Annual report to January 1983.

Abstract

During 1982, 18 auger drill holes were completed using the company's tractor-mounted auger drill rig, for a total aggregate depth of 82 metres (average 4.56m.). The drill holes were mainly concentrated on the western side of the highway along and around old copper and gold diggings in ferruginous tuffaceous arenites and schists of the South Alligator Group. Drill holes were an average of 50 to 60 metres apart and varied in depth between 12 and 7 metres. Three old open pit copper mines were located along a zone roughly parallel to the highway (to the northeast) and the anticlinal Rowley line (to the south-west). The zone runs into the north-east portion of EL 3055 and comprises a series of elongate low ridges. Quartz and chert bands, 'dollied' up in the field, showed significant gold colours. Samples of limonitic and malachite-stained schist from the open pits assayed up to 13% copper and up to 5 gin. Au/tonne. Six small trenches were dug by back-hoe off the sides of the ridges to depths up to 4 metres; samples taken from the trenches gave significant to minor colours of gold in pans. Samples from the auger holes were taken at one metre depth intervals, placed in large plastic bags, quartered, dried, weighed and panned to concentrate. The concentrates were colour counted and retained. Values of gold were estimated in overall samples ranging from approximately 0.1 to 4 gm. Au/tonne. Regional geological mapping was conducted on a reconnaissance basis to assist in formulation of comprehensive programme of geological, geochemical and geophysical work to locate targets for deeper percussion drilling.