MLS 165 Mud Tank Vermiculite Mine Annual and final report year ending 2014

Abstract

The Mud Tank Vermiculite Mine, located 150km north east of Alice Springs, operated between 1996 and 2013. Australian Vermiculite Industries held MLS 165 to lease expiry on 31 December 2014. When acquired by Imerys in 2002, tenement management was poor, little exploration had been undertaken and minimal geological or historic information was made available. The only reported exploration for vermiculite was carried out from 1986 to 1988 and included costeaning, large diameter (750mm) auger holes and the excavation of bulk samples for test work. The large diameter auger holes were restricted to a depth limit of only 27m. A technical review undertaken in 1999 reported that 'There is a general lack of data to support a resource estimation at Mud Tank, and none of the resource figures quoted in this report are comfortable to the AusIMM - JORC Code Guidelines. AVI make no recommendations to the future management or exploration of MLS 165.