AI assistant
DEVELOP GLOBAL LIMITED — Capital/Financing Update 2009
Aug 19, 2009
64801_rns_2009-08-19_865deeea-1b6a-46f6-8f0b-0f407b8b68e4.pdf
Capital/Financing Update
Open in viewerOpens in your device viewer
ASX Announcement
Code: VXR
==> picture [159 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
VENTUREX TO ACQUIRE WHIM CREEK 20 August 2009 AND SALT CREEK BASE METAL PROJECTS FROM STRAITS RESOURCES
HIGHLIGHTS
-
Consolidation of Whim Creek, Salt Creek and Liberty-Indee polymetallic deposits, Pilbara Region, Western Australia
-
JORC Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag-Au sulphide resources of 11 million tonnes @ 1.45% Cu eq[1]
-
JORC Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag-Au reserves (open pit and underground) of 3.9 million tonnes @ 2.25% Cu eq[1]
For further details:
Dr Tim Sugden Managing Director T: +61 8 6389 7403 M: +61 407 085 032 E: [email protected]
Board
Allan Trench Non-Executive Chairman
Tim Sugden Managing Director Michael Mulroney Non-Executive Director
Anthony Reilly Executive Director
Liza Carpene Company Secretary
-
Exploration to target multiple VMS[2] -associated copper-zinc-lead-goldsilver prospects while maintaining aggressive program at the high grade Liberty-Indee Project
-
Scoping study to evaluate multiple open pits and central sulphide treatment plant
-
Venturex Resources Limited (Venturex) is pleased to advise that it has agreed Terms with Straits Resources Limited (Straits) to acquire:
-
all the issued capital of Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd, the beneficial owner of the Whim Creek Mine and all associated exploration tenements including the sulphide resources at Whim Creek Mons Cupri, and the Whim Creek Hotel but excluding the SX-EW plant which is subject to an option to purchase agreement with Finders Resources Limited; and
-
the Salt Creek and Balla Balla copper-zinc projects and associated tenements.
The consideration for the acquisition is:
-
106 million fully paid Venturex shares at a deemed value of 7.5 cents per share ($8 million) on completion of the transaction, and
-
fully paid ordinary Venturex shares or cash to the equivalent value of $3 million based on a share price of 30 day VWAP[3] preceding Venturex formally committing to a “Decision to Mine”.
Contact Details
Registered Office: Suite 3, Level 1 127 Cambridge Street West Leederville WA 6007 T: +61 8 6389 7400 F: +61 8 9463 7836
W: www.venturexresources.com
ABN: 28 122 180 205
On completion of the first share tranche, Straits will hold approximately 19% of Venturex’s issued capital.
Venturex will seek Shareholder approval for the acquisition.
The acquisition is a significant step in the consolidation of VMS Base Metal Deposits in the Western Pilbara. Venturex intends to advance a production concept centred on potential high grade ore production from the Liberty-Indee Project combined with open pit copper (zinc, silver, gold) production from Whim Creek, Mons Cupri, Salt Creek and Balla Balla. The anticipated milling rate is 500,000 tonnes per year with a targeted copper equivalent production rate of 10,000 tonnes per year with significant precious metal credits.
1 Copper equivalent metal %; 19 Aug 2009 Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ag, Au
-
2 Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide
-
3 Volume Weighted Average Price
Page 1
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
==> picture [293 x 208] intentionally omitted <==
==> picture [259 x 8] intentionally omitted <==
----- Start of picture text -----
Proximity of Regional VMS Deposits to Possible Central Sulphide Milling Facility
----- End of picture text -----
On completion of the acquisition, Venturex intends to:
-
drill-test VMS-exploration targets at Whim Creek and Salt Creek ;
-
advance an aggressive drilling program at the high-grade Liberty-Indee Project;
-
increase and optimise near surface resources and reserves through extensional and infill drilling, modelling of known mineralisation at Balla Balla and Evelyn (Liberty-Indee); and
-
commence a modified scoping study drawing on Straits’ extensive scoping and pre-feasibility work.
