Projects /Quarterly Exploration Update



2011 Third Quarter Report

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

During the third quarter ended September 30, 2011 there was exploration on the Company's GJ Project in Canada and on the Bada potash project in Eritrea. Exploration on the Company's South American projects was suspended for the Southern Hemisphere winter. During the third quarter:
  • The Company's South American team made significant progress in upgrading camp and logistical infrastructure, hiring of personnel, and planning for the upcoming summer exploration season which will be very busy with up to 60,000 metres of drilling planned on four copper-gold projects in the Andes of Chile and Argentina. The proposed drilling listed below is the Company's best current estimate of the number of metres required to test targets and define resources. The actual number of metres drilled will vary depending on results and actual drilling rates. Los Helados, Josemaria, and Filo del Sol are all part of a joint venture in which the Company holds 60% and JOGMEC (Japan, Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation) holds 40%. Each party funds its pro-rata share of expenditures.

  • The largest program comprising up to 40,000 metres will be at Los Helados in Chile, where previous drilling has identified a large copper-gold porphyry system. The upcoming drill program will focus on further expanding a higher grade zone within the larger system which is open in several directions and at depth. Highlights from drilling earlier this year include 701 metres of 0.67% copper and 0.3 grams/tonne gold. Many current drill holes bottomed in mineralization and the deepest hole drilled to date was still in mineralization at 900 metres depth.

    Drilling at Los Helados is expected to start in late December, 2011 and will use drills with the capability of drilling to 1 kilometre depth. The exact start date will depend in part on the timing of receipt of government drilling permits. We are targeting an initial resource calculation for late in the third quarter of 2012.

  • At Josemaria approximately 15,000 metres will be drilled to convert the existing inferred resource to measured and indicated. Drilling at Josemaria is expected to start in mid November, 2010.

  • Teck Resources Limited ("Teck") completed an exploration program on the Company's GJ copper-gold project in northern British Columbia. The program which was funded 100% by Teck as part of the option agreement signed in August 2010, included 10 holes totalling 4,307 meters of diamond drilling as well as 77 line kilometres of Induced Polarization (IP), 50 line kilometres of ground magnetics, as well as mapping and geochemical sampling. The Company expects to receive drill results from Teck during the fourth quarter of 2011.

  • The Company completed four drill holes totaling 200 meters on its Bada potash project in Eritrea. Drilling was slowed by extremely hot weather and deeper than anticipated overburden. The first four holes were not able to get through the overburden. After a break in September to upgrade the drill rig's capacity to drill overburden and to wait for slightly cooler temperatures drilling resumed in October and is ongoing.

  • On October 28, 2011 the Company completed a non-brokered, private placement of 9 million shares of the Company at a price of $3.00 per share for gross proceeds of $27 million.


SOUTH AMERICAN PROJECTS

No exploration was done on the Company's South American projects during the third quarter. The exploration season in South America is during the southern hemisphere summer and the Company's drill programs typically run from November to May. Interpretation of last season's results, as well as logistical planning and expansion of camp and drill core handling facilities were the principal activities on the South American Projects. Exploration will resume during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Jose Maria Project, Argentina

Jose Maria is a large copper/gold porphyry project located in San Juan Province, Argentina near the Vicuna group of properties described below. Jose Maria contains a NI 43-101 compliant inferred resource of 460 million tonnes at 0.39% tonnes copper and 0.30 grams/tonne gold at a 0.3% copper cut off. The resource estimate was prepared to NI 43-101 standards by qualified person Mr. John Nilsson P.Eng. and is filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile.

The 2010-2011 drill program which finished in April 2011 tested possible extensions of the Jose Maria system to the north where there is a strong chargeability anomaly and to the east under younger cover rocks. These two targets were tested with 2,173 metres of drilling in 6 holes. The drill holes intersected porphyry style alteration, but only sporadic weakly anomalous copper and gold values.

The 100% owned Jose Maria and the adjacent 75% owned Batidero properties are subject to a joint exploration agreement ("Jose Maria JEA") dated March 16, 2009 with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ("Jogmec"). The Jose Maria JEA provides Jogmec the option to acquire 40% of the Company's interest in these properties. In consideration, Jogmec paid US$1 million upon signing of the Jose Maria JEA and is required to make US$6.13 million in exploration expenditures over three years in order to acquire the 40% interest.

Once Jogmec has earned its interest, the partners will fund ongoing expenditures pro-rata to their ownership interest. It is anticipated that Jogmec will earn its 40% interest in November 2011. Both parties have agreed to fund the 2011-2012 exploration program pro-rata to their ownership interest. The 2011-2102 program is intended to upgrade the existing inferred resource to the measured and indicated category.

