasibility Study done in 2006, a QA/QC program was conducted on 101 randomly selected drill 
hole  assay  interval  pulp  samples  and  15  randomly  selected  core  assay  intervals.    Samples  were  sent  to  Skyline 
Assayers and Laboratories (Skyline Labs) in Tucson, Arizona to be analysed for total copper and acid soluble copper.  
Skyline Labs was instructed to analyse the samples for acid soluble copper using BHP lab procedures.  Before the lab 
processed  these  samples,  BHP  provided  instructions  for  the  pulp  sample  analytical  procedures  and  also  provided  a 
sequential  pulp  sample  list.    Included  in  this  QA/QC  program  for  the  Feasibility  Study  were  seven  sets  of  a  known 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard pulps: Copper Ore Mill Heads standard at 0.84% Total 
Copper,  and  a  Copper  Mill  Tails  standard  at  0.091%  Total  Copper.    These  known  standard  sets  were  inserted  in 
sequential order for analysis preceding the 15th pulp sample in the analytical run.  All relative precisions are discussed 
at a 95% confidence level (estimated using the Student’s T-distribution). 

The author of the Pinto Valley Report, Garth Kirkham, visited the property on May 14, 2013.  While there he inspected 
the core logging facilities, offices, outcrops, historic drill collars, core stage facilities, core receiving area, core sawing 
stations, and a tour of the major centres and surrounding towns that are affected by the mining operation.  His overall 
impression was that of a clean, well-organized and professional environment.   

The author randomly selected four complete drill holes from the database and laid the core out at the core storage 
area.  Site staff supplied the logs and assay sheets so the author could verify the core and logged intervals.  The data 
correlated  with  the  physical  core  and  no  issues  were  identified.    In  addition,  the  author  toured  the  complete  core 
storage facility, pulling and reviewing core throughout the tour.  No issues were identified and recoveries appeared to 
be very good to excellent. 

The author is confident that the data and results are valid based on the site visit and inspection of all aspects of the 
project;  this  confidence  extends  to  the  methods  and  procedures  used.    It  is  the  opinion  of  the  independent  author 
that all work, procedures, and results have adhered to best practices and industry standards required by NI 43-101.  
The author also visited Skyline Labs and deemed the labs operations as very professional as is expected from a widely-
used North American laboratory facility. 

Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates 

The  mineral  resource  estimate  for  Pinto  Valley  mineralization  was  completed  by 
independent  consultant 
Garth Kirkham,  P.Geo.,  of  Kirkham  Geosystems  using  accepted  industry  standards  that  conform  to  NI  43-101 
requirements. The mineral resource estimation was completed as of February 28, 2013 and restated based on open 
pit production conducted through December 31, 2013.  

The  mineral  resource  estimate  for  Pinto  Valley  uses  a  0.25%  copper  cut-off  grade.  The  cut-off  grade  is  considered 
appropriate given the type of deposit and mining method employed at the mine site. 

- 22 - 

 
 
 
Estimated Mineral Resource for Pinto Valley as of December 31* 

Classification 

Tonnes  
(Mt) 

Copper  
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Contained 
Copper 
(M lbs) 

Contained 
Molybdenum  
(M lbs) 

Measured (M) 

Indicated (I) 

Total (M+I) 

386 

534 

920 

0.38 

0.33  

0.35  

0.01 

0.01 

0.01 

3,257 

3,843 

7,100 

Inferred 

228 
0.31 
*Note 1  Mineral resources  are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability 

0.01 

34 

83 

88 

172 

5 

2  Mineral resources reported above a 0.25% Cu cut-off grade 
3  Figures may not tally due to rounding 

The  Pinto  Valley  Mine  has  no  declared  mineral  reserve  estimates  as  defined  in  the  CIM  “Estimation  of  Mineral 
Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices” guidelines. All previous mineral reserve estimates for Pinto Valley are 
considered to be historical in nature. Capstone intends to complete an independent NI 43-101 technical report in 2014 
that will include mineral reserves as defined in the CIM “Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best 
Practices” guidelines. 

Reconciliation 

Reconciliation  was  conducted  to  determine  the  accuracy  of  the  block  model  when  compared  to  the  mine  reported 
production.    Surveys  were  utilized  to  determine  the  volume  of  material  mined  from  the  block  model  and  these 
tonnages  were  further  reconciled  with  mine  production  results.  The  surveys  were  taken  on  October  11,  2013  and 
December 31, 2013 to reflect the time period that Capstone has owned Pinto Valley Mine. The results indicate there 
were  nominal  variances  between  the  mine  reported  and  block  model  reconciliation.    Reconciliation  was  also 
conducted between the mine and mill reported production.  The results indicate nominal variance in that review. 

Mining Operations 

Capstone Mining Corp. acquired the Pinto Valley copper mine from BHP Copper Inc., a subsidiary of BHP Billiton Ltd. 
on October 11, 2013. The restart of the Pinto Valley Mine, which commenced in December 2012, is continuing with a 
targeted mill rate of 50,800 tonnes per day and annualized production of 130 million to 150 million pounds of copper 
per year.   

Operations at Pinto Valley are established; processing facilities, shops, fuel bays, and other support functions are all 
operational.    Ramping-up  capacities  while  further  stabilizing  these  operations  are  both  critical  measures  for  the 
success of the mining operation.  The main risks to the mine plan are related to pit slope stability, and these will be 
mitigated  through  ongoing  and  active  observations  with  ground  and  radar  monitoring  applications.  The  mine 
configuration, infrastructure, and site logistics required to mine the exposed ore in the pit are the same as they were 
under previous operations.   

The mining is executed as an owner/operator operation with a truck/loader fleet. The overall dimensions of the mine’s 
mineral deposit, including already extracted ore, measures 7,500×3,500×1,600 ft (~2,300×1,050×500 m), elongating in 
an east-northeast direction. The ore body outcrops at the bottom of the current mine surface. 

The strip ratio (waste: ore) in 2013 was very low at 0.002:1 as mining operations focused on mining the bottom of the 
pit.  An average tonnage factor (dry basis) of 2.5 tonnes per cubic metre is used for planning and reporting purposes, 
established through reconciliation of plant feed and confirmed by wet and dry weight analysis of whole core. The mill 
ore  cut-off  is  variable,  nominally  set  at  0.25%  TCu.    Stockpile  (leach)  material-grade  cut-off  ranges  from  0.10%  to 
0.20% TCu.  Material between 0.20% and 0.25% will be stockpiled for future processing. 

- 23 - 

 
 
 
 
The Pinto Valley Mine’s applicable taxes include the following: 

• 

• 

Corporate Taxes – the combined US Federal and Arizona state corporate income tax is calculated at a blended 
39.53% rate applied on taxable income.  The  Alternative  Minimum  Tax (“AMT”) is calculated at a 20% rate 
applied  on  an  adjusted  amount  of  taxable  income.  A  taxpayer  pays  the  higher  amount  of  regular  Federal 
income tax and the AMT.  If  AMT is paid, it  may  generally be used as a  credit against regular tax in future 
years to the extent regular tax is greater than AMT. 

The Arizona state severance tax on metalliferous minerals is charged at a 2.5% rate on 50% of the difference 
between the gross value of production and production costs. 

•  Gila County property taxes are administered by the Arizona Department of Revenue. 

3.4 

Cozamin Mine (Mexico)   

The  Cozamin  Mine  is  the  subject  of  a  report  titled  “Technical  Report,  Cozamin  Mine,  Zacatecas,  Mexico”  dated 
March 31,  2009  (the  “Cozamin  Report”).    This  technical  report  was  compiled  by  SRK  Consulting  (Canada)  Inc.  and 
written  by  Robert  Sim,  P.Geo.,  Jenna  Hardy,  P.Geo.,  Jeff  Woods,  CP  and  Gordon Doerksen,  P.Eng.,  each  a  Qualified 
Person  as  defined  in  NI  43-101.    The  description  of  the  Cozamin  Mine  in  this  document  is  based  on  assumptions, 
qualifications and procedures which are set out only in the full Cozamin Report.  Reference should be made to the full 
text of this report, which is available in its entirety on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile. 

All scientific and technical information in this summary relating to any updates to the Cozamin Mine since the date of 
the Cozamin Report, other than the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, has been reviewed and approved 
by Qualified Persons who supervised the preparation of updates to elements of the Cozamin Report.  These Qualified 
Persons include those listed in Item 15 of this Annual Information Form. 

Project Description and Location 

The  Cozamin  poly-metallic  base  metal  mine  is  located  in  the  Morelos  Municipality  of  the  Zacatecas  Mining  District 
near the south-eastern boundary of the Sierra Madre Occidental Physiographic Province in North-central Mexico.  The 
mine and processing facilities are located near coordinates 22° 48’ N latitude and 102° 35’ W longitude on 1:250,000 
Zacatecas topographic map sheet (F13-6).  The Cozamin property currently consists of 40 mining concessions covering 
approximately 3,389 hectares. 

Capstone acquired the project in January 2004.  The project is 100% owned by Capstone, subject to a 3% net smelter 
royalty payable to Grupo Bacis S.A. de C.V. (“Bacis”), a Mexican resource company.   The Cozamin property requires 
land rental and government fee payments on the mining concessions.  In January 2011, taxes totalled MX$87,544 and 
in July 2011, the taxes totalled MX$142,766.  In January 2012, the taxes totalled MX$189,327, and in July 2012, the 
taxes totalled MX$195,791.  In January 2013, the taxes totalled MX$221,796. 

In September 2009, Capstone Mexico entered into an agreement with Golden Minerals Company whereby Capstone 
Mexico acquired three mineral claims immediately adjacent to its Cozamin Mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico.  The three 
mineral  claims  acquired  (San  Francisco,  Santa  Rita  and  La  Esperanza)  lie  within  the  Company’s  current  mineral 
holdings at the Cozamin Mine and immediately north of the current mining areas.  Because the principal Mala Noche 
vein, which hosted all of the known mineral resources and mineral reserves at that time, dips north, the Mala Noche 
vein crosses on to these claims below the current mineral resources and mineral reserves. 

These mineral claims were acquired from Minera Largo S de RL de CV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Golden Minerals 
Company, for a purchase price comprised of (a) an upfront payment of $1.0M, (b) future cash payments of a NSR of 
1.5% on the first one million tonnes of production from the acquired claims, and (c) cash payments equivalent to a 
3.0% NSR on production in excess of one million tonnes from the acquired claims.  The NSR on production in excess of 
one million tonnes also escalates by 0.5% for each $0.50 increment in copper price above $3.00 per pound of copper.  
Final  registration  of  the  assignment  of  rights  to  La  Esperanza  (30.19  has.)  was  approved  by  the  Mexican  Mines 
Department in April 2010. 

- 24 - 

 
 
 
 
An environmental  impact assessment, known in  Mexico as a “Manifestacion de Impacto Ambiental”, identified acid 
rock drainage and metal leaching as potential concerns manageable with appropriate mitigation measures that have 
been  implemented.    An  environmental  management  and  monitoring  program  is  currently  underway  and  will  be 
ongoing for the life of mine.  Data collected are being used to define an operational environmental management and 
monitoring  program,  which  will  include  appropriate  environmental  management  and  mitigation  plans  based  on  the 
principle of continuous improvement.  These will be reviewed and revised as necessary, on at least an annual basis, 
with results reported as required to Mexican regulators. 

Other  issues  of  environmental  concern  relate  to  potential  impacts  comparable  to  those  in  underground  mines  of 
similar  size  with  flotation  tailings  impoundments.    These  include:  dust,  tailings  handling/management,  storm  water 
diversion,  combustibles  and  reagent  management/handling,  waste  management  and  disposal  and  noise.    Work  to 
date indicates that environmental impacts are manageable.  As part of this management process and best practices, 
on  April  2011  the  company  was  awarded  the  Clean  Industry  Certification  from  Mexico’s  Federal  Attorney  for 
Environmental Protection (Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente or PROFEPA). 

Prior to Capstone’s involvement in the Cozamin Mine, several environmental studies had been completed by previous 
owners  and  the  San  Roberto  mine  had  been  permitted  to  operate  at  750  tpd.    Capstone  formally  received  its 
operating permit on October 20, 2006.  This is known in Mexico as a Licencia Única Ambiental (“LUA”).  A LUA for the 
tonnage  expansion  to  2,600  tpd  was  received  on  March  25,  2008.    On  January 19, 2009,  application  was  made  to 
modify the LUA for the tonnage expansion to 3,000 tpd, which was granted in May of that year.  In January of 2011, 
further application was made to increase the permitted throughput from 3,000 tpd to 4,000 tpd, which was granted in 
November of 2011. 

Accessibility, Climate, Local Resources, Infrastructure and Physiography 

The Cozamin Mine is located 3.5 km to the NNE of the city of Zacatecas, the Zacatecas state capital.  The municipality 
of Zacatecas has a population of approximately 130,000 people.  Other communities in the immediate vicinity of the 
project include the following: Hacienda Nueva (3 km W), Morelos (5 km NW) and Veta Grande (5 km N).  The Cozamin 
Mine is accessible via paved roads to the project area boundary where good, all-weather roads provide access to the 
mine  and  most  of  the  surrounding  area.    The  project  area  falls  within  the  Hacienda  Nueva  and  La  Pimienta  Ejido 
concessions. 

The  Cozamin  Mine  has  excellent  surrounding  infrastructure  including  schools,  hospitals,  railroads,  and  electrical 
power.  The Company has access to a power line and substation that allows the Company to draw up to 7.5 MW from 
the national power grid.  Generators (both operating and back-up) on site have a capacity of 2.0 MW.  The ultimate 
capacity of the current tailings pond at the  Cozamin Mine is an additional 9.5 M tonnes.   Permits are not currently 
issued for all of these additional raises to the tailing facility.  There is an adequate source  of personnel that avoids the 
necessity of “expat” employees.   

The climate in the region is semi-arid with maximum temperatures of approximately 30°C during the summer season 
and  minimum  temperatures  in  the  winter  season  producing  freezing  conditions  and  occasional  snow.    The  rainy 
season  extends  from  June  until  September.    The  average  annual  precipitation  is  approximately  500 mm.    As  the 
certainty  of  runoff  into  the  tailings  pond  cannot  be  predicted,  additional  water  resources  have  been  secured,  with 
further water rights undergoing evaluation. 

The Cozamin Mine is located in the Western Sierra Madre Physiographic Province near the boundary with the Mesa 
Central Province (Central Plateau Province).  The Zacatecas area is characterized by rounded NW trending mountains 
with the Sierra Veta Grande to the north and the Sierra de Zacatecas to the south.  Elevations on the property vary 
from  2,400  m  to  2,600  masl.    The  Zacatecas  area  is  located  between  forested  and  sub-tropical  regions  to  the 
southwest  and  desert  conditions  to  the  northeast.    The  climate  in  the  region  is  semi-arid.    Vegetation  consists  of 
natural grasses, mesquite or huizache and crasicaule bushes.  Standing bodies of water are dammed as most streams 
are intermittent. 

- 25 - 

 
 
 
History 

In pre-Hispanic times, the area was inhabited by Huichol Indians who mined native silver from the oxidized zone of 
argentiferous  vein  deposits  in  the  Zacatecas  Mining  District.    During  the  Spanish  Colonial  era,  in  1548,  production 
commenced at 3 mines: the Albarrada mine on the Veta Grande system, and the San Bernabe mine and Los Tajos del 
Panuco on the Mala Noche vein system.  The initial operations worked only the oxides for silver and some gold, and 
later the sulphide zones were worked for base and precious metals. 

During the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917), mining was essentially halted with flooding and cave-ins limiting access.  
From 1972, Consejo de Recursos Minerales (“CRM”) worked mines in the El Bote, La Purisima and La Valencia zones.  
Historic production from the Zacatecas district is estimated by the CRM (1992) to be 750 million ounces of silver from 
20  million  tonnes  grading  over  900  g/t  Ag  and  approximately  2.5  g/t  Au.    Lead,  zinc  and  copper  have  also  been 
recovered but the production and grades were not estimated. 

Minera  Cozamin  was  established  in  1982  by  Jack  Zaniewicki  who  consolidated  concession  holdings  over  the  Mala 
Noche vein and operated the San Roberto Mine and plant at 250 t/d until October 1996.  During this period, Industrias 
Peñoles S.A. de C.V. (“Peñoles”) undertook exploration in the district but did not buy any significant concessions.  In 
all,  it  is  estimated  that  1.2  million  tonnes  of  ore  were  mined  and  processed  at  the  Cozamin  Mine  prior  to  October 
1996. 

In October 1996, Zaniewicki sold Cozamin for $6.8M to Minera Argenta, a subsidiary of Bacis.  Bacis expanded the mill 
to a 750 tpd flotation plant, and processed 250,000 tonnes of ore grading 1.2% Cu, 90 g/t Ag, 0.5 g/t Au, 1.8% Zn and 
0.6%  Pb  from  1997  to  the  end  of  1999.    Bacis  developed  resources  principally  by  drifting  and  raising  on  the  Mala 
Noche vein within the San Roberto (Cozamin) mine.  Diamond drilling was only used as an exploration tool to identify 
areas with mineralization peripheral to the developed mine workings.  At the end of 1999, Bacis had historic (not 43-
101 compliant) resources at San Roberto in all categories that totalled about 6 million tonnes grading about 1% Cu, 
0.9% Pb, 3.2% Zn and silver in the range of 85 g/t to 105 g/t. 

In  1999,  Bacis  closed  the  mine.    The  principal  factors  that  resulted  in  the  mine  closure  were  low  metal  prices  and 
under capitalization.  Capstone then commenced field work in March 2004 and surface drilling one month later. 

In November 2004, the mine was dewatered and exploration drilling continued from underground.  The hoist, shaft 
and mine infrastructure were sufficiently rehabilitated in January and February 2005 to allow for the development of 
the  first  cross  cuts  for  underground  drilling  which  commenced  in  March  2005.    Initial  metallurgical  studies  by  SGS 
Lakefield and PRA were received in January and a feasibility report for the project was completed in February 2006.  
The first phase of underground drilling was completed in April, 2006. 

An  independent  study  of  geological  resources  at  Cozamin  was  completed  in  October  2005  and  a  second  resource 
estimate study was completed in June 2006.  The mine and plant were commissioned in July 2006 and quickly reached 
an  average  daily  production  rate  of  1,000  t/d.    Mine  and  plant  capacity  was  then  doubled  by  July  2007.    Daily 
production  at  Cozamin  was  increased  to  3,000  t/d  in  late  2008  and  maintained  at  just  above  that  level  to  2012 
(3,200 t/d). 

Geological Setting 

The Zacatecas Mining District covers a belt of epithermal and mesothermal vein deposits that contain silver, gold and 
base metals (copper, lead and zinc).   The district is in the Southern Sierra Madre Occidental Physiographic Province 
near the boundary with the Mesa Central Physiographic Province in North-central Mexico.  The dominant structural 
features  that  localize  mineralization  are  presumed  to  be  of  Tertiary  Age,  and  are  interpreted  to  be  related  to  the 
development of a volcanic centre and to northerly trending basin-and-range structures. 

The  Zacatecas  Mining  District  occurs  in  a  structurally  complex  setting,  associated  with  siliceous  subvolcanic  and 
volcanic rocks underlain by sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rocks.  The geologic units of the Zacatecas area include 
Triassic  metamorphic  rocks  of  the  Zacatecas  Formation  and  overlying  basic  volcanic  rocks  of  the  Upper  Jurassic  or 
Lower  Cretaceous  Chilitos  Formation.    The  Tertiary  rocks  consists  mainly  of  a  Red  Conglomerate  unit  deposited  in 

- 26 - 

 
Paleocene and/or Eocene times, and overlying rhyolitic tuff and intercalated flows that were deposited from Eocene 
to Oligocene times.  Some Tertiary rhyolite bodies cut the Mesozoic and Tertiary units and formed flow domes. 

The  Zacatecas  Formation,  a  marine  Upper  Triassic  unit,  consists  of  sericite  schists,  phyllites,  slates,  quartzites, 
metasandstone, flint, metaconglomerate and recrystallized limestone and represents the oldest rocks in the district. 

The host rocks for the Mala Noche vein are intercalated carbonaceous meta-sedimentary rocks and andesitic volcanic 
rocks ranging in age  from the  Triassic Period to the Cretaceous  Period, and  Tertiary  Agerhyolite intrusive rocks and 
volcanic flows.  Mineralization in the Mala Noche vein appears to have been episodic.  A copper-silver dominant phase 
was one of the last  stages of mineralization at Cozamin.  In general, this copper-silver  phase  was  emplaced into an 
envelope  of  pre-existing  vein  hosting  moderate  to  strong  zinc  and  lead  mineralization  and  moderate  silver 
mineralization.  Thus, the host lithology to the vein does not appear to have influenced the strength of the copper-
silver phase of mineralization which is typically enveloped by earlier vein material. 

In the underground workings at Cozamin, the Mala Noche vein has been shown to occupy a system of anastomosing 
faults  that  is  principally  comprised  of  the  Mala  Noche  and  Elabra  faults  along  with  other  less  significant  faults.  
Although  not  all  of  the  fault  system  is  mineralized  at  any  given  location,  there  have  been  no  other  significant 
mineralized fault zones discovered to date. 

The Mala Noche is the principal fault associated with mineralization at Cozamin.  In the San Roberto Mine, the Mala 
Noche strikes WNW (N70-80W) and the dip varies from 38° to 90° to the north.  There is a clear association of higher 
copper grades with steeper dips of the Mala Noche fault.   Where the Mala Noche is weakly mineralized, it appears 
that the principal alteration in this fault is mostly quartz-pyrite. 

Exploration 

In 2004, Capstone decided to drill test the Mala Noche vein beneath the historic workings of the San Roberto mine.  
The  initial  three  drill  sections,  comprised  of  two  drill  holes  each,  all  intersected  significant  economic  mineralization 
over true widths varying from 3.2 m to 14.9 m.  These three drill sections were distributed over 550 m of strike extent 
beneath the historic workings.  At that point, Capstone decided to drill single hole sections every 100 m beneath the 
San Roberto workings.  These holes targeted the Mala Noche vein at approximately 2,150 masl which is 65 m below 
the historic workings.  This strategy resulted in the first 20 exploration holes being distributed over a strike length of 
1.4 km.  Of these first 20 drill holes, 17 intersected significant mineralization that averaged 6.64 m in true width and 
had weighted grade averages of 2.61% Cu, 91.25 g/t Ag and 1.38% Zn. 

These  significantly  higher  copper  grades  and  undiminished  silver  grades  are  associated  with  significant  amounts  of 
pyrrhotite.  This reinforced the Company’s conviction that the historic workings at San Roberto are located just above 
the  upper  reaches  of  a  large  copper-silver  mineralized  system  of  mesothermal  character.    Subsequent  exploration 
drilling  showed  that  the  copper-silver  dominant  phase  of  mineralization  extends  below  1,865  masl  which  is  350  m 
below the historic workings. 

As  at  the  date  of  the  Cozamin  Report,  nine  exploration  phases  have  been  completed  by  Capstone  on  the  Cozamin 
Mine: 

• 

Phase I 

o  Budget $1M (undertaken March 2004 - August 2004). 
o  Mapped 5.5 km of the surface trend of the Mala Noche vein system. 
o  Completed CSAMT (8 line kilometres) and NSAMT (16 line kilometres) with magnetic survey (26 line 
kilometres) over the Mala Noche vein system (Zonge Engineering and Research Organization). 
o  Completed a 7,484.44 m surface NQ-diameter diamond drill program (holes CG-04-01 to CG-04-19). 
o  Completed  an  independent  review  (Hawthorne,  2004)  of  the  existing  plant  and  mill  to  determine 

cost of rehabilitation and expansion. 

• 

Phase II 

o  Budget $2.5M (undertaken September 2004 - March 2005). 
o 

Further evaluation of geophysical results. 

- 27 - 

 
o  Completed a 10,483.27 m surface NQ-diameter diamond drill program (holes CG-04-20 to CG-04-37) 
that mainly tested the Mala Noche vein at elevations between the 1,900 m and 2,050 m level below 
old workings in the San Roberto mine.  Completion of preliminary metallurgical test by SGS Lakefield. 

• 

Phase III 

o  Budget $4,537,500 (undertaken April 2005 - April 2006). 
o  Metallurgical study completed by Process Research Associates Ltd. 
o  Clifton Associates Ltd. of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Nimbus.  Management Ltd. of Vancouver 
submitted an environmental impact assessment (MIA), an impact study for land use (ETJ) and a risk 
assessment (ER) to the Mexican federal regulatory agency in charge of environmental issues. 
o  Completed  a  17,687.70  m  underground  definition  NQ-diameter  diamond  drill  program  (holes  CG-

U01 to CG-U114). 
Initial  resource  estimate  prepared  in  October  2005  by  Giroux  Consultants  Ltd.  based  on  the  37 
surface drill holes, 66 underground drill holes and 48 underground channel samples. 
Feasibility study completed in March 2006 by RJR Mineral Services. 

o 
o  Updated resource prepared in July 2006 by Giroux Consultants Ltd. incorporating assay results from 
all surface and underground diamond drill holes, and 768 additional channel samples from the initial 
2005 estimate. 

o 

• 

Phase IV and V 

o  Combined budget $6M (undertaken October 2006 - July 2007). 
o  Completed a 4,824.56 m surface PQ/NQ-diameter diamond drill program (holes CG-06-38 to CG-06-
39 and CG-07-40 to CG-07-42) that tested the Mala Noche vein at elevations between approximately 
600-700 m below surface of the San Roberto mine. 

o  Completed  a  21,441.10  m  underground  NQ-diameter  diamond  drill  program  (holes  CG-06-U115  to 
CG-06-U124, and CG-07-U125 to CG-07-U183).  These holes were designed to infill and extend the 
2006 estimated resources. 

• 

Phase VI 

o  Combined budget $5M (undertaken November 2007 – December 2008). 
o  Completed 30,430 m of HQ diameter diamond drilling from surface (holes CG-08-43 to CG-08- 150). 
o  Completed 9,000 m of NQ diameter diamond drilling from underground (holes CG-07-U184 toCG-08-

U217 and also some prior holes were extended). 

• 

Phase VII 

o  Combined  budget  $3.5M  (undertaken  January  2010  –  December  2010)  No  drilling  was  completed 

during 2009. 

o  Completed  1,567  m  of  underground  drilling  (holes  UGIN-14  to  UGIN-35)  to  test  for  Mala  Noche 
Footwall  Zone,  a  splay  off  of  the  Mala  Noche  Vein  on  the  footwall  side  of  the  main  mineralized 
structure (“MNFWZ”) and San Ernesto vein. 

o  Completed 10,342 m of underground drilling at MNFWZ (holes CG-10-U218 to CG-10-U249) 
o  Completed 4,519 m of surface drilling (holes CG-10-S151 to CG-10-S158). 

• 

Phase VIII 

o  Combined budget $7.9M (undertaken January 2011 – December 2011). 
o  Completed 22,286 m of underground drilling (holes CG-11-U250U to CG-11-U293) targeting MNFWZ. 
o  Completed  20,330  m  of  surface  drilling  (holes  CG-11-S159  to  CG-11-S180)  for  new  exploration 

targets. 

• 

Phase IX 

o  Combined budget $6.5M (undertaken January 2012 – November 2012). 
o  Completed 27,083 m of underground drilling (holes CG-12-U293 to CG-12-U340) targeting MNFWZ. 
o  Completed 5,056 m of surface drilling (holes CG-12-S181 to CG-12-S185) for new exploration targets. 

• 

Phase X 

o  Budget of $4.9M (undertaken January 2013 – December 2013) 
o  Completed 19,836m of underground drilling (holes CG-13-U341 to CG-13-U373) targeting MNFWZ 

- 28 - 

 
From 2004 until later 2009 the Company focused exploration on the main Mala Noche Vein (“MNV”) system where 
underground  drilling  targeted  areas  in  the  San  Roberto  area  that  needed  infill  drilling  to  attain  a  higher  level  of 
confidence and a higher resource classification as steps to completing a mineral reserve estimate.  A similar approach 
was  taken  with  surface  drilling,  focusing  on  the  San  Rafael  area  of  the  Mala  Noche  system  to  the  East  of  the 
San Roberto Mine. 

In  2010,  the  Company  discovered  a  new  zone  of  high  grade  copper-silver  mineralization  called  the  Mala  Noche 
Footwall  Zone  (“MNFWZ”).    Located  in  a  structure  that  splays  at  about  30˚  on  the  footwall  side  from  the  main 
mineralization, the MNFWZ is still being tested.  The zone is more than 700 m long in the strike direction and locally 
between 200-500 m in the dip direction and is still open to the east and down dip.  The structure is also open locally 
up dip but it appears to be transitioning to more zinc dominated mineralization and thus presents a lower value target 
in that direction.  In the west the MNFWZ merges with the MNV and is considered largely closed in that area. 

