Annual report for the Tanami Project for the 1998 field season

Abstract

Within EL 1060 the Cashel prospect was evaluated by additional rock chip sampling and various drilling methods. Encouraging results were obtained at the Dunluce anomaly by vacuum drilling with most results being greater than 10 ppb Au. At the Blarney anomaly RAB drilling intersected graphitic schists and cherts of the Mt Charles Beds, results obtained indicate the presence of wide uneconomic mineralisation, i.e. 24m at 0.38 g-t Au, 12m at 0.99 g/t Au. RC drilling at the Blarney anomaly returned wide zones of subeconomic mineralisation, whilst at Dunluce an intersection of 11m at 1.98 g/t Au was obtained. At the Largo prospect vacuum drilling returned low results, whilst RC drilling intersected narrow mineralisation, i.e.. 3m at 0.66 g-t Au. Vacuum drilling at the Saracen prospect with low results recorded. At the Tornado Prospect three zones of anomalism were obtained from a lag sampling program. Within EL 2290, lag, rock chip sampling and vacuum drilling did not return any significant results. EL 2366 surrounds the Granite Mine, further evaluation of the licence continued, some soil and vacuum drilling, results were however low. EL 2367 surrounds the Dead Bullock Soak area which includes the Callie Mine. Work completed included regional evaluation in the southern part of the licence and consisted of MMI, lag, rock chip sampling and RAB drilling, with some anomalous lag obtained to 28 ppb Au. Anomaly 9, a RAB drilling program over an MMI anomaly, gave low results. EL 2369 has a number of anomalies that were further evaluated. At anomaly 16 ground magnetics indicated the presence of dolerites-pyrrhotite bearing greywackes and were drilled by 24 RAB holes - results were poor. In the same general area broad 400 x 50m lag sampling was completed and an 800 x 50m gold-arsenic anomaly is indicated. At East Ptilotus fourteen RAB holes were completed - best result was 12m at 0.25 g-t Au. Six RC holes were completed into a known shear zone and 350m of mineralisation is indicated; results include 14m at 2.2g-t Au, 15m at 2.6 g-t Au, 48m at 0.5 g-t Au. Drilling at Farrands South intersected granite only. At the persistance prospect only granite and Antrim Plateau basalts were intersected. Four hundred and fifty soil samples were collected at the Vivitar Prospect and results constrain the original gold anomaly, however follow up drilling only obtained low results - 7 ppb Au. At Lag anomaly 2, RAB drilling identified gold/arsenic anomalism associated with shales and greywackes. Within EL 2370, lag sampling was completed in the south of the licence and a high proportion of the samples returned low level gold anomalism. Thirteen RAB holes were completed at Cave Hills with a maximum result of 70 ppb Au returned. At the Challenger prospect, 280 lag samples were taken and resulted in a 1 km anomaly (5 ppb Au) defined. At the Golgonda prospect soil sampling delineated several targets. RAB and RC drilling gave some moderate results - 3m at 2.33 g-t Au. At Karsak and Reunards Ridge further work did not indicate any further anomalism. At Smoke Hills a region of lag sampling programme returned 8 samples with values greater than 7 ppb Au, highest being 300 ppb Au. This area was also soil sampled but no significant results were obtained. At Oberon a test program using soil and vacuum drilling and using various partial extraction methods successfully delineated the known ore zone. The Oberon orebody was further evaluated by 76 infill RC holes with most holed containing economic intersection, i.e. 20m at 4.12 g-t Au, 43m at 3.63 g-t Au, 27m at 6.56 g-t Au. Twenty diamond drill holes were also completed and confirmed the mineralisation continued to a depth of 200m; the intersections were generally economic and similar to the RC results. The ore resource calculated in October 1997 still applied, i.e. 4.78 million tonnes at 2.4 g-t Au. EL 2371 - only three samples were collected and they were not anomalous. The tenement is underlain by the Antrim Plateau Basalts. EL 2372 - 14.4 line km of regional ground magnetic surveys were completed. Reconnaissance rock chip sampling obtained two anomalous results whilst lag sampling returned a singular spot high value of 26 ppb Au and 255 ppm As. In the north of the licence, thirteen vacuum holes were drilled with low results obtained. Widespread regional RAB-air core drilling did not intersect significant anomalism At the DBS lineament anomaly rock chip and lag sampling returned anomalous arsenic anomalism only, whilst an MMI and soil sampling program obtained no values of interest. RAB drilling did not elevate the anomaly. At the Sheared Granite anomaly rock chip and lag sampling located minor gold and arsenic anomalism within a roof pendant. Vacuum drilling in the same area did not obtain any anomalous results. EL 4529: A single line of vacuum drilling was completed and a single spot anomaly of 8 ppb Au was obtained. EL 6759: The tenement was covered by a detailed helimagnetic survey, soil sampling and air core drilling. The drill results were negative whilst the soil sampling returned low (3 ppb) gold anomalism on two lines. EL 6859: Reconnaissance evaluation consisted of ground magnetics, rock chip and lag sampling, vacuum, RAB and air core drilling. A single peak result of 235 ppb Au was obtained from the lag sampling whilst the rock chip sampling obtained some anomalous results, i.e. 480 ppb Au and 2400 ppm As. The broad scale vacuum drilling obtained some gold anomalism in the upper part of the holes but not at the base. This was to the east of the Twin Bonanza prospect area. RAB results were low. A singular air core hole intersected 24m of gold anomalism associated with quartz veining within siltstones. At the Old Pirate prospect comparative sampling methods were used, i.e. lag, soil, MMI over test line 67800 N and all methods defined similar anomalism. RAB drilling completed over the same line intersected several anomalous values, including 2m at 3.14 g-t Au. At the Twin Bonanza prospect an extensive gravity survey consisting of 3140 stations was completed. MMI samples were collected from 7 air core and 1 vacuum hole; although erratic gold anomalism was obtained no mineralisation was intersected. Similarly 33 RAB holes were completed which tested geophysical anomalies, obtained anomalous gold anomalism but no economic mineralised intersections. Eleven RC holes were completed at the prospect with results confirming the mineralisation trends to the north-east and consisted of stacked lenses dipping 25 degrees to 40 degrees to the north west. Significant intersections were made and include 10m at 3.9 g-t-Au, 13m at 2.49 g/t Au, 10m at 5.5 g-t Au. EL 7121: No exploration was completed during the year. EL 7122: Reconnaissance work completed on the licence includes rock chip and lag sampling, ground magnetic surveys and RAB drilling of the licence. Eighty-one RAB holes were completed with only 3 holes returning anomalous results. At anomaly 19 soil and MMI sampling returned no anomalous values. At the Casa prospect twenty-one lag samples were obtained with no anomalism detected. However thirty rock chip samples collected in previously located anomalous sites confirmed the original anomalism. At the Mannequin prospect rock and lag sampling downgraded the area. Similarly the Nomad prospect was downgraded. At the Nummul prospect additional vacuum drilling has delineated a 4 km x 800 m wide anomalous arsenic zone with some sporadic low gold values. The area was RAB drilled and some anomalism obtained which was associated with quartz veins within hydrothermally altered sandstones, i.e.. 32 ppb Au and 1140 ppb As. At the Porter prospect geological mapping and surficial sampling was completed. A 500m arsenic anomaly was indicated and further evaluated by RAB drilling with some anomalous intersections made, i.e.. 6m at 0.49 g-t Au, 6m at 0.79 g/t Au, 15m at 0.11 g/t Au.