Report on alluvial exploration activity EL 4836 Howley Project Area

Abstract

Exploration work in EL 4836 has been directed toward outlining the alluvial systems along the creeks and testing for gold by pan sampling. The work is in preparation for subsurface slotting and costeaning which will be carried out in the coming dry season. Air photograph mapping was carried out over the tenement as part of a broader regional survey. Follow-up ground checking was then done in which the air photo maps were checked and the theories on the distribution of the alluvial material generated by the photo-mapping were examined. Pan sampling was carried out in most of the creeks to check on the pattern of gold distribution. The regional mapping and panning programme was completed prior to the current year (21/01/1987 to 20/01/1988) but more detailed mapping and field evaluation was carried out in the tenement in the last year. The mapping and pan sampling show that the main alluvial body in the EL runs north-south along the Bridge Creek under a cover of silt. Pan sample results in this area are sparse because of poor gravel exposure but low gold grades were recovered in the samples taken. Low grades also characterize the east bank tributary creeks draining off the Howley Ridge. The best prospects are in three small southwest flowing tributary creeks in the north of the tenement. The creeks have been incompletely explored but grades may be good here although volumes are low. Old alignments of the Bridge Creek are mapped from the air photos and several terrace fragments from earlier river levels are located on the inside of a bend in Bridge Creek in the north. These features represent priority exploration targets in the coming dry season.