The Cronje Dam - Oak Bank Outstation area, located approximately 60 km south-southeast of Olary, has been explored for possible buried Tertiary sedimentary palaeochannel style roll front type uranium deposits. No work was carried out during the...
The Cronje Dam - Oak Bank Outstation area, located approximately 60 km south-southeast of Olary, has been explored for possible buried Tertiary sedimentary palaeochannel style roll front type uranium deposits. No work was carried out during the final year of tenure of the subject EL 3571 Oak Bank Outstation. However, previously a rotary mud exploratory drilling programme had been carried out there during December 2007, although the planned full extent of the work could not be completed due to heavy rains. Drillholes were sited using sedimentological interpretations derived from combined historical and recent 2006-2007 Mega Hindmarsh other drillhole data, and from making comparisons with known palaeochannel uranium deposits including Beverley, Beverley Four Mile and Honeymoon. The target depth of around 120 m was reached in only one of the 11 holes attempted, with the remainder being abandoned at between 12 and 54 m depth due to a sudden loss in circulation of drilling fluids. The precautionary use of 6 m lengths of PVC casing was generally found to be ineffective in stopping the early onset of drilling mud circulation loss to near-surface cavities. Hole 07RMOB002, which was able to be drilled to target and then geophysically wireline logged, shows very similar strata to those seen in drillholes completed during 2006-2007 by Mega Hindmarsh on its adjoining EL 3426 Cronje Dam. Three shoreline sand packages were noted. The Loch Hazard Mudstone consists of a black to dark grey carbonaceous zone, about 6 m thick, overlain by a medium grey clay, similar to that found at Gairloch Dam on the adjacent licence, this association suggesting the possibility of a Beverley style uranium deposit in the area. However, no palaeochannel strata were identified in this drillhole, and no elevated gamma ray log responses were recorded.
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