Exploration conduced over three semi-adjacent small licence areas located 50-75 km north-east, north and north-west of Marree targeted possible near-surface sedimentary uranium deposits in sandstone palaeochannels, and also sedimentary phosphate...
Exploration conduced over three semi-adjacent small licence areas located 50-75 km north-east, north and north-west of Marree targeted possible near-surface sedimentary uranium deposits in sandstone palaeochannels, and also sedimentary phosphate rock in the Tertiary Lake Eyre Basin sequence. Adavale's Lake Surprise Project acreage, which lies to the south, has a very large surface uranium radiometric signature, and it was thought that some of this uranium could have been transported in ancient drainages and deposited in the Mount Flint Project area. Initially, photogeological maps were constructed for ELs 4106 and 4107 using colour aerial photographs acquired by the licensee in 2007 at approximately 1:40,000 scale. EL 4108 was also overflown during this photography exercise, but a geological interpretation of the photos for there was only partially completed. Data from regional geophysical surveys (gravity and magnetic) were then acquired and interpreted to provide sparse structural details for the tenements. These maps were combined with digitised published topographic and geological information to create merged GIS displays at 1:100,000 scale, which were then used to formulate an on-ground exploration strategy. Over the period February - March 2009, four vertical open RAB exploratory holes were drilled on EL 4106 for a total penetration of 215 m, and were gamma ray logged using calibrated equipment. Samples from zones of anomalous radioactivity were analysed using a Niton portable XRF spectrometric instrument, and were tested for phosphate using acid-ammonium-molybdenate reagent. The highest uranium assay was 33 ppm U over the depth interval 1 to 2 m in hole C-3, being derived from a pale grey silcrete. The depth interval 19 to 21 m in hole C-l returned an average of 15 ppm U, and the depth interval 27 to 29 m in hole C-2 returned an average of 16 ppm U. The Niton pXRF tool was not able to detect elemental phosphorous in commercially available superphosphate containing 8.8% phosphorous, and it failed to detect this element in any of the drill samples. However, the reagent test did give a questionable positive result over the depth interval 13 to 14 m and a positive result over the interval 14 to 15 m in drill hole C-3. Levels of uranium and phosphate measured in the four drillholes are far too low to have any potential economic significance. The previously found occurrence of phosphate rock intersected within the basal Tertiary section in water bore Clayton No 3 (recorded as 3 m grading at up to 28% P2O5) has not been explained by the latest drilling, but the proximity of drillholes C-l and C-2 to this bore suggest that this occurrence is probably not extensive. In view of the likely downgraded regional prospectivity for sedimentary uranium and phosphate mineralisation disclosed by this field work, it has been decided by Adavale Minerals to surrender tenure of three of the original four Exploration Licence areas that comprise the Mount Flint Project. Only EL 4109 has been retained, due to the unexpected discovery there of a large, high grade, silica sand deposit.
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