GDC Co-funding Angela Seismic Reflector Drill Testing

Abstract

Reflection seismic surveying has not been widely applied in minerals exploration owing to perceived high cost, and problems with resolving steeply dipping stratigraphy. At Angela however, the stratigraphy is gently dipping and well suited for the seismic technique. Elevate Uranium completed a 2D seismic survey at Angela in 2022 and identified a deep seismic reflector that had not been drill tested, that displayed a similar seismic signature to a reflector which corresponds with the main Angela orebody. Acoustic impedance measurements on historic drill core demonstrated that reduced lithologies have on average a 30% higher seismic velocity that oxidised lithology. Given this information and the direct correlation between the location of seismic reflectors and downhole gamma anomalism it has been determined that the reflectors at Anglela are likely associated with a redox boundary. Redox boundary positions are one of the likely mechanisms for uranium deposition. Two diamond holes were drilled to determine the validity of this theory. If confirmed there is potential to reveal an entirely new mineralised horizon at depth below the known Angela deposit and provide a method for targeting favourable geological positions throughout the greater region.