The MNFWZ is a significant exploration target and was the biggest driver for the 2011 and 2012 exploration programs; 
infill and step-out drilling at MNFWZ continued in 2013.  Because the MNFWZ splays obliquely from the MNV, where it 
is  being  mined,  and  in  close  proximity  to  the  main  haulage  ways  of  the  Cozamin  Mine,  it  presented  an  attractive 
exploration target that could transition readily into the development stage.  In 2011, two cross-cuts were driven from 
the producing mine into the MNFWZ on two different levels and two drifts were driven east and west for 38 m and 
310 m respectively on level 12.8 and 133 m and 235 m also east and west respectively on level 12.  By December 31, 
2011 more than 60,000 tonnes of development ore at a grade of 2% copper was mined from this drift, opening up the 
structure for mapping continuity of grade and providing material for metallurgical testing.  By December 31, 2012 the 
MNFWZ  was  further  developed  on  sub-levels  12.5,  13.2  and  12.8  with  back  cuts  in  levels  12W,  12.5  and  12.8 
producing a total of 107,356 tonnes at a grade of 1.93% copper. By December 31, 2013 the production in MNFWZ was 
172,877 tonnes at grade of 1.95% copper in 12.5 long hole stope, L12, 12.8, L13,13.2, 13.5, 13.8, 14.5 and 14.8 stopes. 

Mineralization 

All mineralization at the Cozamin Mine occurs in veins.  The main stage of copper-dominant stage of mineralization at 
the Cozamin Mine can be classified as intermediate sulphidation, high temperature epithermal transitioning at depth 
to more mesothermal-like mineralization.  The copper-dominant stage of mineralization appears to cut across earlier 
more  clearly  epithermal  zinc-dominant  mineralization.    The  epithermal  veins  display  well  banded  quartz  veins  and 
open space  fillings and quartz druse vug linings.   The higher temperature  veins have significantly less  vugs, and the 
veins can be massive pyrrhotite-pyrite-chalcopyrite. 

This  transition  from  epithermal  zinc  dominant  mineralization  to  copper-dominant  mesothermal  mineralization  is 
thought to be the result of an evolving, telescoping hydrothermal system that was epithermal in its early stages and 
became  mesothermal  as  the  hydrothermal  migrated  upwards.    Chalcopyrite-pyrite-pyrrhotite  mineralization  can  be 
seen  to  cut  earlier  sphalerite-galena-pyrite  mineralization  in  drill  core  and  workings.    Zones  of  massive  pyrrhotite 
along  with  apparent  retrograded  calcsilicates  suggest  mineral  deposition  in  a  mesothermal  environment  that  was 
superimposed on epithermal alteration and mineralization.  This telescoping hydrothermal system is closely associated 
with the district’s largest center of rhyolite flow domes that may be the upward expression of a felsic stock. 

The  dominant  mineralized  vein  on  the  Cozamin  Mine  is  the  Mala  Noche.    This  vein  has  been  traced  for  5.5 km  on 
surface on the property.  It strikes approximately east-west and dips on average at 60° to the North.  There are at least 
18  shafts  that  provide  access  to  the  historical  workings  at  Cozamin.    The  largest  of  these  is  the  San  Roberto  mine 
which has a strike length of 1.4 km.  Mineralization peripheral to these workings was the principal target of Capstone’s 
exploration at Cozamin. 

The  Mala  Noche  vein  system  occupies  a  system  of  anastomosing  faults.    The  mineralized  bodies  within  the  Mala 
Noche  appear  to  be  strongest  where  the  disparate  faults  coalesce  into  a  single  fault  zone.    Results  from  the 
exploration and mine development to date indicate that some of the strongest mineralization in the San Roberto mine 
rakes  to  the  west  at  approximately  -50°  within  the  vein.    Post  mineralization  offsets  of  the  Mala  Noche  vein  are 
minimal and occur along high angle, normal faults that strike northeast. 

Moderate  propyllitic  wall  rock  alteration  is  generally  limited  to  3  m  into  the  hanging  wall  and  footwall.    Gangue 
minerals  in  the  Mala  Noche  vein  consist  of  quartz,  silica,  calcite,  chlorite,  epidote  and  minor  disseminated  sericite.  

- 29 - 

 
The  quartz  occurs  as  coarse  grained  druse  coarse  crystalline  masses,  and  a  stockwork  of  quartz  veinlets.  
Mineralization  in  the  Mala  Noche  vein  at  the  Cozamin  Mine  appears  to  have  been  episodic.    Early  epithermal 
mineralization  and  alteration  (represented  by  sulphide  pseudomorphs  of  carbonates  and  possibly  barite  and  well-
banded quartz veins and vug linings of quartz druse) have been overprinted by higher temperature pyrite-pyrrhotite-
chalcopyrite dominant mineralization in a telescoped, intrusive related hydrothermal system.  The Mala Noche vein in 
the San Roberto mine workings shows contained sulphides to occur as disseminations, bands and masses.  Considering 
the  limited  exposure  of  the  copper-silver  phase  of  mineralization  in  the  current  depths  of  the  mine  workings, 
conclusions about mineralization styles at this point in time are preliminary. 

Pyrite  is  the  dominant  vein  sulphide  and  typically  comprises  approximately  15%  of  the  Mala  Noche  vein  in  the  San 
Roberto mine.  It occurs as fine disseminations and veinlets, coarse crystalline replacements, and pseudomorphs of 
possible  epithermal carbonates  such as barite and calcite.   Pyrrhotite is the second most common sulphide  mineral 
but is present only in the intermediate and deeper levels of the San Roberto mine.  It occurs as replacement masses, 
pseudomorphs of platey masses and acicular replacements probably after amphibole.  Pyrrhotite commonly occurs as 
an envelope to, or intermixed with, strong chalcopyrite mineralization. 

Chalcopyrite is the only copper sulphide recognized megascopically at the Cozamin Mine.  Like pyrrhotite, it is more 
common  at  the  intermediate  and  deeper  levels  of  the  mine.  It  occurs  as  disseminations,  veinlets  and  replacement 
masses.  These masses appear to be fractured and brecciated at intermediate levels in the mine. 

Sphalerite is the dominant economic sulphide in the upper levels in the San Roberto mine.  Most of the sphalerite is 
marmatitic.  It occurs as disseminations and coarse crystalline masses and is commonly marginal to the chalcopyrite-
dominant portion of the vein. 

Galena is less common than sphalerite but is generally associated with it.  Where it is abundant, it occurs as coarse 
crystalline replacement masses.  Both coarse and fine crystalline masses of galena are argentiferous. 

Arsenopyrite typically occurs as minor, microscopic inclusions in pyrite.  Argentite is the most common silver mineral.  
It has been identified microscopically occurring as inclusions in chalcopyrite and pyrite.  Assays indicate that silver is 
also probably present in sphalerite and galena. 

Bismuth and silver selenides occur as inclusions predominantly in chalcopyrite and pyrite.  The main gangue minerals 
are quartz and calcite with rhodochrosite, barite and gypsum also reported. 

Drilling 

In all, 178 surface and 226 underground exploration holes have been drilled at the Cozamin Mine in the period from 
April  2004  through  November  2012  targeting  the  MNV,  which  is  the  cut  off  for  the  current  mineral  resource  and 
mineral reserve estimates.  From April 2004 through 2008, 59 surface holes have targeted San Rafael.  Since 2010, 118 
underground  holes  and  6  surface  holes  have  targeted  the  MNFWZ.  In  2013,  33  underground  holes  targeted  the 
MNFWZ  and  intersected  the  MNV  where  possible.  124  holes  from  2012  are  included  in  the  most  recent  mineral 
resource estimate; a mineral resource estimate including 2013 drilling is underway.  

Drill holes are located using a total station TRIMBLE instrument, model S6.  Down hole survey readings were recorded 
using either an Eastman Single Shot, FLEXIT SensIT or Reflex EZShot instrument.  Survey readings are generally taken 
every 50-150 m for surface holes and every 50-100 m for underground holes.  Survey results have been corrected for 
magnetic declination (+8º).  Dip variations in surface holes are not more than 5.3º, with an average value of 1.1°.  The 
maximum down hole dip variation in the underground holes is 15.4º with an average variation of 1.3°. 

The Phase I and II surface exploration drill programs totalled 17,967.71 m of NQ-diameter diamond core in 37 holes 
that were drilled in 2004 and the first quarter of 2005.  The Phase III underground definition drill program consisted of 
114 holes that totalled 17,736.31 m of NQ-diameter diamond core that were drilled in 2005 and the first half of 2006. 

Phases IV and V surface drilling commenced in October 2006 and was completed in April 2007.  The five surface holes 
were drilled with PQ-diameter rods to approximately 300 m, reduced to HQ rods to about 700 m and then reduced 
again  to  NQ  rods.    A total  of  4,824.5  m  were  drilled  and 304  samples  assayed  copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  gold  at 
ALS Chemex in Vancouver.  Underground NQ-diameter drilling commenced in November 2006 and was completed in 

- 30 - 

 
July 2007.  69 holes were drilled for a total of 21,441.10 m, with 2,277 samples assayed for copper, silver, lead, zinc 
and gold at ALS Chemex in Vancouver. 

Phase VI surface drilling commenced in January 2008 and was completed in October 2008.  The 105 holes were drilled 
with HQ rods and, where necessary, reduced to NQ rods.  A total of 29,642.90 m were drilled from surface and 4,497 
samples assayed for copper, silver, lead, zinc and gold.  Samples were prepared at ALS Chemex in Hermosillo Sonora, 
Mexico and assayed by ALS Chemex in Vancouver.  Duplicate samples taken for QA/QC were sent to SGS Lakefield in 
Toronto.    Underground  NQ-diameter  drilling  commenced  in  November  2006  and  was  completed  in  July  2007.    69 
holes  were drilled for a total of 21,441.10 m.  Assaying of 2,277  samples for copper,  silver,  lead, zinc and gold was 
carried out by ALS Chemex in Vancouver. 

Phase VII both surface and underground drilling commenced in January 2010 and was completed in December 2010.  
The  4,519  m  of  surface  drilling  (holes  CG-10-S151  to  CG-10-S158)  were  drilled  with  HQ  rods  and,  where  necessary, 
reduced  to  NQ  rods,  1,810  samples  assayed  for  copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  gold.    Samples  were  prepared  at 
ALS  Chemex in Hermosillo Sonora, Mexico and assayed by ALS Chemex in Vancouver.   Duplicate  samples taken for 
QA/QC were sent to SGS Lakefield in Toronto.  Underground NQ-diameter drilling, 52 holes were drilled for a total of 
11,909 m.    Assaying  of  5,032  samples  for  copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  gold  was  carried  out  by  ALS  Chemex  in 
Vancouver. 

Phase VIII surface and underground drilling commenced in January 2011 and was completed in December 2011.  The 
22,286 m of underground drilling (holes CG-11-U250 to CG-11-U293) targeting the MNFWZ were also drilled with NQ-
diameter for a total of 43 holes, Assaying of 8,066 samples for copper, silver, lead, zinc and gold was carried out by 
ALS Chemex.    The  20,330  m  of  surface  drill  holes  were  done  through  twenty-one  holes  with  HQ  rods  and,  where 
necessary, reduced to NQ rods.  A total of 6,777 samples were assayed for copper, silver, lead, zinc and gold. 

Phase IX underground drilling commenced in January 2012 and was completed in November 2012.  The 27,083 m of 
underground drilling targeting the MNFWZ in 48 holes (holes CG-12-293 to CG-12-340) were drilled with HQ rods, and 
where necessary, reduced to NQ rods.  Assaying of 5,660 samples for copper, silver, lead, zinc, and gold was carried 
out  by  ALS  Chemex  (2,337  samples)  and  the  on-site  laboratory  (3,323  samples).    The  5,056  m  of  surface  drill  holes 
were done through five holes with HQ rods, and, where necessary, reduced to NQ rods.  Assaying of 440 samples for 
copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc,  and  gold  was  carried  out  by  ALS  Chemex  (107  samples)  and  the  on-site  laboratory  (333 
samples). 

Phase X underground drilling commenced in January 2013 and was completed in December 2013.  The 19,836 m of 
underground  drilling  targeting  the  MNFWZ/MNV  in  33  holes  (holes  CG-13-341  to  CG-13-373)  were  drilled  with  HQ 
rods, and where necessary, reduced to NQ rods.  Assaying of 2,199 samples for copper, silver, lead, zinc, and gold was 
carried out by ALS Chemex (1,301 samples) and the on-site laboratory (898 samples). 

Sampling and Analysis  

Two sampling methods are presented in the Cozamin Report: drill core cutting and underground chip sampling. 

Capstone  employees  are  responsible  for  the  all  on-site  sampling  of  drill  core.    Analysis  of  these  samples  is  done  at 
accredited  outside  laboratories.    Channel  samples  are  prepared  by  Capstone  employees  for  analysis  at  the  on-site 
laboratory.    Duplicate  quality  control  samples  (coarse  crush  and  pulp)  are  prepared  by  Capstone  employees  for 
analysis at an off-site laboratory.  Blind samples comprised of standard reference material are included in the sample 
streams. 

The sample interval for drill core cutting does not exceed 0.5 m in the vein and 2 m in the wallrock.  Very high grade 
intervals are marked out and sampled separately from lower grade zones.  Sample boundaries are based on mineral 
proportions and/or texture (e.g. massive versus disseminated).  However, sample intervals are not less than 0.25 m in 
length. 

As at the date of the Cozamin Report, samples are sent to ALS Chemex in Hermosillo for preparation.  Upon receipt, 
samples are inspected for any irregularities.  Samples are then dried, weighed, crushed.  Two hundred and fifty grams 
is split and pulverized to at least 85% passing 75 microns.  Reject material is retained at ALS Chemex in Hermosillo in a 

- 31 - 

 
cold storage facility.  Prepared pulps are sent to ALS Chemex in Vancouver for primary analysis.  Check sample pulps 
are sent to SGS in Toronto for analysis. 

At ALS Chemex, gold and silver were analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish using a 50 g charge.  The detection 
range  for  this  method  is  0.05  ppm  to  1,000  ppm  Au  and  5  ppm  to  10,000  ppm  Ag.    Silver  was  also  analyzed  with 
copper, lead and zinc using a four-acid digest by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).  
The detection ranges with this method are: 1 ppm to 1,500 ppm Ag and 0.001 ppm to 10,000 ppm for Cu, Pb and Zn.  
Samples with over limit lead results are re-analyzed using the CON02 method in which the sample undergoes a four 
acid digest producing a lead  sulphate that undergoes titration for determination of the lead content.   Two  samples 
from Phase V had over limit results (23% to 27% lead).  At their lead values, the tolerance level for reporting the grade 
with the titration method is ±2.5%.  

At SGS, gold is analyzed by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish using a 30 g charge.  The detection range for this 
method  was  5  ppb  to  2,000  ppb.    Silver  was  analyzed  from  a  2  g  charge  using  a  multi-acid  digest  with  atomic 
absorption  finish  (0.3  g/t  to  300  g/t  Ag  detection  range).    Over  limit  results  were  re-analyzed  by  fire  assay  with  an 
atomic absorption finish using a 50 g charge.  Copper, lead and zinc are analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical 
emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) using a four acid digest.  Detection limits are: 10 ppm to 10% for copper, 20 ppm to 
10% for lead and 10 ppm to 10% for zinc.  Over limit results are reanalyzed using the same method but with a sodium 
peroxide fusion.  The over limit detection limit is 0.01% for each metal. 

Blanks, standards and pulp duplicates were inserted into the series of underground drill core samples submitted for 
assay.  Typically, standard and blank samples were placed at the start and finish of the mineralized interval within a 
hole.  Approximately two sample intervals per hole were selected to have pulp duplicates prepared, and another two 
intervals per hole were selected for preparation of core duplicates.  Additional quality control samples were inserted 
into the sequence as deemed necessary, e.g. a blank inserted in the sample sequence after a sample expected to have 
very high grade to monitor the quality of the assays. 

With regard to underground channel sampling, chip samples up to 20 cm wide are collected along the marked sample 
line.  The line number and sample interval are clearly entered in the sample book.  Two stubs are placed in the sample 
bag by the sampler.  The sample books are archived at the Cozamin Mine. 

The  underground  channel  samples  were  analyzed  at  both  SGS  Toronto  (using  the  same  methods  as  the  drill  core 
samples) and at the on-site lab at Cozamin prior to mid-2006.  SGS Toronto was used as the primary laboratory and 
the site laboratory as a check.  Pulp samples were analyzed on-site by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish for 
copper,  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  iron.    From  mid-2006  the  Cozamin  site  laboratory  has  been  used  as  the  primary 
laboratory and check samples sent to SGS in 2006 and ALS Chemex in 2007.  The same methods described for the drill 
hole samples have been used for the underground check samples submitted to SGS and ALS Chemex. 

Blanks,  standards  and  pulp  duplicates  were  inserted  into  the  series  of  underground  samples  submitted  for  assay.  
Standard and blank samples are inserted into the sample sequence approximately 1 in 15 samples, and pulp duplicates 
every 20 samples.  Additional quality control samples were inserted into the sequence as deemed necessary. 

Although the author of the Cozamin Report has not visited the assay labs used to analyze Cozamin samples, they are 
reputable facilities which have been monitored using an appropriate QA/QC program.  In the opinion of the author, 
the  sample  preparation,  analysis  and  security  practises  follow  accepted  industry  standards  and  the  results 
demonstrate an acceptable level of analytical accuracy and precision.  The results of the data verification indicate that 
the database is sound and reliable for the purposes of resource estimation. 

Security of Samples 

While at the on-site laboratory, only Capstone employees are allowed in the core shack when unsampled core is laid 
out waiting to be cut.  No person other than the geologist responsible for logging is allowed to handle the core prior to 
sampling.    The  geologist  takes  great  care  to  ensure  that  core  is  returned  to  the  box  in  the  same  position  and 
orientation  from  which  it  came.    Visitors  to  the  core  shack  must  be  accompanied  by  a  Capstone  employee.    A 
minimum  of  ten  consecutive  samples  are  placed  in  order  in  a  large  sack.    The  sack  is  sealed  with  tape  and  by  a 
numbered seal that prevents opening the sack without damaging the seal.  The sample number series of the enclosed 

- 32 - 

 
samples are clearly written on the exterior of the sack.  The batch number, the serial numbers of the seals and the 
corresponding sample number series are written on the transmittal form to be sent to the preparation laboratory. 

Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates 

At year end 2012 update to the mineral resource estimate for San Roberto was completed by independent consultant 
Ali  Shahkar,  P.Eng,  Principal  Consultant  of  Lions  Gate  Geological  Consulting  Inc.  (“LGGC”),  using  accepted  industry 
standard  methods  conforming  to  NI  43-101  requirements.    The  Mineral  Resource  estimates  for  the  end  of  2013 
tabulated below exclude all mined out areas.  

The original  2009 mineral resource estimate for the San Rafael deposit was completed  by Capstone staff under the 
supervision  of  independent  consultant  Robert  Sim,  P.Geo.,  of  SIM  Geological  Inc.,  using  accepted  industry  standard 
methods  that  conform  to  NI  43-101  requirements.    This  block  model  was  re-tabulated  based  on  the  current  NSR 
formulae  by  independent  consultant  Ali  Shahkar,  P.Eng,  Principal  Consultant  of  LGGC.  For  the  tabulation  of  the 
remaining  Mineral  Resources for the  end of year 2012.   There has  been no  mining activity in San Rafael in 2012 or 
2013.  As such, the Mineral Resource estimates for San Rafael tabulated below remained unchanged. 

The mineral resource estimate for the MNFWZ deposit was prepared by independent consultant Ali Shahkar, P.Eng., 
Principal Consultant of LGGC, in February 2013, using accepted industry standard methods conforming to NI 43-101 
requirements.  This model was depleted for all mining activity to the end of 2013 to produce the remaining Mineral 
Resource estimates stated below.  

In each case, estimated mineral resources exclude all historical (pre-Capstone) and Capstone underground production 
conducted through December 31, 2013.  Mineral resources are constrained by the Capstone property boundary. 

The Cozamin mineral resource estimates for the San Roberto and MNFWZ areas are reported in the following table 
above a $35 per tonne cut-off.  

Estimated Mineral Resource for San Roberto and MNFWZ areas as at December 31, 2013* 

Classification 

Tonnes 
(000s) 

Copper 
(%) 

Silver 
(g/t) 

Zinc 
(%) 

Pb 
(%) 

Contained Cu 
(Mlb) 

Contained Silver 
(koz) 

Contained Zn  
(Mlb) 

Contained Pb 
(Mlb) 

Measured (M) 

3,290 

1.57 

Indicated (I) 

8,530 

1.43 

Total (M+I) 

11,970 

1.45 

Inferred 

3,340 

1.39 

65 

43 

49 

36 

1.44  0.53 

0.98  0.16 

1.16  0.27 

0.91  0.10 

*Note 1  Resources calculated for US$35 NSR COG 

114 

269 

383 

103 

6,869 

11,720 

18,772 

3,853 

104 

184 

307 

67 

38 

30 

72 

7 

2  Metal Price assumptions used to calculate the NSR COG for All Deposits are: Cu=$2.50; Zn=$0.80; Ag=$20.00; Pb=$0.85 (each in US 
Funds).Processing recoveries used to calculate the NSR COG for the San Roberto and MNFWZ Resource are based historical site 
operating experience reflecting recoveries of: Cu=92%; Zn=69%; Ag=72%; Pb=64%. 

3  Figures may not tally due to rounding 

The  Cozamin mineral resource estimates for the  San Rafael area is reported in the following table above a  $35 per 
tonne cut-off, which remain unchanged since 2012.  There has been no mining activity or changes to the San Rafael 
model in 2013.   

[The remainder of this page is left intentionally blank] 

- 33 - 

 
 
 
 
Estimated Mineral Resource for San Rafael Zinc Deposit as at December 31, 2013* 

Classification 

Tonnes 
(000s) 

Copper 
(%) 

Silver 
(g/t) 

Zinc 
(%) 

Pb 
(%) 

Contained Cu 
(Mlb) 

Contained Silver 
(koz) 

Contained Zn  
(Mlb) 

Contained Pb 
(Mlb) 

Measured (M) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Indicated (I) 

1,150 

0.33 

49.3  3.64  0.49 

Total (M+I) 

1,150 

0.33 

49.3  3.64  0.49 

Inferred 

750 

0.13 

37.8  3.62  0.77 

*Note 1  Resource calculated for US$35 NSR COG 

- 

8.4 

8.4 

2.1 

- 

1,822 

1,822 

912 

- 

92.4 

92.4 

59.9 

- 

13 

13 

13 

2  Metal Price assumptions (in USD) used to calculate the NSR COG for All Deposits are: Cu=$2.50; Zn=$0.80; Ag=$20.00; Pb=$0.85.  
Processing recoveries used to calculate the NSR COG for the San Rafael Resource are based historical site operating experience 
reflecting recoveries of: Cu=57%; Zn=79%; Ag=61%; Pb=56%. 

3  Figures may not tally due to rounding 

During 2013, extraction of the MNFWZ proven and probable reserves was advanced using a cut and fill and longhole 
mining method.  During the year, detailed mine planning was completed to add mineral reserves to the MNFWZ based 
on  the  updated  mineral  resource  estimation  completed  in  March  2013.    Stantec  Consulting  LLC  of  Tempe,  Arizona 
supervised and reviewed the work completed by Cozamin.  The MNFWZ mineral reserves stated below is based on the 
mineral reserves addition and the subsequent depletion due to the mineral extraction in 2013.  

San  Roberto  mineral  reserves  have  changed  based  on  depletion  due  to  mineral  extraction  in  2013.    San  Rafael 
Reserves remained the same during the year due to no mining activity in the area. The year end 2013 updated mineral 
reserve estimates for all Cozamin areas are shown in the table below: 

 Cozamin Mine Estimated Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2013* 
Zn 
(%) 

Tonnage 
(000s) 

Ag  
(g/t) 

Cu 
(%) 

San Roberto 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal San Roberto 

Mala Noche Footwall 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Mala Noche Footwall 

Copper Zones 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Copper Zones 

San Rafael Zinc 

2,124 
2,589 
4,713 

248 
4,216 
4,464 

2,372 
6,805 
9,177 

Probable 
Subtotal San Rafael 

721 
721 

1.44 
1.25 
1.34 

1.86 
1.67 
1.68 

1.48 
1.51 
1.51 

0.34 
0.34 

62.2 
53.8 
57.6 

40.7 
31.8 
32.4 

60.0 
40.2 
45.3 

49.17 
49.17 

1.41 
1.59 
1.51 

0.35 
0.23 
0.24 

1.30 
0.75 
0.89 

3.49 
3.49 

Pb 
(%) 

0.61 
0.30 
0.44 

0.03 
0.01 
0.01 

0.55 
0.12 
0.23 

0.46 
0.46 

Total Cozamin Mineral Reserves 
*Note 1  Mineral reserve estimates are based on the use of metal prices of $2.50 per pound copper, $0.80 per pound zinc, $0.85 per pound 

9,898 

45.58 

1.08 

1.42 

0.25 

lead, and $20.00 per ounce silver (each in US Funds).  

2  Processing recoveries used to calculate the NSR COG for the San Roberto and MNFWZ Reserves are based historical site operating 

experience reflecting recoveries of: Cu=92%; Zn=69%; Ag=72%; Pb=64%. Processing recoveries used to calculate the NSR COG for the 
San Rafael Reserves are based historical site operating experience reflecting recoveries of: Cu=57%; Zn=79%; Ag=61%; Pb=56%. 

3  Table does not include unprocessed stockpiled material. 
4  Figures may not tally due to rounding 
5  $40 NSR COG used for mineral reserve calculation 

- 34 - 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reserve Balance 

The depletion and growth of the Cozamin mineral reserves are as follows: 

Classification

Proven
Probable
Stockpile
Subtotal
*Note 1 

2 

Tonnes
(000's)

Opening Balance
Grade
(Cu %)
1.52
1.38
1.89
1.43

2,773
5,548
12
8,333

Pounds
(000's)

92,917
169,301
483
262,701

Cozamin Mine 2013 Mineral Reserve Balance* 

Production Depletion

Stockpile Change

Engineering Change

Closing Balance

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
1.93
1.93
1.89
1.93

(657)
(540)
(12)
(1,209)

Pounds
(000's)
(27,969)
(22,995)
(483)
(51,448)

Tonnes Grade
(000's)
(Cu %)
-
-
14
14

-
-
0.87
0.87

Pounds
(000's)
-
-
263
263

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
2.21
257
1.55
2,518
-
-
1.61
2,775

Pounds
(000's)

12,478
86,038
-
98,517

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
2,372
1.48
7,526
1.40
14
0.87
1.42
9,912

Pounds
(000's)

77,426
232,344
263
310,033

Mineral reserve estimates are based on the use of metal prices of $2.50 per pound copper, $0.80 per pound zinc, $0.85 per pound lead, 
and $20.00 per ounce silver (each in US Funds).  
Processing  recoveries  used  to  calculate  the  NSR  COG  for  the  San  Roberto  and  MNFWZ  Reserves  are  based  historical  site  operating 
experience reflecting recoveries of: Cu=92%; Zn=69%; Ag=72%; Pb=64%. Processing recoveries used to calculate the NSR COG for  the 
San Rafael Reserves are based historical site operating experience reflecting recoveries of: Cu=57%; Zn=79%; Ag=61%; Pb=56%. 

3  Table does not include unprocessed stockpiled material. 
4  Figures may not tally due to rounding 
5  $40 NSR COG used for mineral reserve calculation 

The  mineral  reserve  balance  for  Cozamin  is  summarized  in  the  table  above.    During  2013,  operations  continued  to 
extract mineralized material primarily in the copper zones.  An engineering change occurred in 2013 to include new 
mineral  reserves  located  in  the  MNFWZ.    Stantec  Consultaing  LLC  of  Tempe,  Arizona  supervised  and  reviewed  the 
work completed by Cozamin.   

Reconciliation 

Reconciliation activities were conducted to determine the accuracy of the Mineral Reserve block model (model) to the 
mine  reported  production.    The  results  indicate  that  although  production  tonnage  matched  model  prediction, 
Cozamin  produced  more  copper  and  silver  than  predicted  by  the  model.    Therefore,  the  copper  and  silver  grades 
identified  in  the  model  are  considered  to  be  conservative  and  may  understate  respective  contained  metals.    Block 
model parameters are under review to address this variance. There was a nominal variance in the 2013 mine and mill 
reconciliation for tonnage and grade.   

Mining Operations 

The Cozamin Mine commenced operation in June 2006 and since that time has maintained continuous production and 
has  shown  continual  improvement.    Since  the  start  of  operations,  the  mill  has  undergone  numerous  upgrades, 
expansions and operating optimizations.  The mine has seen improved access, ventilation and an increase in its mobile 
equipment  fleet.    The  ore  is  planned  to  be  extracted  using  three  mining  methods:  cut  and  fill  using  waste  rock  fill, 
longhole open stoping and Avoca - a hybrid of longhole and cut and fill methods.  Each method has been assigned to 
individual mining blocks depending on the physical characteristics of the veins and its suitability to one of the above 
methods. 

Development  mining  and  equipment  usage  was  estimated  based  on  the  mine  production  schedule.    Capital 
development  is  conducted  using  a  Mexican-based  contractor.    All  other  mining  at  Cozamin  is  done  using  Capstone 
employees, equipment and facilities. 