Vicuna Project (Los Helados, Filo del Sol), Argentina and Chile

The Vicuna properties comprise a large land package of approximately 18,300 hectares that covers a number of porphyry copper and high sulfidation gold targets in San Juan Province, Argentina and immediately adjacent parts of Chile. Nearby deposits held by other companies include Caserones--Regalito (Pan Pacific Copper) and El Morro-La Fortuna (Goldcorp/New Gold). The Vicuna Properties are adjacent to Jose Maria and are subject to a separate Joint Venture Exploration Agreement (the "Vicuna JEA") with Jogmec in which the Company holds a 60% participating interest and Jogmec holds a 40% participating interest. Each party funds its pro rata share of expenditures.

The Company completed the 2010-2011 drill program at Los Helados in May, 2011. The holes completed during this field season confirm the presence of a large mineralized porphyry copper system at Los Helados and successfully confirmed and extended the higher grade zone which was also intercepted in holes reported in the first quarter of 2011 including LH-12 with 711 metres of 0.54% copper and 0.26 grams/tonne gold; and LH-13 with 562 metres of 0.54% copper and 0.25 grams/tonne gold. Results from the remaining 10 holes drilled this season were announced during the second quarter 2011 and included LH-16 with 701 metres of 0.67% copper and 0.30 grams/tonne gold and LH-17 with 700 metres of 0.58% copper and 0.33 grams/tonne gold, LH 20 with 312 meters of 0.73% copper and 0.35 grams/tonne gold, LH 23 with 216.7 metres of 0.70% copper and 0.44 grams/tonne gold and LH 24 with 728 meters of 0.55% copper and 0.24 grams/tonne gold.

The length and grade of the intercepts announced this season are considered to be encouraging and indicative of a significant copper-gold system at Los Helados. An extensive infill and step out drill program for 2011-2012 has been agreed with JOGMEC and is expected to begin upon receipt of drilling permits expected in late 2011. The objective of the program is to do enough drilling to permit the calculation of an initial resource for Los Helados. Both parties have agreed to fund next year (2011-2012) exploration program pro-rata to their ownership interest.

The Vicuna project includes several copper gold targets that have been explored in the past including: Filo del Sol where previous drilling has indentified near surface copper oxides and gold within a diatreme, the same type of geological structure that hosts the Veladero Deposit owned by Barrick Gold. Most of the drilling to date has focused on a shallow copper oxide resource and a deeper sulfide copper target in the southern part of the project area. However, a recent review of project data identified several compelling near surface gold targets in the northern part of the project area. No drilling was done at Filo del Sol during the 2010-2011 field season because the Company decided to focus on drilling as much as possible at Los Helados. However, a drill program to better define both the copper oxide and the possible gold targets is planned to begin in late 2011.

Tamberias Property, Chile

On March 25, 2011 the Company entered into an option agreement (the "Agreement") with Compania Minera Tamberias SCM ("Tamberias SCM") whereby the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Tamberias property by making optional payments totalling US$ 20,000,000 on or before September 30, 2020. Tamberias SCM will retain a 1.5% NSR royalty that will be paid only after the Company has recovered all of its exploration and development costs. The initial payment of US$200,000 was made upon signature of the Agreement.

The Tamberias property is located in Region 3, Chile and is adjacent to the Filo del Sol Project discussed above. Work on the Tamberias property by previous operators has defined potential for both porphyry copper and high-sulfidation gold mineralization. An exploration program expected to include geophysics and drilling is planned to begin in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Other Chilean Projects (Colmillos and Andrea)

The Colmillos project consists of 100% owned exploration licenses covering 3,400 hectares. Mapping and sampling to date have defined a 4.3 by 0.7 kilometre long trend of tourmaline breccia bodies with occasional copper oxides and strongly anomalous molybdenum analyses in rock chip samples. Copper mineralized tourmaline breccias are a common feature of many major porphyry copper systems. Construction of an access road began in December 2010 and was completed in early 2011. An IP (Induced Polarization) geophysical survey was completed over the alteration zone during the quarter. A previously planned 2,000 metre drill program was deferred until 2012 as the Company concentrated on completing the drill program at Los Helados. Drilling is now tentatively scheduled for March, 2012.

