Annual and final report for period ending 11 August 2012 to 15 November 2012

Abstract

EL 26588 is located 44 km NE Tennant Creek and 40km east of Three Ways immediately south of the Barkly Highway on the TENNANT CREEK 1: 250,000 and BARKLY 1:100,000 map sheets in the Northern Territory. The tenement occurs on the western margin of the Georgina Basin where flat-lying Cambrian sediments have been deposited. The basal part of this sequence, the Gum Ridge Formation, is considered prospective for phosphate mineralization overlying either carbonates or basalts of the Middle Cambrian. In 2010, field reconnaissance was carried out to determine the type and extent of outcrop and its pertinence to phosphate mineralization. Geochemical sampling was undertaken for multi-element assaying and this work involved the collection of 83 samples of which 47 were submitted. There were no significant soil phosphorus results with a highest value of 140 ppm in an area where geological mapping (Donnellan et al., 1998) indicates the presence of Quaternary sands overlying Gum Ridge Formation. Samples 1000 m either side of this sample contain 50 ppm P. High magnetic susceptibility readings recorded at this site suggest basalt of the Helen Springs Volcanics. Due to these unfavourable reconnaissance results, the tenement was surrendered on 15 November, 2012.