First Annual Report ML 29494 from grant of tenement in 21 December 2012 to 20 December 2013

Abstract

ML 29494 is a unique type of tenement in that the economic commodity sought is valued for its scientific and collector value (specimens of circular blue azurite, often collected on a background matrix of near white kaolin and referred to as 'azurite suns'). Marketing is carried out via mineral shows in Australia, overseas and by ecommunications. The underground mining operation is a cut above fossicking but is still very small scale and was a type of activity originally covered by mineral claims. ML 29494 started out as a mineral claim but unfortunately was caught by amendments to the Mineral Tile Act that did away with MCs. Mining work at the mine site commenced on the 9th May 2013 and was completed on 3rd July 2013. A fly camp was maintained on the old waste rock dump opposite the adit entrance to the mine for the period and was occupied 5 times for periods of 7 to 8 days. Four to 5 day breaks were taken in Alice Springs to replenish fuel, water and food, repair equipment, box potential mineral specimens for transport and recover from the stresses of manual labour. The core mine site activity was the driving of two tunnels in mineralisation from either side of the exploration decline, parallel to the anticlinal axis i.e. one tunnel down dip parallel to the axis and a second up the anticlinal incline parallel to the anticlinal axis. Both these working faces were in mineralisation. One person was contracted for mine site work for all the mining campaigns by the owner/operator and a second person was bought in to assist in mining activities on the last expedition into the mine site. The narrower down dip drive face was advanced 2.34 metres in 2013 across a 2 metre working face (4 separate cuts) and the up dip drive face 1.8 metres (5 separate cuts) across a 5.5 metre working face. A total of 24.3 M3 was mined consisting of waste rock (23M3) and hanging wall kaolinite containing azurite (1.3M3). Dr Melchiorre of California State University carried out in September 2013 a fluid inclusion study of the azurite and added to the data bank of research and field data aimed at improving understanding of this unusual copper deposit.