An area centred ~120 km WSW of Coober Pedy has been explored for possible buried economic sandstone-hosted secondary uranium deposits which might have formed within eastwards-draining tributaries of the Tertiary Garford Palaeochannel. This...
An area centred ~120 km WSW of Coober Pedy has been explored for possible buried economic sandstone-hosted secondary uranium deposits which might have formed within eastwards-draining tributaries of the Tertiary Garford Palaeochannel. This palaeochannel system drains into the Tallaringa Trough, a prominent structure bound to the south by the arcuate, crustal scale Karari Fault. Within the Tallaringa Trough, Tertiary and older sediments infill what is essentially a downfaulted half-graben, and are juxtaposed against the Mulgathing Complex. Outcrop of potential Archaean uranium source rocks (Mulgathing Complex) is confined to the southern side of the Karari Fault. However, the subject area may also hold potential for primary uranium mineralisation associated with younger Kimban to Hiltaba age intrusive granitoid rocks and mylonite zones. This is because post-Tertiary basin inversion has acted to exhume the southern portion of the Tallaringa Trough, leading to the widespread exposure and erosion of the sedimentary succession, making prospective basement units now occur at shallow depth. Therefore, although no known uranium deposits exist nearby, the tenement was considered to have a tectono-stratigraphic history which made it prospective. The Challenger gold mine is located approximately 60 km south of the southern boundary of the area. During the first licence year, because the majority of the tenement fell within the Commonwealth Department of Defence's newly created 'no-go zone' of the Woomera Prohibited Area, no exploration was able to be done. During licence Year 2, Quasar acquired part of an airborne magnetic/radiometric survey which covered EL 3926 and surrounding tenements also held by the company. A total of 8743 line km were flown over the period November 2008 to January 2009 along 100 m spaced north-south flight lines at a mean sensor height above the surface of 50 m. The survey data were processed and assessed, following which plans were made to carry out on-ground activities within the licence area. However, the commencement of such work was delayed due to the inability to complete Aboriginal heritage protection clearance surveys with the Native title custodians, and because of still ongoing discussions with the SA Government's DEH over what would be agreed conditions for obtaining access into the Tallaringa Conservation Park. During licence Years 3 through 7, no field work was done. Quasar conducted two Aboriginal heritage work area clearance surveys and signed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the Antakirinja Native title claimants' group. On 9/9/2010, a 104 square km portion of EL 3926 was relinquished, which reduced the licence's area to 519 square km [see Env 12108]. In mid-2012, Quasar lodged an application with DMITRE for the grant of a subsequent exploration licence, which was issued on 10/9/2012 as EL 5207 that covered all of the above remnant area. A Deed of Exploration (Access) for the Woomera Prohibited Area for an initial six months was granted to Quasar in 2011, but maintaining further currency had required Quasar to remain in frequent discussions with the Department of Defence. Eventually, in May 2014, it was decided to fully surrender tenure.
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