First Annual report for EL 5086 Fountain Head Area

Abstract

This Exploration Licence is about 4 kms west of the Fountain Head Railway Siding and consists of one block, one minute by one minute, which is largely covered by Exploration Retention Licence 58. The eastern and northern sides of the area are free of tenements and part of this was investigated in the field. The whole area is underlain by thick soil, eluvium and alluvium, making exploration for hard rock gold deposits quite difficult and reliable geological interpretation nearly impossible. The literature search did not reveal any useful information in regard to exploration for gold. A comprehensive air photograph interpretation suggests that an anticline, known as the 'Zapopan' anticline could run east-west through the area.

Traversing using self potential methods was carried out in an effort to try to locate the axis of the supposed 'Zapopan' anticline. This method would only have been successful if suiphides were present near the anticlinal axis at the water table beneath the area traversed. No meaningful results were obtained in regard to the presence or absence of gold mineralisation within the Licence area, mainly due to the presence of thick colluvial cover. Recommendations for further work in the next and last year of the Licence are auger drilling with geological assessment of bedrock samples and analysis of samples for gold and arsenic. This could be carried out in conjunction with on going similar programmes in adjoining areas. Results of exploration in these nearby areas will also be valuable in helping to assess this Exploration Licence. Any favourable results would be best followed by deep trenching.