Annual report for EL 25691 Davenport Range

Abstract

The Davenport Range is comprised of Proterozoic sediments and volcanics of the Hatches Creek Group, encompassing the Elkedra Dome in the centre of the exploration license. A review of all available public information on EL 25691 Davenport Range, was completed. This work identified several radiometric anomalies coincident with possible Cainozoic and Qnaternary stream sediments in the northwest of the tenement near a public road. Elsewhere, extensive radiometric anomalism was associated with Newlands Volcanics within the Elkedra Dome, which were plainly formational and not investigated further. A field crew visited the northwest of the tenement, where a number of flight line radiometric anomalies were possibly associated with Cainozoic and Quaternary stream sediments. Reconnaissance traverses were made along the flight lines using an Exploranium GR-135 Plus gamma ray spectrometer. Four rock chip samples were taken at radiometric high points and submitted for analysis using ICP-MS. The assays for the samples ranged between 1.62ppm and 3.69ppm U, with thorium between 10.3 and 16.9ppm and potassium in the range of 0.58 - 0.86%. ASTER imagery was obtained over the region and processed to give colour mineral and alteration assemblage maps. These were considered and showed a probable zone of alteration within the Elkedra Dome. Here a dacitic granophyre was associated with an adjacent alteration halo in the Newlands Volcanics. The historic geochemical sampling of the Elkedra Dome did not test this halo. The low uranium analyses and their occurrence within the Arabulja Volcanics dismisses the uranium potential northwestern part of the exploration license. However, the alteration halo interpreted from the ASTER imagery is of interest and should be investigated further before relinquishing the tenement.