Whim creek

Venturex Resources Limited have completed a feasibility study into the manner in which the copper project at Whim Creek in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia should proceed. It includes the following:

- Infrastructure to be constructed to support on site operations which includes such things as; access roads, water supply, power generation, maintenance workshops, administration offices and accommodation village.

- Ore mined at the company's Sulphur Springs new underground mine to be processed at Whim Creek.

- The expansion of the two existing open pit mines near Whim Creek.

- The construction of a 1.5 million tonnes a year processing plant at Whim Creek.

The production targets for the Whim Creek Mine have been set at around 40,000 tonnes of zinc and 20,000 tonnes of copper annually, together with the recovery of lead, silver and gold. These targets are expected to be achieved from the mining of the Whim Creek and Mons Cupri open pits that are expected to produce up to 650,000 tonnes of ore a year. Previous oxide mining undertaken at the site has allowed rapid ore access to exposed lead sulphides, zinc and copper ore bodies.

Mining Planned to Resume at Whim Creek in 2013 With Commissioning in 2014
The feasibility study, once approved by the Venturex Resources Board, the obtaining of finance and the granting of the necessary approvals, is expected to get underway during the first half of 2013 with the mine being commissioned during the latter half of 2014.

Previous Oxide Mining Undertaken at Whim Creek by Straits Resources and Venturex Resources Limited
Whim Creek mining operations have been previously carried out under the joint ownership of Straits Resources and Venturex Resources Limited. The Whim Creek ore body was the first to be exploited followed by the Mons Cupri deposit a year later. The oxide copper extracted from these pits being trucked 2.5 kilometres to the processing facility situated midway between the two pits. Copper oxide mined from both pits became exhausted in in 2009 and the mine is now being prepared for operation as a sulphide operation.

Venturex Resources Limited Acquire all of Whim Creek Project Interests
In February 2010 Venturex Resources Limited acquired Straits Resources shares in the Whim Creek Project. The acquisition included all the related mining tenements including the Balla Balla and Salt Creek copper-zinc projects. Straits Resources hold a 19.9 percent shareholding in Venturex Resources Limited.

Mining Began at Whim Creek in the 1800's
Whim Creek is not new to mining as copper was first discovered there in 1872 and gold in 1887. Copper mining continued at Whim Creek for the next 120 years, mainly undertaken by artisanal miners. The copper was shipped out of the area from the small coastal town of Balla Balla. Straits Resources took over the lease in the mid 1990's and commenced mining in 2003, with the construction of site works and pre-stripping the two pits.
The mine was re-commissioned midway through 2005 and continued through to 2009.