Annual report for Frances Creek NT year ending 3-12-86 VOL 1.

Abstract

CSR Limited conducted, at its sole expense, an exploration programme for disseminated gold mineralisation within the Frances Creek Exploration Licence 4246 (EL 4246) under a Joint Venture Agreement with Casey Consolidated Holdings. An airborne geophysical survey of the Frances Creek area was conducted in March 1985. Interpretation of this survey was directed towards defining lithologies, structures and areas of possible alteration within the Zamu Dolerite. Ground magnetic traverses and grids were completed to assist in locating and interpreting the magnetic anomalies. A bulk stream sediment sampling programme was undertaken to locate anomalous gold within stream sediments. The stream sediment sample data were assessed and results given priorities. High-priority results were followed-up with prospecting, but the results of this follow-up were discouraging and, in one case, the anomaly was based on analytical error. No further follow-up work is recommended on the stream sediment sample anomalies. Several gossans, Location 56 and Location 85, were dtscovered during a regional mapping programme. Soil geochemical sampling was undertaken over Location 56 to test for arsenic and gold in particular. Anomalous arsenic values were followed-up and anomalous gold and arsenic values within the Zamu Dolerite were confirmed. A trenching programme located anomalous gold over a 7 m interval, averaging 0.38 ppm Au. An IP survey did not indicate sulphides at depth due to the masking of results by a conductive carbonaceous siltstone. Further work is recommended on this prospect. Further investigations over Location 85, including trenching, failed to locate the source of the anomalous gold in gossanous rock-chi ps. The orginal high assay was attributed to analytical error. Further work is recommended on Location 56 and further interpretation of the magnetic data is required.