Report on EL 25903 for the period 14 November 2011 to 13 November 2012

Abstract

The main objective of the year's programme was to continue to examine the area surrounding the old 'Misses Mine' and the possible connection to the existing Francis Creek Gold Mine deposit. The 'Misses Mine' is located approximately 1 km to the east of MLN 770. This area consists of a small shaft sunk to approx. 12 metres on a quartz reef generally 1 metre wide. This reef trends in a north westerly direction for about 100 metres towards the quartz vein exposed on MCN 1645 and 1646. Between these tenements and the 'Misses Mine' are a number of old costeans (believed to have been dug by Carpentaria Exploration and outside EL 25903) which appear to confirm the connection between the two areas. Viewing the area via a satellite image indicates a 'U' shaped formation. It is indeterminate as to whether it is a syncline or an anticline. This indecision is due to the vein exposed in the 'Misses Mine' is almost vertical and the reef exposed in 'Murphy's' (MLN 771) starts to descend vertically before dipping to the west. 1600 metres to the south the reef dips to the east. More recent intrusive events have evidently distorted the area. Efforts are underway to obtain a small drilling rig to allow shallow drilling activities to be done 'in house'. Either by drilling the area or simply exposing the vein system by a small scale mining programme the true nature will be determined. Initially a small scale mining operation would be expected to involve the removal of alluvial material followed by a shallow open-cut operation. Alternatively, the existing shaft could be cleaned out and sunk to a greater depth of 30 metres which would put the base on a similar level to the base of the workings on MLN 771 located approx. 1 km to the west. Either of these scenarios would generate considerable ground disturbance in varying degrees which would require the preparation of a mine plan etc. Three samples of 10 kgs each were collected from within the shaft. These were treated in the same manner as earlier samples taken from the exposed vein between the two areas, that is; the samples were crushed to minus 74 micron and gravity concentrated. The concentrate was amalgamated with a measured quantity of mercury and the resulting amalgam weighed. A portion of the remaining material was reduced further to minus 45 micron and examined under a microscope for remaining gold as it was considered too fine for amalgamation to occur. The result of this work was that a gravity type treatment plant should recover 50-60 percent of the available gold to provide an estimated grade of 2-3 grams per tonne Au. This is consistent with earlier results obtained. Working with the results obtained so far, it is estimated that approx. 3000 tonnes of ore at 2.5 grams per tonne Au could exist to a depth of 12 metres over a strike length of 100 metres. This year's programme continued to seek either alluvial or hard rock resources which may have been connected with the existing Francis Creek Gold mine.