Surrender report on ELA 31037, ELA 31038 and ELA 31039 Barkly Silica Project

Abstract

ELAs 31037, 31038 and 31039 were applied for to explore primarily for silica rock as a potential source of High Purity Quartz (HPQ). Rock phosphate was a secondary target. The applications were withdrawn when a literature review showed that assays by previous explorers gave little or no prospect of HPQ and that the area had already been drill tested for phosphate. This project was located near the junction of the Barkly and Tableland Highways in central-eastern NT, between 130 km and 180 km east of Tennant Creek and 60 km to-120 km from Wonarah Phosphate. The project area may have had some logistical advantage if any Tennant Creek - Mount Isa infrastructure were to be developed. There are several different units mapped as Cenozoic, Tertiary and regolith that might host pedogenic chalcedonic quartz on the Barkly Tableland. The published mapping of these was mainly based on air-photo interpretation and may be dubious. The general area has previously been explored for uranium, diamonds, and for phosphate by several companies. Vale undertook phosphate exploration drilling and found pods of low grade (1% to 9%) P2O5. Rum Jungle Resources considers that the area has been adequately drill tested for rock phosphate.Vale also did rock chip sampling which is shown on the figure below and these data were captured and interpreted by Rum Jungle Resources. Vale appear to have surface sampled both mapped Cambrian rocks and potential silica hosts but did not analyse for SiO2 specifically. Although their samples were biased towards carbonates, all would be too high in Ca, Mg and/or Mn for HPQ, based on our current understanding. Any remnant carbonate host is not considered desirable for HPQ. Furthermore, Rum Jungle Resources reconnoitred the area along the highways and found no indication of extensive bedded quartz within sight of the public roads.