The mine extends for a strike length of over 1 km and mineral reserves extend to a depth of 700 m.  Access to the 
underground workings is via two service and haulage ramps and a hoisting shaft. 

The LOM plan production rate is 1.2 million tpy and is supported by the operating results of 2012 and 2013. 

During 2013, a total of  81,351 dmt of copper  concentrates, 2,205  dmt of lead concentrates and  16,928 dmt of zinc 
concentrates were shipped and recorded as revenue. 

From January to December  2013, the mine processed a mill feed of  1,206,383 tonnes  of ore grading 1.86% copper, 
1.12%  zinc,  0.19%  lead  and  61.0  g/t  silver.    The  average  production  rate  was  approximately  3,305  tpd  during  that 

- 35 - 

 
 
 
      
       
      
       
      
    
           
        
         
        
      
     
     
       
      
      
       
    
       
      
    
           
        
         
     
      
     
     
       
    
           
       
          
         
      
         
          
      
         
          
          
            
          
       
          
      
       
    
    
      
    
          
      
         
     
      
     
     
       
    
period.  The mine produced 45.52 million pounds of copper, 17.85 million pounds of zinc, 2.73 million pounds of lead 
and 1.68 million ounces of silver. 

The Cozamin Mine’s applicable taxes include the following: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Corporate  Taxes  -  the  Mexican  corporate  income  tax  is  at  a  30%  rate  applied  on  net revenue  (profit)  after 
depreciation. The 2013 Mexican Tax Reform repealed the 17.5% IETU Tax (Impuesto Empresarial Tasa Unica) 
effective for Cozamin’s 2014 taxation year. 
A  value  added  tax  is  payable  to  the  Mexican  government.    The  amount  paid  in  any  given  year  is  100% 
refundable, and may be used to offset income tax. 
The 2013 Mexican Tax Reform introduced a 7.5% mining royalty.  The royalty, effective January 1, 2014, will 
be applied on the positive difference between income arising from sales related to mining and the deductions 
permitted by the Income Tax Law, not including deductions on investments (except those involved in mining 
prospecting and exploration), interest payable and the annual inflation adjustment. 
Property taxes are approximately $20,000 per year. 

The payback period for the entire project capital spent to date was completed within the first two years of operation.  
The  payback  on  all  future  capital  spending  will  be  almost  immediate  due  to  large  cash  flows  and  minimal  capital 
expenditures planned. 

The LOM plan currently has the mine being depleted of current reserves in 2021.  There are several potential resource 
areas  that  may,  if  shown  to  be  economic,  add  life  to  the  mine  but  these  are  not  yet  at  a  stage  where  they  can  be 
classed  as  reserves.    It  must  be  noted  that  these  mineral  resources  may  not  be  found  to  present  potential  for 
economic  extraction.    The  reader  is  cautioned  not  to  assume  that  all  or  any  part  of  mineral  resources  will  ever  be 
converted into reserves or mined, and it should further be understood that “inferred resources” have a great amount 
of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed 
that all or any part of mineral resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category. 

The closure cost for the Cozamin Mine was re-estimated and updated in December 31, 2013, totalling $9.1M at the 
end of operations including 5 years of post-closure monitoring. 

Exploration and Development 

The Mala Noche Footwall Zone continued to be the exploration driver in 2013.  An in-fill drilling program completed in 
2012 increased the indicated resource estimation in the latest Mineral Resource estimate.  This material will be used 
in  engineering  studies  aimed  at  increasing  Mineral  Reserves  and  as  such  represents  a  major  upside  opportunity  at 
Cozamin for either increased mine life or increased throughput or some combination of both scenarios. 

The  majority  of  the  2013  exploration  budget  is  aimed  at  converting  some  of  these  Inferred  Resources  to  Indicated 
Class or better by infill drilling from underground.  Further underground drilling is also needed to test down dip and 
along  strike  to  the  east  from  the  current  resource  area  where  the  MNFWZ  deposit  remains  open  to  expansion 
possibilities.    After  the  MNFWZ  drilling  program  is  complete,  additional  drilling  will  target  the  main  MNV  mineral 
resource/mineral reserve area in areas where the mineralization appears to be open. 

3.5 

Minto Mine (Yukon)  

The Minto Mine is the subject of a report titled “Minto Phase VI Preliminary Feasibility Study Technical Report” dated 
July 31, 2012 with an effective date of January 1, 2012 (the “Minto Report”).  This technical report was compiled by 
Minto Explorations Ltd. and written by Brad Mercer, P.Geol., John Sagman, P.Eng., Wayne Barnett, Pr.Sci.Nat., John 
Eggert,  P.Eng.,  Bill  Hodgson,  P.Eng.,  Garth Kirkham,  P.Geo.,  Mike  Levy,  PE,  Pooya  Mohseni,  P.Eng.,  Bruce  Murphy, 
P.Eng., and Colleen Roche, P.Eng., each a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.  The description of the Minto Mine 
in  this  document  is  based  on  assumptions,  qualifications  and  procedures  which  are  set  out  only  in  the  full  Minto 
Report.    Reference  should  be  made  to  the  full  text  of  this  report,  which  is  available  in  its  entirety  on  SEDAR  at 
www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile. 

- 36 - 

 
All scientific and technical information in this summary relating to any updates to the Minto Mine since the date of the 
Minto Report has been reviewed and approved by Qualified Persons  who supervised the preparation of updates to 
elements  of  the  Minto  Report.    These  Qualified  Persons  include  those  listed  in  Item  15  of  this  Annual  Information 
Form. 

Project Description and Location 

The  Minto  Mine  is  located  in  the  Whitehorse  Mining  District  in  the  central  Yukon.    The  property  is  located 
approximately 240 km northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon’s capital.  The project consists of 164 quartz claims covering 
an area of approximately 2,760 ha. 

The project is roughly centred on NAD 83, UTM Zone 8 coordinates 6,945,000 mN, 385,000 mE.  The mine is located 
on the west side of the Yukon River on Selkirk First Nation (“SFN”) Category A settlement land (SFN Parcel R-6A). 

The 100% registered owner of the 164 claims is Minto Explorations Ltd. (“MintoEx”), a 100% owned subsidiary of the 
Company.    The  status  of  the  claims  has  been  recently  confirmed  with  the  Mining  Recorder,  as  having  expiry  dates 
ranging between March 1, 2017 and October 7, 2028.  The lease, but not the claim boundaries, has been surveyed by 
an authorized Canada Lands Surveyor in accordance with instructions from the Surveyor General. 

There are no known back-in rights, payments or other agreements or encumbrances to which the property is subject 
other than a recently amended Cooperation Agreement with the SFN and a net smelter royalty payable to the SFN. 

Environmental liabilities at the Minto Mine relate to the dry stacked tailings facility and waste rock dumps as well as 
some water stored at the site that is impacted by operations and to the removal of all operational infrastructures.  A 
closure  plan  has  been  developed  and  approved  (most  recently  on  September  9,  2011)  detailing  methods  and  costs 
associated  with  restoring  the  site  to  an  acceptable  environmental  standard.    Engineered  covers  will  be  placed  on 
tailings and waste rock such that interactions with surface water are minimized.  Active water treatment will not be 
required as passive treatment systems are planned to be utilized.  A $23.9M surety bond has been put in place with 
the Yukon Government in accordance with a territorial closure and reclamation policy.  The closure plan and related 
letter of credit amount are reviewed on a bi-yearly basis. 

MintoEx has obtained a variety of permits in order to conduct ongoing work on site and the Company is in the process 
of  obtaining  additional  approvals  associated  with  expanded  operations  and  mine  life.    The  major  instruments  or 
authorizations permitting and governing operations for the project include a Type A Water Use Licence, issued by the 
Yukon  Water  Board  and  a  Quartz  Mining  Licence  issued  by  the  Yukon  Government,  Energy  Mines  and  Resources.  
MintoEx has received a portion of the permits necessary to extract ore from additional mining areas, for higher plant 
throughput, revised waste and tailings management facilities and other environmental aspects of the project.  At this 
time, MintoEx is confident that the additional permits to access the new deposits and waste management facilities will 
be granted after the government authorities have completed their reviews. 

Accessibility, Climate, Local Resources, Infrastructure and Physiography 

The Minto Mine is accessible via the Klondike Highway (No. 2) to Minto Landing on the East side of the Yukon River.  
At Minto Landing, the mine operates a barge across the river in the summer months and constructs an ice bridge in 
the winter.  The barge has the capacity to carry one B-train transport trailer and truck.  There is typically a 6 to 8 week 
period during each break-up and freeze-up of the Yukon River when there is no access across the river.  A 27 km long, 
all-weather gravel road provides access from the West side of the Yukon River to the project site. 

The  mine  access  road  crosses  one  major  tributary  of  the  Yukon  River,  Big  Creek,  via  a  single-lane  steel  span  bridge 
made  with  reinforced  concrete  abutments  and  deck.    The  highway,  river  crossing  and  gravel  mine  access  road  are 
suitable for heavy transport traffic. 

When access across the Yukon River is available, operations personnel are transported to the site in commercial buses 
based out of Whitehorse.  During the river freeze and thaw periods, personnel are transported from Whitehorse via 
charter air services that land on the 1,300 m airstrip located at the mine. 

- 37 - 

 
The climate in the Minto area of the Yukon is considered sub-arctic with short cool summers and long cold winters.  
The  average  temperature  in  the  summer  is  10°C  and  the  average  temperature  in  the  winter  is  -20°C.    Average 
precipitation is approximately 25 cm of rain equivalent per annum in the form of rain and snow.  The weather does 
not impede year round operation of the mine and processing plant except in short periods of harsh cold temperatures 
(-50°C) that can cause open pit mining operations to be temporarily suspended. 

The property lies in the Dawson Range, part of the Klondike Plateau, an uplifted surface that has been dissected by 
erosion.  Local topography consists of rounded rolling hills and ridges and broad valleys.  The highest elevation on the 
property is approximately 1,000 masl, compared to elevations of 460 m along the Yukon River.  Slopes on the property 
are relatively gentle and do not present accessibility problems.  Bedrock outcrops can often be found at the tops of 
hills and ridges.  There are no risks of avalanche on the property. 

Vegetation  in  the  area  is  sub-Arctic  boreal  forest  made  up  of  largely  spruce  and  poplar  trees.    The  area  has 
experienced several wildfires over the years, the latest in 2010, and has no old-growth trees remaining.  The fire in 
2010 led to the partial evacuation of the camp and a short stoppage in production. 

The  nearest  services,  including  fuel,  groceries,  hotel,  restaurant  and  clinic,  are  at  Carmacks,  approximately  75  km 
south of Minto on Highway 2.  Some services are available at Pelly Crossing, 35 km to the East of Minto.  The nearest 
large community is Whitehorse, with a population of approximately 27,000.  It is serviced with commercial flights daily 
from  Vancouver, Edmonton  and other northern communities.   Whitehorse is also connected  via paved highways to 
British  Columbia  to  the  South,  to  Alaska  to  the  West  and  to  the  port  of  Skagway  to  the  Southwest,  where  Minto 
concentrate is trucked for loading onto ocean-going vessels. 

The  Minto  Mine  has  sufficient  power,  water,  camp  and  personnel  to  continue  operations  through  the  life  of  mine 
plan. 

History 

In  1970,  a  joint  venture  between  Silver  Standard  Mines  Ltd.  and  Asarco  Inc.  conducted  a  regional  stream  sediment 
geochemical survey in the area.  In 1971, DEF claims were staked by United Keno Explorations.  That same year a joint 
venture formed with United Keno Hill Mines, Falconbridge Nickel and Canadian Superior Explorations, to cover follow-
up prospecting.  IP and VLF-EM geophysical surveys, soil sampling and mapping on the DEF claims followed.  In June 
1973, a main mineralized body was discovered.  In 1974, a winter road was built from Yukon Crossing and 58 diamond 
drill holes (11,228 m) on the Minto claims were drilled.  From 1975-1976 joint feasibility studies were conducted. 

In  1984,  Silver  Standard  changed  its  name  to  Consolidated  Silver  Standard  and  transferred  its  interest  in  the  Minto 
claims  to  Western  Copper  Holdings,  a  subsidiary  of  Teck  Corp.    In  1989,  Western  Copper  Holdings  transferred  its 
interest in the Minto claims to Teck Corp. 

In  1993,  MintoEx  was  formed.    Asarco  and  Teck  sold  their  interest  in  the  Minto  claims  (and  leases)  for  shares  in 
MintoEx and provided $375,000 in working capital.  Asarco and Teck also received a net smelter royalty of 1.5% to be 
divided evenly.  In that same year, Falconbridge, the parent of United Keno Hill, sold its interest in the DEF claims to 
MintoEx for $1M, with payment being due in 1996.  Falconbridge was granted an option to repurchase the DEF claims 
on January 1, 2005 if the deposit was not in production by then. 

An initial public offering of shares of MintoEx completed in 1994.  There were 5,912,501 shares issued and outstanding 
with Asarco being the majority shareholder with 3,297,500 shares (55.8%). 

In 1995, a feasibility study was completed.  Reserves were 8,818,000T of 1.73% Cu, 0.014 oz/t Au and 0.22 oz/t Ag at 
0.5% Cu cut-off grade.  Recoveries were 95% for Cu and 85% for Au and Ag.  Mine life was projected to be 12 years at 
a production rate of 477,000 tonnes per year. 

In 1996, funding was arranged with Asarco to bring the deposit into production whereby Asarco would provide up to 
$25M.  Under the funding arrangement, Asarco would acquire a 70% interest in the project, MintoEx would retain a 
30% interest and remain as operator.  That same year, MintoEx made the $1M payment to Falconbridge for the DEF 
claims  completing  the  consolidation  of  the  Minto  and  DEF  claims.    Also  in  that  year,  a  16  km  access  road  was 
constructed including a barge landing site on the West side of the Yukon River and a bridge over Big Creek.  A further 

- 38 - 

 
12.8  km  of  road  construction  in  1997  was  done  to  complete  the  new  access  road.    Also  in  1997,  a  co-operation 
agreement was signed with the SFN.  In 1999, a production license was received. 

In 2001,  most of the Asarco  core and all of the Falconbridge core was destroyed by time and forest fire.  A limited 
amount of the old Asarco core that could be recovered was re-sampled in 2002.  In June 2005, Sherwood Copper Corp. 
acquired the Minto property.  In 2006, mill construction commenced.  A C$85 M debt package was arranged, forward 
sales  completed,  and  concentrate  off-take  agreement  executed  in  October  2006.    In  2007,  a  Power  Purchase 
Agreement for Minto was signed.  That same year, a resource estimate for the Area 2 deposit was completed and the 
first copper-gold concentrates at Minto Mine were produced.  First concentrates from the Minto Mine were delivered 
to  the  Port  of  Skagway,  Alaska  in  July  2007.    The  Minto  Mine  declared  commercial  production  and  the  first  Minto 
concentrates shipped from Skagway in October 2007. 

In  2008,  Capstone  and  Sherwood  announced  a  combination  to  create  an  intermediate  copper  producer  with 
Sherwood  shareholders  overwhelmingly  approving  the  business  combination.    In  connection  with  the  closing  of  a 
precious  metal  transaction,  Silverstone  provided  an  upfront  payment  of  $37.5  M  for  payable  gold  and  silver  from 
Minto.  Capstone and Sherwood completed the business combination in November 2008. 

In 2009, the high grade Minto North Deposit was discovered and defined.  Increased copper-gold mineral resources at 
Minto were announced in June 2009.  Also in 2009 there was a drill discovery of the Minto East prospect. 

In 2010, the high grade Minto East Deposit was defined.  Increased copper-gold mineral resources for Area 2/118 and 
Ridgetop  plus  a  preliminary  mineral  resource  for  Minto  East  was  completed  and  announced  in  August  2010.    The 
Minto East mineral resource was further updated later in the year.  There were further drill discoveries in 2010 at the 
Wildfire and Inferno prospects. 

In 2011, the Copper Keel and Wildfire areas were further drill delineated and incorporated into a larger deposit called 
Minto South or MSD for short.  A new mineral resource for the combined MSD deposit was announced in May of 2011 
and the resource estimate was updated again later in the year and subsequently announced in February of 2012.  Also 
in 2011 there was a drill discovery of the Fireweed prospect. 

In  2012,  the  Fireweed  extension  of  the  Minto  East  deposit  was  discovered  and  partially  defined;  the  Inferno  North 
extension  of  the  Minto  North  deposit  was  also  discovered.    New  mineral  resource  estimates  for  the  Fireweed  and 
Inferno North extensions were announced in October 2012. 

No exploration was conducted on the mine property in 2013. 

Geological Setting 

The  Minto  Mine  is  found  in  the  North-Northwest  trending  Carmacks  Copper  Belt  along  the  eastern  margin  of  the 
Yukon-Tanana  Composite  Terrain.    The  Belt  is  host  to  several  intrusion-related  Cu-Au  mineralized  hydrothermal 
systems.  The Minto Property and surrounding area are underlain by plutonic rocks of the Granite Mountain Batholith 
(the “Batholith”) of the Early Mesozoic Age.  The component of the Batholith represented on the Minto Property is the 
Minto pluton and is predominantly of granodiorite composition.  Hypogene copper sulphide mineralization at Minto is 
hosted wholly within this pluton in sub-horizontal horizons of structurally prepared rock. 

For  ease  of  reference  the  Minto  copper-gold-silver  system  is  divided  into  seven  mineralized  areas  within  the  Minto 
deposit; from North to South they are: Minto North; Inferno North; Minto Main; Minto East; Fireweed; Minto South 
(MSD-a consolidation of Area 2, Copper Keel, Area 118 and Wildfire deposits that are now considered one continuous 
deposit);  and  Ridgetop.    Each  of  these  deposits  closely  share  a  similar  style  of  mineralization  hosted  by  vertically 
stacked, shallow dipping deformation zones within the intrusion.  Remnants of the Main deposit are currently exposed 
in  an  exhausted  open  pit  mine  and  this  geometry  has  been  confirmed,  a  similar  geometry  is  also  exposed  in  the 
currently operating Area 2 open pit.  The other deposits have drill-delineated mineral resources and/or reserves but 
mineralization  is  not  exposed  at  the  surface.    These  deposits  and  other  mineral  prospects  define  a  general  north-
northwest trend informally called the Priority Exploration Corridor. 

Copper  sulphide  mineralization  is  found  in  the  rocks  that  have  a  structurally  imposed  fabric,  ranging  from  a  weak 
foliation through to a strongly developed gneissic banding.  The contact relationship between the foliated deformation 

- 39 - 

 
zones and the massive phases of granodiorite is generally very sharp.  These contacts do not exhibit chilled margins 
and are considered by MintoEx geologists to be structural in nature, separating the variably strained equivalents of the 
same or similar rock type. 

The more highly strained deformation zones form sub-horizontal horizons and can be traced laterally for more than 
1,000  m  in  the  drill  core.    They  are  often  stacked  in  parallel  to  sub-parallel  sequences  and  it  is  postulated  that  the 
foliated granodiorite horizons represent healed, shallowly dipping shear zones within the Batholith; theorized to have 
formed when the rocks passed through the brittle/ductile transformation zone in the earth’s crust in transition from a 
deep  emplacement  environment  of  the  Batholith  to  eventual  exhumation.    There  is  on-going  debate,  however, 
regarding  the  stratigraphic,  intrusive,  or  structural  nature  of  the  zones  hosting  the  foliation  and  mineralization.  
MintoEx  have  engaged  the  Mineral  Deposits  Research  Unit  (“MDRU”)  of  the  University  of  British  Columbia  to  help 
understand  the  mineral  paragenesis  and  deformation  history.    No  other  recognized  deposit  type  compares  directly 
with  Minto  mineralization.    While  an  Iron  Oxide  Copper  Gold  (“IOCG”)  style  for  the  Minto  Deposit  cannot  be 
unequivocally  demonstrated,  the  authors  are  of  the  opinion  that  this  style  of  deposit  provides  the  most  consistent 
model for the current level of understanding. 

The primary hypogene sulphide mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, euhedral chalcocite, and minor pyrite.  
Metallurgical testing also indicates the presence of covellite, although this sulphide species has never been positively 
logged macroscopically. 

Texturally, sulphide minerals predominantly occur as disseminations and foliaform stringers along foliation planes in 
the deformed granodiorite (i.e. sulphide stringers tend to follow the foliation planes).  Occasionally, coarse free gold is 
observed associated with chloritic or epidote lined fractures that cross-cut the sulphide mineralization.  The free gold 
may be due to secondary enrichment during a later hydrothermal process overprinting the main copper sulphide-gold 
event.    Sulphide  mineralization  is  always  accompanied  by  variable  amounts  of  magnetite  mineralization  and  biotite 
alteration.  While these minerals occur in the non-deformed rocks they are present in the mineralized horizons in a 
much greater abundance in the range of an order of magnitude greater than background. 

Supergene  mineralization  occurs  proximal  to  near-surface  extension  of  the  primary  mineralization  and  beneath  the 
Cretaceous conglomerate.  Chalcocite is the prime mineral in these horizons along with secondary malachite, minor 
azurite  and  minor  native  copper.    Observations  of  foliated  and  even  copper  mineralized  cobbles  in  drilling  indicate 
that “Minto-type” mineralization was exposed, eroded and reincorporated in conglomerate sedimentary deposits by 
the Cretaceous Age.  Other rock types, albeit volumetrically insignificant, include thin dykes (typically less than 1 m) of 
simple quartz-feldspar pegmatite, aplite, and an aphanitic textured intermediate composition rock. 

Structural  deformation  includes  the  ore-bearing  deformation  zones,  as  well  as  folding  present  on  the  regional  to 
micro-scale.    Within  the  deformation  zones  the  foliation  exhibits  highly  variable  orientations  with  the  presence  of 
small-scale (several centimetres in amplitude) folds.  The ore-bearing zones are also occasionally folded on a scale of 
several hundred metres.  The larger-scale folds appear to be gentle folds with North-South axial traces.  Late brittle 
fracturing  and  faulting  is  noted  throughout  the  property  area;  some  of  these  faults  have  displacements  significant 
enough  to  compartmentalize  the  deposits.    For  example,  the  Minto  Creek  fault  bisects  the  Minto  Main  deposit, 
dividing it into north and south areas.  The fault is modelled as dipping steeply North-Northeast with an apparent left 
lateral reverse displacement.  The DEF fault defines the Northern end of the Main deposit.  It strikes more or less East-
West and dips North-Northwest and cuts off the  main zone mineralization.   The boundary between the  Area 2 and 
Area  118  ore  zones  is  an  intermediate  NE  dipping  fault,  and  at  least  two  parallel  structures  displace  mineralized 
domains in Area 118.  A similar NW striking fault zone appears to define the North-Eastern boundary of the Ridgetop 
deposit  to  the  South-Western  boundary  of  the  Minto  South  Deposit,  and  defines  the  outcrop  of  the  Cretaceous 
conglomerate. 

Pervasive,  strong  potassic  alteration  occurs  within  the  flat  lying  zones  of  mineralization,  and  is  the  predominant 
alteration assemblage observed in all of the Minto deposits.   The potassic alteration assemblage is characterized by 
elevated  biotite  contents  and  minor  secondary  k-feldspar  overgrowth  on  plagioclase  relative  to  the  more  massive 
textured  country  rock.    Additional  alteration  includes  the  replacement  of  mafic  minerals  by  secondary  chlorite, 
epidote,  or  sericite  observed  both  in  mineralized  and  waste  rock  interstitially  or  fracture/vein  proximal,  as  well  as 

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variable  degrees  of  hematization  of  feldspars.    Minor  carbonate  overprint  is  occasionally  observed  associated  with 
secondary biotite.  Silicification is present but not pervasive in the Minto deposits. 

Exploration 

Mineral  exploration  on  the  Minto  property  has  been  conducted  intermittently  since  1971.    Subsequent  to  the 
discovery  of  the  Minto  Main  deposit,  which  has  been  mined  out,  the  adjacent  southern  half  of  the  property  has 
undergone systematic brownfields exploration.  Exploration on the northern half is more sporadic. 

There are currently more than 1,240 drill holes within a roughly 16 square kilometre area.  As such, following up on 
open mineralized horizons in geological models, projecting mineralized horizons into areas of little or no drilling, and 
drilling  near  historical  drill  hole  intercepts  were  the  principal  exploration  tools  employed  by  MintoEx  and  its 
geologists.  Subsequent to Capstone’s predecessor, Sherwood Copper’s, acquisition of Minto Explorations Ltd. in June 
2005, exploration from 2005 to 2012 has concentrated mostly on diamond drilling.  However, an extensive historic soil 
sample survey and some ground based and airborne geophysics have been conducted and are very useful in guiding 
drilling activity. 

The  current  exploration  approach  by  MintoEx  is  the  systematic  evaluation  of  modern  electrical  (chargeability); 
geophysical  methods  by  commissioning  various  “proof-of-concept”  surveys  over  known  mineralization  and  then 
expanding survey coverage outward into untested areas using these methods that are calibrated to known deposits.  
An emphasis is placed on looking for signature analogs as opposed to being pedantic about precise measurements of 
response.  The predominant electrical geophysical methods used are Gradient Array Induced Potential (GAIP), Dipole-
Dipole  Induced  Potential,  and  Titan-24  DC  Induced  Potential.    Drill  targeting  is  predominantly  based  upon  the 
coincidence  of  an  anomaly  in  one  of  the  electrical  (chargeability)  methods  with  an  anomaly  in  the  1993  total  field 
airborne magnetic survey (MAG). 

Within the currently known extent of the Priority Exploration Corridor, future exploration programs will likely be more 
reliant solely on electrical/chargeability methods as the near-surface potential and discrete magnetic bull’s-eyes have 
largely been targeted.  Magnetic data in areas located north of Minto North plus areas West and East respectively of 
the PEC may still be useful as these regions are still relatively under explored. 

The current highest priority exploration targets are based on the evaluation of geophysics, soil geochemistry, geologic 
modelling,  and  diamond  drilling.    The  targets  identified  as  Ridgetop  Southwest,  Airstrip,  MSD  Gap,  and  the  newly 
discovered Fireweed prospect are all located within a 2 km by 2 km area, south of the DEF fault.  MintoEx sees good 
exploration potential in the area North of the DEF fault, as evidenced by the discovery of the high grade Minto North 
deposit early in 2009, the Inferno prospect in late 2010, and the Inferno North deposit in 2012. 

In  2009,  several  other  historic  bedrock  copper  occurrences  discovered  in  the  1970’s  North  of  the  DEF  fault  were 
relocated and confirmed.   In  addition various copper-in-soil geochemical anomalies, often coincident with  magnetic 
geophysical  anomalies,  occur  throughout  the  property  and  many  of  them  remain  untested.    However,  further 
understanding of the bedrock geology North of the DEF fault is required before many of these targets can be properly 
assessed and placed in perspective. No exploration has been undertaken since 2012. 

Mineralization 

The primary hypogene sulphide mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, euhedral chalcocite, and minor pyrite.  
Metallurgical testing also indicates the presence of covellite, although this sulphide species has never been positively 
logged macroscopically. 

Texturally, sulphide minerals predominantly occur as disseminations and foliaform stringers along foliation planes in 
the deformed granodiorite (i.e. sulphide stringers tend to follow the foliation planes).  Occasionally, coarse free gold is 
observed associated with chloritic or epidote lined fractures that crosscut the sulphide mineralization.  The free gold 
may be due to secondary enrichment during a later hydrothermal process overprinting the main copper sulphide-gold 
event.    Sulphide  mineralization  is  always  accompanied  by  variable  amounts  of  magnetite  mineralization  and  biotite 
alteration.  While these minerals occur in the non-deformed rocks they are present in the mineralized horizons in a 
much greater abundance in the range of an order of magnitude greater than background. 

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Massive mineralization occurs locally over intervals exceeding 0.5 m in thickness and semi-massive mineralization over 
several metres in thickness may occur.  In these sulphide rich areas, textures often resemble those seen in magmatic 
sulphide zones with sulphide mineralization interstitial to the rock forming silicate minerals.  The higher grade portion 
of the Minto Main deposits roughly corresponds to the bornite zone where locally concentrations of bornite up to 8% 
by volume are seen.  The precious metal grades are elevated in the bornite zone (very fine gold and electrum occur as 
inclusions  in  bornite)  and  occurrences  of  coarse  grained  native  gold  are  noted  almost  exclusively  in  bornite-rich 
material.    The  chalcopyrite  zone  is  characterized  by  the  metallic  mineral  assemblage  of  chalcopyrite-pyrite  +/-  very 
minor  bornite  and  magnetite.    Empirical  observations  indicate  the  highest  concentrations  of  bornite  are  associated 
with coarse grained, disseminated and stringer-style magnetite mineralization, up to 20% by volume locally. 

The  Minto  North  and  Minto  East  Deposits  exhibit  a  zoning  from  West  to  East.    High-grade  bornite-dominant 
mineralization is observed in the West with lower grade chalcopyrite-dominant mineralization in the East.  The bornite 
zone is defined by the metallic mineral assemblage bornite-magnetite-chalcopyrite.  Bornite mineralization occurs as 
strong disseminations and foliaform stringers locally >10% to occasional semi-massive to massive lenses up to 2 m in 
thickness. 

