Part Annual and Final Surrender Report for EL 30613, Singleton Phosphate Project 15 June 2019 to surrender

Abstract

EL 30613, Singleton Phosphate Project, is being explored for Cambrian rock phosphate similar to the nearby Ammaroo Phosphate Project also held by Verdant Minerals. The Singleton EL covers rocks intersected in waterbores on Singleton Station which were interpreted by NuPower/Central Australian Phosphate to be prospective Cambrian carbonates and siltstones. During Year 1 of tenure, Rum Jungle Resources (as the company was then), undertook a detailed study of all available information on 14 waterbores in and near Singleton EL 30613. There are possibly up to five different aquifers in this area. Groundwater is present in modern creek alluvials, Cenozoic clastic rocks (and possibly carbonates), various Cambrian formations/lithologies with combinations of vuggy, fracture and clastic porosity, and in Proterozoic "basement" rocks. The study carefully considered whether the Cambrian phosphate target stratigraphy is above or below the standing water level. This led to the conclusion that the northwestern half of the original title, closest to the railway, was the least prospective for Cambrian phosphate. There is little evidence that Cambrian rocks are even present in this area and, if they were, they would be below the watertable. An AAPA Register Search revealed five Recorded Sites each surrounded by relatively small Restricted Work Areas. Consequently, based on the waterbore study and no-go areas, 35 blocks were voluntarily relinquished from the original 56 within the first year of tenure. Another, compulsory, reduction in 2018 took EL 30613 to only 18 blocks. An MMP for a drilling program of 14 holes to nominally 30-40 m was submitted and approved by all stakeholders. During the 2019 field season, four RC holes (SPRC001-4) were drilled for 101 m, with a maximum of 30 m. Samples were collected every metre downhole. None of the holes reached basement. All four holes were abandoned either when they first encountered groundwater and/or when the hammer blocked. SPRC001 (TD 25 m) was drilled close to waterbore RN015583. SPRC001 did not intersect the carbonates that reacted with HCl from 9 m -15 m as described in the site geologist's waterbore log. SPRC003 (TD 20 m), drilled close to waterbore RN005952, had dolostone but no phosphate from 6 m to 8 m. Having hit water at 20 m, it could not go deep enough to reach the 'decomposed limestone and clay' below 34 m that was thought to be possible Cambrian carbonate by both the site Water Resources site geologist and NuPower. The proposed up-dip holes where it was hoped the carbonate and potential phosphate host would be shallower and above the watertable were not drilled. It is possible that the shallower carbonates and siltstones interpreted as prospective by NuPower might be Cenozoic and not Cambrian (which ironically was NuPower's first interpretation when exploring for uranium) and therefore not widespread and not prospective for phosphate. Any deeper Cambrian carbonate that might be a phosphate host would be below the watertable in the holes drilled. Potential aquifers were not penetrated sufficiently to collect groundwater samples. In the opinion of Verdant Minerals management, EL 30613 has been adequately tested and the EL is being surrendered in full.