Curis Initiates Formal Operating Permit Amendment Process For Florence Copper Project

VANCOUVER, Feb. 2 /CNW/ - Curis Resources Ltd. ("Curis" or the "Company") (TSXV: CUV) announces that it has formally initiated the process to amend major operating permits for the Florence Copper Project in central Arizona, USA.

On January 31, 2011 Curis submitted a comprehensive application to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to amend the Company's existing Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) for the Florence Copper Project. The submission of this application formally begins the amendment review process to be conducted by ADEQ. Following a "Completeness Review" of the permit documents, which is scheduled to be completed within 35 business days, ADEQ will undertake a detailed technical review, followed by the issuance of draft permit conditions and a public hearing process.

"This is an important milestone for the Florence Copper Project," said Curis President & CEO Michael McPhie. "We stated from the beginning that we would initiate project permitting by January 2011 and, through the hard work of the Curis project team and our expert consulting group over the past several months, we have met this important deadline. Our goal now is to work with ADEQ and the other relevant regulatory agencies to advance a timely review of the Florence Copper Project's proposed development plans."

Coincident with work to advance permitting for the Florence Copper Project, the Company continues to implement a comprehensive community engagement and stakeholder outreach program in central Arizona. Curis acknowledges the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with the Town of Florence, local landowners and other project stakeholders. The Company hosts regular site tours of Florence Copper Project facilities, has opened a Visitors Centre that allows interested citizens of Florence and surrounding communities to learn more about the project and the Company's near term development plans, and maintains an up-to-date website for project news, information and events at www.florencecopperproject.com. Curis also has a strong community affairs presence, operating a community office in downtown Florence, and participating in and supporting a number of community-oriented organizations.

"The Florence Copper Project is a multi-generational development and we want to be seen by the local community as being a positive contributor to the quality of life of the residents who live here," McPhie said. "We take our responsibility for stewardship of the environment seriously, and believe the significant economic opportunities associated with the development of this project have the potential to provide meaningful benefits to the Town of Florence and the State of Arizona."

Curis' submission of the APP permit amendment application marks the formal start of the state and federal permitting process for the Florence Copper Project, which is expected to take between nine and twelve months to complete. The next step will be the submission of an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit reissuance. Both APP and UIC permits were previously granted to BHP Copper for the Florence Copper Project in 1997. These two permits are the primary permits required for an in-situ recovery operation and would have allowed BHP Copper to proceed towards full commercial production at the time. Following several months of pilot testing by BHP Copper at the Florence Copper Project site, a decision was made to cease operations in late 1998 as a result of low copper prices.


About Curis

Curis Resources Ltd. is a mineral development company, the major shareholder of which is Hunter Dickinson Inc. Curis is focused on the acquisition, development and operation of high-quality next-generation copper properties in progressive jurisdictions around the world. It is currently focused on advancing its 100% owned Florence Project in Arizona USA to production.


About HDI

Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI) is a diversified, global mine development company with a 25-year history of mineral development success. From its head office in Vancouver, Canada, HDI applies its unique strengths and capabilities to acquire, develop, operate and monetize mineral properties that provide consistently superior returns to shareholders.


Michael McPhie
President & CEO



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this 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 permitting 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 market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, potential environmental issues and liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title 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, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.



For further information:

For further details on the Company and Curis Resources Ltd. please visit www.curisresources.com or contact Susie Bell, Manager of Investor Relations, at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.