Second annual report on EL 25841 Dunmarra Cooee Hill project

Abstract

EL 25841 Cooee Hill Project is located in the Dunmarra sedimentary basin, which has the potential to host unconformity or sandstone style uranium mineralisation. Processing airborne radiometric images in the 2008 reporting period defined a broad, diffuse north - south trending uranium anomaly over the southern 2/3 of the tenement and a number of small, sharp sub-rounded anomalies to the north. United Mining Resources Ltd engaged the services of Fortis United Pty Ltd and sub-contractor Geoarc Pty Ltd from Perth to assess the anomalies by on-ground regolith mapping, spectrometer surveys and geochemical sampling. Traversing off-road was very slow due to extremely thick acacia and undergrowth. Three main regolith domains were encountered: lateritic pisolites and lesser quartz-hematite rich rubble in soil; clayey / sandy / loamy soil in subtle drainage areas; and gentle undulating hills with sandstone scree / rubble / subcrop. A total of 80 U, Th and K readings were taken with the spectrometer; the majority on a 3000m N-S by 400m E-W grid along 2 traverse lines over the southern area. The survey was effective in defining higher values over the airborne anomaly, but no significant uranium values were returned. One traverse line of soil sampling (36 samples) was completed on a 200m E-W spacing. Samples were analysed by four acid digest to determine if mineralisation occurs near surface. The analysis technique was effective in defining higher values over the airborne anomaly; however no anomalous uranium or base metal values were returned. The same soil samples were analysed by ionic leach. The Ionic leach technique will define mineralisation beneath thick cover and / or from a greater depth within the Dunmarra basin and / or possibly from the basement rocks beneath the basin. No anomalous uranium, precious or base metal results were returned despite the analysis technique being effective. One rock chip was taken from ferruginous quartz-rich subcrop for geochemical analysis; returning 28% iron. However, the extremely high quartz content makes it unattractive for iron ore mineralisation potential. Thin section analysis showed the specimen is sandstone and not a re-worked product, giving confidence that similar scree / rubble found elsewhere in isolated patches is not re-worked. Niton XRF analysis of the rock chip suggests possible anomalous gold and palladium and so the sample should be re-assayed for these elements to check. Conclusions from interpretation of geochemical results, regolith mapping and field observations indicate the broad, diffuse radiometric anomaly located over the southern 2/3 of the tenement is caused by a transported regolith profile and not by an in-situ uranium source located beneath. The sharp oval-shaped airborne radiometric anomaly located in the northern region of the tenement was not supported by on-ground spectrometer measurements. It is possible that processing of radiometric data has caused the anomaly: supported by the fact that there are multiple (but lower tenor) small rounded 'anomalies' within the northeastern area of EL 25841. Given the poor results, no further work is recommended on the tenement.