Mineralization at the Area 2/118/Copper keel regions of the Minto South Deposit is distinct in that mineralization is 
predominantly  disseminated  (plus  occasional  foliaform  stringers)  and  the  semi-massive  to  massive  sulphide 
mineralization is absent; as a whole the mineralization is more homogeneous and consistent as compared to Minto 
North or Minto Main.  The primary mineral assemblage includes chalcopyrite-bornite-magnetite with minor amounts 
of pyrite.  A crude zoning is present in that the higher grade northern half of the Minto South Deposit shows increased 
bornite concentrations up to 8% locally. 

Mineralization at both Ridgetop and the Wildfire region of Minto South are subdivided into the near surface horizons 
that have been affected by supergene oxidation and the more typical primary sulphide mineralization of the deeper 
zones.  The lower zones are defined by a mineral assemblage of chalcopyrite-magnetite with minor amounts of pyrite.  
Chalcopyrite is the dominant sulphide in the lower zones, and bornite is only observed in minor amounts.  Texturally, 
chalcopyrite  occurs  as  disseminations  and  foliaform  stringers,  and  is  rarely  observed  as  semi-massive  to  massive 
bands.  Magnetite is coarse grained, disseminated, stringer-style, and can occur in bands up to 0.3 m in thickness, up 
to 20% volume locally. 

Drilling 

No exploration drilling was conducted at the property in 2013. 

Under the direct supervision of MintoEx and Capstone staff geologists, MintoEx drilled a total of 29,539 m in 84 holes 
on  the  Minto  property  at  Inferno  North,  Fireweed,  and  other  targets  between  January  and  May  2012  using  the 
contractor Driftwood Diamond Drilling Ltd. of Smithers, BC.  Forty-five of the 2012 drill holes (16,223 m) were used in 
the  resource  estimations  discussed  in  the  Minto  Report,  however  39  drill  holes  (13,316  m)  completed  in  2012  are 
associated with other exploration targets and as such are not incorporated into the mineral resource estimates used in 
the Minto Report.  MintoEx drilled a total of 106,456 m in 376 vertical and 19 angled diamond drill holes at the Minto 
South Deposit from February 28, 2006 to July 5, 2011.  The size of the drill core is NQ and NTW.  The median length of 
the drill holes is 276 m (average 269.5 m); the shallowest hole was 78 m long and deepest hole was 693 m.  All 395 
drill holes were used in the Minto South Deposit resource estimation.  Three angled and 25 vertical holes drilled by 
ASARCO in 1971 to 1974 were included in the Minto South Deposit resource estimate.  Drill hole collars are spaced at 
approximately 28 m to 60 m at the Area 2 resource sub-domain, 40 m at the Area 118 resource sub-domain, and 40 m 
to 60 m centers at the Wildfire and Copper Keel sub-domains. 

At Ridgetop, MintoEx drilled a total of 16,850 m in 139 vertical drill holes and three angled diamond drill holes from 
May 2007 to September 2009.  The size of the MintoEx drill core is NQ.  The median length of the Ridgetop drill holes 
is 120.5 m (average 122.5 m); the shallowest hole was 54 m long and the deepest hole was 322 m.  One vertical hole 
(150 m) and three angled holes (492 m) drilled by ASARCO in 1971, and four vertical (635 m) holes and four angled 
holes (571 m) drilled in 1972 were included in the resource.  The size of the ASARCO drill core is assumed to be BQ.  In 
1994, four vertical holes (520 m) and five angled holes (654 m) of HQ-sized core were drilled; these holes were used in 
the  resource  estimate.    Drill  hole  collars  are  spaced  at  approximately  20  to  60  m  centers.    Mineralized  zones  are 
dipping moderately to the northeast. 

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At Minto North, MintoEx drilled a total of 11,548 m in 71 vertical and 17 angled diamond drill holes from January to 
October  2009.    In  total,  87  drill  holes  are  included  in  the  resource  model;  one  drill  hole  is  excluded  because  it  is 
located well outside the currently defined deposit boundaries.  No historical drill holes are included in the resource 
model.    The  size  of  the  MintoEx  drill  core  is  NQ.    The  median  length  of  the  2009  Minto  North  drill  holes  is  120  m 
(average  130  m);  the  shallowest  hole  was  57  m  and  the  deepest  hole  was  342  m.    Drill  hole  collars  are  spaced  at 
approximately 15 to 20 m centers. Mineralized zones are shallowly dipping to the northwest. 

At Minto East, MintoEx drilled a total of 11,067 m in 13 vertical and 20 angled diamond drill holes from April 2007 to 
August 2010.  In total, 33 drill holes are included in the resource model.  No historical drill holes are included in the 
resource model.  The size of the MintoEx drill core is NQ with the exception of four drill holes in NTW.  The median 
length of the Minto East drill holes is 332 m (average 336 m); the shallowest hole was 179 m and the deepest hole was 
408 m.  Drill hole collars are spaced at approximately 40 m centers.  Mineralized zones are shallowly dipping to the 
northwest. 

Prior  to  2008,  all  drilling  for  MintoEx  was  completed  using  the  imperial  system,  and  footages  were  converted  to 
metres  by  MintoEx  personnel  who  logged  and  recorded  all  data  in  metres.    Since  2008,  drilling  for  MintoEx  was 
completed using the metric system.  Drill hole collar locations were initially located using a differential GPS unit, and 
more precise location coordinates were surveyed after completion of drilling by the Minto Mine survey team using a 
Trimble R8 GPS unit. 

Bulk density measurements were taken from nearly all holes drilled from 2005 through 2012 in both mineralized and 
waste material.  Measurements were taken at approximately every 1 to 3 m intervals in ore, corresponding to 1 to 3 
measurements  per  run  in  strongly  mineralized  material,  1  every  5  m  in  poorly  mineralized  material,  and  at  least  1 
measurement every 20 to 30 m in waste. 

Pieces of core were weighed both in air and in water using an Ohaus triple beam balance.  Spot checks on the field 
data were undertaken internally by MintoEx, where 159 samples from 66 drill holes were analyzed.  Measurements 
were recorded on a triple beam scale on the same piece of core that was originally measured. 

Bulk density data obtained prior to 2005 were not used in the resource estimations because the data was constructed 
by  correlating  bulk  density  to  copper  grade  based  upon  too  few  actual  measurements  and  because  the  core  upon 
which this method was constructed was destroyed in forest fires and the methodology could not be audited. 

Sampling and Analysis  

From  1973  to  2001,  most  of  the  samples  sent  for  analysis  were  obtained  by  splitting  the  core  using  a  mechanical 
wheel  core  splitter  (in  contrast  to  a  diamond  saw  from  2005  to  2010).    In  the  case  of  two  holes  drilled  in  1993  for 
metallurgical grinding testing, the entire core through the mineralized interval was utilized to improve the validity and 
reliability of the metallurgical tests and hence no assay data are available. 

In 2005 and 2006, the mineralized intervals intersected in core were sampled in lengths ranging from 0.3 m to 3.0 m 
and averaging 1.0 m to 1.5 m.  The sampling intervals were typically 1.5 m in mineralized material and 3.0 m in longer 
waste intervals within the mineralized zones.  Two shoulder samples were taken in waste at both the upper and lower 
contacts, consisting of a 1.5 m sample and a 1.0 m sample.  Samples did not cross geological contacts.  This approach 
is appropriate for this style of mineralization and the objectives of the program. 

In  2007,  the  mineralized  intervals  in  core  were  sampled  in  lengths  ranging  from  0.24  m  to  3.49  m  and  averaging 
1.33 m with a median of 1.5 m from 7,450 sawn core samples.  In 2008, the mineralized intervals in core were sampled 
in  lengths  ranging  from  0.25  m  to  4.20  m  and  averaging  1.29  m  with  a  median  of  1.3  m  from  12,538  sawn  core 
samples.    In  2009,  the  mineralized  intervals  in  core  were  sampled  in  lengths  ranging  from  0.19  m  to  4.50  m  and 
averaging 1.47 m with a median of 1.5 m from 13,026 sawn core samples.  In 2010, the mineralized intervals in core 
were sampled in lengths ranging from 0.22 m to 3.90 m and averaging 1.41 m with a median of 1.5 m from 18,739 
sawn core samples. 

From 2007 through 2012, sampling intervals were typically 1.5 m to 2.0 m in mineralized material, and 3.0 m in longer 
waste  intervals  between  mineralized  zones.    Drill  core  assay  samples  were  collected  from  all  foliated  granodiorite 

- 43 - 

 
horizons  and,  typically,  sampling  extended  into  the  surrounding  massive,  unfoliated  and  unmineralized  rock  for  at 
least 3.0 metres.  Individual samples do not cross the geological boundary between foliated and unfoliated rock which 
is generally a sharp contact.  The sampling methodology is appropriate for this style of mineralization. 

During 2005 and 2006, drill core samples, Standard Reference Materials (“SRM”) and  blanks were  submitted to the 
Vancouver Chemex laboratory for copper and gold analysis in North Vancouver, British Columbia.  In addition, Chemex 
was  also  instructed  to  perform  analysis  on  pulp  duplicates  injected  into  the  sample  stream  at  regular  intervals.    In 
2005, all samples were processed in Vancouver.  In 2006, some samples were processed at other Chemex locations.  
Chemex-Elko,  Nevada  processed  9%  of  the  total  number  of  samples  and  Chemex-Thunder  Bay,  Ontario  processed 
11%.  The samples submitted to Chemex were first crushed in a jaw crusher to reduce the material to greater than 
70% - 10 mesh (2 mm).  A 100 to 250 g subsample was then split and pulverized to better than 85% passing - 75 μm.  
Copper was determined through a four acid digestion method (HF, HNO3, HCLO4 digestion and HCL leach) with final 
copper determination by atomic absorption spectroscopy (“AAS”).  Non-sulphide copper was analyzed using sulphuric 
acid  leach  with  AAS  determination.    Gold  was  determined  by  one  assay-tonne  fire  assay  analysis.    During  2005,  all 
sample analysis was completed by gravimetric finish.  During 2006, the first 17% (1,955) of the sample analysis was 
completed  by  gravimetric  finish.    For  the  remaining  samples  (9,182),  the  gold  analysis  was  determined  using  AAS 
method.  Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion and AAS finish. 

The  2007  drill  core  samples,  blanks,  SRMs  and  duplicates  were  submitted  to  the  Vancouver  Chemex  laboratory  for 
copper  and  gold  analysis  in  North  Vancouver.    Some  samples  were  processed  at  other  locations.    SGS  Laboratories 
under  agreement  with  MintoEx  processed  485  samples  (6%  of  the  total  number  of  samples);  assays  were  all 
performed at the Vancouver Chemex Lab.  Sample preparations were performed at Chemex at Elko, Nevada, 4% of the 
total number of samples, Chemex at Reno, Nevada 10%, and Chemex at Terrace, British Columbia, 50%.  The samples 
submitted  to  Chemex  were  first  crushed  in  a  jaw  crusher  to  reduce  the  material  to  greater  than  70%  -  10  mesh  (2 
mm).    A  100  to  250  g  subsample  was  then  split  and  pulverized  to  better  than  85%  passing  -  75  μm.    Copper  was 
determined  by  the  four  acid  digestion  method  (HF,  HNO3,  HCLO4  digestion  and  HCL-leach)  with  final  copper 
determination by AAS.  Non-sulphide copper was analyzed using sulphuric acid leach with AAS determination.  Gold 
was analyzed by one assay-tonne fire assay followed by AAS.  Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion and AAS 
finish. 

Two  laboratories  were  used  in  2008.    Drill  core  samples,  blanks,  SRMs  and  duplicates  were  submitted  to 
SGS Laboratories  under  agreement  with  MintoEx,  and  to  the  Vancouver  Chemex  laboratory  for  copper  and  gold 
analysis  in  North  Vancouver  after  processing  at  the  sample  preparation  facility  in  Terrace.    SGS  Laboratories  under 
agreement  with  MintoEx  processed  61%  of  the  total  number  of  samples  from  areas  outside  of  Ridgetop.    The 
remaining 39% of the samples were analysed at the Vancouver Chemex Lab.  The samples submitted to SGS were first 
crushed in a jaw crusher to reduce the material to greater than 85% - 10 mesh (2 mm).  A 250 g subsample was then 
split and pulverized to better than 90% passing - 75 μm.   The pulp was split with one part analysed for copper and 
silver at the SGS facility at the Minto site and one part analysed for gold and non-sulphide copper at SGS Red Lake, 
Ontario  operation.    During  mid-July,  silver  analyses  were  performed  by  SGS  at  Lakefield,  Ontario  and  Don  Mills, 
Ontario after a switch failure in SGS Minto ICP-AAS equipment.  Copper reanalysis due to SRM failures were done by 
SGS at Lakefield and Don Mills in Ontario.  Copper was determined by aqua regia digestion method with final copper 
determination  by  atomic  absorption  spectroscopy  (“AAS”).    Non-sulphide  copper  was  analyzed  using  sulphuric  acid 
leach  with  AAS  determination.    Samples  were  assayed  for  gold  using  a  fire  assay  procedure  on  a  thirty  grams  sub-
sample with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion and AAS finish. 

The samples submitted to Chemex from July 27 to August 19 were first crushed in a jaw crusher to reduce the material 
to greater than 85% - 10 mesh (2 mm).  A 250 g subsample was then split and pulverized to better than 90% passing - 
75  μm.    The  sample  turnaround  time  increased  to  nearly  seven  weeks  after  implementing  the  finer  crush,  so 
subsequent samples were first crushed in a jaw crusher to reduce the material to greater than 70% - 10 mesh (2 mm) 
with a 250 g subsample split and pulverized to better than 85% passing - 75 μm.  At Chemex, copper was determined 
by  the  four  acid  digestion  method  (HF,  HNO3,  HCLO4  digestion  and  HCL-leach)  with  final  copper  determination  by 
AAS.  Non-sulphide copper was analyzed using sulphuric acid leach with AAS determination.  Gold was determined by 
one assay-tonne fire assay analysis followed by AAS.  Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion and AAS finish. 

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The  2009  and  2012  drill  core  samples,  blanks  and  SRMs  were  submitted  to  the  Vancouver  Chemex  laboratory  for 
copper and gold analysis in North Vancouver.  In addition, Chemex was also instructed to perform analysis on pulp and 
coarse reject duplicates injected into the sample stream at regular intervals.  After August 2010, the pulp and coarse 
reject duplicates were returned to the MintoEx office in Vancouver, where they are transferred to fresh Kraft paper 
bags,  assigned  new  sample  numbers  and  resubmitted  to  Chemex  as  “blind  duplicates”.    The  samples  submitted  to 
Chemex were first crushed in a jaw crusher to reduce the material to greater than 70% - 10 mesh (2 mm) with a 250 g 
subsample split and pulverized to better than 85% passing - 75 μm.  Copper was determined by aqua regia digestion 
method with final copper determination by AAS.  Non-sulphide copper was analyzed using sulphuric acid leach with 
AAS  determination.    Gold  was  determined  using  a  fire  assay  procedure  on  a  thirty  grams  subsample  with  atomic 
absorption spectroscopy finish.  Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion and AAS finish. 

Of the 79 drill holes in the 2006 Area 2 database, 11 collars (13%) were selected at random in the area of the resource 
estimation boundaries and were checked by a handheld Garmin GPS.  The recorded values show good agreement and 
differences lie within the error of the handheld GPS.  In December 2008, MintoEx conducted a review of the drilling 
data  from  Area  2/118  and  Ridgetop  deposits.    A  total  of  10%  of  the  values  in  the  database  were  checked  against 
primary sources including the borehole collar surveys against survey records, lithology and mineralization data against 
core logs and assays for copper and gold against signed certificates of analysis.  No significant errors were found.  In 
November  of  2009,  Kirkham  Geosystems  manually  compared  the  Minto  North  Deposit  database  assays  against 
original  assay  certificates.    A  total  of  15%  of  the  values  were  checked  and  no  errors  or  omissions  were  found.    In 
addition, a spreadsheet check was run against the Area 2, Area 118 and Ridgetop database. 

Security of Samples 

Exploration work by MintoEx was conducted using a quality assurance and quality control program generally meeting 
industry best practices.  All aspects of the exploration data acquisition and management including surveying, drilling, 
sampling,  sample  security,  and  assaying  and  database  management  were  conducted  under  the  supervision  of 
appropriately qualified geologists and include written field procedures and verifications. 

Analytical  control  measures  typically  involve  internal  and  external  laboratory  control  measures  to  monitor  the 
precision  and  accuracy  of  the  sampling,  preparation  and  assaying.    Insertion  of  certified  SRM  and  blank  material 
monitors  the  reliability  of  assaying  results  and  is  also  important  to  prevent  sample  mix-up  and  monitor  potential 
contamination of samples. 

Assaying protocols typically involve regular duplicate and replicate assays to monitor the reliability of assaying results 
throughout the sampling and assaying process.  Umpire assaying is typically performed as an additional reliability test 
of assaying results by re-assaying a set number of sample rejects and pulps at a secondary laboratory. 

ALS-Chemex and SGS implemented internal laboratory measures consisting of inserting quality control samples (blanks 
and certified reference materials and duplicate pulp) within each batch of samples submitted for assaying. 

Quality  control  procedures  used  during  the  1971  to  2001  drill  programs  are  not  known,  with  the  exception  of  10 
samples  submitted  for  umpire  analysis  in  1994.    The  2001  sample  shipments  were  accompanied  by  four  types  of 
quality  control  samples,  namely:  a  blank  (granodiorite  from  the  site),  an  ASARCO  coarse  standard,  prepared  pulp 
samples and duplicate splits (coarse ground rejects and the pulverized rejects). 

MintoEx inserted one each of an SRM, blank, pulp reject duplicate and coarse reject duplicate (for Chemex only) with 
every 16 sawn core samples.  Umpire assaying of pulps at a secondary laboratory was conducted periodically, typically 
involving analysis of 0.5% or more of the sawn core samples. 

Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates 

A primary objective of the Minto Report was to produce a mineral reserve evaluation for the Area 2 Open Pit and Area 
118  underground  within  the  Minto  South  Deposit.    Area  2/118  and  the  exploration  areas  Copper  Keel/Wildfire  are 
considered  continuous  and  a  new  combined  mineral  resource  estimate  was  reported  on  May 30, 2011,  which  is 
known as Minto South Deposit (“MSD”).  The MSD estimate was reviewed and approved by SRK.  The Minto North and 
East deposits have been evaluated by Kirkham Geosystems Ltd.  Subsequent to the Minto Phase VI Report additional 

- 45 - 

 
drilling was conducted in the Fireweed extension of the Minto East Deposit and Inferno North extension of the Minto 
North Deposit. 

Kirkham Geosystems Ltd. has conducted further resource modelling and mineral resource estimation based upon this 
new  drill  information.    Mineral  resource  estimations  for  Fireweed  and  Inferno  North  were  completed  by  Kirkham 
Geosystems Ltd. and reported on October 25, 2012. 

The  mineral  resource  estimates  for  the  MSD  and  Ridgetop  deposits  were  completed  by  Dr.  Wayne  Barnett,  Ph.D., 
Pr.Sci.Nat., an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.  The effective date of the revised MSD resource 
estimate  is  September  13,  2011;  the  effective  date  of  the  Ridgetop  resource  estimate  is  August  30,  2010.    Marek 
Nowak,  P.Eng.,  analyzed  the  data,  reviewed  and  validated  the  mineral  resource  estimates  for  Minto  South  and 
Ridgetop.    The  Minto  North,  Minto  East,  Fireweed  and  Inferno  North  resource  estimates  were  completed  by 
Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd., an independent  Qualified Person  as defined by NI 43-101.  The 
effective  date  of  the  Minto  North  resource  estimate  is  December  1,  2009;  the  effective  date  of  the  Minto  East 
resource  estimate  is  October,  2010;  the  effective  date  of  the  Fireweed  and  Inferno  North  resource  estimates  is 
October 25, 2012. 

Minto  used  the  mineral  resource  estimates  completed  by  the  Qualified  Persons  mentioned  above  and  completed  a 
reconciliation procedure to remove mineral resources which had been extracted during 2013 operations.  The results 
of the reconciliation for mineral resources at a 0.5% Cu cut-off grade (“COG”) are presented below. 

Combined Estimated Mineral Resource for all Minto Mine Deposits as at December 31, 20132,3,4,5 
Silver 
(g/t) 

Contained Gold 
(koz) 1 

Contained Cu 
(Mlbs) 1 

Tonnes 
(000’s)1 

Copper 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/t) 

Contained Silver 
(koz) 1 

Classification 

Measured (M) 

11,236 

1.36  

0.55 

Indicated (I) 

Total (M+I) 

Inferred 

38,023 

1.03  

0.36  

49,259 

1.10 

0.40  

16,211 

0.92  

0.30  

4.38 

3.70  

3.85  

3.17  

334 

861  

1,195  

329  

197 

442  

639  

157  

1,583 

4,522  

6,105  

1,650  

Note 1 - Rounded to nearest thousand; totals may not sum exactly due to rounding. 
Note 2 - Excludes material mined but not processed during pre-stripping activities in the Area 2 region of MSD and currently held in stockpile. 
Note 3 - Includes any resources remaining in the Minto Main Deposit not considered in the current mine plan. 
Note 4 - Metal Price assumptions used to calculate the COG for All Deposits are: Cu=$3.50; Au=$1300; Ag=$16.00 (each in US Funds). 
Note 5 – Estimated with a 0.5% Cu COG 

In  order  to  demonstrate  a  reasonable  prospect  of  economic  extraction,  SRK  evaluated  the  overall  mineral  resource 
against an economic shell created using Whittle™ pit optimization software.  SRK regards the entire reported resource 
as having reasonable prospects of economic extraction. 

The mineral reserve estimate for open pit and underground mineralization is summarized in the table below.  During 
2013, mining of the MSD deposit continued in the Area 2 Open Pit. Since the stockpiles contained material from the 
Main Zone and the MSD deposits, for clarity, they have now been classified as a separate entity. 

Minto Mine Estimated Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2013*  
Au (g/t) 

Cu% 

Tonnage 
(000s) 

Minto North Open Pit  

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Minto North 

MSD - 118 Open Pit 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal 118 

1,596 
9 
1,605 

483 
483 

2.26 
1.68 
2.26 

1.28 
1.28 

1.21 
0.58 
1.21 

0.10 
0.10 

- 46 - 

Ag (g/t) 

8.12 
6.92 
8.11 

1.81 
1.81 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tonnage 
(000s) 

Cu% 

Au (g/t) 

Ag (g/t) 

MSD - Area 2 Open Pit 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Area 2 

Minto East Underground 

Probable 
Subtotal Minto East U/G 
MSD - Area 2 / 118 Underground 
Probable 
Subtotal Area 2/118 U/G 
MSD - Copper Keel Underground 
Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Copper Keel 

MSD - Wildfire Underground 

Stockpiles 

Proven 
Probable 
Subtotal Wildfire 

Proven 
Subtotal Stockpiles 

Total Minto Reserves 

Proven 
Probable 
Total 

246 
1,314 
1,560 

709 
709 

1,708 
1,708 

106 
1,455 
1,561 

301 
59 
360 

1,522 
1,522 

3,771 
5,737 
9,509 

1.57 
1.04 
1.13 

2.28 
2.28 

1.76 
1.76 

1.74 
1.81 
1.81 

1.80 
1.59 
1.76 

1.07 
1.07 

1.68 
1.63 
1.65 

0.62 
0.29 
0.35 

1.04 
1.04 

0.74 
0.74 

0.61 
0.65 
0.64 

0.77 
1.00 
0.80 

0.41 
0.41 

0.80 
0.60 
0.68 

5.86 
3.51 
3.88 

6.15 
6.15 

7.24 
7.24 

6.3 
6.7 
6.67 

6.06 
7.85 
6.35 

3.45 
3.45 

5.87 
5.66 
5.75 

*Note 1  Rounded to nearest thousand; totals may not sum exactly due to rounding. 

2  Includes stockpiled material 
3  Metal Price assumptions used to calculate the NSR Cut-off for All Deposits are: Cu=$2.50; Au=$300; Ag=$3.90 (each in US Funds). 
4  Processing Recoveries for All Deposits are: Cu=91%; Au=70%; Ag=78% 
5  Open Pit Mining use a 0.5% copper COG.  Underground mining uses a $64.40 NSR COG 

Reserve Balance 

The depletion and growth of the Minto mineral reserves are as follows: 

Minto Mine 2013 Mineral Reserve Balance* 

Production Depletion

Stockpile Change

Engineering Change

Closing Balance

Classification

Proven
Probable
Stockpile
Subtotal

Tonnes
(000's)

Opening Balance
Grade
(Cu %)
1.62
1.51
0.97
1.53

Pounds
(000's)
192,360
234,493
13,194
440,048

5,386
7,044
617
13,047

(2,064)
(287)
-
(2,350)
Rounded to nearest thousand; totals may not sum exactly due to rounding. 
Includes stockpiled material 

(64,306)
(6,153)
-

(70,459)

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
1.41
0.97
-
1.36

Pounds
(000's)

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
-
-
-
-
1.14
905
1.14
905

Pounds
(000's)
-
-
22,745
22,745

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
1.02
1.01
-
1.02

(1,073)
(1,020)
-
(2,093)

Pounds
(000's)
(24,129)
(22,712)

-

(46,841)

Tonnes Grade
(Cu %)
(000's)
2,249
2.10
5,737
1.63
1,522
1.07
1.65
9,509

Pounds
(000's)
103,926
205,629
35,940
345,494

*Note 1 
2 
3  Metal Price assumptions used to calculate the NSR Cut-off for All Deposits are: Cu=$2.50; Au=$300; Ag=$3.90 (each in US Funds). 
4 
5  Open Pit Mining use a 0.5% copper COG.  Underground mining uses a $64.40 NSR COG 

Processing Recoveries for All Deposits are: Cu=91%; Au=70%; Ag=78% 

The mineral reserve estimate for open pit and underground mineralization is summarized in the table above.  During 
2013, mining of the MSD deposit continued in the Area 2 Open Pit. Underground exploration drifting was conducted 
on the 740 Level of the Area 118 underground to denote the extents of the mineralized zone. The open pit operations 

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in  the  Area  2  Pit  and  underground  exploration  drifts  resulted  in  mineral  reserve  depletion.   The  stockpile  inventory 
increased due to open pit mining activities in the Area 2 Pit.  During the fourth quarter of 2013, daily ore production 
exceeded the daily mill demands as mineral extraction in Area 2 entered thicker ore horizons.  An engineering change 
also occurred due to the removal of mineral reserves in Ridgetop.  A write down on the Ridgetop asset occurred in the 
fourth quarter; citing potentially lower metallurgical recoveries due to higher than anticipated soluble copper content 
than previously anticipated resulted in Ridgetop being sub economic.  However Minto will continue to conduct further 
metallurgical studies on Ridgetop. 

Reconciliation 

Reconciliation activities were conducted for the Area 2 Pit, Area 118 Underground and mine reported to mill reported 
production.   

Area 2 Pit reconciliation compared the mine production model to the block model.  The results indicate that: 

• 

Sulfide production had a nominal variance in terms of tonnage.  Reported sulfide copper grade was slightly 
lower than predicted in the block model; and 

•  Overall, the production model reported less tonnage (6%) and lower grade (2%) than predicted in the block 

model. 

The  reason  for  these  differences  is  considered  to  be  the  natural  conditional bias  in  the  long  range  resource  model.  
The resource  model tends to underestimate the  sulfide ore in the higher  grade portion of the deposit and to over-
estimate the sulfide ore in the lower grade periphery of the deposit. 

Underground exploration drifting was conducted on 740 Level to denote the extents of the mineralized zone for Area 
118.    Minimal  amount  of  ore  was  extracted.  Overall,  there  was  a  nominal  variance  in  terms  of  tonnage  when 
compared  to  the  resource  block  model.    The  reported  copper  grade  was  higher  than  predicted  by  the  block  model 
(actual  grade  is  a  weight  composite  based  on  grab  samples  from  blasted  ore  rounds).    The  primary  reasons  for  the 
grade difference are likely due to the sampling procedure that tends to show a bias toward higher grades and to the 
interpreted ore / waste contact is slightly off-alignment with actual mapping. Further investigation is being conducted 
to enhance underground grade control processes. 

The stockpile inventory increased due to the open pit mining activities in the Area 2 Pit. During the fourth quarter of 
2013, daily ore production exceeded the daily mill demands as mineral extraction entered the lower levels of the Area 
2 pit where thicker ore horizons exist. 

The mine to mill reconciliation compares the estimated mill throughput by the mining operations and the actual mill 
throughput reported by the Minto metallurgy group.  The reconciled throughput for 2013 reported higher tonnes than 
estimated by the mine but the comparison is within a 5% variance. 

