Surrender report on ELA 31042 Kulgera Silica

Abstract

ELA 31042 was applied for to explore for silica rock that might be suitable as High Purity Quartz (HPQ). The application was withdrawn when a literature search found that the area had been adequately tested by previous explorers, albeit searching for a different commodity. This application covered rocks described as chalcedonic calcrete (variously mapped as Qs, Qc and Qt) between the Stuart Highway and the Central Australian Railway near the Kulgera rail siding, 40 km north of the SA border. Published maps (see Figure 1) and satellite imagery suggested the presence of white bedded quartz rock over a substantial portion of the ELA. The only on-ground historical exploration has been for uranium and other metals by Quasar Resources (EL 26194, CR2010-0126). They undertook a comprehensive calcrete/ferricrete/soil sampling program. Where nodular or sheet calcrete was present, the samples were sieved to collect the nodules. Fines were rejected. Nominal 1 kg samples of calcrete (determined by HCl reaction) were collected and the coarse fraction crushed to 6 mm. If there was no calcrete or ferricrete, a soil sample was taken by digging down as far as 1 m and the whole material collected was analysed. Analyses were by E-MS62 which is a whole rock near-total four acid digest with ICP-AES finish, ME-ICP61 which is a four acid digest with ICP-MS finish and ST44 gold analysis by aqua-regia extraction with ICP-MS finish. This Quasar data has been captured and assessed by Rum Jungle Resources. The minimum Al was 800 ppm which is far too high for HPQ, but this was from calcrete/soil samples not visually selected quartz rock. The Quasar data confirmed the presence of pervasive surface carbonate and the relationship of any quartz to a remnant carbonate host was considered undesirable for HPQ. Furthermore, checking Quasar's field descriptions against the map and satellite image gave no indication of bedded quartz that might be suitable HPQ. Most of the white 'outcrop' appears to be thin calcrete with only scattered quartz nodules at best.