Final technical report for EL 24804 Waite Creek Ngalia Regional Project period 16 April 2007 to 17 March 2017

Abstract

EL 24804 (Waite Creek) is part of the 100% owned Energy Metals Ltd (EME) Ngalia Regional Project situated 360 km northwest of Alice Springs and 55 km southwest of the Bigrlyi uranium project. EL 24804 (43 graticular blocks) was granted on 16 April 2007. In 2007 an airborne geophysical survey measuring radiometrics, magnetics and topography was conducted over Energy Metals Bigrlyi and Ngalia Regional tenements (including EL 24804). Heritage notifications were also lodged with the CLC to permit drilling activities on the tenement. The clearance program involving the traditional owners and resulted in the identification of a significant number of cultural sites. A number of exclusion zones were designated which limited proposed exploration activities. Exploration activities undertaken on the tenement during the 2008-2009 period included regional and reconnaissance mapping and prospecting, interpretation of 2007 airborne geophysical surveys including radiometric and magnetic imagery and compilation of historical data. Exploration activities completed during the 2009-2010 period included shallow aircore drill testing (85 holes for 856m) of radiometric anomalies associated with calcrete regolith. No significant mineralisation was identified at depth. On-ground investigations in 2011 found that a prominent radiometric feature identified from the 2007 aerial survey was a thorium-dominant, clay-pan anomaly of low uranium potential. Further studies were commenced to distinguish thorium-associated radiometric anomalies, which appear to be common features in the Waite Creek area, from those associated with calcrete to enable better targeting of uranium mineralisation. A partial reduction (reducing the EL by 9 blocks) was approved on 1 July 2011. During 2014-2015 a project review was undertaken. Open file data from Royal Resources Ltd (ROY), who explored the adjacent tenement, became available. EME drilling data (2009) and ROY data combined with magnetic and radiometric imagery was used for a prospectivity analysis of Bigrlyi-style uranium systems within the tenement and several locations were identified for field reconnaissance. However, field reconnaissance work revealed no surface mineralisation. The possibility of a significant surficial uranium deposit on EL 24804 was downgraded and the southern part of the tenement was relinquished (17 blocks surrendered). Further desktop studies suggested prospective beds of Mt Eclipse Sandstone on EL 24804 are located too high up in the stratigraphy to be associated with Bigrlyi-style mineralisation. On this basis it was recommended that the remainder of the tenement be relinquished.