EL 26375 Chianina Annual and final report 16 April 2008 to 29 April 2013

Abstract

NuPower carried out an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey in 2008 during the first year that covered the area, including the relinquishment block, as part of a larger survey of NuPower's tenements in the Aileron region, designed to explore for buried palaeochannels at the base of and within the Cainozoic sedimentary package as potential hosts for secondary uranium. A total of1204.5 line kilometres was flown here at 1km line spacing at a nominal terrain clearance of 120m over the areas relinquished. Concurrently, groundwater from station water bores was sampled and assayed for a suite of major and trace elements the results of which were expected to assist with targeting potential sites of uranium accumulation within the palaeochannel systems. The AEM survey results indicated that the technique was very successful, revealing that the Tertiary palaeodrainage system is far more extensive and better developed than previously thought. It indicates that the Ti-Tree Basin infills a deep structural feature developed in two NW-SE trending grabens immediately to the north of the Ti-Tree Fault and that part of these structures lies beneath the southern part of Chianina. The southern part is therefore considered prospective for secondary uranium mineralisation because reduced sediments, required for the precipitation of uranium from groundwater, are likely to be present here. NuPower also contributed to the NTGS Central Australia Gravity Survey (CAGS) over the Central Arunta region that included EL 26375 to acquire higher quality data for regional basement interpretation. There was no on-ground exploration work during Year 2. There was no on-ground exploration during Year 3. Assay results from 9 groundwater samples collected in 2007 and 2008 were found to be erroneous due to laboratory problems. Samples were re-assayed and results reported. There was no on-ground exploration during Year 4. No work was done in Year 5 and the decision was made to relinquish the area because the company is now concentrating on phosphate exploration.