Annual report on work completed, year ending January 1983.

Abstract

During the year 21 auger drill holes were completed, 15 in the north-eastern portion and 6 in the north-western portion of the licence area, using the company's tractor-mounted auger drill, for an aggregate depth of 92 metres (average 4.38m.) with depths varying between im. and 7m. The first 15 drill holes were mainly concentrated around a number of old diggings, mainly gold workings, but including one old copper open pit and one old silver/lead mine situated on north-west trending elongate low ridges comprising banded ferruginous quartz chlorite schists, tuffaceous arenites, slates, cherts and siltstones of the South Alligator Group. Drill holes averaged approximately 50 metres apart and were close to the old diggings. The second 6 holes were drilled around outcropping ridges in gravel alluvials shedding similar rock types as above west of the main Howley gold line. Samples were taken at one metre intervals in the holes, placed into large plastic bags, dried, weighed and panned to concentrate. The concentrates were colour counted and are retained in the company's possession at Howard Springs. Generally values were fairly low in overall samples, varying from approximately 0.1 to 2.0 gm. Au/tonne. Surface sampling along a number of ridges on either side of the Howley Line showed strong sulphide mineralization after 'dollying and some gold colours particularly from samples of quartz and/or chert bands; five trenches were dug to a depth of 3.5 to 4 metres in alluvial gravels by back-hoe in the north-east portion and vertical side wall samples were panned, also showing colours. Regional geological mapping was conducted as a preliminary programme to assist in formulation of a comprehensive programme of geological, geochemical and geophysical work to obtain targets for deep percussion drilling.