Mining Operations 

The Minto Mine commenced operation in 2007 and  since that time has  maintained continuous production and has 
shown  continual  improvement.    Since  the  start  of  operations,  the  mill  has  undergone  numerous  upgrades  and 
expansions.    Mining  utilizes  both  open  pit  and  underground  techniques.    The  process  plant  produces  copper 
concentrate containing silver and gold by-products which is trucked to Skagway.   

In 2013, open pit mining activities were primarily focused on mineral extraction of the Area 2 Stage 2 Pit which will 
conclude in early 2014. Surface deposits will continue to be developed as open pit that will rely on a contractor mining 
approach.  Underground  mining  activities  in  the  first  half  of  the  year  focused  on  the  main  ramp  development  along 
with infrastructure requirements.  The fresh air raise initial development was completed in October and full operation 
of the raise will be completed in early 2014. Access to the 740 Level was completed and production commenced on 
the 740 Level in September.  The ramp continued to the 710 elevation until year end. 

During 2013, the mill processed a feed of 1,402,264 tonnes at a copper grade of 1.31%, a silver grade of 4.59 g/t and a 
gold  grade  of  0.52  g/t.  The  average  production  rate  was  approximately  3,842  tpd.    The  mine  produced  a  total  of 
46,303 tonnes of copper concentrate at an average copper grade of 36.5%. 

- 48 - 

 
MintoEx sold most of its gold and all of its silver production to Silverstone Resources in November 2008.  Silverstone 
was subsequently bought by Silver Wheaton who now owns the Minto Mine precious metal stream.  Silver Wheaton 
pays Minto $300/oz Au and $3.90/oz Ag through the mine life. 

The  environmental  and  socio-economic  assessment  and  review  process  is  underway  for  the  Phase  V  and  Phase  VI 
expansions.  At this stage of the assessment there have not been any conditions expected to be of significant concern, 
or  that  cannot  be  mitigated.    Engagement  with  regulators  and  other  stakeholders  has  been  ongoing  to  minimize 
potential  delays  in  the  assessment  review.    Once  the  project  has  been  assessed  it  will  continue  into  the  licencing 
phase. 

Federal and Provincial tax calculations for the Minto Mine start with the before-tax cash flow amounts from the cash 
flow portion of the model and essentially deducts the cost of building and developing the mine and mill (Class 41a un-
depreciated capital costs (“UCC”), Canadian exploration expenses (“CEE”) and Canadian development expense (“CDE”) 
as would be expected over the life of the mine and as allowed by the Canadian tax rules.  Generally Class 41a UCC and 
CEE can be deducted 100% against profit from the mine while CDE can only be deducted on a declining balance basis 
at 30% per year.  The losses that are generated in the first few years of mine operation are deducted against income in 
later years. 

The Yukon QMA Royalty also starts with before tax cash flow from the cash flow portion of the model and deducts 
depreciation  at  15%  per  year  on  a  straight-line  basis  for  the  mine  capital  assets  and  mill  capital  assets.    It  deducts 
deferred pre-operating costs that are not capital assets on a unit of production method.  The Yukon QMA Royalty does 
not  have  a  loss  carryover  or  carry  back  provision.    Taxes  are  paid  at  rates  that  increase  as  income  increases  to  a 
maximum of 12%. 

Exploration and Development 

No exploration activities are slated at Minto for 2014.  

The Area 2 Stage 2 pit was completed in early 2014, following which surface mining has moved to the Area 118 pit 
which will finish in mid-August.  The mine plan calls for reduced surface mining rate during the first half of the year to 
balance mining and milling activities. 

Capstone  is  able  to  defer  the  development  and  production  from  the  Area  118  underground  for  one year  without  a 
negative impact on 2014 production.  The underground plan in 2014 will target the M-Zone; a high grade mineralized 
horizon located adjacent to the Area 2 Stage 2 Pit.   Upon completion of the  M-Zone, the Area 2 Stage 2 Pit  will be 
utilized for water storage. 

The mill will process ore from the Area 2 and Area 118 pits, supplemented with ore from underground and stockpile 
for the first half of the year.  Stockpiled ore will be the primary source in the second half of the year.  Mill throughput 
in 2014 will remain relatively constant throughout the year, however grades will decline starting in August when lower 
grade material from the stockpile is scheduled to be milled. 

Pre-stripping  of  Minto  North is  set  to  begin  on  August  2014,  contingent  upon  receipt  of  the  necessary  permits  and 
licenses.  A delay in the Phase V/VI permit application has resulted in the shift of the most significant production from 
Minto North by one year. 

3.6 

Santo Domingo Project (Chile)  

The Santo Domingo Project is the subject of a report titled “Technical Report on the Santo Domingo Project, Chile” 
dated September 28, 2011 (the “Santo Domingo Report”).  This technical report was prepared by Ausenco Minerals 
Canada  Inc.    The  Santo  Domingo  Report  was  written  by:  David  Brimage,  AusIMM  CP,  David  W.  Rennie,  P.Eng., 
John Nilsson, P.Eng., Art Winckers, P.Eng. and Michael Davies, P.Eng., each a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.  
The  following  descriptions  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Project  are  based  on  assumptions,  qualifications  and  procedures 
which  are  set  out  in  the  Santo  Domingo  Report.    Reference  should  be  made  to  the  full  text  of  this  report  which  is 
available in its entirety on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile. 

- 49 - 

 
Project Description and Location 

The Santo Domingo Project is based on a large open pit copper/gold/magnetite resource located approximately two 
hours north of Copiapó by paved road and 5 km southeast of the town of Diego de Almagro in Region III of Northern 
Chile.  The Santo Domingo property was originally part of the BHP Candelaria project area, which consisted of eight 
non-contiguous  concessions  in  a  north-south  corridor  extending  between  the  towns  of  Taltal  to  the  North  and  to a 
point about 75 km South of the city of Copiapó. 

The Santo Domingo Project area encompasses 82 contiguous mining concessions covering an area of 19,841 hectares 
in Region III of Northern Chile.  The centre of the deposit is located at approximately 26°28'00”S and 70°00'30”W. 

The project was owned by Far West, which was formerly a TSX listed mineral exploration company headquartered in 
Vancouver.  On June 17, 2011, Far West was acquired by Capstone at the same time as the Company entered into a 
strategic  relationship  with  Korea  Resources  Corporation  (“KORES”).    The  terms  of  this  relationship  provided  for 
amongst other things, a private placement in the equity of the Company, representation on the Board of Directors of 
the Company, the acquisition of a 30% interest in the project by KORES, participation in the financing of the project as 
well  as  an  agreement  to  enter  into  a  life  of  mine  off-take  agreement  for  50%  of  the  production  of  the  project  on 
prevailing market terms. 

The  initial  Candelaria  Project  land  package  assembled  by  BHP  in  2002  consisted  of  3,434.5  km2  of  exploration 
concessions.  In 2002 and 2003, Far West and BHP  entered into Project Area Agreements that allowed  Far West to 
earn an interest in the concessions within the project area.  Effective August 5, 2003, Far West assigned interests in 
the  Project  Area  Agreements  to  its  wholly  owned  Chilean  subsidiary,  Minera Lejano  Oeste  S.A.  (“MLO”).    On 
May 4, 2005, BHP terminated any interest in the concessions within the project area and commenced transfer of title 
of  all  these  concessions  to  MLO  in  exchange  for  a  retained  2%  NSR  royalty.    As  of  the  date  of  the  Santo  Domingo 
Report, all concessions in the Candelaria Project area are 100% owned by MLO. 

Far  West,  now  a  subsidiary  of  Capstone,  controls  100%  of  82  exploitation  concessions  (“constituidas”)  in  the 
Santo  Domingo area, including the exploitation concessions acquired through option (Estrellita 1/10, Iris I 1/200, Iris II 
1/160, Iris 1/55, Estefánia, Manto Ruso 1/8, Pichanga 1/100, and Santo 1/20.)  In all, the 82 exploitation concessions 
cover a total area of 19,841 ha. 

Accessibility, Climate, Local Resources, Infrastructure and Physiography 

Access to the Santo Domingo property area is 1  kilometre  off  the  paved  highway  C-17  from Diego de Almagro (5 km 
to the North) to Copiapó (approximately 120 km to the South). 

The Santo Domingo property is located in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest regions on earth.  The climate is arid 
and  the  weather  is  generally  clear  and  warm  in  all  seasons  and  poses  no  limitations  on  field  activities.    The  closest 
weather station where temperature and precipitation measurements have been recorded for some time is the city of 
El Salvador.  The daytime high and low temperatures there are 26°C and 0.8°C for July, and 30°C and 9.8°C for January, 
respectively.  The highest average recorded precipitation is in May at 14.8 mm and the lowest is in December at 0 mm. 

The region has well-established infrastructure (power,  water, transportation, work force, etc.) to service the  mining 
community.    There  is  no  infrastructure  at  Santo  Domingo  property  itself  other  than  gravel  roads  for  access  to  the 
property and drill sites.  The project is approximately 1 km from a paved highway and 5 km from a sub-station that 
provides power to the town of Diego de Almagro. 

Several cities or towns are near the Santo Domingo property.  Diego de Almagro, located adjacent to the property, has 
a  population  of  several  thousand  people.    Chañaral  is  a  deepsea  port  less  than  one  hour’s  drive  to  the  west  of  the 
property.  It has a population of approximately 10,000 people, hotel accommodations, food, fuel, and minor services.  
The  most  important  logistical  centre  in  the  region  is  Copiapó,  approximately  two  hours’  drive  to  the  south  of  the 
Santo  Domingo property.  It has a population of approximately 150,000 people, an airport with daily scheduled flights 
to Santiago and Antofagasta, and abundant businesses offering services specific to mining and exploration. 

Vegetation  is  very  sparse.    In  the  valley  bottoms,  plant  life  consists  of  small,  widely-spaced  bushes  a  few  tens  of 
centimeters in height.  Hillsides and peaks are generally devoid of any vegetation.  In spite of the dry conditions, hills 

- 50 - 

 
of  gentle  to  moderate  relief  have  been  cut  by  deep  gullies  and  flanked  with  gravel-filled  valleys  and  alluvial  fans; 
evidence of water movement preserved since conditions were less arid.  Elevations range from approximately 900 to 
1,500 masl. 

Seismic  zone  maps  of  South  America  indicate  that  the  project  area  is  likely  to  have  high  seismicity  and  the  site  is 
considered  part  of  Zone  3  (shores)  according  to  the  Chilean  National  Design  Code  Nch2369,  with  a  peak  ground 
acceleration of 0.4 g. 

History 

Mining for copper, gold, and iron has been ongoing in this area since early in the 19th century.  Small mines in the 
region supplied copper ore to smelters in both Chañaral and Pan de Azúcar.  Independent copper mines have been in 
operation on what is now Anglo American’s Manto  Verde  deposit (located 25 km Southwest of the  Santo Domingo 
property)  since  the  late  1800s,  but  significant  production  in  this  area  started  in  1906.    Between  1906  and  1935,  a 
reported total of 400,000 tonnes grading in excess of 3% Cu was mined from the Manto Verde fault zone. 

Previous  ownership  of  concessions  in  the  Santo  Domingo  property  is  unknown.    The  area  appears  to  have  had  a 
relatively  long  history  of  small-scale  mining  and  prospecting.    Mining  activities  on  the  nearby  Manto  Verde  deposit 
date back to the late 1800s and it is probable that workings in the Santo Domingo property have a similar age. 

Many  small  inactive  mines  and  a  myriad  of  pits  occur  throughout  the  property  area.    The  mines  typically  exploited 
copper mineralization hosted in narrow (one meter to five meters) steeply-dipping veins and, in some cases adjacent 
strata  to  these  veins.    The  largest  mines  are  located  along  approximately  700  m  of  the  Santo  Domingo  structure.  
These mines include La Estrella, La Estrellita, El Iris, and others.  Judging by the size of the dumps and number of adits, 
it is possible that this specific area produced upwards of 500,000 tonnes.  A second area of minor production is a small 
open  pit  with  peripheral  underground  workings  on  the  Caprichosa  concession  in  Target  Area  4a2  (Far  West 
nomenclature)  that  may  have  produced  in  the  order  of  20,000  tonnes  of  copper  oxide-bearing  coming  from  a 
specularite stratum. 

However,  surface  workings  at  the  majority  of  the  mines  in  the  Santo  Domingo  property  (other  than  those  noted 
above) are generally less than a few tens of metres in length and the extent of underground development is unknown.  
Judging by the quantity of dump material adjacent to most of these mines, it is probable that production was no more 
than a few thousand tonnes at any one site. 

The  initial  Candelaria  Project  land  package  was  assembled  by  BHP  in  2002.    In  2002  and  2003,  Far  West  and  BHP 
entered into Project Area Agreements that allowed Far West to earn an interest in the concessions within the project 
area.  Effective August 5, 2003, Far West assigned interests in the Project Area Agreements to MLO.  On May 4, 2005, 
BHP terminated any interest in the concessions within the project area and commenced transfer of title of all these 
concessions to MLO in exchange for a retained 2% NSR royalty. 

No historic resource estimates or production records for workings in the Santo Domingo property have been located. 

Geological Setting 

The Santo Domingo deposit is located in the Chilean Iron Belt (“CIB”) to the east of the Atacama fault zone, a complex 
sinistral strike-slip and dip-slip fault system that runs sub-parallel to the coast of Northern Chile for over  1,200 km.  
The CIB contains a large number of copper and iron deposits of cretaceous age.  The geology of the belt consists of 
volcanic  flows  and  tuffs,  dioritic  intrusives  and  calcareous  sediments  typical  for  a  volcanic  arc  environment.    The 
geology  of  the  Santo  Domingo  is  dominated  by  andesitic  volcanic  flows  and  limestone  horizons  with  occasional 
outcrop of diorite intrusions.  Large parts of the deposit are covered by younger cover consisting of clay and gravel.  
The  CIB  is  characterized  by  a  large  number  of  small  surface  showings  of  copper  oxide,  frequently  accompanied  by 
specularite.  The Santo Domingo deposit is essentially blind and is hosted by extensive tuff horizons that are overlain 
by andesitic volcanics. 

The  Santo  Domingo  Project  lies  on  the  east  side  of  the  Atacama  fault  complex  which,  in  this  area,  consists  of 
numerous clusters of generally north-south structural breaks in a belt approximately 30 km wide.  It appears that the 
10 km wide westernmost cluster, which hosts the Manto Verde copper deposit, is the main part of the fault system. 

- 51 - 

 
The  bulk  of  the  rock  exposed  in  the  Santo  Domingo  Project  appears  to  overlie  the  Punta  del  Cobre  volcano-
sedimentary sequence. It is an intercalated and interfingered sequence of volcaniclastics, andesite flows, limestone, 
and  calcareous  sedimentary  rocks,  probably  of  the  Lower  Cretaceous  Bandurrias  and  Chanarcillo  Groups.    The 
Bandurrias  Group  is  defined  as  a  predominantly  volcanic  sequence  of  andesite  flows  and  volcaniclastic  rocks. 
Chanarcillo  Group  rocks  consist  largely  of  limestone  and  calcareous  marine  sediments.  Both  definitions  match 
observed geology on the Santo Domingo Project. 

Exploration 

Exploration work in the Santo Domingo area was conducted by Far West from July 2003 to May 2010 and by Capstone 
from August 2011 to May 2012.  It consisted of: 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 

50 km2 of geological mapping at 1:25,000. 
50 surface rock samples for analysis for Au and a 27-element Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) suite. 
47 sieved (106 micron) drainage sediment samples for analyses as above. 
17.6 km of Induced Polarization (IP) survey. 
A total of 120,168 m of drilling in 464 holes, including 90,611 m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling in 348 holes 
and 29,557 m diamond (core) drilling in 114 holes. 
Analysis for gold and 27-element ICP on two-metre intervals for RC and one-metre intervals for core. 

A total of 50 rock chip samples were collected from the Santo Domingo area and sent to ALS Chemex Laboratories in 
La Serena (ALS Chemex) for gold and 27-element ICP analyses.  Samples with over 10 g Au and over 10,000 ppm Cu 
were  assayed  and  bubble  plots  of  copper  and  gold  values  produced.    Samples  were  generally  taken  where  copper 
oxides were apparent, and hence most samples contained anomalous levels of copper. 

A  total  of  47  sediment  samples  were  collected  from  drainages  within  and  immediately  peripheral  to  the 
Santo Domingo  area.    The  samples  were  analyzed  by  ALS  Chemex  for  gold  and  a  27-element  ICP  package.    Most 
drainage channels in the area were sampled. 

Approximately  200  g  of  -106  μm  material  was  collected  from  each  sample  site  using  an  Endecott  No.  140  sieve  (or 
equivalent) and simple bubble plots of copper and gold in sediments were produced.  Drainages in the areas underlain 
by andesite flows, especially in the North and Northwest part of the target area, are generally anomalous, with copper 
values typically in excess of 400 ppm.  This broad anomaly is roughly coincident with the widespread distribution of 
Northwest  trending  specularite-copper  oxide  mineralized  veins  that  cut  the  andesites.    The  highest  copper  value  in 
drainage sediment (sample 7954) was 1,865 ppm from within the Santo Domingo area, approximately two kilometres 
east-southeast of the Estrellita mine.  No associated bedrock mineralization is known. 

Mineralization 

Copper-bearing  IOCG-type  mineralization  is  widespread  in  the  Santo  Domingo  area.    Specular  hematite  and  copper 
oxides (including chrysocolla, brochantite, and malachite) are the typical near-surface mineral assemblages.  Copper 
oxides typically persist to 70 m to 90 m below surface, with chalcopyrite being the dominant copper mineral at greater 
depths. 

Manto  mineralization  in  tuffaceous  or  calcareous  sediments  is  widespread  on  the  property.    In  the  Estrellita  and 
Estefania  areas,  several  gently  north-dipping,  strata-bound  iron  oxide  (specular  hematite  near  surface,  grading  to 
magnetite at depth) ± copper horizons, up to 12 m thick, occur in roughly the same 200 m stratigraphic interval, and 
have been tentatively traced with drilling or extrapolated across 3 km of strike length.  Mineralization typically occurs 
within  a  simple  single-phase  breccia  of  fine-grained,  calcareous  tuffaceous  sediment.    The  breccia  matrix  typically 
consists  of  fine-grained  specular  hematite  with  disseminated,  stringer  and  fracture-coating  copper  oxides,  and  rare 
clots of chalcopyrite.  Breccia horizons appear to be largely strata-bound, but to the south are discordant, following 
the steeply-dipping Santo Domingo fault, suggesting that this fault may have been a fluid conduit. 

In  the  SDS  deposit,  copper  mineralization  occurs  in  a  sequence  of  iron  oxide  mantos  within  a  tuffaceous  package 
between  andesitic  flows.    Drilling  has  identified  a  150  m  to  500  m  thick,  mineralized  sequence  covering  an  area  of 

- 52 - 

 
approximately  1,300  m  by  800  m.    Mineralization  consists  of  stacked  chalcopyrite-bearing  specularite-magnetite 
mantos, within tuff and tuffaceous sediments overlain by andesitic flows. 

The  Iris  deposit  is  approximately  500  m  wide,  with  a  strike  length  of  1,600  m.    The  deposit  consists  of  iron  oxide 
mantos  and  breccias  along  a  North-Northwest-striking  fault  zone.    Mineralization  occurs  close  to  surface  at  the 
Southern end and plunges gently towards the North.  The distribution of copper mineralization in the Iris deposit is 
more erratic and irregular than in the SDS deposit, owing to the fact that structural control seems to have played a 
greater role in the Iris deposit than in the more continuous stratiform replacement style mineralization at SDS.  The 
dominating  iron  oxide  at  Iris  is  hematite,  while  the  main  copper  mineral  is  chalcopyrite.    There  are  some  old  mine 
workings at the southern end of the deposit where copper oxides such as brochantite and chrysocolla were mined at 
surface.  The mineralization is hosted by a specularite manto that is cut by steeply-dipping structures.  The extent of 
mineralization at surface is approximately 100 m by 60 m. 

The  Estrellita  deposit  is  an  East-West-striking,  flat-lying  to  shallowly  north-dipping  tabular  body  lying  approximately 
3.5 km Northwest of SDS.  The zone has been faulted into a series of four blocks which step downwards to the North, 
with displacement across the faults ranging up to approximately 75 m.  The overall footprint of the zone measures 900 
m long by 450 m wide, and is up to 100 m thick.  The zone is thickest in the middle and narrows somewhat towards 
the periphery.  There are narrower zones of limited lateral extent in the footwall of the main zone. 

Mineralization  at  the  Estrellita  deposit  is  a  mixture  of  manto-style  iron  oxide  and  structurally  controlled  vein  style 
mineralization.    The  central  part  of  the  Estrellita  deposit  consists  of  a  more  or  less  horizontal  tabular  body  of  iron 
oxide manto that appears to have formed at the intersection of a horizontal and a steeply dipping set of specularite 
structures. 

Drilling 

Drilling has been conducted in the Santo Domingo area since May 2004.  Far West has completed 348 RC drill holes in 
the target area for a total of 90,611 m and 50 diamond drill holes for a total of 16,275 m.  As of May 31, 2010, drilling 
in the Santo Domingo area totalled 106,886 m in 398 holes. 

In late 2011 and early 2012, Capstone conducted an infill drilling campaign that was designed to elevate the projected 
first three years of production from the indicated category to the measured category.  A secondary purpose was to 
collect material for metallurgical test work at the feasibility study level.  The campaign consisted of 66 diamond drill 
holes for a total of 13,282 m of additional drilling.  A new mineral resource estimate incorporating the results of the 
latest infill drilling campaign will be reported in the upcoming definitive feasibility study (“DFS”). 

Drilling was contracted to Harris y Cia., Major Drilling, Geo Operaciones and Captagua, all based in Chile.  Most of the 
RC drilling was conducted by a truck-mounted Schramm Rotadrill, using a centre return hammer and a 5.5 in. (13.97 
cm)  carbide  button  bit.    The  diamond  drilling  was  conducted  by  various  types  of  equipment.  HQ  core  (63.5  mm 
diameter)  was  typically  drilled  to  a  depth  of  approximately  300  m,  below  which  NQ  core  (47.6  mm  diameter)  was 
drilled.    Drilling  was  conducted  in  two  12-hour  shifts  per  day.    Samples,  taken  in  two-metre  intervals  for  RC,  were 
collected  by  drilling  personnel,  and  tagged  and  organized  by  Far West  personnel.    A  geologist  was  generally  on  site 
during most of the day shift for RC drilling. 

Diamond drill core was sampled in one-metre (all DD holes before 2010) or two-metre (DD holes 2010) intervals that 
were marked by Far West geologists in order to adjust the samples to geological units. 

Most  holes  are  vertical  as  the  orientation  of  mineralization  at  SDS  and  Estrellita  is  horizontal  or  gently  dipping.  
Inclined holes, particularly diamond holes, were drilled in order to establish the limits of mineralization at the edges of 
the deposits as well as to establish the structural framework at Estrellita, Iris, and Iris Norte.  Drill collars were located 
using a differential GPS.  Coordinates are accurate to within one metre or less.  Relative elevations between holes in 
close proximity (such as at SDS) were determined using a tight chain and clinometer. 

Drill cuttings and core were logged using a set of codes similar to those used for surface mapping.  All geological data 
were entered digitally into summary logs.  All digital data (analyses and geological logs) were subsequently entered 
into an MS Access project database for presentation and section generation. 

- 53 - 

 
Drilling  was  originally  designed  to  target  gravity  and  magnetic  anomalies  for  IOCG  mineralization  of  Candelaria  or 
Manto Verde style.  In April 2005, drillhole 22 intersected iron oxide mantos with copper mineralization of grade and 
width that had the potential to be economic.  Further drilling in the area outlined the SDS deposit.  Subsequent drilling 
to the northwest of SDS following a north-northwest trending gravity anomaly discovered and outlined the Iris deposit 
with mineralization of similar style to SDS.   Additional drilling in the northwestern part  of the  Santo Domingo area, 
around the small-scale Estrellita mine workings, outlined the Estrellita deposit, which is more similar to Manto Verde 
as  it  represents  copper  oxide  mineralization  along  a  fault  zone.    The  2008  drilling  outlined  a  new  zone  of 
mineralization known as Iris Norte.  Additional holes have been drilled to test other gravity and magnetic features in 
the  Santo  Domingo  area  and  intersected  widespread  but  discontinuous  copper  mineralization  around  the  four 
outlined deposits. 

In  the  author  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Report’s  opinion,  the  drilling  has  been  conducted  in  a  manner  consistent  with 
standard industry practices.  The spacing and orientation of the holes are appropriate for the deposit geometry and 
mineralization. 

Sampling and Analysis 

Reverse  circulation  drill  cuttings  were  blown  into  a  cyclone  and  collected  every  two  metres  from  top  to  bottom  of 
each  hole,  regardless  of  lithology  changes.    This  material  was  dumped  directly  into  a  riffle  splitter  with  a  bar 
separation  of  approximately  one  centimetre.    Both  parts  of  the  initial  split  were  reintroduced  to  the  splitter  and 
divided a second time to ensure adequate mixing of the entire sample.  Half of this initial split was re-split and then 
split again. 

These three consecutive splits resulted in a final sample one-eighth the size of the initial complete sample.  A 2 kg to 
3 kg portion of this final split was bagged and ticketed with a unique assay number, ready to be sent to the laboratory 
for analyses.  A second sample of 3 kg to 4 kg was collected from the other half of the final split and stored (buried) at 
or near the drill site.  This complete second set of samples can be used  for confirmation assays, petrographic work, 
etc. 

In the case of diamond drilling, core was placed into wooden core boxes by the drilling contractor at the drill.   The 
depth of each interval of core pulled was marked on a wooden block and placed in the core box.  The core was then 
transported  to  a  logging  facility  by  Far  West  personnel.    At  the  logging  facility,  the  core  was  photographed  and  a 
geotechnical log completed.  Geotechnical data recorded included recovery, rock quality designation (RQD), fracture 
frequency, rock alteration and weathering, structure type, angle and roughness, joint compressive strength (JCS), and 
bulk  density.    Cut  core  samples  with  a  length  of  15  cm  or  20  cm  were  also  collected  and  stored  in  preparation  for 
subsequent triaxial and point load tests. 

The core was then geologically logged noting lithology, mineralogy, etc., using the same codes employed for logging of 
the RC cuttings.  Structural information was also noted during core logging, something that was not possible for RC 
cuttings.    Samples  for  assay  were  marked  at  one  metre  intervals  by  technicians,  and  subsequently  adjusted  by  the 
geologist to correspond to major lithologic contacts.  Sample lengths were not less than 0.5 m, nor did they exceed 
two  metres.    Sampled  intervals  were  cut  in  half  along  the  drill  axis  using  a  diamond  saw.    Half  of  the  sample  was 
returned  to  the  core  box  and  stored  at  the  core  facility.    The  other  half  was  bagged  and  shipped  (via  ALS  Chemex 
truck) to the ALS Chemex laboratory at La Serena, Chile, an independent commercial ISO 9001-certified laboratory, for 
analyses. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  laboratory,  samples  were  organized,  recorded,  and  prepared  for  analyses  using  ALS  Chemex’s 
Prep-31 process.  This process consists of: 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

drying at 60°C; 
crushing (jaw crusher) to minus #10 Tyler >70%; 
homogenizing and splitting to 500 g with a Jones splitter; 
storage of reject material (over 500 g); 
pulverizing 500 g sample with a ring pulverizer to minus #200 Tyler >85%; and 
storage in 250 g envelopes. 

- 54 - 

 
All samples were analyzed for 27 elements using ICP.    Samples were initially analyzed using ALS  Chemex procedure 
ME-ICP61,  which  is  ICP  following  four-acid  total  digestion  (HF-HNO3  –  HClO4  acid  digestion,  HCl  leach)  and  more 
recently by ME-ICP81 (see below).  Copper values over 10,000 ppm were assayed using ALS Chemex method Cu-AA62, 
which  involved  total  digestion  and  an  Atomic  Absorption  Spectroscopy  (AAS)  finish.    Gold  content  was  determined 
using method Au-AA24 (30 g sample, fire assay with an AAS finish). These analytical procedures conform to industry 
standards. 

Drill cuttings and core were logged by geologists who also entered data into an MS Excel database.  Each geologist was 
responsible for entering his/her own logs.  Data from these individual  “unproofed” logs were printed out, and then 
checked  line  by  line  against  the  original  handwritten  log  by  a  two-geologist  team.    Corrections  were  made  and  a 
“proofed”  version  of  the  individual  log  saved.    Each  individual  “proofed”  geology  log  was  then  added  to  a  “master 
geology” log.  This master file can then be processed for further analysis and/or display by exporting the data in the 
required format. 

An  independent  Quality  Control/Quality  Assurance  (QA/QC)  program  was  implemented  by  Far  West  to  monitor  the 
analytical  results.    Three  types  of  quality  control  sample  inserts  were  utilized  during  the  drilling  programs: 
(i) standards; (ii) blanks; and (iii) duplicates. 

The QA/QC protocols have remained largely consistent throughout all of the programs conducted by Far West.  Minor 
changes have been implemented to accommodate issues and recommendations from past programs, and to include 
the magnetic susceptibility measurements, which is a relatively recent addition to the assay procedures. 