The Andrea Project consists of 100% owned exploration licenses covering 1,300 hectares. The alteration zone extends over an area of 3 by 2 kilometres and grades outward from a 600 meters long central core of potassic alteration with disseminated secondary biotite and stockwork pyrite, magnetite and chalcopyrite, to a large area of sericitic alteration. The results of geochemical sampling and alteration mapping completed during 2010 indicate that a significant copper-molybdenum porphyry system has been identified at Andrea. The best results to date correspond to the zone of potassic alteration which has strongly anomalous copper- up to 0.6% in rock chips. The planned program is similar to that for Colmillos. Negotiations with the owners of surface rights along the right of way for the planned access road are ongoing. A geophysical survey supported by helicopter and mules was completed during the quarter ended March 31 2011. Follow-up work has been deferred while Company geologists focus on other projects.

NORTH AMERICAN PROJECT

GJ/Kinaskan Project, Canada

The GJ/Kinaskan Property is located in northwest British Columbia, Canada, about 10 kilometres west of Highway 37. The Company has a 100% working interest subject to an earn-in option with Teck as described below. The claims cover an area of about 150 square kilometres and cover a number of significant mineral showings, including the Donnelly, GJ and North zones. The GJ project has a measured and indicated resource of 153.3 million tonnes grading 0.321% copper and 0.369 g/t gold, at a cut off grade of 0.20% copper which contains 1.09 billion pounds of copper and 1.82 million ounces of gold. The resource estimate was prepared to NI 43-101 standards by qualified person Mr. Gary Giroux P.Eng. and is filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile.

Teck's Earn-In Option - In August 2010, the Company entered into an earn-in option agreement with Teck whereby Teck can earn up to a 75% interest in the GJ and Kinaskan properties by paying the Company $100,000 (paid) on signing of the Agreement and exercising the following options:

First Option: Teck will have the option to earn an initial 51% interest by making cumulative expenditures of $12 million on or before December 31, 2014 of which a minimum of $2.5 million in expenditures, including a firm commitment of 1,500 metres of drilling, must be spent on or before December 31, 2011.

Second Option: Upon exercise of the First option, Teck will have a one-time option to elect to earn an additional 9% interest for a total of 60% interest by sole funding another $12 million in expenditures prior to December 31, 2017 with minimum annual expenditure of $2 million per year.

Third Option: Upon exercising the second option Teck will have a one-time option to elect to earn an additional 15% interest for a total of 75% interest by sole funding another $20 million in expenditures prior to December 31, 2020.

After the formation of a joint venture at any of the earn-in periods, expenditures are to be funded by the Company and Teck in pro rata to the interest held. If any ownership interest falls below 10% it will convert to a 2% Net Smelter Return after payback of all project expenditures.

During the third quarter of 2011, Teck completed an exploration program at GJ/Kinaskan that included 10 diamond drill holes totalling 4,307 metres, 77 line kilometres of IP, 50 line kilometres of ground magnetics as well as mapping and 1185 soil samples. Teck also refurbished the 40 man exploration camp and conducted baseline environmental and archaeological surveys. The Company expects to receive drill results from Teck during the fourth quarter of 2011. The exploration program was 100% funded by Teck.

AFRICAN PROJECTS

Mogoraib, Kerkebet, Shukula and Lelit, Eritrea

The Company holds four exploration licenses, Mogoraib, Kerkebet, Shukula and Lelit, which cover the strike extension of the rocks hosting Nevsun Resources ("Nevsun') 's Bisha copper-zinc-gold deposit.

The Company's most advanced project is the Hambok deposit located in the Mogoraib License which has a NI 43-101 compliant indicated resource (at a 0.75% zinc cutoff) of 10.7 million tonnes grading 0.98% copper, 2.25% zinc, 6.84 g/t silver, 0.20 g/t gold and an additional inferred resource (at a 0.75% zinc cutoff) of 17.0 million tonnes of 0.85% copper, 1.74% zinc, 5.89 g/t silver, 0.19 g/t gold. The resource estimate was prepared to NI 43-101 standards by qualified person Mr. Gary Giroux P.Eng. and is filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile.

This report is filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR. During the second quarter of 2011 the Company completed four infill diamond drill holes at Hambok at locations that were recommended in the NI 43-101 resource report. The objective of the holes was to confirm the grade and thickness of mineralization in the northern part of the deposit where existing drill spacing is wide. Infill drilling on the Hambok deposit will restart in November, 2011 and is part of work required to keep the exploration license in good standing.

