Annual report EL 260 for year ending 31-12-1972

Abstract

Held by Queensland mines for approximately 9 months. The 1972 year involved a major reassessment of all known data pertaining to this licence area which was collected in previous years. The systematic assembly of this data has enabled data gaps to be defined and has provided a feeling for the depth of exploration coverage achieved in the past years. This licence are is almost totally covered by think Kombolgie Sandstone which obscures the underlying rocks which are considered to be more favourable for uranium occurrence. Because of the Sandstone cover direct Geological comparison with areas where Uranium mineralisation is known is difficult. In this licence only a few of what are considered to be favourable Geological features are evident at the present time. Future exploration will initially be concentrated in one relatively small area where a few of the known favourable feature occur. Elsewhere the general exploration techniques applicable to the non-Kombolgie areas do not apply and new techniques will have to be developed. This problem is compounded by the fact that nearly all the land is inaccessible to vehicles and investigations have been carried out by helicopter support. EL 260 was granted for a period of approximately 9 months from 17 March 1972 to 31 December 1972 and previously formed part of AP2221 which expired in 1971. The licence comprises an area of approximately 1189 sq km. A complete reappraisal of existing date relating to this licence was undertaken during 1972. In addition limited field investigations were carried out in the Northern section of the licence to ground confirm interpreted geological features and collect samples of granite for thin section analysis. New Geological maps were complied. The geology appearing on these maps was interpreted by aerial photograph studies and in some instances confirmed by ground checks. In compiling the Geological maps it was apparent that the regional Geology was inadequately known. In an effort to obtain more detailed and reliable Geological base maps a contractor was engadged to provide aerial colour photograph coverage of the entire area. This colour photography together with existing maps and Geophysical information is presently being used by consultants in Denver USA to produce new Geological base maps of the area. The new maps will be provided on a scale of 1:25,000. Although the company had aerborne magnetometer coverage of the area undertaken in 1970 this information was only available in the form of RAW data and was of little use in the form. A contractor Hunting Geology and Geophysics Ltd was engaged during 1972 to reduce the data and produce the results in contour forrm. Contour maps are presented as overlays to the Geological maps. The initial qualitative interpretation of the analogue radiometric data suggested that most of the anomalies related to volcanic members of the Kombolgie Formation and were therefore of low priority. Detailed interpretation of all data was therefore not considered justified and only selected anomalies have been digitised. Plotting and contouring of this data will be undertaken on receipt of the 1:25,000 Geological base maps.