Fifteenth annual report on the evaluation of AN 366 Emu Fault Zone AN366 South - The Amelia Prospect

Abstract

Authorisation Northern 366 (AN 366) is located southeast of the current McArthur River Mining leases. Under statutory relinquishment regulations AN 366 was previously divided into two separate areas, each focused on an individual area of interest along the Emu Fault Zone. AN 366 North, the Coxco Prospect, is located approximately 10 kilometres southeast of the HYC deposit, and covers an area of 5 graticule blocks (16.45km2). It is a sub-economic carbonate hosted Zn - low Pb deposit within highly prospective Proterozoic McArthur Group stratigraphy, directly adjacent to the major north-south trending Emu Fault zone. The Coxco Prospect contains both stratabound primary mineralisation and stockwork vein hosted secondary mineralisation. Recent work on tenement AN 366 has focused on this northern block of AN 366, including variography, block modelling and resource calculations, as previoudly reported. AN 366 South, the Amelia Prospect, is located approximately 10km further south from the Coxco Prospect, and covers an area of four graticule blocks (13.16km2). This area was the focus of exploration activities in the early 1990's, but no significant work has been conducted on the area since 1995. The last phase of exploration conducted on the Amelia area suggested further work to be conducted over the tenement, which for various reasons was never completed. Sub - economic base metal mineralisation occurs within the Amelia Prospect, and is hosted in structure controlled vein stockworks, associated with second and third generation structural features. A decision was made to focus 2007-2008 exploration activities solely on the Amelia Prospect. This decision was made given the large amount of research completed by previous workers on the Coxco Prospect (e.g. Logan, 1997; Pevely, 2005). In comparison, there is relatively little work completed on the Amelia Prospect, warranting further investigation of this highly prospective area.Three days of field reconnaissance were conducted over the Amelia Prospect, with the first day spent defining tenement boundaries and checking the accessibility of tracks across the Amelia Prospect. The following two days were spent conducting several east - west traverses across the Emu Fault Zone. The intention of this exercise was to gain an understanding of the main lithologies within the structurally complex prospect, along with recognizing any surface expression of mineralisation and major fault zones. A 3D model was constructed. The literature review, data collection and compilation completed for AN 366 South revealed a wealth of information on the exploration history of the Amelia Prospect. The integration of this data into a 3D model increased our understanding of the structural complications that plague the Amelia Prospect. The application of geometrical limitations to mineralised zones provides constraint on the depth and proximity to prospective structural features and areas of possible mineralisation.