An assessment of the tin potential of the Coronet Hill area (including EL 10004)

Abstract

EL 10004 is located about 60 km east of Pine Creek on the Mary River Pastoral Lease. The tenement was granted on 19 August 2002 for 6 years and was recently reduced in area to 9 blocks. The tenement covers a major mineralised structure known as the Coronet Fault which trends NW-SE. The area was mined intermittently for silver, copper and tin between 1888 and 1918. The potential for significant economic base metal mineralisation in the area is considered to be low due to the narrow lodes, the intermittent development of high-grade zones and the presence of significant amounts of arsenic and bismuth in the ore. Alluvial tin was produced from workings at the Mary River Camp and small amounts of tin were mined at the Ross mine. Drummond in his Independent Consultants Report for the Arafura Resources NL prospectus noted the potential for tin mineralisation in the area. The recent rise in the price of tin now makes ore deposits of this metal valid exploration targets. Previous exploration work in the area has been predominantly for base metals and gold. Tin exploration has been intermittent and done as an adjunct to other exploration. The work that has been done showed that significant portions of the Coronet Fault system were strongly anomalous for tin. Values of up to 1.95% Sn were found in rock chips from the outcropping lodes. No systematic exploration for tin mineralisation has been done over the prospective part of the Coronet Fault system. This report concludes that there is a good chance that a hard rock tin resource will be found in the area. There is also potential for economic concentrations of alluvial tin to occur in the creek at Mary River Camp. A programme of detailed grid soil sampling and mapping has been recommended for two areas within the Coronet Fault zone. Some work has also been recommended on assessing the alluvial tin potential of Mary River Camp area.