First annual report EL 5326 the period 21-05-1987 to 21-05-1988

Abstract

An explorative survey was carried out by the partners starting on 19th June and completed by 22nd June, 1987 it was felt that post wet season burnoffs would have been completed by this time and the added hindrance of spear grass negated. Access to the lease area was attempted south of corkscrew pass in the depot creek area, by four wheel drive vehicle. This effort was frustrated by the extremely rugged nature of the country. Access was then gained to the southern lease boundary via old Douglas road. A caretaker in the Douglas Station was informed of our movements and agreed to our access. This attempt proved useful and showed clear access to a large area on the southern portion of the lease. However the necessity of surveying the actual boundary line of the lease and the clearest immediate route to that end appeared to lie at the N/W corner. Vehicle access to within one hundred meters of this corner was possible. A party on foot scaled the face to assess the survey possibilities. The conditions were rugged in the extreme, however it was felt that progress could be made at this point. The party returned to the depot creek area and decided that a further attempt should made to access the north/eastern boundary. It was felt that a useful access to the lease should be explored on that side to reduce any hindrance to the operations of Douglas Station. A party on foot set out from depot creek and spent some six and a half hours traversing the adjacent ranges and after considerable effort crossed the lease boundary just east of 131deg 28' no useful access was noted at this time and the party moved out of the area via the fault line. An assessment of the access situation indicated again the north/east corner as the best possible solution. This survey party moved out of the area on the 22nd June. On the 3rd July, a fully equipped party defined the N/W boundary corner. This party then proceeded to carry out an ordinary grid section and remove surface samples. This part of the operation presented the unforeseen problem of magnetic variance. Small rock samples from what appears to be a major structure of ironstone were observed to deflect compass readings by as much as 100. A significant ironstone occurrence forms a well defined face running in a N/S direction just outside the north boundary of the lease. A spot elevation indicates 196 meters on the N/Wcorner. Well defined occurrence of this formation appear three hundred meters to the E along Lat. 13036? dips in the formation and overlying sandstone present some problems in assessing the actual companionship of these occurrences, however we are of the opinion that the overall deposite is extensive Gridding and largely rock chip sampling has been carried out on six field trips the region up until this time. The months from April to the end of November are suitable for active field trips in this region although the onset of early or unpredictable weather conditions toward the latter part of the year may influence that time frame to some degree. The spear grass problem toward the end of the wet presents some difficulty.

Gridding crossections have been defined with plastic tape and scarping of trees kept to the absolute minimum. At this point in time no major ground disturbance has take place and we are confident that no interference with the operations of Douglas station have been evidenced.