l i 3 copper for the past two years we have been conducting an extensive explora tion and development program on the northern end of vancouver island in british columbia canada last year our efforts were rewarded as we defined an area within the bay claims now called island copper which showed significant copper mineralization since that time a pro gram of closely spaced drilling has revealed a copper ore body containing approximately 180 million tons of ore assaying 52 copper and 025 molybdenum sulfide our drilling program still continues as the ore body remains to be defined precisely this deposit is recoverable by open pit methods and a mining plan is being developed in order to investigate fully the mining conditions which will be en countered and to obtain ore for a metallurgical pilot plant testing pro gram a test shaft has been sunk on the property to a depth of 200 feet over 1100 feet of drifts crosscuts and raises have been driven we have shipped samples of the ore mined from the shaft and drifts to utah's pilot plant at cedar city utah for tests which will aid in the design of the mill flow sheet production rates from 20,000 to 35,000 tons per day are under investigation traditionally copper is not sold under long-term contracts instead it is usually sold on a basis which relates to quoted market prices with respect to island copper feasibility studies and marketing surveys now being con ducted should permit a decision early in 1969 as to whether to proceed with mining operations an affirmative decision could result in commencement of mining andmill ing operations during the first half of 1971 on the northern coast of vancouver island geologists examine a rock fac ground in a development shaft on the island copper property the shaft wat ground level and exploratory drifts over 1100 feet in length were drilled ore approximately 30 feet unde jltimately sunk 220 feet beloi 180 million tons