The Company's Kerkebet license hosts additional volcanogenic massive sulphide prospects the most significant of which is the Aradaib prospect discovered in 2010. Highlights from drilling at Aradaib, completed in 2010 include: ARD-10-001, which tested a gossan outcrop highly anomalous in gold, copper, zinc, silver and lead returning a 17 metre interval of massive and semi-massive sulphides including: 10 metres @ 1.22% Zn, 1.89% Cu, 0.92 g/t Au, 21 g/t Ag and a consecutive zinc rich interval of 7m 15.15% Zn, 0.99% Cu, 0.32 g/t Au, 33 g/t Ag. Two holes (ARD-10-03 and 04) confirmed the projected down plunge and down dip extensions of the massive sulfides intersected in ARD-10-01. ARD-10-03 tested 30 metres down plunge from the mineralization in ARD-10-01 and returned 13.0 metres grading 5.59% Zn, 3.31% Cu, 1.85g/t Au and 46g/t Ag from a 24.4 metre intersection of massive sulfide and stringer mineralization. ARD-10-04 drilled on the same section as ARD-10-01 but intersecting the zone 25 metres deeper, returned 4.0 metres grading 0.31% Zn, 3.49% Cu, 0.68 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag from massive sulfides at 108 metres and 7.0 metres at 1.70% Zn, 2.70% Cu, 0.82 g/t Au and 26 g/t Ag from 118 metres.

A high resolution helicopter-borne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric (VTEM) survey covering 700 square kilometres was completed in December 2010. The survey covered the Company's exploration licenses in Western Eritrea. The survey done by Geotech Airborne Surveys, South Africa and was designed to identify buried massive sulfide mineralization. Targets on the Kerkebet license will be tested once infill drilling on Hambok is complete.

Bada Potash License, Eritrea

The Company owns 100% of the Bada Potash Exploration License located in the Danakil Depression in Eritrea. This large license, encompassing over 431 square kilometres, is located 30 kilometres inland from the Red sea port of Mersa Fatma and 150 kilometres southeast of the capital city of Asmara.

The Bada license is situated within the northern portion of an evaporite basin extending southward into Ethiopia, where exploration in the 1960's resulted in the discovery of the large Crescent and Musley potash and sylvite deposits.

The Danakil Depression is known to continue northeast from Colluli and is believed to have potential for potash-bearing beds on the Bada license. However, only very limited historical exploration work has been done in the license area to date. Initial reconnaissance at Bada by NGEx found extensive shallow alluvium cover, young volcanic rocks or recent marine evaporites, with potential for potash-bearing rocks under much of the license area.

During the quarter the Company completed four drill holes totalling 200 meters on the Bada license. Drilling was slowed by extremely hot weather and deeper than anticipated overburden. The first four holes were not able to get through the overburden. After a break in September to upgrade the drill rig's capacity to drill overburden and to wait for slightly cooler temperatures drilling resumed in October and is ongoing. The objective of this initial phase of drilling is to test the shallower portions of the basin for potash mineralization.

Congo-Brazzaville

On September 29, 2011 the Company sold the wholly owned subsidiary holding its Congo-Brazzaville projects to Africa Holdings (BVI) Ltd a private company focused on African exploration projects for $59,000 and 40% of the proceeds of any subsequent direct or indirect sale of the projects if such sale occurs prior to the first anniversary of the sale to Africa Holdings (BVI) Ltd.

OUTLOOK

The Company's exploration budget is focused on large scale copper, gold, and potash targets that demonstrate the potential for world class discoveries. The Company's 2010-2011 exploration program was very successful, and resulted in a potentially significant copper-gold discovery at Los Helados. Exploration in South America was suspended for the third quarter due to the onset of the southern hemisphere winter and will resume in the fourth quarter of 2011.

In Eritrea drilling on the potash projects is ongoing, with any significant results to be released as they become available. A $4.5 million exploration program funded by Teck was completed during the third quarter on the Company's GJ/Kinaskan project in northern BC. Final results are expected to be received during the fourth quarter 2011.

Preparations are underway for an extensive infill and step out drilling program at Los Helados and Jose Maria as well as exploration drilling at Filo del Sol. These drill programs are expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2011 and are expected to total up to 60,000 metres of drilling-note that this is the Company's current best estimate of the number of metres required to test targets and define resources. The actual number of metres drilled will vary depending on results and actual drilling rates. If all the planned drilling is completed the Company's share of the budget for the 2011-2012 exploration program is expected to be in the order of $30,000,000. With the completion of the $27 million private placement in October, 2011 the Company's planned exploration program is fully financed.



2011 Second Quarter Report


2011 First Quarter Report


2010 Annual Report

2010 Third Quarter Report


2010 Second Quarter Report


2010 First Quarter Report

2009 Annual Report