Annual Report on EL period ending 29-10-86 to 28-10-87.

Abstract

Allanite bearing pegmatites in this EL are being evaluated as potential ore for a large resource of rare earth elements. Regional mapping of the known area of occurrence has been completed. This is being followed at present by detailed mapping and drilling in order to identify an initial resource of 1 x 10/6 tonnes containing an average of 4% allanite. Access tracks and drill pads have been established for this purpose while new aerial photography and an airbourne geophysical survey have been comissioned. A collaborative research program supported by the licence holders is in progress at the CSIRO Division of Mineral Chemistry under the leadership of Dr Malcolm T, Frost. This program studies the occurrence of the allanite, its concentration from the host rock and preparation of a marketable rare earth chloride cocktail from the concentrate. Results are encouraging. Prospecting, airphoto interpretation and multielement geochemical exploration techniques are being used to evaluate the remainder of the licence area. Some gold mineralization has been located outside the rare earths area.