VMS Ventures Inc. is a well financed, publicly traded mineral exploration company listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX.V) under the symbol VMS.
VMS Ventures Inc. is focused primarily on acquiring, exploring and developing copper-zinc-gold-silver massive sulphide deposits in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake VMS Belt of Manitoba. The Company's VMS project property portfolio consists of the Reed Copper Project, McClarty Lake Project, Sails Lake Project, Puella Bay Project and Morton Lake Project. Outside of the Snow Lake camp, the Company holds massive sulphide prospective properties near the past producing Fox Lake and Ruttan copper-zinc mines, near the communities of Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba. These properties are located in the mining friendly province of Manitoba, Canada. The Company also has optioned three properties in the Sudbury mining camp. They are Terra Incognita, Golden Pine and Black Creek.
In October, 2007 VMS announced its Reed Lake Discovery Hole intercept of 43.05 metres of 4.38% copper, 1.56% zinc, 0.85 grams per tonne gold and 13.09 grams per tonne silver, including 10 metres of 11.19% copper. 73 holes were drilled through September, 2008 including hole #RD-08-41 which included 33.46 meters of 10.36% Copper, including 18.08 meters of 13.80% copper.
On July 6, 2010, VMS announced a joint venture agreement with Hudbay Minerals (TSX: HBM) to develop the Reed Lake property and the two claims immediately to the south. VMS has a 30% carried interest and HudBay has a 70% interest and will act as the operator of the joint venture. HudBay began drilling at Reed Lake in late August, 2010 and plans a 43-101 resource estimate before the end of Q1 2011 - NI 43-101 MINERAL RESOURCE FOR THE REED LAKE DEPOSIT AT 2.55 MILLION TONNES @ 4.52% COPPER IN THE INDICATED CATEGORY
The Manitoba government has approved the Reed Copper Advanced Exploration Permit ("AEP") closure plan and issued the lease of park land property for the operation of the mine development activities. The AEP allows the extraction of a 10,000 tonne bulk sample and will provide confirmation of the mineralized widths, metal grades and the conditions of the ground. Testing of the extracted bulk sample will be done in the Flin Flon metallurgical complex. Site preparation will begin in Q1 and the decline will commence in the second half of 2012.
VMS Ventures owns approximately 45% of North American Nickel Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NAN)
VMS Ventures Inc. is updating shareholders on the progress made in the month of April at the Reed copper project, near Flin Flon, Man. VMS Ventures owns 30% of the project and is carried to production. HudBay Minerals Inc. (TSX:HBM)(NYSE:HBM) ("Hudbay") owns 70% and is the Operator.
Considerable progress was made at the Reed Copper Project in the month of April, including:
- i. Underground development advanced 171 metres and represents the greatest monthly advance rate since development commenced on the project; underground development at the project is now 534 metres;
- ii. Sinking of the 16 ft diameter ventilation raise from surface is now 66% complete;
- iii.Two permanent 1.6 Mw generators and the electrical house were commissioned into service, replacing three temporary generators;
- iv. A new communication system was installed;
- and v. A fire-fighting well pump was commissioned
The focus during the month of May is the continued development of the underground ramp and the vent raise, along with ongoing construction activities.
COO Neil Richardson states: "We were pleased with the improvements to the advance rates of the ramp and ventilation raise during the month of April, which are key components to the Reed project's development. Reed continues to develop as planned and remains on budget. It is noteworthy to mention that mine and camp construction have now proceeded for 412 days with no lost time accidents."
On May 1, 2013, Hudbay reported that approximately $37 million of the $72 million capital construction budget for the project has been invested as of the end of the first quarter of 2013 with an additional $13 million committed as of that date.
