Cominco discovered the Wrigley Property in 1972 after reconnaissance work had located promising Zn/Pb showings along fault linears within Middle Devonian carbonates. An escalating field work program during 1972 to 1974 consisted of geological mapping, prospecting, geochemistry, geophysics and 42 diamond drill holes totalling 16,018 ft (4,883.5m). It was concluded in 1974 that the mineralization was restricted to the linear fault zones and had "about a 10,000,000 ton potential maximum in presently indicated structures and reasonable projections”. (Hugh Morris – internal Cominco file note – July, 1974.). This must be considered speculative at this stage and not be considered as an “Inferred Mineral Resource”.
Total project expenditures were about Cdn$1,000,000. All of the work was excellently performed and documented. The claims were converted to mining leases in 1985.
In 1987 Equinox Resources optioned the property but apparently carried out no field work.
The property lay dormant until 2003 when Aurora Resources obtained the property from Teck/Cominco and, in 2007, proceeded to further develop Bourne and 12 North Zones by reverse circulation and diamond drilling.
In 2003 the leases were purchased outright for cash from the successor company, Teck Cominco Ltd. Devonian Metals Inc now owns a one hundred percent interest in the leases, subject only to payment to Teck Cominco Ltd. of a 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty on concentrate sales.
The property is comprised of two, guaranteed-renewable Canada mining leases, ML3168 and ML3169, with a total area of 1,132 hectares. These were renewed on September 19, 2005 and will remain in good standing until September 19, 2026. These extensive areas of flat land surrounding the mineralized ridge allow plenty of room for any contemplated operations.
Wrigley is sited at elevation 493 feet ASL on the east bank of the Mackenzie River, some 185 kilometres north of Fort Simpson, at the extreme north end of the Territorial all-weather highway system. It has a population of about 110, modest community facilities and services, an active, lighted airstrip and a float plane dock. It will become a jumping-off point for the construction of the projected all-weather highway and oil and gas pipeline corridor to the Arctic Coast, expected to commence in the next few years.
The completion of the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline will bring inexpensive wholesale energy to Wrigley, and will dramatically reduce energy-related operating costs. We expect that this could make the Wrigley project the lowest-operating cost mine in the Northwest Territories.
At this latitude winters are long and cold, with light snowfall and shortened daylight hours, but are not seriously limiting or unpleasant to many. Summers are pleasantly warm and dry with long periods of daylight. Generally, operating conditions are little different from those at Edmonton, Alberta, and significantly milder than those routinely managed at the Ekati and Diavik mines located some 600 km to the northeast.