Commencing in the 1980s, a variety of studies of water quality, flora, fauna and other environmental parameters were conducted on the Pickle Crow Property by several organizations, including SENES (1987-88), Que-Tech (2000), Lakefield (2000), Niblett (2001), Golder Associates (2001), Enviro Test, and DST (2002).  These studies found that, in spite of the history of mining on the Property, water quality is generally very good to excellent, and the historic activities are having no adverse effect on water quality.  Local populations of flora and fauna are healthy.  Moreover, the historic tailings are benign in terms of Acid Rock Drainage.  This is believed due to the presence in the mineralization of significant volumes of carbonate minerals, which acts to buffer any acid generated by oxidization of sulphide minerals, coupled with the fact that the sulphide content of the quartz vein material historically mined from the Property was low, at generally less than 2%. 

As encouraging as these studies may be, they cannot be considered definitive, and additional environmental studies are underway.   The Company is in the process of completing an “Inactive Production” closure plan previously filed by Cantera Mining Limited, a previous owner of the Pickle Crow Property, in 2002 as an incomplete “Production” closure plan with the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (“MNDMF”). In keeping with its obligations under the Mining Act (Ontario), the Company has retained DST Consulting Engineers Inc. to prepare a closure plan amendment for submission to the MNDMF. This work is expected to provide for additional site assessment and environmental monitoring (soils, groundwater, surface water and aquatic resources), development of rehabilitation plans, and possibly other measures required for the further advancement of the Pickle Crow Property.