Jean Elson Project AMAGRAD GDC Final Report East Arunta, NT

Abstract

This Geophysics and Drilling Collaboration (GDC) grant was awarded funding of $100,000 to undertake detailed airborne magnetic-radiometric surveying over 1,336km2 at the Jean Elson Project in the prospective, but underexplored, East Arunta region of the Northern Territory. Following innovative target generation work, two standout exploration prospects - Camel Creek and Mt Cornish South - have been recognised as highly prospective to host large scale Iron Ore Copper-Gold mineralisation. While both prospects host outcropping mineralisation and hydrothermal style alteration, thin but persistent sand cover is thought to likely mask additional prospective areas, indicating that a geophysical focussed exploration program would be the most efficient to advance the Project. Exploration and generative work to date has made use of regional geophysical datasets, and limited historical exploration results, which have been effective for prioritising regional scale features. Higher resolution magnetic-radiometric data, however, will greatly aid a shift towards prospect scale vectoring that is hoped to ultimately lead to successful mineral resource discovery. Geophysical surveying was undertaken by MagSpec Airborne Surveys Pty Ltd between 3 October and 2 November 2021, and was based at the Bonya Community. Survey design and processing was undertaken by Resource Potentials Pty Ltd. Captured data has undergone initial processing and filtering to produce various images of magnetics, radiometrics, and local digital terrain models. Data resolution has been significantly increased by more than tenfold with image cell size, or pixels, now measuring c. 8m by 8m in size. The datasets will improve geological understanding of the region, and in particular the structural architecture. Additional, filtering and interpretation of detailed magnetics - outside the scope of this GDC grant - is ongoing at the time of writing and will be included in future tenure annual reports. This work aims to delineate subtle, coherent bodies in the subsurface that may relate to large scale hydrothermal mineralisation and alteration. While the East Arunta is considered highly prospective, the region remains, undeservingly, poorly explored. Inca Minerals and MRG Resources see great potential within this 'frontier' region with Jean Elson being one of three large scale exploration projects being advanced under joint venture. The Tenure Holders believe exploration success will significantly increase exploration focus across the broader area, with recent nearby tenure applications by other innovative junior exploration companies suggesting attention is rightfully increasing over the region.