This is an important step in the development of a base metal sulphide production centre in the Whim Creek Region of Western Australia. Venturex welcomes Straits as a substantial Shareholder of Venturex and their ongoing support as the Company moves towards its production goal.
Venturex is now positioned to deliver greater value to Shareholders through exposure to potential base metals production in Australia as well as the development of its advanced gold projects in Brazil.
TIM SUGDEN Managing Director
Page 2
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
Settlement of the transaction is subject to and conditional upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
-
Venturex confirming to Straits that it is satisfied, in its absolute discretion, with the results of its due diligence investigations;
-
Venturex obtaining all necessary governmental, regulatory and Shareholder approvals;
-
Straits and Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd entering into an agreement pursuant to which Straits will operate the SXEW plant on terms satisfactory to Venturex;
-
the receipt of all necessary third party consents to the transfer of the assets; and
-
Straits obtaining all necessary regulatory and Shareholder approvals.
If the Conditions Precedent are not satisfied (or waived by both Parties in writing) within 90 days of the Execution Date or such other date that may be mutually agreed between the parties in writing, the agreement will be at an end and the Parties will be released from their obligations.
The Parties shall use their best efforts to execute and do all such acts and things as are necessary or desirable to ensure that the Conditions Precedent are fulfilled as expeditiously as possible.
THE WHIM CREEK AND SALT CREEK ASSETS
The Whim Creek and Salt Creek projects are located in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia between Karratha and Port Hedland. All projects are easily accessible from the North West Coastal Highway and, together with Venturex’s existing project at Liberty Indee, fall within a 25 kilometre radius from a proposed central sulphide milling facility at Whim Creek.
Straits’ tenements at Whim Creek and Salt Creek
Page 3
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
The Whim Creek Project incorporate deposits from Whim Creek, Mons Cupri and Salt Creek (located 16 kilometres northwest of Whim Creek). In 2005 and 2006 extensive exploration drilling was undertaken by Straits in and around the existing Whim Creek Project as well as a number of regional targets including Salt Creek. The drilling program identified copper and zinc sulphide ore-grade mineralisation at Salt Creek, Balla Balla, East Balla, West Balla and ACL.
The JORC compliant resources at Salt Creek, Whim Creek and Mons Cupri, together with new VMS discoveries in the region, provide a substantial platform for a new potential sulphide operation within the Whim Creek region.
Whim Creek Deposit
The Cu-Zn-(Pb) deposit at Whim Creek is confined to a single conformable mineralised horizon at least 5 kilometres in strike length. Most of the mineralisation is <1 metre thick but thickens rapidly to 10-15 metres at the Whim Creek deposit where base metal mineralisation crops out over a strike length of some 600 metres. There are two NE plunging synclinal ore shoots, separated by an open anticlinal structure, though mineralisation is continuous between the two shoots. The current inferred, measured and indicated resource (mainly primary sulphide) is 1.3 million tonnes @ 1.0% Cu, 0.2%Pb, 0.6% Zn and 5.1 g/t Ag.
Mons Cupri Deposit
The Mons Cupri deposit is the largest of the Zn-Cu-Pb-(Ag-Au) volcanogenic sulphide deposits in the Whim Creek belt. The deposit lies within the upper parts of the Mons Cupri Volcanics, on the southern flank of the Mt Brown felsic volcanic centre, and consists of an ovoid lens (250 metres by 400 metres) of stratiform Zn-Pb-Cu sulphides that is underlain by disseminated and stockwork Cu-(Zn) sulphide mineralisation within a large pipe-like alteration zone. The current inferred, measured and indicated resource is 7.8 million tonnes @ 0.7% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 0.7% Zn and 14.3 g/t Ag.
