Curis receives final Phase 1 State of Arizona operating permit for Florence Copper project

VANCOUVER, July 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Curis Resources Ltd. (TSX: CUV) ("Curis" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that following an extensive and all inclusive public consultation and review process the Company has received a final amended Aquifer Protection Permit from the State of Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).  This permit applies to the design, operation and closure of Phase 1 operations at Florence Copper.

"After an exhaustive public consultation process, the receipt of our final Phase 1 operating permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is a significant validation of the engineering and safety of the Florence Copper project and another important milestone for the Company" said Michael McPhie, Curis President and CEO.  "With our financing in place, detailed engineering complete and long lead time equipment ordered, this positive decision by ADEQ brings us one step closer to the start of construction and copper production at Florence Copper."

On September 28, 2012 Curis Resources (Arizona) Inc. received an Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) for the Phase 1 development of the Florence Copper project.  This permit authorized the construction, operation and closure of a 24-well in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) operation at the Company's project site in Florence, Arizona.  As part of the APP process in Arizona, this permit was required to undergo a review by the public and interested parties through a formal consultation process.  This process included a public hearing held in the Town of Florence by ADEQ and subsequent receipt and consideration of comments from interested parties.  This public process has taken into account all these comments and an amended Phase 1 APP has now been issued containing some minor modifications to the previously granted APP.

"Receiving the final APP after an exhaustive and thorough public consultation process is good news for Florence Copper, for the Town of Florence and the State of Arizona," said Florence Copper Vice President and General Manager Dan Johnson.  "ADEQ is the agency responsible for ensuring the protection of Arizona's water quality and they have done just that with this permit."

The APP is one of two major operating permits that Florence Copper requires to move the first phase of operations forward at Florence Copper.  The second is the Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit which is in the final stages of review by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Phase 1 operations will consist of a production test facility (PTF) that includes a 24-well in-situ recovery well field, a state of the art solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) facility that will produce copper cathode. The PTF will assist in the demonstration of the science and safety of in-situ technology and provide an opportunity for the public to fully engage and understand this modern copper extraction technology.

About Curis

Curis Resources Ltd. is a mineral development company associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc., a diversified global mining company with a 25-year history of mineral development success. Curis is focused on the acquisition, development and operation of high-quality next-generation copper properties around the world. It is currently focused on advancing its 100% owned Florence Copper project in Arizona USA to production.

For more information about Florence Copper and its projected economic impacts and benefits to the local community, please visit www.florencecopper.com. For more project-level information, sign up to receive News and Updates from the Florence Copper project.

Michael McPhie
President & CEO

No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the information contained in this news release.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary environmental, land use and other permits, approvals, licenses and title on a timely basis and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, a more detailed description of the assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements and the risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: Curis Resources Ltd.