Highlights

 Prairie Creek Mine and Airstrip

The Prairie Creek Mine is an advanced-staged zinc-lead-silver property located in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The Mine and related infrastructure are surrounded by the Nahanni National Park Reserve, which was expanded in 2009 with the Government of Canada providing legislative assurance that upon successful permitting, CZN would have the rights to operate and access the Prairie Creek Mine. CZN has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Parks Canada in July 2008 and a continuation of that MOU in March 2012 in which both Parks Canada and CZN support a balanced approach to resource development and conservation.

CZN has also signed two Impact Benefit Agreements (IBA) with two First Nations Bands providing strong local support for the Project's development. In January 2011, CZN signed an IBA with the Nahanni Butte Dene Band, situated approximately 100 kilometres southeast of the Prairie Creek Mine. The Nahanni Butte Dene Band are the traditional stakeholders of the land around the Prairie Creek Mine. Later in 2011, CZN signed an IBA with the Liidlii Kue First Nation of Fort Simpson, NWT, located approximately 250 kilometres east of the Project. CZN also signed a Socio-Economic Agreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories later in 2011. All of these agreements are in place to provide economic benefits and opportunities to the residents of the region and can be further reviewed in the Agreements/ Support page.

Regional Northwest Territories Map

Regional Map Showing Prairie Creek Mine, Surrounded by, but Excluded From the Nahanni National Park

Infrastructure

The Prairie Creek Mine has the majority of the required infrastructure in place which includes:

• 1,000 tonne per day Mill
• 5 kilometres of underground workings and related equipment
• Heavy duty and light duty surface fleetPrairie Creek Mine Infrastructure
• 3 exploration Diamond Drills and related drilling supplies
• 1000 metre Airstrip  
• 180-kilometres Access Road
• 50 kilometres of exploration roads
• Fully equipped Administration & Warehouse buildings
• 120-man accommodations
• 6.8 million litre fuel Tank Farm
• 450,000 m³ engineered capacity Water Storage Pond
• 200-year storm-protective Dyke along Mine Site
• Modern Satellite and Repeater Tower communication equipment 

Drilling Programs

In 2006 and 2007, the Company carried out major drilling and development programs at Prairie Creek including driving a new 600 metre underground decline which enabled a significant underground exploration and infill drilling program to occur. This $18.7 million investment over the two year drilling program confirmed a Measured & Indicated resource classification for a minimum 10 year mine life with the significant possibility of extending the life of the mine.

Surface diamond drilling campaigns were initiated in the 2010 and continue through 2012 with the purpose of expanding the known resource and confirming a further 1.5 kilometre extension of the Mineralized Quartz Vein structure.

Technical Reports

A Technical Report (the "Report") dated June 15, 2012, was prepared by AMC Consultants, with J. Morton Shannon, P.Geo., Dinara Nussipakynova, P.Geo., Barrie Hancock, P.Eng. and Byard MacLean, P.Eng. as the Qualified Persons, all independent of Canadian Zinc. This report updated the prior December 28, 2011 Technical Report (Alan Taylor, P.Geo. - Qualified Non-Independent Person).

The Report indicates that the Prairie Creek Property host Measured and Indicated Resources of 5.43 million tonnes grading 10.8% zinc, 10.2% lead, 160 grams silver per tonne and 0.31% copper, which includes a reserve of 5.22 million tonnes averaging 9.4% zinc, 9.5% lead, 151 grams silver per tonne. In addition, the Report confirms a large Inferred Resource of 6.24 million tonnes grading 14.5% zinc, 11.5% lead, 229 grams per tonne silver and 0.57% copper and additional exploration potential. 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.

 NI 43-101 June 15, 2012 (Click to Read Report)

CZN holds permits for the exploration, development and draft permits for the operation of the Prairie Creek Mine, and the Company is moving through the final regulatory permitting stage to operate the Mine. For more detail on these applications please refer to our Permitting/ Permits section on this website.  The Company has successfully progressed through numerous Environmental Assessments for permitting, hence a detailed environmental database has been established which will prepare the Project well for future operations.