Salt Creek
The Salt Creek deposit is considered to be a tectonically disturbed VMS deposit hosted within metasedimentary, volcaniclastic and epiclastic rocks within a bimodal volcanic sequence. The deposit consists of two south-east plunging ribbon-like shoots of zinc and copper-zinc massive sulphides. Salt Creek is a significant polymetallic massive sulphide
==> picture [497 x 231] intentionally omitted <==
----- Start of picture text -----
system with a known
resource of 1.8 million
tonnes @ 1.4% Cu,
1.2% Pb, 3.8% Zn and
44g/t Ag. The main
shoots are open at
depth.
----- End of picture text -----
VMS resources and exploration prospects in the Salt Creek belt
Page 4
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Balla Balla
Recent exploration at the Balla Balla VMS prospect has identified a significant new massive sulphide lens. The Balla Balla VMS prospect lies 2 kilometres and 6 kilometres east of the West Balla and Salt Creek VMS prospects respectively, and is interpreted to lie within the same prospective horizon as Salt Creek. Recent exploration drilling intersected a steeply south-dipping, massive zinc-lead sulphide lens over a strike length of greater than 400 metres with a vertical extent of greater than 200 metres containing some copper sulphide rich mineralisation within the horizon. The lens is open at depth and along strike in all directions.
West Balla
The West Balla VMS prospect was discovered by in February 2008 via reverse circulation drilling. West Balla is hosted within steep dipping tuffaceous sediments beneath a hanging wall of meta-volcanics. Better intersections at the West Balla project include 4 metres @ 15.1% Zn, 4.6% Pb and 5m @ 1.1% Cu. The mineralisation is open along strike.
East Balla
East Balla is located approximately 1 kilometre east of the Balla Balla VMS deposit, in an area of sparse outcrop. The prospect was identified in 2007 from an outcrop of massive chalcocite in a small gossan returning an assay of 18% Cu, 570ppm Zn and >1% Pb. The East Balla area is known to contain the typical Balla Balla stratigraphic section with intersections of massive sulphide including 2.1 metres @ 6.93% Cu and 0.8m @ 17% Cu.
| Tenement | Owner | Grant Date | Area (Hectares) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M47/236 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 27-Jul-90 | 966.30 | |
| M47/237 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 27-Jul-90 | 412.60 | |
| M47/238 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 27-Jul-90 | 983.20 | |
| M47/443 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 2-Jun-98 | 40.55 | Not subject to State Royalty |
| E47/924 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 21-Apr-05 | 5,011.00 | |
| E47/976 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 21-Apr-05 | 11,380.00 | |
| E47/1088 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 5-Aug-04 | 1,493.00 | |
| L47/36 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | 19-Aug-98 | 6.30 | |
| G47/1233 | Straits (Whim Creek) Pty Ltd | Pending | 45.80 | Pending |
| M47/323 | Raymond Butler | 4-Jun-93 | 363.30 | Transfers to Whim Creek pending - 2.5% Net Profit Royalty on production >1mt |
| M47/324 | Raymond Butler | 4-Jun-93 | 484.20 |
Tenure
The Whim Creek Copper Project tenure is in good standing. M47/443, incorporating the Whim Creek deposit, exists over private land, whose minerals are not subject to State Government royalty.
