Burnside Operations Pty Ltd final report, surrendered blocks SEL 9591

Abstract

SEL 9591 is centred 120 km SE of Darwin, NT, and since April 2002 has been subject to a joint venture agreement between Territory Goldfields NL (Northern Gold NL) and Buffalo Creek Mines P/L. (Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Ltd. The principal objective of the joint venture is to locate, develop, mine and treat gold ores within the Burnside Joint Venture area. The management company for the Joint Venture is Burnside Operations Pty Ltd. The tenement was originally an amalgamation of a group of exploration licences that had been extensively explored by Dominion Gold Operations Pty. Ltd and by Northern Gold N.L. It comprises a contiguous link between the joint venture's other exploration and mining tenements that include advanced stage gold resources and prospects. First granted in October 1996 the tenement is mature and has been allowed several extensions of term. A further extension in 2004 is not allowed under the Mining Act and an application [SEL 24352] has been lodged for a new tenement that includes most components of SEL 9591. Some 14 blocks were surrendered and the new application incorporates EL 23543. This report is confined to those blocks of SEL 9591 that were surrendered prior to the application for SEL 24352. The surrendered blocks lie along the western margin of SEL 9591 and predominantly are underlain by sedimentary rocks of the Burrell Creek Formation of Lower Proterozoic age. These have been tightly folded with axial planes aligned north-south. Major strike faults including the Mount Shoobridge Fault have truncated the axes of several folds. The report area was explored by other holders under previous exploration licence tenure. Work by these parties included stream, rock and soil sampling, geological mapping, and locally RC drilling. Following the grant of SEL 9591 in October 1996 Northern Gold NL conducted remote sensing studies using purchased airborne magnetics, radiometrics and SPOT satellite imagery. This coverage included part or all of the surrendered blocks and is described in the body of this report.