Mt Woodroffe is an irregularly shaped tenement block covering the central portion of the Musgrave Ranges in the northern part of South Australia. The Ranges lie between the Anangu communities Pukatja and Amata, approximately 550 kilometres by road...
Mt Woodroffe is an irregularly shaped tenement block covering the central portion of the Musgrave Ranges in the northern part of South Australia. The Ranges lie between the Anangu communities Pukatja and Amata, approximately 550 kilometres by road south from Alice Springs. The primary focus of exploration has been for massive Ni-Cu sulphide and PGEs, although the potential for Broken Hill Style base metals, diamonds and precious metal mineralisation is also recognised. The tenement covers a portion of the Giles Complex; a suite of mafic and ultramafic rocks that intrude highly metamorphosed units of the Musgrave Block. Delta Gold Limited (Delta) the tenement holder is in a Joint Venture with Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd (Rio Tinto), with Rio Tinto managing the JV. During the first licence year, Rio Tinto’s activities during the period included office studies, geophysical interpretations, geological reconnaissance, rock chip and stream sediment geochemical sampling. Pitjantjatjara Council Anthropology Department and recognised Traditional Owners conducted a series of Work Area Clearance Surveys to establish access approval for ground-based exploration activities. A regional interpretation of Rio Tinto existing airborne geophysical data and data from PIRSA’s “TEISA” program, along with publicly available data from WA and NT, was commissioned from L Rankin to produce a major geological and structural interpretation of the dataset [a preliminary report is included with the report.]. Sixteen features were identified, and reconnaissance traversing and rock chip sampling of nine targets (WO1-5, WO13-16) was undertaken. Reconnaissance sampling and mapping was undertaken along nine traverses across the Mt Woodroffe Gabbroic intrusion. Rock chip samples, magnetic susceptibility measurements and geologic observations were collected along these traverses. A total of 150 rock chip samples were collected. Samples were analysed for an extensive multi element suite yet failed to identify any significant geochemical anomalism. No significant PGE or chalcophile concentrations were noted. Highest values were as follows 30: ppb Au, 93 ppb Pd, 10 ppb Pt, 550ppm Ni and 390ppm Cu. In context these results indicate expected litho-chemical peaks. Stream sediment sampling was undertaken across the accessible portions of the tenement, with 455 samples collected first to third order streams with catchments exceeding 0.5 square km, to identify outcropping geochemical anomalism. No significant PGE or chalcophile concentrations were noted. Highest values were as follows: 7 ppb Au, 24 ppb Pd, 15 ppb Pt, 340ppm Ni and 115ppm Cu. In context these results indicate expected litho-chemical values. During 2001-02 Delta merged with Goldfields Limited to form Aurion Gold. This company was subsequently taken over by Placer Dome Inc. The joint venture has not suffered as a result of these ownership changes. The project continues to be managed, operated and sole funded by Rio Tinto. During licence year 2, exploration activities were restricted to the review of geochemical data and desktop studies and a brief excursion to Mt Woodroffe as a part of the 16th AGC Musgraves Block Excursion. The excursion consisted of a 4-hour travers of the northern slope of Mt Woodroffe, an area that Rio Tinto had previously been prevented from visiting and as such were restricted to a pre-determined path and no samples taken. At the base of the hill amphibolite facies schist and gneiss of the Mulga Park sub-domain were observed, while the Giles Complex intrusion is observed from part way up the slope to the peak. The thrust contact between the amphibolite facies rocks and the Mt Woodroffe Norite is concealed by colluvium material flanking the slopes. The desktop review of the previous reporting periods surface geochemical sampling program failed to indicate any significant anomalous signatures. Several adjacent stream sediment samples returned elevated Th-U +/- Zn values in an area that drains a noted K-Th-U feature in the composite radiometric data, with the feature thought to represent a late-stage granitic intrusion but has yet to be confirmed in the field. During licence years 3, 4 and 5, exploration activities were limited to the review of past results to develop new exploration initiatives within the tenement. Subsequent reporting for exploration activities of the subsequent licence area EL 3940 and EL 5171 was completed jointly under Musgraves Barrick Joint Venture Project ENV11693. Exploration licence 5171 was held by Mithril Resources and Musgraves Mineral Limited over a tenure of 8 years before a decision was made to fully relinquish the tenement in October 2015, following a strategic review and budgetary constraints. Exploration activities completed during the tenure includes an airborne (1168.4 line-km) and ground EM (15.5 line-km), heritage clearances and surface geochemistry (rock chips – 339, soil samples – 199, stream sediments - 211). This work identified a number of gossans and electromagnetic conductors. No economic mineralisation had been located on the EL 5171, however Musgrave Minerals demonstrated the potential for this EL to host PGE reefs by identifying rock chips with combined Pd and Pt values exceeding 20x background. There is also demonstrated potential for vanadium deposits, with rock chips identified exceeding 0.4% vanadium. Two late-time bedrock conductors have been identified, one of which occurs coincident with a Ni-Cu gossan. This Ni-Cu target is considered the highest ranked target on the EL, however logistical difficulties relating to the steep terrain in the area have prevented this target from being drill tested. No exploration work was completed on the western portion of the EL during the period of tenure. Budgetary constraints and access are the key drivers for prospective areas remaining untested on this EL. Overall the tenement is considered prospective for economic Nickel-Copper sulphides, PGE reefs and Vanadium deposits.
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