Certified  Reference  Materials  (CRM),  or  standards,  are  inserted  every  25th  sample,  constituting  4%  of  the  total 
number of samples submitted.  Standard samples are inserted into the sample sequence and analyzed by ALS Chemex 
in a normal way. 

A separate assay ledger is also kept for each hole.  Initially, sample intervals and numbers are entered manually into 
the  ledger  and  then  transcribed  into  an  MS  Excel  spreadsheet.    The  initial  ledgers  or  logs  are  completed  by  the 
samplers at the drill for RC cuttings and at the core-logging facility for core.  Inserted blanks, standards, and duplicates 
are also recorded in this ledger.  Assay results, when available from the laboratory, are cut and pasted into the digital 
ledger from an MS Excel file provided by the lab.  Once complete, data from the ledger are imported to a master MS 
Access database containing all the Candelaria Project drill assays. 

One person is responsible for management of the database, posting of final results, and controlling user access. 

Security of Samples 

Samples were collected at the drill in the case of RC and for the diamond drill holes, at the Far West logging facility in 
Diego de Almagro.  The logging facility is fenced, locked when not occupied, and is secure.  Samples are handled only 
by Far West employees or their designates (i.e., ALS-Chemex personnel). 

Observed  sample  recovery  was  excellent  and  no  intervals  with  poor  recovery  were  reported.    Apart  from  most 
overburden material and a few obviously barren bedrock intervals, all samples were sent for analyses.  Pre-laboratory 
sample preparation by Harris (drilling contractor) and Far West personnel was conducted under the supervision of Far 
West  geologists.    Samples  were  sealed  in  plastic  bags  using  zip  strips,  subsequently  sealed  in  woven  polypropylene 
sacs,  and  stored  in  the  drilling  camp  until  collected  by  ALS  Chemex  personnel.    Once  leaving  the  drill  camp  on  the 
property,  sample  security  could  not  be  confirmed.    However,  Far  West  advises  that,  in  virtually  all  cases,  copper 
estimates in logged chips correlate well with analytical results. 

Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates 

The  Santo  Domingo  Project  currently  comprises  of  the  following  deposits:  Santo  Domingo  Sur  (SDS),  Iris,  (currently 
grouped together as “SDS/IRIS”), and Iris Norte. 

The  mineral resource estimates for the SDS and Iris Zones have been updated by Scott Wilson RPA.   The  estimates 
include data from recent measurements of magnetic susceptibility, as well as 35 additional drill holes completed since 
the last  estimate,  which was  carried out by Scott Wilson RPA in 2009.  In addition to the 35 holes, five other holes 

- 55 - 

 
were  used  in  the  geological  interpretation,  but  not  in  the  grade  interpolation,  as  the  assay  results  had  not  been 
received.  The cut-off for the assay data was May 15, 2010, and the estimate is considered to be current to that date. 

Santo Domingo – Mineral Resource Estimate used in PFS (Effective May 15, 2010) 

Zone 

Mt 

%CuEq 

%Cu 

g/t Au 

%Fe 

Indicated 

SDS (1-4) 
Iris (5-6) 
Iris Norte (7-8) 
Indicated (SDS/Iris) 
Estrellita* 
Total Indicated 

Inferred 

SDS (1-4) 
Iris (5-6) 
Iris Norte (7-8) 
Inferred (SDS/Iris) 
Estrellita* 
Total Inferred 

275 
111 
99.5 
486 
31.7 
517 

30.5 
5.52 
25.3 
61.3 
2.7 
64.0 

0.64 
0.50 
0.47 
0.57 
n/a 

0.46 
0.47 
0.47 
0.46 
n/a 

0.41 
0.23 
0.16 
0.32 
0.53 
0.33 

0.26 
0.19 
0.10 
0.19 
0.48 
0.20 

0.056 
0.033 
0.019 
0.043 
0.050 
0.044 

0.037 
0.026 
0.011 
0.025 
0.050 
0.026 

27.8 
26.3 
26.4 
27.2 
n/a 

23.7 
26.0 
27.9 
25.7 
n/a 

CIM definitions were followed for mineral resources. 

Notes: 
1. 
2.  Mineral resources for SDS/Iris are estimated at a cut-off grade of 0.25% CuEq.  The cut-off for Estrellita was 0.3% Cu. 
3. 

CuEq grades are calculated using average long-term prices of $2.25/lb Cu, $950/oz Au and $0.74/dmtu Fe ($50/dmt conc. @ 67.5% 
Fe). 

*The Estrellita Zone, which was estimated in 2007, was not included in the 2010 update as there has been no change to the database for 
this deposit. 

Based on the analysis of a Whittle™ pit optimization evaluation for varying revenue factors the chosen Whittle™ shell 
was  used  as  the  basis  for  the  detailed  pit  designs  created  for  each  of  the  Santo  Domingo  pits.    These  detailed  pit 
designs take into consideration, minimum mining widths, access ramps, and detailed bench configurations. 

The  mineral  reserves  estimate  for  the  detailed  open  pit  designs  are  summarized  in  the  following  table  for  the 
probable reserve classification.  The Santo Domingo Sur and Iris deposits formed the SDS/Iris open pit with Iris Norte 
forming  its  own  pit.    These  open  pits  were  then  further  divided  into  various  stages  for  mine  planning  purposes.   
SDS/Iris  pit  is  divided  into  four  stages,  while  Iris  Norte  has  been divided into three stages. 

Santo Domingo Open Pit Probable Mineral Reserves (Effective August 15, 2011) 

Stage 

Ore (Mt) 

Ore Grade 

Contained Metal 

Au (g/t) 

Cu (%) 

Au (kOz) 

Cu 
(Mlbs) 

Magnetite 
Conc. (Mt) 

SDS/Iris 
SDS Stage 1 
SDS Stage 2 
SDS Stage 3 
SDS Stage 4 
Subtotal SDS/Iris 
Iris Norte 
IRN Stage 1 
IRN Stage 2 
IRN Stage 3 

71.8 
63.7 
170.5 
38.8 
344.8 

21.4 
28.0 
23.7 

0.08 
0.06 
0.03 
0.05 
0.05 

0.03 
0.01 
0.01 

0.61 
0.41 
0.23 
0.36 
0.35 

0.23 
0.13 
0.11 

- 56 - 

193 
113 
173 
60 
539 

20 
12 
8 

958 
574 
848 
304 
2,684 

108 
78 
60 

11 
10 
32 
3 
57 

4 
7 
5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ore Grade 

Contained Metal 

Stage 

Ore (Mt) 

Au (g/t) 

Cu (%) 

Au (kOz) 

Subtotal Iris Norte 
Grand Total 

73.1 
418.0 

0.02 
0.04 

0.15 
0.32 

41 
580 

Cu 
(Mlbs) 
246 
2,930 

Magnetite 
Conc. (Mt) 
17 
73 

Notes:  NSR cut-off of $5.79/t (incremental operating cost; does not include mining costs).  Reserves based on Indicated Resources only. 
Magnetite concentrate tonnage based on average 65% iron grade.    Due to rounding, some figures may not add up to the totals shown.  
Capstone is in the process of developing a DFS for the project, which is expected to be published by year end. 

life-of-mine  production  plan. 

Within the pit designs there is a total of 8 Mt of inferred mineral resources.  These inferred tonnes were  not  included 
in  the 
inferred  mineral  resources  will  be 
converted to the measured or indicated categories through further drilling, or  into  mineral  reserves,  once  economic 
considerations  are  applied.    There  is  also  31  Mt  of  oxide material  that  has  not  been  included  in  the  life-of-mine 
plan.    This  oxide  material  will  be  selectively  placed  on  the  waste  rock  fill  to  allow  for  potential  processing  in  the 
future. 

is  no  certainty  that  these 

  There 

In  general,  increases  in  operating  costs,  reductions  in  revenue  assumptions  or  reductions  in  metallurgical  recovery 
may result in increased cut-off grades, reductions in reserves and increasing strip ratios.  The converse is also true. 
Reductions in operating costs, increases in revenue assumptions or increases in metallurgical recovery may result in 
reduced cut-off grades and increases in reserves. 

There is currently a highway crossing over the area of the Iris Norte open pit design.  This infrastructure element will 
require re-location in order to mine the reserves in this area.  Reserves have been estimated assuming that project 
permitting is achievable. 

Mining Operations 

The following discussion refers to the results of the Santo Domingo Report prepared for the Santo Domingo project.  
Capstone is in the process of developing a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) for the project, which is expected to be 
published mid 2014 which will provide for a comprehensive project update. 

The  mining  sequence, which  mines higher  grade  material  early on in the  schedule,  begins with  Santo Domingo Sur.  
Mining  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Sur  Pit  will  be  followed  by  Iris,  with  Iris  Norte  mined  last  in  the  sequence.    Santo 
Domingo Sur and Iris form one of the pits and is divided into four stages.  Iris Norte forms a separate pit and has been 
split into three stages. 

The  production  schedule  for  the  Santo  Domingo  deposits  was  developed  with  the  aid  of  MineSight™  software,  and 
incorporated the open pit deposits at Santo Domingo Sur, Iris and Iris Norte.  The maximum processing rate of 70 ktpd 
was used in the schedule. 

Open pit mining will take place sequentially with Santo Domingo Sur mined first, followed by Iris and finally Iris Norte.  
There will be some overlap between these pits in order to provide adequate mill feed and to balance waste stripping 
requirements.  The average maximum production rate from the Santo Domingo open pits is approximately 285 ktpd.  
Only indicated mineral resources were used in the LOM plan. 

The  Santo  Domingo  open  pits  will  produce  418  Mt  of  mill  feed  and  1,277  Mt  of  waste  rock  over  a  19-year  mine 
operating life (yielding an overall strip ratio of 3.1:1 (t:t).  The mine schedule focuses on achieving the required plant 
feed production rate, mining of higher grade material early in schedule, while balancing waste stripping requirements. 

- 57 - 

 
 
 
To  further  illustrate  the  progression  of  mining  of  the  Santo  Domingo  deposits,  the  following  provides  the  open  pit 
stage bottom elevation reached by the end of each period: 

Year 

Year -1 

Year 1 

Year 2 

Year 3-5 

Year 6-10 

Year 11-15 

Year 16-19 

Development 

Pre-stripping  of  the  SDS/Iris  pit  commences  with  a  total  of  0  Mt  of  waste 
material mined.  Approximately 0.4 Mt of ore will be stockpiled. 

Mining  continues  in  Stage  1  and  2  of  SDS/Iris.    Open  pit  ore  production  is 
planned  to  be  15.3  Mt  at  a  strip  ratio  of  5.8:1  (total  waste  mined  90  Mt).  
Processing of ore commence at 60% of maximum capacity.  Mined head grade 
is 0.63% Cu. 

Stages  1  and  2  in  SDS/Iris  produce  81  Mt  of  waste  for  a  3.2:1  strip  ratio.  
Average total mined grade is 0.63% Cu.  Processing rate reaches maximum of70 
kt/d. 

Stage 1 of SDS/Iris is completed.  Mining continues in Stage 2 and commences 
in Stage 3.  Processing mill head copper grade averages 0.49% Cuat a constant 
throughput  rate  of  70  kt/d.    Average  total  material  mined  is  288  kt/dat  an 
average strip ratio of 3.1:1. 

Stage 2 of SDS/Iris pit is completed during this time frame, along with continued 
mining in Stage 3 and 4.  Mining commences at Iris Norte with pre-stripping of 
Stage  1.    A  total  of122  Mt  of  plant  feed  mined  in  the  period  at  an  average 
copper grade of 0.27%Cu.  Total waste tonnage is 399 Mt for an average strip 
ratio of 3.3:1. 

Stage 3 of SDS/Iris is completed with Stage 4 of SDS/Iris nearing completion.  All 
stages in Iris Norte are active during this time period 

Mill feedhead grade averages 0.24% Cu.  The strip ratio averages 2.8:1 with 322 
Mt  of  waste  mined.    Mining  completed  in  remaining  Stage  4  of  SDS/Iris  and 
three stages in Iris Norte. 65 Mt of ore mined and mill head grade decreases to 
0.15% Cu with a total of 98 Mt of waste mined. 

Waste rock from the various open pits at Santo Domingo will be deposited in engineered waste rock facilities (“WRF”) 
adjacent to each of the deposits.  In addition, a portion of waste rock from Iris Norte is proposed to be backfilled into 
the  mined  out  Iris  pit.    The  31  Mt  of  oxide  material  will  also  be  placed  in  these  WRF  to  allow  for  potential  future 
processing of this material. 

The tailings storage system consists of a tailings storage facility (“TSF”) located north of the proposed mine.  The TSF is 
designed to store approximately 353 Mt of conventional thickened tailings, enough for approximately 18 years of the 
project life.  Storage of both fresh and seawater is proposed to be in lined ponds near the plant site.  No other water 
storage  reservoir  is  proposed.    Water  make-up  is  proposed  to  be  untreated  seawater.    Based  on  the  conventional 
thickened tailings disposal method, the estimated water make-up will be approximately 1,450 m3/h (~400 L/s).  The 
TSF includes a starter dam for storing at least two years of thickened tailings.  The starter dam crest will be raised in 
stages by the downstream method to contain the waste tailings within the current permitted boundary limits up to 
Year 18 of operations. 

Basic layouts have been prepared based on an open-air concentrator design, with mobile crane maintenance access 
and  minimal  overhead  cranage.    This  layout  has  taken  account  of  the  site  topography  and  limits  imposed  by  the 
preliminary locations of the pit, stockpiles, and waste dumps. 

The land and territory investigations regarding the project’s current footprint, indicate there would be no impact on 
natural  parks,  biodiversity  conservation  priority  sites,  or  indigenous  development  land  in  the  Atacama  Region.    A 
series  of  baseline  studies  are  still  required  for  the  project  in  order  to  achieve  a  proper  characterization  of  the 
environmental components that should be included in the future Environmental Impact Study (EIS). 

- 58 - 

 
No direct marketing has been done for the potential Santo Domingo copper concentrates and therefore no off-take 
agreements beyond that with KORES exist.   

The  iron  ore  produced  by  the  Santo  Domingo  Project  will  be  suitable  to  be  sold  as  a  pellet  feed.    A  series  of 
assumptions can be made around which the specific price forecast can be based. 

•  Market: the product will be sold into China as a pellet feed, most likely to one of the new world scale coastal 

• 

• 

pellet plants operated by the larger steel companies. 
Logistics: as a large bulk shipment it can be presumed that a Chinese steel  mill  will use a 155,000 capesize 
vessel to transport the ore from Chile to a port in Northern China, most likely Qingdao, a distance of 10,376 
nautical miles.  In this instance it is almost certain that any price negotiations will be  based upon the steel 
company using a ship under a time charter agreement; the reason for a COA or owning a ship is to give the 
steel mill a freight advantage, this will not be ceded in price negations. 
Pricing  point:  The  large  coastal  pellet  plants  in  China,  which  are  most  likely  to  purchase  the  ore  from  the 
project,  will  value  it  against  pellet  feed  from  the  major  supplier  of  imported  material,  in  this  case  Brazil.  
Therefore, the correct benchmark price to be used will be Vale’s MBR pellet feed price (fob Tubarao).  The 
MBR pellet feed price is typically set at a 3% discount to sinter fines and this is unlikely to change in future.  
There is an argument to price directly against a Chinese concentrate price series, but the market for this type 
of product is small and in practise restricted to inland steel mills. 

The total project capital cost estimate is summarized in in the table below and have ±25% accuracy as of July 2011.  
The estimate is based on a foreign exchange rate of 1 US$ = 466 Chilean Pesos (CLP) and must be assessed against the 
study battery limits, exclusions and scope as detailed in the relevant sections of the Santo Domingo Report. 

Summary of Capital Costs 

Area 

Mining equipment 

Pre-strip 

Process plant 

Tailings 

On-Site Infrastructure 

Off-Site Infrastructure 

     Site Power                                                                              

     Concentrate Pipeline                                                            

     Seawater Pipeline                                                               

     Concentrate Dewatering, Storage and Load Out               

Off-Site Infrastructure (Total) 

Total Direct Costs 

Indirect Costs 

Owners Cost 

Total Indirect Costs 

Contingency 

Total Project Cost 

$M 

172 

54 

283 

29 

27 

6 

49 

76 

121 

253 

818 

186 

89 

275 

149 

1,242 

The capital cost estimate was updated and on March 13, 2013 estimated to have escalated to $1.5 to $1.8 billion (see 
Updated Capital Cost Estimate below.) 

The  total  project  operating  costs,  excluding  costs  associated  with  concentrate  sales,  are  summarized  in  the  table 
below.  The costs are presented as life-of-mine (LOM) averages per tonne of ore processed. 

- 59 - 

 
 
Summary of Average LOM Operating Costs 

Cost Centre 

Mining 

Process plant 

Concentrate pipeline 

Seawater pipeline 

G&A 

Port Facility 

Total 

$M/a 

107 

101 

2 

10 

13 

11 

244 

$/t ore 

4.62 

4.37 

0.09 

0.43 

0.55 

0.46 

10.52 

The operating costs estimate was prepared with a base date of July 2011 to an accuracy level of ±25%.  Life of mine 
sustaining  capital  costs,  estimated  at  $495M  over  the  18  year  mine  life  (including  mine  closure  estimates)  are  not 
included in either the initial capital or operating cost figures above.  The sustaining capital expenditure requirements 
have been included as part of the financial model. 

The overall  economic performance of the project (as measured by the IRR, NPV and payback period) on the capital 
estimate contained in the Santo Domingo Report is summarized in the table below.   

Summary of PFS Economic Results 

Parameter 

Base 

Spot 

After Tax NPV 8% discount rate IRR, Payback 

Base Copper price, US$/lb 
Base Magnetite price, US$/dmtu Fe1 
Base gold price, US$/oz 

Base capital cost, US$M 

Site Operating Cost, US$M 

Sustaining capital cost, US$M 

Realisation Costs*, US$M 

$1.1 billion / 22% 
/ 3.0 years 

$4.0 billion 

2.50 

1.00 

1,000 

4.00 

2.00 

1,400 

1,242 

4,403 

495 

1,091 

Note  1:  $1.00/dmtu  Fe  is  the  equivalent  of  $65/dmt  of  concentrate  at  65.0%  Fe  and  $2.00/dmtu  Fe  is  the 
equivalent of $130/dmt of concentrate. 
*Relate to treatment costs and selling costs 

Note that the guidance for the capital cost was revised to $1.5 to $1.8 billion on March 13, 2013.  The DFS, expected in 
mid-2014, will provide a complete update on the project economics. 

The total cash production costs for copper over the life of the project were estimated at $0.11 per pound of payable 
copper,  including  gold  and  iron  production  as  credits  and  selling  costs.    The  co-product  total  cash  production  costs 
were estimated at $1.12 per pound of payable copper and $30.46 per tonne of magnetite concentrate. 

A project implementation schedule will be updated and included in the DFS.  

Updated Capital Cost Estimate   

AMEC, NCL and Capstone personnel completed an update to the PFS estimate of the development capital required to 
build the Santo Domingo Project on March 13, 2013  The capital cost at that time was estimated at between $1.5 to 
$1.8  billion.    This  estimate  was  dependent  upon  flow  sheet  variables  and  mine  equipment  lease/purchase  options.  
This  estimate  includes  all  site  infrastructure  and  indirect  costs  including  the  pipelines  and  port  facility.    With  the 
exception  of  moving  the  port  location,  the  overall  project  design  has  not  changed  materially  from  the  PFS  design; 
however, a more detailed estimate will be provided with the DFS in the second quarter.  

- 60 - 

 
Exploration and Development  

Exploration on the property will focus on identifying untested or poorly tested geophysical targets for smaller lenses 
of potentially high grade material.  Previous exploration has been focused on identifying and delineating the main ore 
body  which  is  now  complete.    Additional  small,  near  surface  higher  grade  lenses  could  potentially  improve  the 
economics of the overall project. 

ITEM 4 - RISK FACTORS  

Capstone  is  subject  to  a  number  of  significant  risks  due  to  the  nature  of  its  business  and  the  present  stage  of  its 
business development.  Readers should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below before deciding 
whether to invest in Capstone common shares.  Capstone’s failure to successfully address the risks and uncertainties 
described below could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and/or results of operations, 
and  the  trading  price  of  its  common  shares  may  decline  and  investors  may  lose  all  or  part  of  their  investment.  
Capstone cannot give assurance that it will successfully address these risks or other unknown risks that may affect its 
business. 

Mining is inherently dangerous and subject to conditions or events beyond the Company’s control, the occurrence of 
which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and 
prospects. 

The  Company’s  operations  are  subject  to  all  the  hazards  and  risks  normally  encountered  in  the  exploration, 
development and production of copper and other metals, including, without limitation, fires, power outages, labour 
disruptions,  flooding,  explosions,  cave-ins,  landslides  and  other  geotechnical  instabilities,  metallurgical  and  other 
processing problems and other conditions involved in the mining of minerals, any of which could result in damage to, 
or destruction of, the Company’s mines, plants and equipment, personal injury or loss of life, environmental damage, 
delays in mining, increased production costs, asset write-downs, monetary losses and legal liability.  The occurrence of 
any of these events could result in a prolonged interruption in the Company’s operations that would have a material 
adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 

Changes  in  the  market  price of  copper  and  other  metals, which  in  the past  have  fluctuated  widely,  could  negatively 
affect the profitability of the Company’s operations and financial condition. 

The commercial  viability of the Company’s properties and the Company’s ability to sustain operations is dependent 
on, among other things, the market price of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver.  Depending on the price to be received 
for any minerals produced, the Company may determine that it is impractical to continue commercial production at 
the Pinto Valley Mine, the Cozamin Mine or the Minto Mine or to develop the Santo Domingo Project.  A reduction in 
the market price of copper, lead, zinc, gold or silver may prevent the Company’s properties from being economically 
mined or result in the write-off of assets whose value is impaired as a result of low metals prices.  The market price of 
copper,  lead,  zinc,  gold  and  silver  is  volatile  and  is  impacted  by  numerous  factors  beyond  the  Company’s  control, 
including, among others: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

international economic and political conditions; 
expectations of inflation or deflation; 
international currency exchange rates; 
interest rates; 
global or regional consumptive patterns; 
speculative activities; 
levels of supply and demand; 
increased production due to new mine developments; 
decreased production due to mine closures; 
improved mining and production methods; 
availability and costs of metal substitutes; 

- 61 - 

 
 
  metal stock levels maintained by producers and others; and 
 

inventory carrying costs. 

The effect of these factors on the price of base and precious metals cannot be accurately predicted and there can be 
no assurance that the market price of these metals will remain at current levels or that such prices will improve.  A 
decrease in the market price of copper, lead, zinc, gold or silver would affect the profitability of the Pinto Valley Mine, 
the  Cozamin  Mine  and  the  Minto  Mine  and  could  affect  the  Company’s  ability  to  finance  the  exploration  and 
development  of  the  Company’s  other  properties,  which  would  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s 
business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 

The sale of the Company’s metals is subject to counterparty and market risks. 

The  Company  has  entered  into  concentrate  off-take  agreements  whereby  100%  of  budgeted  production  of  the 
concentrate  produced  from  the  Pinto  Valley,  Cozamin  and  Minto  Mines  have  been  committed  to  various  external 
parties through calendar year 2014.  Thereafter, approximately 50% is committed under multi-year contracts through 
2016.  The balance is not currently committed but various interested parties have requested intent to purchase this 
concentrate if available. 50% of the copper and iron concentrate to be produced from the Santo Domingo Project will 
be purchased by Kores under the terms of the Shareholders Agreement.  The Company has also sold forward the gold 
and silver production from the Minto Mine and all of the silver production from the Cozamin Mine to Silver Wheaton.  
If any counterparty to any off-take or forward sales agreement does not honour such arrangement, or should any such 
counterparty become insolvent, the Company may incur losses on the production already shipped and/or be forced to 
sell a greater volume of the Company’s production in the spot market, which is subject to market price fluctuations.  In 
addition, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to renew any of the Company’s off-take or forward 
sales  agreements  on  acceptable  terms,  or  at  all,  or  that  the  Company’s  production  will  meet  the  qualitative 
requirements under such agreements. 

The  Company  may  require  substantial  additional  capital  to  accomplish  the  Company’s exploration  and  development 
plans, and there can be no assurance that financing will be available on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all. 

The Company may require substantial additional financing to accomplish the Company’s exploration and development 
plans for the Santo Domingo Project and to advance the Pinto Valley Mine, the Cozamin Mine and the Minto Mine to 
achieve designed production rates.  These financing requirements could adversely affect the Company’s credit ratings 
and  the  Company’s  ability  to  access  the  capital  markets  in  the  future.    Failure  to  obtain  sufficient  financing,  or 
financing  on  terms  acceptable  to  the  Company,  may  result  in  a  delay  or  indefinite  postponement  of  exploration, 
development or production at one or more of the Company’s properties.  Additional financing may not be available 
when needed and the terms of any agreement could impose restrictions on the operation of the Company’s business.  
Failure  to  raise  financing  when  needed  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  financial 
condition, results of operations and prospects. 

Fluctuations  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates  could  have  an  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  financial 
condition, results of operations and prospects. 

Fluctuations in the Canadian dollar or Mexican peso relative to the US dollar could significantly affect the Company’s 
business,  financial  condition, results  of  operations  and  prospects.    Exchange  rate  movements  can  have  a  significant 
impact  on  the  Company  as  all  of  the  Company’s  revenue  is  received  in  US  dollars  but  much  of  the  Company’s 
operating and capital costs are incurred in Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos.   Also,  as a result of the Company’s 
acquisition of Far West, the Company is exposed to currency fluctuations in the Chilean peso relating to expenditures 
for the Santo Domingo Project.  As a result, a strengthening of these currencies relative to the US dollar will reduce the 
profitability  of  the  Company’s  projects  and  affect  the  Company’s  ability  to  continue  to  finance  the  Company’s 
operations.  The Company does not currently, and does not expect to, enter into foreign currency contracts to hedge 
against currency risk. 

The Company’s calculations of mineral resources and mineral reserves are estimates and are subject to uncertainty. 

The  Company’s  calculations  of  mineral  resources  and  mineral  reserves  are  estimates  and  depend  upon  geological 
interpretation and statistical inferences drawn from drilling and sampling analysis, which may prove to be inaccurate.  

- 62 - 

 
Actual recoveries of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver from mineralized material may be lower than those indicated by 
test work.  Any material change in the quantity of mineralization, grade or stripping ratio, may affect the economic 
viability  of  the  Company’s  properties.    In  addition,  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  metal  recoveries  in  small-scale 
laboratory tests will be duplicated in larger scale tests under on-site conditions or during production.  Notwithstanding 
pilot  plant  tests  for  metallurgy  and  other  factors,  there  remains  the  possibility  that  the  ore  may  not  react  in 
commercial production in the same manner as it did in testing.  Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not 
have  demonstrated  economic  viability.    Mining  and  metallurgy  are  inexact  sciences  and,  accordingly,  there  always 
remains an element of risk that a mine may not prove to be commercially viable. 

Until a deposit is actually mined and processed, the quantity of mineral resources and mineral  reserves and grades 
must be considered as estimates only.  In addition, the quantity of mineral resources and mineral reserves may vary 
depending on, among other things, metal prices, cut-off grades and operating costs.  Any material change in quantity 
of  mineral  reserves,  mineral  resources,  grade,  percent  extraction  of  those  mineral  reserves  recoverable  by 
underground  mining  techniques  or  the  stripping  ratio  for  those  mineral  reserves  recoverable  by  open  pit  mining 
techniques may affect the economic viability of the Company’s mining projects. 

General  economic  conditions  or  changes  in  consumption  patterns  may  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  growth  and 
profitability. 

Many industries, including the base and precious metals mining industry, are impacted by global market conditions.  
Some  of  the  key  impacts  of  the  recent  financial  market  turmoil  include  contraction  in  credit  markets  resulting  in  a 
widening  of  credit  risk,  devaluations  and  high  volatility  in  global  equity,  commodity,  foreign  exchange  and  metals 
markets,  and  a  lack  of  market  liquidity.    A  continued  or  worsened  slowdown  in  the  financial  markets  or  other 
economic  conditions,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  reduced  consumer  spending,  increased  unemployment  rates, 
deteriorating business conditions, inflation, deflation, volatile fuel and energy costs, increased consumer debt levels, 
lack of available credit, changes in interest rates and changes in tax rates may adversely affect the Company’s growth 
and profitability potential.  Specifically: 

 

 

 
 

 

a  global  credit/liquidity  issue  could  impact  the  cost  and  availability  of  financing  and  the  Company’s  overall 
liquidity; 
volatility of prices for copper, lead, zinc, gold and/or silver prices may impact the Company’s future revenues, 
profits and cash flows; 
recessionary pressures could adversely impact demand for the Company’s production; 
volatile  energy  prices,  commodity  and  consumables  prices  and  currency  exchange  rates  could  negatively 
impact potential production costs; and 
devaluation  and  volatility  of  global  stock  markets  could  impact  the  valuation  of  the  Company’s  securities, 
which may impact the Company’s ability to raise funds through future issuances of equity. 