Page 5
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
| Measured | Indicated | Inferred | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whim Creek | In Situ Leachable | 0.35% Cu | Tonnes (kt) | 140 | 140 | ||
| Cu (%) | 1.2 | 1.2 | |||||
| Stockpiles Leachable |
Variable | Tonnes(kt) | 6,969 | 6,969 | |||
| Cu (%) | 0.2 | 0.2 | |||||
| Grand Total (Whim | Creek Operations) | Variable | Tonnes(kt) | 7,109 | 0 | 0 | 7,109 |
| Cu (%) | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Resources and Reserves (as at 30 June 2009)
The following resources and reserves were determined by Straits staff and consultants and are compliant with JORC
| Region | Project | Cut-off | Commodity | Measured | Indicated | Inferred | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whim Creek | Whim Creek Sulphides |
Cu Equivalent 0.4% | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
572 1.4 0.2 0.5 0.1 4.8 |
585 0.8 0.1 0.4 0.04 4.2 |
131 0.2 0.4 2.3 0.3 10.2 |
1,288 1.0 0.2 0.6 0.1 5.1 |
| Whim Creek | Mons Cupri Sulphide |
Cu Equivalent 0.4% | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
3,094 0.8 0.4 1.0 0.1 18.7 |
2,487 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.1 12.8 |
2,260 0.5 0.2 0.5 0.1 10.0 |
7,841 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.1 14.3 |
| Whim Creek | Salt Creek Sulphides |
Cu Equivalent 0.4% | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
1,705 1.5 1.1 3.6 0.2 42.3 |
127 0.1 2.6 6.5 0.2 66.6 |
1,832 1.4 1.2 3.8 0.2 44.0 |
|
| Whim Creek | Total Sulphides | Cu Equivalent 0.4% | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
3,666 0.9 0.4 0.9 0.1 16.5 |
4,777 1.0 0.5 1.7 0.1 22.3 |
2,518 0.4 0.3 0.9 0.1 12.8 |
10,961 0.8 0.4 1.2 0.1 18.2 |
guidelines.
Mineral Resources—Copper Oxide
Page 6
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
| Note: to |
Region | Project | Cut-off | Commodity | Proved | Probable | Total | Straits intends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whim Creek Sulphides |
Surface Stockpiles | Variable | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) |
20 1.0 |
- - |
20 1.0 |
||
| Whim Creek Open Pit | 0.7% CuEq | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
400 1.6 0.1 0.5 - 1.9 |
200 1.4 0.1 0.4 - 1.6 |
600 1.5 0.1 0.5 - 1.8 |
|||
| Mons Capri Open Pit | 0.7% CuEq | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
1,300 1.2 0.7 1.7 0.2 25 |
400 1.1 0.8 1.7 0.1 20 |
1,700 1.1 0.7 1.7 0.2 24 |
|||
| Salt Creek Open Pit and Underground |
Variable | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) |
- - - - - - |
1,400 1.3 1.0 3.5 0.2 34 |
1,400 1.3 1.0 3.5 0.2 34 |
|||
| Gra | nd Total (Whim Creek Sulphides) | Tonnes (kt) Cu (%) Pb(%) Zn (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu Recovered )t) Pb recovered (t) Zn recovered (t) Au recovered (oz) Ag recovered (oz) |
1,800 1.3 0.5 1.4 0.1 20 20,400 8,200 18,400 5,200 880,000 |
2,100 1.3 0.9 2.8 0.2 28 23,700 16,000 43,800 7,900 1,460,000 |
3,900 1.2 0.7 2.1 0.1 24 44,100 24,300 62,200 13,100 2,340,000 |
continue to recover copper from leachable stockpiles until the Finders Resources option is to purchase the SX-EW is exercised. At this point, Venturex will evaluate alternate recovery mechanisms for remaining leachable copper.
Mineral Resources—Sulphides
Page 7
==> picture [122 x 42] intentionally omitted <==
Venturex to acquire Whim Creek and Salt Creek Base Metal Projects from Straits Resources Released: 20 August 2009
Ore Reserves—Sulphides
Mineral Resource Notes
-
The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Peter Storey, who is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Storey is a full-time employee of Straits Resources Limited and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation, type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the “Australasian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves”. Mr Storey consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
-
Mineral Resources are Inclusive of Ore Reserves.
-
Discrepancies in summations will occur due to rounding.
-
Whim Creek Project Cu equivalent calculations are based on copper price of $US3.60/lb and zinc price of $US1.05/lb.
Ore Reserve Notes
-
The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr Peter Storey, who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Storey is a full-time employee of Straits Resources Limited and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation, type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the “Australasian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves”. Mr Storey consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
-
Mineral Resources are Inclusive of Ore Reserves.
-
Discrepancies in summations will occur due to rounding.
Page 8