Second and Final report for EL 23046, period ending 09/06/2004

Abstract

Exploration Licence 23046 was granted to Exploration & Resource Development Pty Ltd (ERD) on the 7th February 2003. ERD Pty Ltd, a Darwin based resource sector company, is the designated Project Manager. The tenement covers approximately 1,494 sq km covering a portion of Roper Group stratigraphy in the Bauhinia Shelf tectonic element of the western McArthur Basin. The tenement lies within the Gulf Fall physiographic province, a dissected terrane from which almost all of the old Tertiary land surfaces have been eroded. Topography is characterised by broad alluvial valleys between low rubbly hills and prominent strike ridges of resistant Roper Group strata, locally still capped by remnant Tertiary laterite. The northern part of EL 23046 covers a portion of the Wilton River Plateau, a flat-lying Proterozoic sandstone highland. The tenement encompasses mid-lower Roper Group sandstones and siltstones capped by Cretaceous sediments in the northwest. Significant areas of Quaternary and Caenozoic to modern day fine grained alluvial sedimentation are present and represent extensive silted valleys and floodplains of the lower reaches of the Jalboi River, Mainoru River and Flying Fox Creek systems. Previous exploration in the EL environs has comprised regional drainage stream sediment and gravel sampling programs targeting stratabound base metals and diamonds. No significant mineral occurrences are present within the EL. Interrogation of the recently produced DBIRD diamond and diamond indicator database reveals sparsely scattered positive diamond indicator results within the EL confines. The scattered indicators are considered to be secondary sourced and hard rock diamond potential is deemed low as follow-up sampling by previous explorers failed to repeat the positive results. Open file reviews suggest that sufficient work has been undertaken within the EL confines to downgrade the mineralisation potential. No further work is recommended and the EL was surrendered effective 9th June 2004. No field work was undertaken during the term of tenure.