These  factors  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  financial  condition,  results  of 
operations and prospects. 

There  are  uncertainties  and  risks  related  to  the  potential  development  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Project  and  if  the 
construction  and  development  of  this  project  is  not  completed,  it  could  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  business, 
financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 

As part of the Company’s strategy, the Company will continue the Company’s efforts to develop new mineral projects, 
including, if advisable, the Santo Domingo Project.  Development of the Santo Domingo Project will require obtaining 
permits and financing, and the construction and operation of mines, processing plants and related infrastructure.  As a 
result, if the Company proceeds to development it will be subject to all of the risks associated with establishing new 
mining operations, including: 

 

 

the timing and cost, which can be considerable, of the construction of  mining and processing  facilities and 
related infrastructure; 
the  availability  and  cost  of  skilled  labour,  mining  equipment  and  principal  supplies  needed  for  operations, 
including explosives, fuels, chemical reagents, water, power, equipment parts and lubricants; 

- 63 - 

 
 
 

the availability and cost of appropriate smelting and refining arrangements; 
the need to obtain necessary environmental and other governmental approvals and permits and the timing of 
the receipt of those approvals and permits; 
the availability of funds to finance construction and development activities; 
industrial accidents; 

 
 
  mine failures, shaft failures or equipment failures; 
 
 
 
 

natural phenomena such as inclement weather conditions, floods, droughts, rock slides and seismic activity; 
unusual or unexpected geological and metallurgic conditions; 
exchange rate and commodity price fluctuations; 
potential opposition from non-governmental organizations, environmental groups or local groups, which may 
delay or prevent development activities; and 
restrictions or regulations imposed by governmental or regulatory authorities. 

 

The costs, timing and complexities of developing the Company’s projects may be greater than anticipated.  

Cost estimates may increase significantly as more detailed engineering work is completed on a project.  It is common 
in  mining  operations  to  experience  unexpected  costs,  problems  and  delays  during  construction,  development  and 
mine  start-up.    Accordingly,  the  Company  cannot  provide  assurance  that  the  Company’s  activities  will  result  in 
profitable  mining  operations  at  the  Company’s  mineral  properties.    If  there  are  significant  delays  in  when  these 
projects are completed and are producing on a commercial and consistent scale, and/or their capital costs were to be 
significantly higher than estimates, these events could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s results of 
operation, cash flow from operations and financial condition. 

High  metal  prices  in  recent  years  have  encouraged  increased  mineral  exploration,  development  and  production 
activity,  which  has  increased  demand  for,  and  cost  of,  exploration,  development  and  construction  services  and 
equipment. 

Notwithstanding  short  term  market  fluctuations,  high  metal  prices  in  recent  years  have  encouraged  increases  in 
mineral exploration, development and production activities, which has resulted in increased demand for, and cost of, 
exploration, development and construction services and equipment.  There has also been a shortage of skilled workers 
in  the  mining  industry  in  recent  years,  particularly  with  respect  to  experienced  mine  construction  and  mine 
management personnel.  In addition, employee turnover rates in the mining industry have increased as participants in 
the  minerals  industry  compete  for  skilled  personnel.    Increased  demand  for  services  and  equipment  could  result  in 
delays if services or equipment cannot be obtained in a timely manner due to inadequate availability, and may cause 
scheduling  difficulties  due  to  the  need  to  coordinate  the  availability  of  services  or  equipment,  any  of  which  could 
materially increase the Company’s project exploration and any development and/or construction costs.  Increases in 
both  operating  and  capital  costs  must  be  factored  into  economic  assessments  of  existing  and  proposed  mining 
projects.    These  increases  may  increase  the  financing  requirements  for  such  projects  or  render  such  projects 
uneconomic. 

Mineral  rights  or  surface  rights  to  the  Company’s  properties  could be  challenged,  and, if  successful,  such  challenges 
could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  production  and  the  Company’s business,  financial  condition, 
results of operations and prospects. 

Title to the Company’s properties may be challenged or impugned.  The Company’s property interests may be subject 
to prior unregistered agreements or transfers and title may be affected by undetected defects.  Surveys have not been 
carried out on the majority of the Company’s properties and, therefore, in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction 
in which such properties are situated, their existence and area could be in doubt. 

A  claim  by  a  third  party  asserting  prior  unregistered  agreements  or  transfer  on  any  of  the  Company’s  properties, 
especially  where  mineral  reserves  have  been  located,  could  result  in  the  Company  losing  a  commercially  viable 
property.  Even if a claim is unsuccessful, it may potentially affect the Company’s current operations due to the high 
costs of defending against the claim and its impact on the Company’s senior management’s time.  Title insurance is 
generally not available for mineral properties and the Company’s ability to ensure that the Company has obtained a 

- 64 - 

 
secure claim to individual mineral properties or mining concessions may be severely constrained.  The Company relies 
on title information and/or representations and warranties provided by the Company’s grantors.  If the Company loses 
a  commercially  viable  property,  such  a  loss  could  lower  the  Company’s  future  revenues  or  cause  the  Company  to 
cease operations if the property represented all or a significant portion of the Company’s mineral reserves at the time 
of the loss. 

The Company faces added risks and uncertainties as a result of operating in foreign jurisdictions including changes in 
regulation. 

The Company’s business operates in a number of foreign countries where there are added risks and uncertainties due 
to  the  different  economic,  cultural  and  political  environments.    The  Company’s  mineral  exploration  and  mining 
activities  may  be  adversely  affected  by  political  instability  and  changes  to  government  regulation  relating  to  the 
mining industry.  Other risks of foreign operations include political unrest, labour disputes and unrest, invalidation of 
governmental orders and permits, corruption, war, civil disturbances and terrorist actions, arbitrary changes in law or 
policies of particular countries (including nationalization of mines), foreign taxation, price controls, delays in obtaining 
or  renewing  or  the  inability  to  obtain  or  renew  necessary  environmental  permits,  opposition  to  mining  from 
environmental  or  other  non-governmental  organizations,  limitations  on  foreign  ownership,  limitations  on  the 
repatriation of earnings, limitations on mineral exports and increased financing costs.  For example, recent changes in 
the Mexican tax laws, including the imposition of a royalty, have had an impact on the Company’s results and there is 
no certainty further changes will not be imposed.  Local economic conditions, including higher incidences of criminal 
activity and violence  in areas of Mexico can also adversely affect the security of the Company’s operations and the 
availability of supplies.  In addition, risks of operations in Mexico include extreme fluctuations in currency exchange 
rates,  high  rates  of  inflation,  hostage  taking  and  expropriation.    These  risks  may  limit  or  disrupt  the  Company’s 
projects,  restrict  the  movement  of  funds  or  result  in  the deprivation  of  contract  rights  or  the  taking  of  property  by 
nationalization  or  expropriation  without  fair  compensation.    There  can  be  no  assurance  that  changes  in  the 
government or laws or changes in the regulatory environment for mining companies or for non-domiciled companies 
will  not  be  made  that  would  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operation  and 
prospects. 

It may be difficult for the Company to find and hire qualified people in the mining industry who are situated in Arizona, 
Mexico, Chile and Yukon or to obtain all of the necessary services or expertise in Arizona, Mexico, Chile and Yukon or to 
conduct operations on the Company’s projects at reasonable rates. 

If  qualified  people  and  services  or  expertise  cannot  be  obtained  in  Arizona,  Mexico,  Chile  and  Yukon,  the  Company 
may  need  to  seek  and  obtain  those  services  from  people  located  outside  of  these  areas,  which  will  require  work 
permits  and  compliance  with  applicable  laws  and  could  result  in  delays  and  higher  costs  to  conduct  operations  in 
Arizona, Mexico, Chile and Yukon. 

The  Company’s  operations  are  subject  to  significant  governmental  regulation,  which  could  significantly  limit  the 
Company’s exploration and production activities. 

The  Company’s  mineral  exploration  and  development  activities  are  subject  to  governmental  approvals  and  various 
laws  and  regulations  governing  development,  operations,  taxes,  labour  standards  and  occupational  health,  mine 
safety, toxic substances, land use, water use and land claims affecting local, First Nations and Aboriginal populations.  
The liabilities and requirements associated with the laws and regulations related to these and other matters may be 
costly  and  time-consuming  and  may  restrict,  delay  or  prevent  commencement  or  continuation  of  exploration  or 
production operations.  The Company cannot provide definitive assurance  that it has been or will be at all times in 
compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.  Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may result 
in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of cleanup and site restoration costs 
and  liens,  the  issuance  of  injunctions  to  limit  or  cease  operations,  the  suspension  or  revocation  of  permits  or 
authorizations and other enforcement measures that could have the effect of limiting or preventing production from 
the Company’s operations.  The Company may incur material costs and liabilities resulting from claims for damages to 
property or injury to persons arising from the Company’s operations.  If the Company is pursued for sanctions, costs 
and liabilities in respect of these matters, the Company’s mining operations and, as a result, the Company’s financial 
performance, financial position and results of operations, could be materially and adversely affected. 

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In addition, no assurance can be given that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that existing rules and 
regulations  will  not  be  applied  in  a  manner  that  could  limit  or  curtail  the  Company’s  exploration,  development  or 
production.  Amendments to current laws, regulations and permits governing operations and activities of mining and 
exploration companies, or the more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on the 
Company and cause increases in the Company’s exploration expenses, capital expenditures or production costs or a 
reduction  in  the  levels  of  production  at  the  Company’s  producing  properties  or  require  abandonment  or  delays  in 
exploring or developing the Company’s properties. 

The Company is dependent on key management personnel. 

The Company is very dependent upon the personal efforts and commitment of the Company’s existing management 
and  the  Company’s  current  operations  and  future  prospects  depend  on  the  experience  and  knowledge  of  these 
individuals.    The  Company  does  not  maintain  any  “key  person”  insurance.    To  the  extent  that  one  or  more  of  the 
Company’s members of management are unavailable for any reason, or should the Company lose the services of any 
of them, a disruption to the Company’s operations could result, and there can be no assurance that the Company will 
be able to attract and retain a suitable replacement. 

The Company’s operations are subject to stringent environmental laws and regulations that could significantly limit the 
Company’s ability to conduct the Company’s business. 

The Company’s operations are subject to various laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment, 
exploration, development, production, taxes, labour standards, occupational health, waste disposal, safety and other 
matters.  Environmental legislation provides for restrictions and prohibitions on spills, releases or emissions of various 
substances  produced  in  association  with  certain  mining  operations,  such  as  seepage  from  tailings  disposal  areas, 
which would result in environmental pollution.  A breach of such legislation may result in the imposition of fines and 
penalties.    In  addition,  certain  of  the  Company’s  operations  require  the  submission  and  approval  of  environmental 
impact  assessments.    Environmental  legislation  is  evolving  in  the  direction  of  stricter  standards  and  enforcement, 
higher fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a 
heightened  degree  of  responsibility  for  companies  and  their  directors,  officers  and  employees.    Compliance  with 
changing  environmental  laws  and  regulations  may  require  significant  capital  outlays,  including  obtaining  additional 
permits, and may cause material changes or delays in, or the cancellation of, the Company’s exploration programs or 
current operations. 

The  Company  is  required  to  obtain,  maintain  and  renew  environmental,  construction  and  mining  permits,  which  is 
often a costly and time-consuming process. 

Mining  companies,  including  the  Company,  need  many  environmental,  construction  and  mining  permits,  each  of 
which can be time-consuming and costly to obtain, maintain and renew.  In connection with the Company’s current 
and  future  operations,  the  Company  must  obtain  and  maintain  a  number  of  permits  that  impose  strict  conditions, 
requirements  and  obligations  on  the  Company,  including  those  relating  to  various  environmental  and  health  and 
safety matters.   To obtain, maintain and renew certain permits, the Company is required to conduct environmental 
assessments pertaining to the potential impact of the Company’s current and future operations upon the environment 
and to take steps to avoid or mitigate those impacts.  For example, additional permits will be required to fully exploit 
the resources at Pinto Valley and Minto.  There is a risk that the Company will not be able to obtain such permits or 
that obtaining such permits will require more time and capital than anticipated. 

Permit terms and conditions can also impose restrictions  on how the Company conducts the Company’s operations 
and limit the Company’s flexibility in developing the Company’s mineral properties.  Many of the Company’s permits 
are  subject  to  renewal  from  time  to  time,  and  renewed  permits  may  contain  more  restrictive  conditions  than  the 
Company’s  existing  permits.    In  addition,  the  Company  may  be  required  to  obtain  new  permits  to  expand  the 
Company’s  operations,  and  the  grant  of  such  permits  may  be  subject  to  an  expansive  governmental  review  of  the 
Company’s  operations.    Alternatively,  the  Company  may  not  be  successful  in  obtaining  such  permits,  which  could 
prevent  the  Company  from  commencing  or  expanding  operations  or  otherwise  adversely  affect  the  Company’s 
business, financial condition, results of operation and prospects.  For instance, although the Minto Mine is currently 
permitted to conduct operations under its Quartz Mining Licence and two Water Use Licences, amendments to these 
licences are required in order to implement the Company’s planned mine expansion.  These amendments may not be 

- 66 - 

 
granted  by  the  Yukon  regulatory  authorities.    Further,  renewal  of  the  Company’s  existing  permits  or  obtaining  new 
permits may be more difficult if the Company is not able to comply with the Company’s existing permits.  Applications 
for permits, permit area expansions and permit renewals may be subject to challenge by interested parties, which can 
delay  or  prevent  receipt  of  needed  permits.    The  permitting  process  can  also  vary  by  jurisdiction  in  terms  of  its 
complexity and likely outcomes. 

Accordingly,  permits  required  for  the  Company’s  operations  may  not  be  issued,  maintained  or  renewed  in  a  timely 
fashion  or  at  all,  may  be  issued  or  renewed  upon  conditions  that  restrict  the  Company’s  ability  to  conduct  the 
Company’s operations economically, or may be subsequently revoked.  Any such failure to obtain, maintain or renew 
permits,  or  other  permitting  delays  or  conditions,  including  in  connection  with  any  environmental  impact  analyses, 
could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  results  of  operations,  financial  condition  and 
prospects. 

Climatic conditions can affect the Company’s operations at the Pinto Valley, Cozamin and Minto Mines.  

Arizona can be subject to period of drought.  Operations at the Pinto Valley Mine require water for normal operations.  
The  Company  has  entered  to  a  Water  Supply  Agreement  with  BHP  Copper  but  such  agreement  is  subject  to  water 
availability  and  BHP’s  own  requirements.    A  lack  of  necessary  water  for  a  prolonged  period  of  time  could  affect 
operations at the Pinto Valley Mine and materially adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.  Arizona can 
also be subject to significant rainfall which could result in flooding of pits at the Pinto Valley Mine adversely affecting 
the Company’s results of operations. 

Operations at the Cozamin Mine are also subject to adverse extreme weather conditions.  Drought has been prevalent 
in Central Mexico for years and the effects of lack of water might disrupt normal process operations.  As a proactive 
measure, Cozamin has made agreements with local government and water rights owners for the purchase and use of 
water from offsite sources.  

Operations at the Minto Mine may be subject to extreme weather conditions.  Unseasonable weather conditions may 
preclude normal work patterns and can severely limit the Company’s mining operations, resulting in additional costs 
and delays.  In the recent past, Yukon experienced extreme weather conditions that resulted in abnormally high run-
off at the Minto Mine, exceeding the normal containment capacity of the mine site.  As a result, the Company decided 
to fill the Minto Mine main pit with water, which caused the Company to cease mining operations until the Company 
obtained regulatory permission to discharge the excess waters.  Future extreme weather in Yukon could again result in 
excess run-off at the mine site, which could have an adverse effect on the results of operations at the Minto Mine and 
on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operation and prospects. 

The Company’s directors and officers may have interests that conflict with the Company’s interests. 

Certain of the Company’s directors and officers also serve as directors or officers, or have significant shareholdings in, 
other companies that are  similarly engaged in the business of acquiring, developing  and exploiting natural resource 
properties.  To the extent that such other companies may participate in ventures which the Company may participate 
in,  or  in  ventures  which  the  Company  may  seek  to  participate  in,  the  Company’s  directors  and  officers  may  have  a 
conflict of interest in negotiating and concluding terms respecting the extent of such participation.  In all cases where 
the Company’s directors and officers have an interest in other companies, such other companies may also compete 
with the Company for the acquisition of mineral property investments.  As a result of these conflicts of interest, the 
Company  may  not  have  an  opportunity  to  participate  in  certain  transactions,  which  may  have  a  material  adverse 
effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operation and prospects. 

Aboriginal title claims and rights to consultation and accommodation may affect the Company’s existing operations as 
well as development projects and future acquisitions. 

The  nature  and  extent  of  First  Nations  rights  and  title  remains  the  subject  of  active  debate,  claims  and  litigation  in 
Canada, including in British Columbia and Yukon.  The Minto Mine lies on Category A land in Yukon where the Selkirk 
First  Nation  own  both  surface  and  subsurface  rights.    The  Kutcho  Project  in  British  Columbia  lies  within  an  area 
claimed as traditional territory by both the Tahltan First Nation and the Kaska First Nation.   There is a risk that any 
land claim settlement with the Tahltan or the Kaska may adversely affect the Company’s rights to the Kutcho Project.  

- 67 - 

 
There can be no guarantee that the unsettled nature of the land claims in British Columbia and Yukon will not create 
delays in project approval or unexpected interruptions in project progress, or result in additional costs to advance the 
Company’s projects.  In many cases, environmental assessment, subsequent permitting, development and operation 
of proposed projects is only possible with the support of the local First Nations group.  In order to secure such support, 
the  Company  may  have  to  take  measures  to  limit  the  adverse  impact  to,  and  ensure  that  some  of  the  economic 
benefits of the construction and mining activity will be enjoyed by, the local First Nations group.  There is a risk that 
the First Nations may publicly oppose the proposed project at any stage and this potential opposition may adversely 
affect  the  project  or  the  Company’s  public  image.    Further,  Canadian  law  related  to  aboriginal  rights,  including 
aboriginal title rights, is in a period of change.  There is a risk that future changes to the law may adversely affect the 
Company’s rights to the Minto Mine,. 

The Company’s insurance does not cover all potential losses, liabilities and damage related to the Company’s business 
and certain risks are uninsured or uninsurable. 

In the course of exploration, development and production of mineral properties, certain risks, including rock bursts, 
cave-ins, fires, flooding and earthquakes may occur.  It is not always possible to fully insure against such risks.  The 
Company currently does not have insurance against all such risks and may decide not to take out insurance against all 
such  risks  as  a  result  of  high  premiums  or  other  reasons.    Further,  insurance  against  certain  risks,  including  those 
related to environmental matters, is generally not available to the Company or to other companies within the mining 
industry.    Losses  from  these  events  may  cause  the  Company  to  incur  significant  costs  that  could  have  a  material 
adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operation and prospects. 

Land reclamation and mine closure requirements may be burdensome and costly. 

Land reclamation and mine closure requirements are generally imposed on mining companies, such as the Company’s, 
which require the Company, among other things, to minimize the effects of land disturbance.  Such requirements may 
include controlling the discharge of potentially dangerous effluents from a site and restoring a site’s landscape to its 
pre-exploration form.  The actual costs of reclamation and mine closure are uncertain and planned expenditures may 
differ from the actual expenditures required.  Therefore, the amount that the Company is required to spend could be 
materially  higher  than  current  estimates.    Any  additional  amounts  required  to  be  spent  on  reclamation  and  mine 
closure may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial performance, financial position and results of 
operations and may cause the Company to alter the Company’s operations.  Although the Company includes liabilities 
for estimated reclamation and mine closure costs in the Company’s financial statements, it may be necessary to spend 
more than what is projected to fund required reclamation and mine closure activities. 

The Company’s operations will be adversely affected if the Company fails to maintain satisfactory labour relations. 

As of December 31, 2013, the Company had approximately 1,307 employees and approximately 626 contractors. 

The company’s workforce is  not unionized with the exception of approximately 354 of  the hourly employees at the 
Pinto Valley Mine which are members of six unions, governed by one collective bargaining agreement negotiated by 
the United Steelworkers Union. 

The  Company  cannot  predict  at  this  time  whether  the  Company  will  be  able  to  reach  new  agreements  with  the 
Company’s unionized workforce without a work stoppage or other labour unrest, and any such new agreements may 
not  be  on  terms  favourable  to  the  Company.    Additional  groups  of  non-union  employees  may  seek  union 
representation in the future.  Further, relations with employees may be affected by changes in the scheme of labour 
relations  that  may  be  introduced  by  the  relevant  governmental  authorities  in  jurisdictions  where  the  Company 
conducts  business.    Changes  in  such  legislation  or  otherwise  in  the  Company’s  relationship  with  the  Company’s 
employees may result in higher ongoing labour costs, employee turnover, strikes, lockouts or other work stoppages, 
any  of  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  results  of  operations  and  financial 
condition. 

Increased energy prices could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. 

Mining operations and facilities are intensive users of electricity and carbon-based fuels.  Energy prices can be affected 

- 68 - 

 
by numerous factors beyond the Company’s control, including global and regional supply and demand, political and 
economic  conditions,  and  applicable  regulatory  regimes.    The  prices  of  various  sources  of  energy  may  increase 
significantly from current levels.  An increase in energy prices for which the Company is not hedged could materially 
adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. 

The Company may be unable to compete successfully with other mining companies. 

The  mining  industry  is  competitive  in  all  of  its  phases.    The  Company  faces  strong  competition  from  other  mining 
companies in connection with the acquisition of properties producing, or capable of producing, metals.  Many of these 
companies  have  greater  liquidity,  greater  access  to  credit  and  other  financial  resources,  newer  or  more  efficient 
equipment,  lower  cost  structures,  more  effective  risk  management  policies  and  procedures  and/or  a  greater  ability 
than the Company to withstand losses.  The Company’s competitors may be able to respond more quickly to new laws 
or regulations or emerging technologies, or devote greater resources to the expansion or efficiency of their operations 
than the Company can.  In addition, current and potential competitors may make strategic acquisitions or establish 
cooperative relationships among themselves or with third parties.  Accordingly, it is possible that new competitors or 
alliances  among  current  and  new  competitors  may  emerge  and  gain  significant  market  share  to  the  Company’s 
detriment.  The Company may also encounter increasing competition from other mining companies in the Company’s 
efforts to hire experienced mining professionals.  Increased competition could adversely affect the Company’s ability 
to attract necessary capital funding, to acquire it on acceptable terms, or to acquire suitable producing properties or 
prospects  for  mineral  exploration  in  the  future.    As  a  result  of  this  competition,  the  Company  may  not  be  able  to 
compete successfully against current and future competitors, and any failure to do so could have a material adverse 
effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 

The Company may experience difficulties with the Company’s strategic partners. 

The Company currently operates the Santo Domingo Project through a joint ownership arrangement with KORES and 
the  Company  may  in  the  future  enter  into  additional  joint  ownership  arrangements  with  other  partners.    The 
Company is subject to the risks normally associated with the conduct of joint ownership arrangements, which include 
disagreements  with  the  Company’s  strategic  partners  on  how  to  develop,  operate  and  finance  the  Company’s  joint 
ownership  activities,  including  future  acquisitions  or  the  Santo  Domingo  Project,  and  possible  disputes  with  the 
Company’s strategic partners regarding joint ownership arrangement matters.  These disagreements and disputes may 
have an adverse effect on the Company’s ability to successfully pursue joint ownership arrangements, including the 
development of the Santo Domingo Project, which could affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of 
operation and prospects. 

The Company may experience problems integrating new acquisitions into the Company’s existing operations. 

The Company’s success at completing acquisitions will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, 
identifying acquisitions that fit the Company’s strategy, negotiating acceptable terms with the seller of the business or 
property  to  be  acquired  and  obtaining  approval  from  regulatory  authorities  in  the  jurisdictions  of  the  business  or 
property to be acquired.  Any positive effect on the Company’s results from the Company’s acquisitions, including the 
recent  Pinto  Valley  acquisition,  will  depend  on  a  variety  of  factors,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  assimilating  the 
operations of an acquired business or property in a timely and efficient manner, maintaining the Company’s financial 
and  strategic  focus  while  integrating  the  acquired  business  or  property,  implementing  uniform  standards,  controls, 
procedures  and  policies  at  the  acquired  business,  as  appropriate,  and  to  the  extent  that  the  Company  makes  an 
acquisition outside of markets in which the Company has previously operated, conducting and managing operations in 
a  new  operating  environment.    The  Pinto  Valley  Mine  was  acquired  on  an  “as  is  where  is”  basis  with  limited 
representations  and  warranties.    In  addition  the  Company  has  provided  indemnities  to  BHP  Copper  with  respect  to 
certain liabilities and has limited recourse against BHP Copper with respect to many potential liabilities related to the 
Pinto Valley Mine.  As a result, the acquisition of mineral properties, such as the Pinto Valley Mine, may subject the 
Company to unforeseen liabilities, including environmental liabilities. 

ITEM 5 - DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 

The  Company  has  neither  declared  nor  paid  any  dividends  or  distributions  on  its  common  shares  in  the  last  three 
financial  years  and  has  no  present  intention  of  paying  dividends  or  distributions  on  its  common  shares,  as  it 

- 69 - 

 
anticipates that all available funds will be invested to finance the growth of its business. 

ITEM 6 - DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE   

6.1 

General Description of Capital Structure  

The Company has an authorized capital of an unlimited number of common shares without par value, 379,853,023 of 
which were issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2013. 

Common Shares 

The  holders  of  the  common  shares  are  entitled  to  receive  notice  of  and  to  attend  and  vote  at  all  meetings  of  the 
shareholders  of  the  Company  and  each  common  share  confers  the  right  to  one  vote  in  person  or  by  proxy  at  all 
meetings of the shareholders of the Company.  The holders of the common shares, subject to the prior rights, if any, 
of the holders of any other class of shares of the Company, are entitled to receive such dividends in any financial year 
as the Board of Directors of the Company may determine.  In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the 
Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of the common shares are entitled to receive, subject to the 
prior rights, if any, of the holders of any other class of shares of the Company, the remaining property and assets of 
the Company. 

Incentive Stock Option and Bonus Share Plan  

The Company has an Incentive Stock Option and Bonus Share Plan in place which provides for the issuance of stock 
options  to  acquire  at  any  time  up  to  a  maximum  of  10%  of  the  Company’s  issued  and  outstanding  common  shares 
(subject  to  standard  anti-dilution  adjustments).    The  plan  further  allows  for  the  issuance  of  up  to  500,000  bonus 
shares in any one calendar year to employees or directors of the Company.  Any bonus shares that are issued are not 
counted in determining the number of options available to be granted under the plan. 

Deferred Share Units (“DSUs”) 

The Company has a DSU Plan which aligns the interests of non-executive directors with those of the shareholders of 
the  Company  and  provides  a  compensation  system  for  eligible  directors  that,  together  with  the  other  director 
compensation  mechanisms  of  the  Company,  is  reflective  of  the  responsibility,  commitment  and  risk  accompanying 
Board membership and the performance of the duties required of the various committees of the Board.  Directors will 
be able to redeem their DSUs only after they cease to be directors of the Company. 

Performance Share Units (“PSUs”) and Restricted Share Units (“RSUs”) 

The Company also has long-term incentive plans designed to align management’s interests with those of shareholders 
through grants of PSUs and RSUs.  The value of earned share units fluctuates with the value of the Company’s shares.  
PSUs  vest  only  when  certain  three-year  performance-based  criteria  are  achieved,  while  RSUs  vest  at  the  end  of  a 
three-year term based on the executive’s continued employment. 

ITEM 7 -MARKET FOR SECURITIES 

Common Shares - Trading Price and Volume  
The  Company’s  shares  are  listed  for  trading  through  the  facilities  of  the  Toronto  Stock  Exchange  under  the  symbol 
“CS”.  During  the  12  months  ended  December  31,  2013  and  up  to  the  date  of  this  Annual  Information  Form,  the 
Company’s common shares traded as follows: 

Month 

March 2014* 
February 2014 
January 2014 
December 2013 

Volume 

30,551,400 
31,589,900 
34,770,100 
19,253,600 

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High (C$) 

Low (C$) 

3.03 
3.15 
3.35 
3.00 

2.48 
2.75 
2.83 
2.58 

 
Month 

November 2013 
October 2013 
September 2013 
August 2013 
July 2013 
June 2013 
May 2013 
April 2013 
March 2013 
February 2013 
January 2013 

Volume 

20,260,600 
40,989,200 
28,226,100 
25,440,000 
12,734,700 
23,689,900 
35,766,600 
42,444,500 
14,360,100 
37,372,800 
36,144,304 

* includes data from March 1 to March 14, inclusive. 

