Report on alluvial exploration activity Howley Project Area.

Abstract

Exploration work on EL 4847 has been directed toward mapping the extent of the gold bearing gravels and determining their grade by pan and bulk sampling. Air photograph mapping has been carried out over the area as part of a broader regional study. Follow-up work in the field was then carried out in which the air photo maps were checked and measurements were taken of gravel thickness in river incisions, pits and costeans. Pan sampling was continued in the EL to fill-in gaps left by the earlier programme. A bulk sample of 2,420 m3 was taken from the gravels in the easten part of the EL which returned a gold grade of 0.11 g/LCM. Some costeaning was done on Pandanus Creek and two ground radar traverses were made over the lower reaches of Dam Creek in the northeast of the EL. The mineralized crest of the Howley Anticline lies to the east of the topographic watershed. The shed of auriferous gravels is therefore mainly eastward into the northeast part of EL 4847. Although some good grades were obtained in the southwestern part of the EL, volumes are likely to be low. In the northeastern part of EL 4847, two main channels carry auriferous gravels. They are the Pandanus Creek, where mining has already commenced (Nov-Dec. '88) and Dam Creek to the north. Although gravel lenses, terraces and bars of reworked gold bearing material may occur beneath the silt on the flatter slopes downstream, the main resource is thought to be situated close to the Howley Ridge in the upper parts of the two major drainage systems. Economic gravels may total 255,000 Bank Cubic Metres (BCM's) in the two drainage systems.