A group of jointly reported tenements in the northern Flinders Ranges region is being explored for economic base metal mineralisation that might have formed within Late Proterozoic to Middle Cambrian continental rift margin sediments, probably...
A group of jointly reported tenements in the northern Flinders Ranges region is being explored for economic base metal mineralisation that might have formed within Late Proterozoic to Middle Cambrian continental rift margin sediments, probably with syngenetic origins; but later, these proto-deposits became remobilised into particular stratigraphic and structural settings. During the first year of the project, work comprised the desktop compilation of historic open file data and reports that held information pertaining to base metal exploration; data/metadata ledgers were created for past regional stream sediment geochemical surveys, and AGSO's regional airborne geophysical survey datasets were studied. Some short field reconnaissance trips were made to inspect noted geochemically anomalous areas; 17 grab rock chip samples were collected then, and were augmented later by resampling of past drillhole samples stored at the PIRSA Drill Core Library. Follow-up soil geochemical sampling was done over selected geophysical and stratigraphic target areas (215 x minus 2 mm to plus 20 microns soil size fraction samples). During the project's second year, not much work could be done while Perilya awaited the conclusion of negotiations with Native Title holders concerning land access permissions. Some multi-element assaying was performed on newly collected and previous soil samples. During Year 3, no work was done. During Year 4, Perilya was able to conduct on-ground low impact evaluations of prospects located on its newly issued EL 2680 Mount Lyndhurst, via detailed, 1:5000 scale geological mapping plus rock chip sampling (9 samples) and soil sampling (97 samples). During the project's fifth year, the number of licences held was doubled in number to six. Reconnaissance inspections were made of several abandoned multi-commodity historic mines located on EL 2680. During project Years 6 through 11 (2004-2009), no work was done, while the company's efforts were directed elsewhere onto its many other tenement holdings within the Flinders Ranges. During Year 12, Perilya began evaluating the copper potential in the vicinity of historic surface Cu-oxide workings located on EL 4479 Mount Goddard and in the Mount Bayley area on EL 4480. In total, 661 in situ soil geochemical scans were made using a hand-held Niton portable XRF spectrometric instrument, and 24 rock chip samples were taken for laboratory assaying. Assay values of between 1% and 7% Cu were obtained from rock chip and spoil heap samples collected from near the historic Mochatoona Cu-Au-Ag mine. During Years 13 and 14, no field work was done. Late in 2011, Perilya purchased Aster satellite multispectral imaged reflectance data that covered the entire project, and began to study it to find signatures of possible targets in the form of ferric iron enrichment haloes denoting hydrothermal alteration/enrichment zones, including in areas of previously unrecognised outcropping or subcropping carbonate strata. Ongoing large partial relinquishments of licence ground were effected at this time to rationalise the subject tenements and also to accomodate a reduced exploration budget. Prospective areas around historic workings, and areas with exposed Neoproterozic-Cambrian stratigraphic contacts, were retained for investigation. During project Year 15, some pXRF soil geochemical sampling and rock chip sampling were done over a multispectral target, AST-06, recognised on EL 4480 Mount Deception (78 scans and 5 samples respectively). The soil sample scans failed to identify any significant base-metal anomalism associated with the coincident quartz and ferric iron spectral ratio anomalies, but the rock chip samples of weakly haematite-altered Cambrian carbonate rocks revealed elevated levels of several pathfinder trace elements (V, As, Sb, Se). During Year 16, Perilya conducted extensive pXRF soil sample scanning and rock chip geochemical sampling in several places, including at Aster multispectral targets on EL 4538 Parachilna, besides at geological targets and historic prospects in the Angepena East and Mount Serle districts (on ELs 4622 and 4603). Although no significant base-metal mineralisation was identified, rock chip samples taken from the latter gave weakly elevated anomalous Cu-Ni-Co-As assay values, which was regarded as a peculiar geochemical association. During Year 17, the project licence group underwent an overall area reduction of approximately 53%, which included full surrenders of the remaining portions of ELs 4622 and 4603, leaving just three licences active. Further pXRF soil sample scanning and rock chip geochemical sampling were conducted at three Aster multispectral targets (434 scans and 5 samples respectively). Results were generally unremarkable, but a few moderately anomalous results (up to 822 ppm Zn + 446 ppm Pb) were returned from the PAR-5 target on the southernmost portion of EL 4538 Parachilna. During Year 18, on renewed ELs 5724, 5725 and 5751, no work was done. Instead Perilya did some drilling on other licences in which it has joint venture participation obligations, i.e. ELs 5367 and 5542. During Year 19, on EL 5724, significant reconnaissance work was completed over the tenement during the reporting period. Soil surveying, utilising the pXRF (1424 readings), and rock chip sampling (8 samples) for geochemical analysis was conducted over the Mt Goddard, Angepena Au and Waraweena target areas. Widespread anomalous Cu in soils was identified in the area the Mochatoona Cu prospect although Pb+Zn values in the general Mt Goddard target area were low. Weak Pb+Zn mineralization was also identified at the eastern end of the Waraweena target. Limited work was completed over the Angepena Au target however additional background work is required to evaluate the potential of the area and the best exploration techniques to evaluate it.
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