Sleisbeck Area NT, Reconnaissance Sampling

Abstract

The report contains a detailed history of the Sleisbeck Prospect, based on a review of earlier reports. It also presents results of a three day sampling expedition by the author to Sleisbeck and Sleisbeck West in 1985. Chip sampling of costeans, outcrops, ore dumps, discarded drill core, and the walls of the abandoned open cut at Sleisbeck, was completed for analysis for Au, which had not been done previously. Results from Sleisbeck West returned a maximum of 0.034ppm Au, while all samples from Sleisbeck were <0.025ppm Au, except for those from the ore dump (maximum 1.090ppm Au) and the walls of the open cut (maximum 0.723ppm Au). Both these groups of samples were anomalous. It was concluded that the anomalous Au values were likely to be restricted to association with elevated uranium values, and since the Au values returned from uranium mineralisation were still uneconomic, it is unlikely that higher grades exist on the prospect. No further work for gold at either prospect is recommended, but the following further action was recommended:

Sampling altered dolerite in Sleisbeck DDH53 to DDH55 (drilled by the South Alligator Joint Venture) for platinum group metals if the core can be located (at El Sherana?). These holes had previously been sporadically sampled for Au, Ag, U3O8, and base metals, but precious metals were not anomalous.

The other outlying prospects in the vicinity of Sleisbeck: Turnoff Creek, Turnoff Creek North, Katherine River, Upper Katherine River, Upper Katherine River East, and Upper Gimbat should be sampled, but since these are not on existing title, other prospects held under title in the South Alligator Valley should take priority.