Charley Creek North Project Partial Relinquishment Report EL 33005 09 August 2022 to 22 August 2024

Abstract

The relinquished section of Exploration License EL 33005, located approximately 105 km northwest of Alice Springs on Amburla Station pastoral land, consists of flat quaternary alluvium with aeolian, colluvial, and floodplain sands and clays that overlie a thick layer of Tertiary cover sediments. The Narwietooma Group Mount Charlotte metamorphics, featuring mafic to intermediate granulite with mudstone, underlie the area's crystalline basement and protruding tors, with alluvial fans draining from the MacDonnell Ranges and Strangways Metamorphic Complex, creating a highly prospective environment for rare earth elements (REEs), uranium, and potentially sedimentary-hosted base metals. Situated in the Proterozoic Arunta Region, primarily within the Aileron and Warumpi Provinces, EL 33005 offers potential for various deposit types, including felsic intrusion-related uranium, palaeochannel related secondary uranium, and polymetallic metamorphic-related deposits. Limited historical exploration and sparse sampling made it an attractive target, reinforced by an adjacent aeroelectromagnetic (AEM) survey, which identified buried palaeochannels indicative of sediment-hosted mineralisation. Exploration activities undertaken by URO Corporation included desktop studies, surface sampling, and preparatory equipment testing. A total of 91 samples (77 soil and 14 rock) were analysed using pXRF and scintillometers, although challenging terrain and dense vegetation restricted sampling to accessible tracks. Field campaigns were adapted to improve mobility, including the use of motorbikes, which proved beneficial for future sampling efforts. While pXRF analysis identified trace anomalies in elements such as cerium (130 ppm), lanthanum (75 ppm), and neodymium (58 ppm), no significant anomalies were confirmed by lab assays. Despite logistical limitations and the lack of high-value geochemical findings, the relinquished sections of EL 33005 remain promising for REEs, uranium, and base metals. Rising tenement costs have led to relinquishing the eastern section, enabling URO to focus on higher-priority areas within the tenement that are still deemed highly prospective. Continued exploration in the area is recommended, particularly in regions where the crystalline basement underlies the sedimentary cover, which may yield polymetallic deposits.