Project Summary
The Company's principle focus is to advance the Prairie Creek Mine, a zinc-silver-lead property located in the Northwest Territories, Canada, towards production. The Prairie Creek Mine was largely constructed and permitted with an existing 1,000 tonne per day mill and related infrastructure that was placed on care & maintenance in 1982 due to declining metal prices. The Company aquired a 100% interest in the project in 1993 and since this time has been expanding the resource and re-permitting the operation. In 2006 and 2007, the Company carried out major programs at Prairie Creek including driving a new internal decline approximately 600 metres, which enabled a significant underground exploration and infill drilling program to occur. A total of CDN $18.7 million was invested in Prairie Creek in 2006 and 2007.
A Technical Report (the "Report") dated October 12, 2007, was prepared by MineFill Services Inc (David Stone and Stephen Godden - Qualified Independent Persons), to National Instrument 43-101 standards, following the results of part of the 2007 drilling program. The Report indicates that the Prairie Creek Property host Measured and Indicated Resources of 5,840,329 tonnes grading 10.71% zinc, 9.90% lead, 161.12 grams silver per tonne and 0.326% copper. In addition, the Report confirms a large Inferred Resource of 5,541,576 tonnes grading 13.53% zinc, 11.43% lead, 215 grams per tonne silver and 0.514% copper and additional exploration potential. The Measured and Indicated Resource is capable of supporting a mine life of 14 years at the planned 1,000 - 1,300 tonnes per day production rate
The Report has been filed on SEDAR and may be viewed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com, or on the Company's website at www.canadianzinc.com.
Although the Company holds permits for the exploration and development of the Prairie Creek Property, the Company does not have all the permits necessary to operate the mine. Tthe Company has applied to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board for permits that will allow the operation of the mine. For more detail on these applications please refer to our Permitting section on this website. The Company has entered into numerous Environmental Assessments for permitting, hence a detailed environmental database has been established which will prepare it well for future operations.
The Prairie Creek Project is located in an environmentally sensitive remote area in the Mackenzie Mountains, within the watershed of the South Nahanni River and in proximity to, but outside, the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Nahanni National Park Reserve has expanded, see press release of June 9, 2009 click here, to completely surround the Prairie Creek Mine, however the Government of Canada has assured Canadian Zinc of its 3rd party rights to operate and access the Prairie Creek Mine. The mine is located in the Northwest Territories in an area which is claimed by the Deh Cho First Nations as their traditional territory. No land claim settlement agreement has been reached between Canada and the Deh Cho.
The Company continues to steadily advance the Prairie Creek Mine towards eventual production. Canadian Zinc Corporation recognizes the extreme sensitivities of its location and feels confident that development can co-exist with conservation and that one need not threaten the other. Even though the Prairie Creek Property has an extensive history there still remains excellent potential to discover further additional mineral resources that will supply a producing mine for many years to come.
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