Relinquished area report EL 4968 Alexandria Station

Abstract

This work is part of much larger search by Northern Cement to locate high-grade gypsum in economically viable quantities. The area of the EL attracted attention because of the gypsum crystals exposed during the building of turkey's nest dams in the black soil plains. A ground reconnaissance found gypsum at No 6 (or Six Mile) and 18 Mile waterholes and in the soil near No 6 waterhole. Gypsum occurs as large twinned crystals or clusters of crystals and more-importantly as a rock layer up to 3 m thick immediately beneath the black soil which ranges up to 2 m thick. A helicopter reconnaissance, six months later, failed to locate any additional gypsum, however the watertable in the creeks was quite high at the time. The volume of exposed gypsum located with in the EL was considered insufficient and it was difficult to justify 'blind' exploration beneath soil cover. Consequently, some of the EL was relinquished. A drilling programme was suggested to estimate reserves near No 6 waterhole.