High (C$) 

Low (C$) 

2.82 
2.94 
2.64 
2.38 
2.13 
2.36 
2.39 
2.37 
2.55 
2.65 
3.71 

2.60 
2.37 
2.14 
1.89 
1.78 
1.68 
1.95 
1.84 
2.24 
2.34 
2.86 

Prior Sales  
During the financial year ended December 31, 2013, the Company granted 4,917,710 stock options as follows: 

Date of Grant 

Options Granted 

Exercise Price 

January 9 
January 31 
March 25 
March 27 
June 3 
July 15 
August 23 

100,000 
250,000 
3,897,162 
76,084 
129,646 
251,052 
213,766 

$2.54 
$2.49 
$2.33 
$2.30 
$2.29 
$1.90 
$2.27 

ITEM 8 -DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS 

8.1 

Name, Occupation and Security Holding  

The name, province or state, country of residence, position or office held with the Company and principal occupation 
during the past five years of each director and executive officer of the Company are described below: 

Name and Address 

Lawrence I. 
Bell(2)(3)(4) 
British Columbia, 
Canada 
George L. Brack(2)(3) 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Office or 
Position Held 

Director 

Service as a 
Director(6) 
Since 
November 24, 
2008 

Chairman and 
Director 

Since 
May 19, 2009 

Chantal Gosselin(1)(3) 
Ontario, Canada 

Director 

Since 
July 26, 2010 

Principal Occupation 
during past five years 

Businessman;  a  director  of  Silver  Wheaton  Corp.; 
previously Chair of Canada Line Rapid Transit Project and 
Chair of BC Hydro. 

Businessman;  currently  the  Chairman  of  Capstone, 
Alexco  Resource  Corp.  and  Geologix  Explorations  Inc.;  a 
director  of  Newstrike  Capital  Inc.  and  Silver  Wheaton 
Corp. 
Previously  Vice  President  and  Portfolio  Manager  at 
Goodman  Investment  Counsel;  formerly  a  senior  mining 
analyst  at  Sun  Valley  Gold  LLP;  currently  a  director  of 
Avala Resources Ltd. and Silver Wheaton Corp. 

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Name and Address 
GookHo (GH) Lee(5) 
Ontario, Canada 

Office or 
Position Held 

Director 

Service as a 
Director(6) 
Since 
October 23, 
2012 

Kalidas 
Madhavpeddi(1)(4)(5) 
Arizona, USA 

Dale C. Peniuk(1)(2)(3) 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Darren M. Pylot 
British Columbia, 
Canada 
Richard N. 
Zimmer(4)(5) 
British Columbia, 
Canada 
Robert S. Blusson 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Cindy L. Burnett 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Gregg B. Bush 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Peter T. Hemstead 
British Columbia, 
Canada 
Jason P. Howe 
British Columbia, 
Canada 
John J. Kim 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Director 

Since 
June 1, 2012 

Director 

Since 
May 19, 2009 

President 
and CEO 
and Director 
Director 

Director since 
October 23, 
2003 
Since 
June 20, 2011 

Vice President, 
Finance 

Vice President, 
Investor 
Relations and 
Communications 

Senior Vice 
President and 
Chief Operating 
Officer 
Vice President, 
Marketing and 
Treasurer 
Vice President, 
Business 
Development 
Corporate 
Secretary 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

Principal Occupation 
during past five years 

Executive  Advisor  with  Korea  Resources  Corporation 
since  2011;  previously  Senior  Executive  Vice  President, 
Overseas  Business  Development  Division,  Raw  Materials 
Procurement Division at LS-Nikko Cooper Inc. from 2004 
to 2010. 
President,  Azteca  Consulting  LLC  from  2006;  Overseas 
CEO, China Molybdenum Co. Ltd. from 2008; ; currently a 
director  of  Namibia  Rare  Earths  Inc.,  NovaCopper  Inc. 
and NovaGold Resources Inc. 
Chartered Accountant and corporate director; a director 
of  Argonaut  Gold  Inc.  and  Lundin  Mining  Corporation; 
previously  a  Partner  with  KPMG  LLP  Chartered 
Accountants. 
President and CEO of the  Company and a  director  of the 
Company since October 2003; currently a director of Zena 
Mining Corp. 
A  director  of  Alexco  Resource  Corp.  and  Stellar  Mining 
Corp.; former President and Chief Executive Officer of Far 
West  Mining  Ltd.,  which  was  acquired  by  Capstone  in 
2011. 
Vice President, Finance of the Company since March 
2013; Corporate Controller of the Company from 
December 2008 to March 2013. 

Vice  President,  Investor  Relations  and  Communications 
since  September  2012  and  Vice  President,  Investor 
from  March  2011  to  September  2012; 
Relations 
previously Vice President, Investor Relations for Western 
Lithium  Corp.  from  August  2009  to  February  2011  and 
Investor  Relations  Consultant  from  February  2009  to 
August 2009. 
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the 
Company  since  May  2010;  previously  Chief  Operating 
Officer  of  Minefinders  Corporation  from  May  2008  to 
May 2010. 
Vice President, Marketing and Treasurer of the Company 
since November 2008. 

Vice  President,  Business  Development  of  the  Company 
since March 2009; President & CEO of Zena Mining since 
2008. 
Corporate  Secretary  of  the  Company  since  June  2010; 
previously,  Assistant  Corporate  Secretary  of  Silver 
Standard  Resources  Inc.  from  September  2007  to  May 
2008  and  October  2009  to  June  2010  and  Corporate 
Secretary from May 2008 to October 2009. 

- 72 - 

 
 
Name and Address 

Wendy A. King 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Office or 
Position Held 

Vice-President, 
Legal, Risk and 
Governance 

Service as a 
Director(6) 
N/A 

Guy R. Le Bel 
Quebec, 
Canada 
Gillian A. McCombie 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Vice President, 
Evaluations 

Vice President, 
Human 
Resources 

Brad J. Mercer 
Alberta, Canada 

Brad E. Skeeles 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Senior Vice 
President, 
Exploration 
Vice President, 
North American 
Operations 

David M. Sinitsin 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Vice President, 
Technical 
Services 

D. James Slattery 
British Columbia, 
Canada 

Senior Vice 
President and 
Chief Financial 
Officer 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

Principal Occupation 
during past five years 

Vice  President,  Legal  Governance  and  Risk  for  the 
Company  since  February  2014;  previously  Senior  Vice 
President Government Relations, General  Counsel, Chief 
Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary for Central 1 
Credit  Union  from  May  2012  to  February  2014;  Senior 
Legal  Counsel  for  Weyerhaeuser  Company  Limited  from 
2001 to 2012. 
Vice President, Evaluations for the Company since 2013;  
previously  Vice  President,  Business  Development  for 
Quadra Mining Ltd. from 2004 to 2012. 
Vice  President,  Human  Resources  of  the  Company  since 
March  2013;  previously,  Director  of  Human  Resources 
from  December  2011  to  March  2013;  Director,  Human 
Resources  with  Telus  Corporation  from  July  2007  to 
December 2011. 
Senior Vice President, Exploration of the Company since 
March 2013, Vice President, Exploration for the Company 
from November 2008 to March 2013. 
Vice  President,  North  American  Operations  for  the 
Company  since  August  2013;  previously  General 
Manager  for  Newmont’s  Hope  Bay  Project,    General 
Manager at Thompson (Inco) and Tintaya Peru(BHP). 
Vice President, Technical Services for the Company since 
February  2013;  previously  Vice  President,  Project 
Development  for  Canaco  Resources  Inc.  from  October 
2011  to  February  2013;  Director,  Project  Development 
for Silver Standard Resources Inc. from 2009 to 2011. 
Senior  Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  of  the 
Company  since  July  2013;  previously  Vice  President  and 
Chief Financial Officer of Inmet Mining Corporation. 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

Denotes members of the Audit Committee. 
Denotes members of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee. 
Denotes members of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee. 
Denotes members of the Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee. 
Denotes members of the Technical Committee. 
Each director and officer is appointed for a term of one year which expires on the date of the annual meeting of shareholders of the 
Company following his or her appointment. 

Control of Securities 

As at March 14, 2014, the directors and executive officers of the Company as a group beneficially owned, directly or 
indirectly,  or  exercised  control  or  direction  over,  an  aggregate  of  1,461,426  common  shares  of  the  Company, 
representing approximately [0.38%] of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company.  In addition, the 
directors  and  executive  officers  of  the  Company  as  a  group  held  incentive  stock  options  for  the  purchase  of  an 
aggregate of 12,947,821 common shares in the capital of the Company, which options are exercisable between C$1.30 
and C$4.48 per common share and expire between April 15, 2014 and March 22, 2020. 

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Committees of the Board of Directors 

The five committees of the Board of Directors of the Company and the directors serving on each of the committees 
are described below: 

Audit Committee 

The  members  of  the  Company’s  Audit  Committee  are  Dale  C.  Peniuk 
Kalidas Madhavpeddi. 

(Chair),  Chantal Gosselin  and 

Human Resources & Compensation Committee 

The  members  of  the  Company’s  Human  Resources  &  Compensation  Committee  are  Lawrence I. Bell  (Chair), 
George L. Brack, and Dale C. Peniuk. 

Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee 

The  members  of  the  Company’s  Corporate  Governance  &  Nominating  Committee  are  George  L.  Brack  (Chair), 
Lawrence I. Bell, Chantal Gosselin and Dale C. Peniuk. 

Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee 

The members of the Company’s Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee are  Kalidas Madhavpeddi 
(Chair), Lawrence I. Bell and Richard N. Zimmer. 

Technical Committee 

The  members  of  the  Company’s  Technical  Committee  are  Richard  N.  Zimmer  (Chair),  GookHo Lee  and 
Kalidas Madhavpeddi. 

8.2 

Cease Trade Orders, Bankruptcies, Penalties or Sanctions 

To the knowledge of the Company, no director or executive officer of the Company is, as at the date of this Annual 
Information Form, or was, within 10 years before the date of this Annual Information Form, a director, chief executive 
officer (“CEO”) or chief financial officer (“CFO”) of any company (including the Company) that: 

(a) 

(b) 

was the subject, while the director or executive officer was acting in the capacity as director, CEO or CFO 
of such company, of a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access 
to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive 
days; or 
was subject to a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any 
exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, 
that  was  issued  after  the  director  or  executive  officer  ceased  to  be  a  director,  CEO  or  CFO  but  which 
resulted from an event that occurred while the proposed director was acting in the capacity as director, 
CEO or CFO of such company. 

Other than as set out herein, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the Company’s directors or executive officers 
or  any  shareholder  holding  a  sufficient  number  of  securities  of  the  Company  to  affect  materially  the  control  of  the 
Company: 

(a) 

(b) 

is, as at the date of this Annual Information Form, or has been within 10 years before the date of this 
Annual Information Form, a director or executive officer of any company (including the Company) that, 
while  that  person  was  acting  in  that  capacity,  or  within  a  year  of  that  person  ceasing  to  act  in  that 
capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency 
or  was  subject  to  or  instituted  any  proceedings,  arrangement  or  compromise  with  creditors  or  had  a 
receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets; 
has,  within  the  10  years  before  the  date  of  this  Annual  Information  Form,  become  bankrupt,  made  a 
proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become  subject to or instituted 

- 74 - 

 
any  proceedings,  arrangement  or  compromise  with  creditors,  or  had  a  receiver,  receiver  manager  or 
trustee appointed to hold the assets of the director, executive officer or shareholder; 
has been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a 
securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory 
authority; or 
has been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely be 
considered important to a reasonable investor in making an investment decision. 

(c) 

(d) 

8.3 

Conflicts of Interest 

Certain of the Company’s directors and officers serve or may agree to serve as directors or officers of other reporting 
companies  or  have  significant  shareholdings  in  other  reporting  companies  and,  to  the  extent  that  such  other 
companies may participate in ventures in which the Company may participate, the directors of the Company may have 
a conflict of interest in negotiating and concluding terms respecting the extent of such participation.  In the event that 
such a conflict of interest arises at a meeting of the Company’s directors, a director who has such a conflict will abstain 
from  voting  for or against the approval of  such participation or such terms and  such director  will not participate in 
negotiating and concluding terms of any proposed transaction.  From time to time, several companies may participate 
in the acquisition, exploration and development of natural resource properties thereby allowing for their participation 
in  larger  programs,  permitting  involvement  in  a  greater  number  of  programs  and  reducing  financial  exposure  in 
respect of any one program.  It may also occur that a particular company will assign all or a portion of its interest in a 
particular  program  to  another  of  these  companies  due  to  the  financial  position  of  the  company  making  the 
assignment.    Under  the  laws  of  the  Province  of  British  Columbia,  the  directors  of  the  Company  are  required  to  act 
honestly,  in  good  faith  and  in  the  best  interests  of  the  Company.  In  determining  whether  or  not  the  Company  will 
participate in a particular program and the interest therein to be acquired by it, the directors will primarily consider 
the degree of risk to which the Company may be exposed and its financial position at that time. See also “Describe the 
Business - Risk Factors”. 

ITEM 9 - AUDIT COMMITTEE INFORMATION 

9.1 

Audit Committee Charter 

The Company’s Audit Committee has a charter (the “Audit Committee Charter”) in the form attached to this Annual 
Information Form as Schedule “A”. 

9.2 

Composition of the Audit Committee 

The following are the members of the Audit Committee: 

Dale C. Peniuk (Chair) 

Chantal Gosselin 

Independent(1) 
Independent(1) 
Independent(1) 

Financially literate(1) 
Financially literate(1) 
Financially literate(1) 

Kalidas Madhavpeddi 
(1)  As defined by National Instrument 52-110 - Audit Committees (“NI 52-110”). 

9.3 

Relevant Education and Experience  

Dale C. Peniuk 

Mr. Peniuk is a chartered accountant and corporate director.  In addition to the Company, Mr. Peniuk currently serves 
on  the  Board  and  as  Audit  Committee  Chair  of  Lundin  Mining  Corporation  and  Argonaut  Gold  Inc.    Mr.  Peniuk 
obtained a B.Comm from the University of British Columbia in 1982 and his Chartered Accountant designation from 
the  Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants  of  British  Columbia  in  1986,  and  spent  more  than  20  years  with  KPMG  LLP, 
Chartered Accountants and predecessor firms, the last 10 of which as an assurance partner. 

- 75 - 

 
Chantal Gosselin 

Ms.  Gosselin  was  formerly  Vice  President  and  Portfolio  Manager  at  Goodman  Investment  Counsel.    She  previously 
held the position of senior mining analyst, at Sun Valley Gold LLP, a precious metals focused investment fund.  From 
May 2006 to March 2008, Ms. Gosselin was a senior mining analyst and partner of Genuity Capital Markets. Prior to 
joining  Genuity,  she  held  positions  as  a  mining  analyst  with  Haywood  Securities  Inc.  and  Dundee  Securities 
Corporation.  Between 1992 and 2000, she held various management positions in North, Central and South America 
for Blackhawk Mining Inc., Pan American Silver Corporation, Dynatec Mining Corporation and Aur Resources Inc. She 
holds a MBA in business administration from Concordia University, a Chartered Investment Manager accreditation and 
a BSc. in mining engineering from Laval University. 

Kalidas Madhavpeddi 

Mr. Madhavpeddi is President of Azteca Consulting LLC and Overseas CEO for China Molybdenum Inc., a former Senior 
Vice  President  of  Business  Development  at  Phelps  Dodge  Corporation,  former  President  of  Phelps  Dodge  Wire  and 
Cable  and  Senior  Vice  President  of  Phelps  Dodge  Sales  Company  and  other  various  technical  and  engineering 
positions.    He  holds  a  M.S.,  Industrial  Management  and  Engineering  from  the  University  of  Iowa,  and  a  B.S.,  Civil 
Engineering  from  the  Indian  Institute  of  Technology  in  Madras,  India  and  completed  the  advanced  management 
program at Harvard Business School. 

9.4 

Reliance on Certain Exemptions  

At  no  time  since  the  commencement  of  the  Company’s  most  recently  completed  financial  year  has  the  Company 
relied on an exemption in Section 2.4 of NI 52-110 (De Minimis Non-audit Services), Section 3.2 of NI 52-110 (Initial 
Public Offerings), Section 3.3(2) of NI 52-110 (Controlled Companies), Section 3.4 of NI 52-110 (Events Outside Control 
of Member), Section 3.5 of NI 52-110 (Death, Disability or Resignation of Audit Committee Member) or Section 3.6 of 
NI  52-110  (Temporary  Exemption  for  Limited  and  Exceptional  Circumstances),  or  an  exemption  from  NI  52-110,  in 
whole  or  in  part,  granted  under  Part  8  of  NI  52-110  (Exemptions)  or  on  Section  3.8  of  NI  52-110  (Acquisition  of 
Financial Literacy). 

9.5 

Audit Committee Oversight 

At no time since the commencement of the Company’s most recently completed financial year was a recommendation 
of the Committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor not adopted by the Board of Directors. 

9.6 

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures 

The Audit Committee pre-approves all non-audit services to be provided by the Company’s external auditor and has 
established policies and procedures accordingly. 

9.7 

External Auditors Service Fees (By Category) 

The aggregate fees billed by  the Company’s external auditors in the last two fiscal years ended December 31,  2013 
and 2012 are as follows: 

Financial Year Ending 

Audit Fees(1) 

December 31, 2013 

C$839,000 

December 31, 2012 

C$504,000 

Audit Related 
Fees(2) 

C$533,000 

C$129,000 

Tax Fees(3) 

All Other Fees 

C$42,000 

C$108,000 

C$86,000 

C$28,000 

(1)  The aggregate audit fees billed for the audit of the financial statements for the financial year indicated, including with respect to 

the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

(2)  The aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review 

of the Company’s financial statements which are not included under the heading “Audit Fees”. 

(3)  The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.  The work performed 

in each year was assistance in the preparation and review of Capstone’s tax returns. 

- 76 - 

 
ITEM 10 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS  

Legal Proceedings 

The Company is not subject to any legal proceedings as of December 31, 2013, and was not subject to any proceedings 
throughout the recently completed financial year. 

The directors and the management know of no active or pending proceedings against  anyone that might materially 
adversely affect an interest of the Company. 

Regulatory Actions 

As of December 31, 2013, the Company is not subject to: 

 

 

 

any penalties or sanctions imposed against the Company by a court relating to securities legislation or by a 
securities regulatory authority during the financial year ended December 31, 2013; or 

any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body against the Company that would likely 
be considered important to a reasonable investor in making an investment decision; or 

settlement agreements the  Company entered into before  a court relating to securities  legislation or with a 
securities regulatory authority during the financial year ended December 31, 2013. 

ITEM 11 - INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Except as otherwise disclosed herein, no director, executive officer or principal shareholder of the Company, or any 
associate or affiliate of the foregoing, have had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction within the 
three  most  recently  completed  financial  years  or  during  the  current  financial  year  prior  to  the  date  of  this  Annual 
Information Form that has materially affected or will materially affect the Company. 

ITEM 12 - TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR 

The  Company’s  transfer  agent  and  registrar  is  Computershare  Investor  Services  Inc.,  3rd  Floor,  510  Burrard  Street, 
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B9.  The Company has appointed Computershare Investor Services Inc., 11th Floor, 
100 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1 as its co-transfer agent and registrar. 

ITEM 13 - MATERIAL CONTRACTS  

Contracts of the Company, other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, that are material to 
the Company and that were entered into by the Company between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013, or before 
that time, but that are still in effect are listed below: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Shareholders’  Agreement  between  the  Company,  KORES,  Korea  Chile  Mining  Corporation  and 
0908113 BC Ltd. dated June 17, 2011 with respect to the ownership of the Santo Domingo Project. 

Second  Amended  and  Restated  Credit  Agreement  between  Capstone,  The  Bank  of  Nova  Scotia,  Bank  of 
Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, HSBC Bank Canada, Citibank, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 
Canadian  Branch,  JP  Morgan  Chase  Bank,  N.A.,  Export  Development  Canada,  Mizulo  Bank,  Ltd.  and  the 
several lenders from time to time party thereto, dated April 4, 2013.  For further information see the section 
entitled “General Development of the Business - Three Year History”. 

Purchase Agreement between the Company, Capstone US Acquisition Corp and BHP Mining Corp. dated April 
28, 2013 with respect to the acquisition of the Pinto Valley Mine. 

ITEM 14 - INTERESTS OF EXPERTS 

Deloitte LLP, Chartered Accountants, have prepared an auditor’s report dated February 20, 2014, on the Company’s 
annual comparative consolidated financial statements  as  of and for the year ended December 31,  2013  which have 
been  filed  on  SEDAR.    Deloitte  LLP  have  confirmed  they  are  independent  with  respect  to  the  Company  within  the 

- 77 - 

 
meaning of the rules of professional conduct of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. 

Names of Experts  

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  persons  or  companies  named  as  having  prepared  or  certified  a  statement,  report  or 
valuation  in  this  Annual  Information  Form,  either  directly  or  in  a  document  incorporated  by  reference,  and  whose 
profession  or  business  gives  authority  to  the  statement,  report  or  valuation  made  by  the  person  or  company: 
Jeffrey L. Woods,  CP,  Jenna  Hardy,  P.Geo.,  Robert  C.  Sim,  P.Geo.,  Gordon  Doerksen,  P.Eng.,  Wayne  Barnett,  PhD, 
Pr.Sci.Nat,  Michael  Levy,  PE,  Dino  Pilotto,  P.Eng.,  David  Brimage,  MAusIMM,  Iouri Iakovlev,  P.Eng.,  Marek  Nowak, 
P.Eng.,  Scott  Carlisle,  P.Eng.,  Cameron  C.  Scott,  P.Eng.,  Garth Kirkham,  P.Geo.,  Michael  Makarenko,  P.Eng., 
Ali Sheykholeslami, P.Eng., Hoe Teh, P.Eng., Guangwen (Gordon) Zhang, P.Eng., Carlos Chaparro, P.Eng., Daniel Jarratt, 
P.Eng.,  David  Archibald,  R.P.Bio  (BC),  Frank  Palkovits,  P.Eng.,  Brad  J.  Mercer,  P.Geol.,  Robert  B.  Barnes,  P.Eng., 
John Sagman,  P.Eng.,  David  W.  Rennie,  P.Eng.,  John  Nilsson,  P.Eng.,  Art  Winkers,  P.Eng.,  Michael  Davies,  P.Eng., 
John Eggert,  P.Eng.,  Bill  Hodgson,  P.Eng.,  George  Darling  P.Eng.,  Lane  Maxemiuk,  P.Eng.,  Ali  Shahkar,  P.  Eng,, 
Pooya Mohseni,  MBA,  MASc,  P.Eng.,  Bruce  Andrew  Murphy,  FSAIMM,  Colleen  Roche,  P.Eng.,  Mel  Lawson,  QP, 
Sebastien Tolgyesi, P.Eng. and John Wright, P.Eng. 

Interests of Experts  

Except  as  otherwise  disclosed  below,  none  of  the  experts  named  under  “Names  of  Experts”,  when  or  after  they 
prepared the statement, report or valuation, has received any registered or beneficial interests, direct or indirect, in 
any  securities  or  other  property  of  the  Company  or  of  one  of  the  Company’s  associates  or  affiliates  (based  on 
information provided to the Company by the experts) or is or is expected to be elected, appointed or employed as a 
director, officer or employee of the Company or of any associate or affiliate of the Company. 

Brad  J.  Mercer,  P.Geol.,  is  the  Senior  Vice  President,  Exploration  of  the  Company  and,  as  of  the  date  hereof,  held 
62,339 common shares of the Company and 718,666 stock options exercisable into common shares of the Company. 

Colleen Roche, M. Eng., P.Eng., is the Manager of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs of the Company and, as of 
the  date  hereof,  held  3,126  common  shares  of  the  Company  and  179,023  stock  options  exercisable  into  common 
shares of the Company. 

Sebastien Tolgyesi, P.Eng., is the Minto Mine Manager for Minto Explorations Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the 
Company and, as of the date hereof, held no common shares of the Company and 54,470 stock options exercisable 
into common shares of the Company. 

Pooya Mohseni, MBA, MASc, P.Eng., is the Chief Engineer for Minto Explorations Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of 
the Company and, as of the date hereof, held no common shares of the Company and 8,047 stock options exercisable 
into common shares of the Company. 

John Wright, P.Eng., is the Business Development Manager of the Company and, as of the date hereof, held 98,750 
common shares of the Company and 405,340 stock options exercisable into common shares of the Company. 

ITEM 15 - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Additional information relating to the Company may be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 

Additional  information,  including  directors’  and  officers’  remuneration  and  indebtedness,  principal  holders  of  the 
Company’s  securities,  and  securities  authorized  for  issuance  under  equity  compensation  plans,  where  applicable,  is 
contained in the Company’s Information Circular for its most recent annual general meeting of security holders that 
involved the election of directors.  Additional financial information is provided in the Company’s consolidated financial 
statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2013. 

- 78 - 

 
SCHEDULE “A” 

CAPSTONE MINING CORP. 
(the “Company”) 

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER  

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

Each  member  of  the  Audit  Committee  (the  “Committee”)  shall  be  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  in 
good  standing,  and  all  of  the  members  of  the  Committee  shall  be  independent  in  order  to  serve  on  the 
Committee. 

All members of the Committee shall be financially literate. 

Review  the  Committee’s  charter  annually,  reassess  the  adequacy  of  this  charter,  and  recommend  any 
proposed changes to the Board of Directors.  Consider changes that are necessary as a result of new laws or 
regulations. 

The Committee shall meet at least four times per year, and each time the Company proposes to issue a press 
release with its quarterly or annual earnings information.  These meetings may be combined with regularly 
scheduled meetings, or more frequently as circumstances may require.  The Committee may ask members of 
the Management or others to attend the meetings and provide pertinent information as necessary. 

Conduct  executive  sessions  with  the  external  auditors,  outside  counsel,  and  anyone  else  as  desired  by  the 
Committee. 

The Committee shall be authorized to hire outside counsel or other consultants as necessary (this may take 
place any time during the year). 

Approve  all  services  provided  by  the  external  auditors,  including  tax  and  other  non-audit  services.    Review 
and  evaluate  the  performance  of  the  external  auditors  and  review  with  the  full  Board  of  Directors  any 
proposed discharge of the external auditors. 

Review  with  the  Management  the  policies  and  procedures  with  respect  to  officers’  expense  accounts  and 
perquisites, including their use of corporate assets, and consider the results of any review of these areas by 
the external auditors. 

Receive  a  report  annually  from  Management  of  all  accounting  firms  employed,  other  than  the  principal 
external auditors, with such report to include the nature of the services performed and the fees charged. 

Inquire  of  the  Management  and  the  external  auditors  about  significant  risks  or  exposures  facing  the 
Company;  assess  the  steps  the  Management  has  taken  or  proposes  to  take  to  minimize  such  risks  to  the 
Company; and periodically review compliance with such steps. 

Review  with  the  external  auditors,  the  audit  scope  and  plan  of  the  external  auditors.    Address  the 
coordination of the audit efforts to assure the completeness of coverage, reduction of redundant efforts, and 
the effective use of audit resources. 

Inquire  regarding  the  “quality  of  earnings”  of  the  Company  from  a  subjective  as  well  as  an  objective 
standpoint. 

Review with the external auditors: (a) the adequacy of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting 
including computerized information systems controls and security; and (b) any related significant findings and 
recommendations of the external auditors together with the Management’s responses thereto. 

Review  with  the  Management  and  the  external  auditors  the  effect  of  any  regulatory  and  accounting 
initiatives, as well as off-balance-sheet structures, if any. 

Review with the Management, the external auditors, the interim and annual financial report before it is filed 
with the regulatory authorities. 

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16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

Review with the external auditors that perform an audit: (a) all critical accounting policies and practices used 
by  the  Company;  and  (b)  all  alternative  treatments  of  financial  information  within  generally  accepted 
accounting principles that have been discussed with the Management of the Company, the ramifications of 
each alternative and the treatment preferred by the Company. 

Review all material written communications between the external auditors and the Management. 

Review with the Management and the external auditors: (a) the Company’s annual financial statements and 
related footnotes; (b) the external auditors’ audit of the financial statements and their report thereon; (c) the 
external  auditors’  judgments  about  the  quality,  not  just  the  acceptability,  of  the  Company’s  accounting 
principles  as  applied  in  its  financial  reporting;  (d)  any  significant  changes  required  in  the  external  auditors’ 
audit plan; and (e) any serious difficulties or disputes with the Management encountered during the audit. 

Periodically review the Company’s code of conduct to ensure that it is adequate and up-to-date. 

Review  the  procedures  for  the  receipt,  retention,  and  treatment  of  complaints  received  by  the  Company 
regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters that may be submitted by any party 
internal  or  external  to  the  organization.    Review  any  complaints  that  might  have  been  received,  current 
status, and resolution if one has been reached. 

Review procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the organization of concerns 
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.  Review any submissions that have been received, the 
current status, and resolution if one has been reached. 

Review  and  approve  hiring  policies  for  employees  or  former  employees  of  the  past  and  present  external 
auditors. 

Receive a report annually from the external auditors confirming their independence and actively engage in a 
dialogue  with  the  external  auditors  as  to  any  disclosed  relationships  or  services  that  may  impact  their 
independence.    Ensure  the  external  auditors  are  not  engaged  to  provide  non-audit  services  for  which  the 
applicable securities legislation prohibits them from providing. 

24. 

The Committee will perform such other functions as assigned by law, the Company’s articles, or the Board of 
Directors. 

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