Name of the Project
Whim Creek copper/zinc project.

Location
West Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Anax Metals (80%) and Venturex Resources (20%).

Project Description
The Whim Creek scoping study has outlined a potentially robust project comprising openpit mining at the Mons Cupri, Whim Creek and Salt Creek deposits, and a small underground operation at the Salt Creek deposit over five to seven years.

The openpit mining will initially focus on extracting the high-grade domains in the upper portion of the Mons Cupri deposit followed by medium-grade stringer zones.

Preconcentration, including crushing and screening using the existing infrastructure and two-stage X-ray transmission ore sorting, has been incorporated into the project. Preconcentration decouples mining from processing and provides optionality for downstream processing.

Fines will be treated in a gravity circuit to achieve a similar level of upgrade.

Preconcentrate will be processed in a conventional 320 000 t/y three-stage polymetallic concentrator for the recovery of copper, zinc and lead concentrates. The strategic base case is to build a concentrator at the Whim Creek site.

The concentrator will produce saleable product comprising 33 200 t copper, 62 400 t zinc, 17 800 t lead, 1.6-million ounces of silver and 9 900 oz of gold. Existing heap-leach infrastructure at the site will be used to process secondary sorting products and fines gravity circuit rejects to maximise the recovery of metal units and provide added robustness and flexibility for the circuit.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an estimated net present value, at a 6% discount rate, of $163-million and an internal rate of return of 77%, with a payback of 22 months.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction costs are estimated at $52-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Further feasibility studies are under way. The potential for regional processing and asset consolidation is also being assessed.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Oreology Consulting (mining study); Pells Sullivan Meynink (prefeasibility study level geotechnical assessment for Mons Cupri and recommendation of pit slopes angles at Salt Creek); GR Engineering Services (scoping level investigation for a polymetallic sulphide concentrator).

Contact Details for Project Information
Anax Metals, tel +61 8 6143 1840 or email info@anaxmetals.com.au.