Selections

The selections in the left column offer information and services for the
mining industry. The 'Evaluation Tools!' selection is offered on a fee for
service basis. All other sections are available at no charge. The following
selections are available:

Home - This selection returns to the Forte Mining front page.

About Forte Mining - This selection provides information about the
business of Forte Development Inc. It also details potential advantages
that clients may gain by working with the 'Evaluation Tools!'. Additionally,
it describes the process of working with the example 'Open Pit Module'.

Evaluation Tools! - This selection provides access to the 'Mining Modules'.
The 'Mining Modules' consist of the 'Open Pit Module', 'Crushing Module',
'Processing Module', 'Maintenance Module', 'Administration Module',
'Smelting Module', 'Cashflow Module', and 'Taxation Module'.
'Evaluation Tools!' is available to clients on an houly, daily, or monthly basis.

User's Guide - This selection provides information about the web-site,
descriptions of the selections, information on setting up an account for using
'Evaluation Tools!', and detailed information on working with the
example 'Open Pit Module'.

Links and Suppliers - This selection provides access to suppliers to
the mining industry. In most cases, a link is provided to the manufacturer's
web-site. In some cases, the supplier's address and phone number are supplied.

Library - This selection provides links to mining related publications
and websites, mineral and other data, local newspapers, and geological
and related institutions throughout the world.

Mining Gallery - This selection provides a collection of photographs
relating to the mining industry and recent and past project developments.

Contact Forte Mining - This selection provides a direct connection to
the people at Forte Development. If you require specific troubleshooting
information or assistance while working with the modules, our research
and development staff are available to assist.

Rates and Fees

The 'Evaluation Tools!' are available on an hourly usage fee, daily usage fee,
or monthly usage fee basis. The modules are structured such that an experienced
user can generate meaningful results for a potential mineral development in less
than eight hours. Special limited access is available to potential clients, for the
purpose of training and evaluating the service, by contacting Forte
Development Inc. Please contact us for details regarding access rates
and training programs.

Working with the 'Open Pit Module'

The 'Open Pit Module' requires the following inputs:

Company Name - This identifier should describe the entity primarily
interested in the evaluation. The entity may be an exploration company,
mining company, engineering consultant, financial institution,
government department, or educational body.

Project Name - This identifier should clearly identify the project. The
Project Name may be an exploration project, an existing mine, a prospect,
or any other location-specific entity.

Revision Number - This identifier, together with the 'Project Name',
should uniquely identify the project. If a number of variations exist for
the same project, they should have unique revision numbers. Revision
Numbers may be any combination of numbers and letters.

Evaluator's Name - This identifier should refer to the individual
conducting the evaluation (optional).

Reference Date - This date is distinctive from, and defaults to,
the evaluation date. The evaluation date is the date which the
evaluation was performed. The reference date is the date to which
all of the costs are escalated. The reference date must be no earlier
than the Year 2005 and no later than the current year.

Country and Region - This is the country in which the mineral
property is located and the province, state, or region of the country.

Elevation - The average elevation of the property, in metres.

Distance to a Major Center or Port - This is the distance to a central
business location that can provide supplies and services to industry,
or a port capable of supporting industry, in kilometers.

Access Road Requirement - This is the requirement to construct
or upgrade an existing road to support a mining operation, in kilometers.

Property Area - This is the size of the active property, in hectares.
This area should exclude land which is expected to be untouched by
mining or exploration activity, but should include interstitial areas
with secondary contact.

Distance to Power Source - This is the distance to a power source
capable of providing the total site power, in kilometers. In typical
terms in a developed country, the local distribution network will be
insufficient, but the regional distribution network should be capable
or near-capable. Depending on location, as this distance increases,
the power source defaults to diesel generation.

Distance to a Natural Gas Line - This is the distance to a primary
natural gas distribution line, in kilometers. Depending on location,
as this distance increases, the heating source defaults to diesel, electric
and/or heat recovery.

Distance to a Water Source and Lift Required - This is the distance
to a sustainable sufficient water supply, in kilometers. This may be a
reservoir, river, well source, pipeline, etc. If the source elevation is
below the property elevation, the lift elevation will be required, in meters.

Contained Metals - Contained metals may be either percentage based
or grams-per-tonne based. Examples of percentage-based metals are
base metals such as copper, zinc, lead, and nickel. Examples of
grams-per-tonne based metals are precious metals such as gold,
silver, and platinum.

Pit Identifiers - In the case of multiple pits, each pit may be named
for convenience. Alternatively, the pits are numbered by default.

Pit Parameters - For each pit, information is required regarding each
pushback such as depth of pushback, and pushback floor width and length,
all in metres. Also, for each pit, the overburden cover and the distance to
the plant, crusher, heap, overburden and waste dumps is required, all in
metres. For each pit, the location of the ore blocks in relation to the pit
depth is required. For example, 20% of the ore zone may be located
between 30% and 50% of the ultimate depth.

Ore Zone Classification - These identifiers should categorize
mineralization or potential processing differences. Each category may
exist in any or all of the pits. Examples of differences in category are
grade differences which may lead to different processing strategies,
differing work indexes, differences in leachability, etc. As an example,
it may be desirable to have categories such as "High Grade Ore",
"Intermediate Grade Ore", and "Low Grade Ore". The high grade ore
will require tertiary crushing to 20mm and stacking; the intermediate
ore will require primary crushing and truck placement; and the low
grade ore will be run-of-mine, end dumped on the low grade leach pile.

Mineralization - For each Ore Zone Classification, the expected
composition, by percentage, of the metal containing mineralization
and host rock is estimated. For example, an ore zone may contain
Chalcocite and Chalcopyrite at a 70% to 30% ratio hosted by
granodiorite and monzonite at a 90% to 10% ratio.

Waste Rock and Overburden - The expected compositions of the
waste rock and the overburden are each estimated, again by percentage.

Processing - For each Ore Zone Classification, the intended processing
methods are estimated. This includes the degree to which it is crushed,
the intended placement strategy, and the type of processing. For example,
one ore zone may require secondary crushing to 50mm followed by stacker
placement for heap leach and CIL processing. Another may require tertiary
crushing to 20mm followed by conventional milling and a CIP circuit.
A base metals example may require primary crushing to 300mm followed
by a SAG mill and flotation circuit.

Ore Zone Selectivity - Ore bench height equivalent to waste bench
height; one half waste bench height; one third waste bench height; etc.

Expected Inter-ramp Wall Angle - This is the expected wall angle of
the unsmoothed pit, generally defined by expected pit stability and
mining codes.

Pit Dewatering Requirement - Expected dewatering requirement, in
cubic meters per hour.

Ore Dilution - This is the expected interstitial dilution and inter-block
dilution, in percent.

Ore Delivery Schedule - For each pit and each ore zone classification,
an ore delivery schedule consisting of operating months, tonnes, and
grade is required. Additionally, the preproduction overburden and waste
removal to achieve steady production is required.

Loading Equipment Type - Loaders, Hydraulic Shovels, or Cable Shovels.

Drilling Equipment - Electric or Diesel production drills.

Manufacturer Selections - Preferred manufacturers may be
independently selected for trucks, shovels, loaders, drills, and dozers.
Subsequent calculations are not intended to provide differentiation
between manufacturers. This feature is intended only to provide reference
to familiar manufacturers and models. The underlying cost and
performance data, however, is manufacturer specific.