Partial relinquishment report for EL 23912, for the period ended 16 June 2006

Abstract

This report outlines exploration activities carried out over the relinquished blocks of EL 23912 at the Bynoe Project south of Darwin, NT, in the period from 17th June 2004 to 16th June 2006. Lithostructural mapping and geochemical sampling information collected from the exploration tenement by Sons of Gwalia during previous programmes have been collated and reviewed. Site assessments were carried out in late 2005 and mid 2006 to determine options to further exploit the mineral potential of the Bynoe project area. The exploration tenement encompasses a locality of known previous mining operations for Tantalum (Ta) and Tin (Sn) - the Observation Hill area held by Sons of Gwalia under ML 016. The individual pegmatites in the district are typically less than 250m in length and up to 15m thick, being steeply to moderately dipping dykes with irregular shapes. Surface expression is variously affected by laterisation to about 30m depth. Mineralogical zonation of the pegmatites is either not common or is poorly developed. Cassiterite is the main economic mineralisation, with subordinate tantalum and niobium occurring mainly as tantalocolumbite. Work on EL 23912 included the analysis and review of geological mapping and rockchip sampling information. The main outcomes of these programmes were to improve definition of pegmatite geometry and grade distribution within the sheets leading to the conclusion that the likelihood of significant tonnage of mineable grade mineralisation is low.