Artemis Resources Ltd (ASX:ARV) has upgraded the copper and zinc resource to JORC 2012 standards at its 100% owned Whundo Copper Mine in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Significantly, Whundo is on a fully approved mining lease and is located only about 7 kilometres from Artemis’ 100% owned Radio Hill Processing Plant.
Artemis’s CEO Wayne Bramwell said: “This resource upgrade has seen a circa 30% uplift in the Whundo sulphide resource to 2.2 million tonnes and contained copper and zinc metal tonnes has grown significantly to ≈50,000 tonnes combined.
"The shallow oxide resource is entirely new.
READ: Artemis Resources building a mining future around the Radio Hill plant
“Whundo was shut down in 2008 due to low copper and zinc prices. It is a valuable asset, considering it is an approved mining lease and is so close to our Radio Hill processing plant.
“The oxide grade of 1.75% copper is tantalizing and with this zone extending from near-surface to ~40 metres below surface, Artemis is evaluating the integration of SX-EW processing at Radio Hill.
“In addition, the larger sulphide zone could provide an additional blending source that could supplement Carlow Castle ore and further enhance copper grade to the Radio Hill Operations.”
Drilling program upgrades to JORC 2012 resource
Artemis completed drilling of the Whundo deposit aiming to verify older non-JORC compliant drilling and to increase the drill data available in the upper levels of the mineralisation.
The company drilled 64 reverse circulation (RC) holes and 7 diamond holes for 5,490 metres in 2018.
The Whundo deposit occurs in two zones, Whundo and Whundo West.