Mining and Geology

PROJECT DSCRIPTION

In October 2007, Aurizon Mines Ltd commissioned BBA to undertake a preliminary assessment of the Joanna gold mining project near the town of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The objective of the assessment was to assess the potential in-pit mineral resources for a stand-alone open-pit operation. The study's technical report was prepared in compliance with the guidelines set out under the National Instrument "Form 43-101F1 Technical Report" for the Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Section 143, of the Security Act of the Ontario Securities Commission.

The scope of work included the following:

• Transfer of the Hosco et Heva geological models and topographic divides into the MineSight/MedSystem software
• Development of the economic model and pit optimization using the Lerchs-Grossman 3D (LG 3D) algorithm (MineSight/MedSystem)
• Detailed pit design
• Compilation of mine reserves
• Assessment of the mining dilution
• Yearly mine planning until the exhaustion of reserves
• Design of the tailings area
• Selection of mining equipment and determination of equipment requirements
• Estimation of capital and operating costs within +/-30 %
• Production of a report compliant with Form 43-101, and production of drawings.