Lennard shelf

The wholly Chinese owned Lennard Shelf lead and zinc mining project is located about 400 kilometres east of Broome, near Fitzroy Crossing, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project is in reasonable proximity to the all weather, sealed, Great Northern Highway that links the port at Wyndham with the port at Broome.

Lennard Shelf Deposits Consist of MVT ore Bodies

The Lennard Shelf Project is situated along the northern side of the mineral rich Canning Basin. It presents along a 350 kilometres long north west zone. The Project deposits consist ofMississippi Valley Type (MVT) lead and zinc ore bodies. Nine separate ore bodies have been identified within the Lennard Shelf Project area, these being; Kubra, Napier Range (Wagon Pass), Fossil Downs, Palijippa, Kutarta, Gap Creek, Cadjebut Splay, Kapok West and Kapok.

Lennard Shelf Project to be Developed by Chinese State Owned Company

The Lennard Shelf lead zinc mining project is being developed by Chinese mining company, Northwest Nonferrous International Investment Company Limited (NWII), a wholly owned subsidiary of, Northwest Mining and Geological Exploration Bureau for Nonferrous Metals. The company holds mining and exploration rights covering 500 square kilometres of the project area.

Lennard Shelf Project Contains Large Lead/Zinc Resource

The Lennard Shelf Project contains a resource totaling 20.34 million tonnes that has an average grade of 9.2 percent lead/ zinc that is of high quality and easy to process, dress and smelt. The total resource is expected to grow substantially as further exploration work is carried out. The company has completed an Internal Feasibility Study showing the the Kapok deposit, that will be the first to be mined, contains more than 10 million tonnes of lead and zinc bearing ore with a grade of 10.1 percent. This particular ore body will be easy to mine and dress and able to produce a concentrate of high quality that will attract a high price.

Company Leaders Inspect Lennard Shelf Project Site

In November, 2014, a Lennard Shelf Project site inspection was carried out, led by by seven company delegates from China's large state owned enterprise in Sichuan Province. The delegation inspected all ore bodies that have been discovered within the project area to date, as well as the site of the tailings ponds. They were also shown the core results of a selected drill hole and had it cut and tested on site again. The delegates were even taken out into the field to verify borehole coordinates in key sections of the project as well as taking part in preliminary analysis on the future of the ore market.

Northwest Nonferrous Mining International Investment Company Limited acquired the Lennard Shelf lead /zinc project from Meridan Minerals in May 2011. Northwest is a major shareholder in Meridan holding a 41.34 percent interest. Meridan Minerals had purchased the project from Xstrata Zinc/Teck Cominco Limited and its joint venture company, Lennard Shelf Pty Ltd, in April 2009. Xstrata had placed the mine on care and maintenance in August 2008. Mining had commenced at Lennard Shelf in 2007 and had produced 42,100 tonnes of zinc and 12,400 tonnes of lead to when the it was closed because of global economic conditions.