Continued exploration for possible economic buried silver-lead-zinc, copper-gold or gold only mineralisation which might have formed as primary epithermal/hydrothermal deposits hosted by Palaeoproterozoic basement, is primarily targeting...
Continued exploration for possible economic buried silver-lead-zinc, copper-gold or gold only mineralisation which might have formed as primary epithermal/hydrothermal deposits hosted by Palaeoproterozoic basement, is primarily targeting interpreted prospective strata seen on regional aeromagnetic images. EL 4844 Mingary covers part of the south-eastern corner of the Palaeoproterozoic Olary Domain of the Curnamona Province and the western portion of the Broken Hill Domain, with the two domains separated by a domain boundary which is expressed in the landscape as the Mundi Mundi Fault scarp. Rare, scattered outcrop and subcrop consists of quartz veining with gossanous iron oxide, albitised rock, psammites, pelites and psammopelites. These outcrops are the medium to high grade regionally metamorphosed and strongly deformed sedimentary, volcanic and intrusive rocks of the Palaeoproterozoic Willyama Supergroup (Conor and Preiss, 2008). In the Olary Domain, west of the Mundi Mundi Fault, the Willyama Supergroup has been intruded by extensive volumes of Mesoproterozoic granitoids and scattered mafic dykes which are genetically and temporally related to the c.1580 Ma Olympic Dam mineralising granites of the Gawler Craton. In April 2015, Minotaur successfully negotiated an Amalgamated Expenditure Agreement (AEA) with SA's Department of State Development for the Border JV group of tenements, including EL 4844. As a consequence of the agreement, a 25% reduction of the total area of the JV tenements was required. The chosen surrendered area included a reduction in the size of EL 4844 from 671 to 380 square km. This reduction comprised nearly all of the existing, northern Mingary 'A' sub-block of the licence, plus about one-eighth of the southern, Mingary 'B' sub-block. The following paragraphs describe the work done on the subject relinquished ground: - during January 2009, Minotaur commissioned contractor Geotech Airborne Ltd to fly a detailed, helicopter-borne Versatile Time-Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) survey over parts of the licence. Three survey grids were flown, viz. Mingary A, Mingary B and East Mutooroo, with respective flight paths aligned perpendicular to magnetic stratigraphy. The survey was flown with the following specifications: Flight line spacing: 250 m north-south and east-west Helicopter flying altitude: 75-80 m EM sensor mean terrain clearance: 30 m Magnetometer mean terrain clearance: 60-70 m. All of the Mingary B survey grid and portions of the Mingary A and East Mutooroo coverage lie within the relinquished licence ground, and the relevant data is herewith released to open file. - numerous ground EM surveys have been conducted by Minotaur over the duration of tenure at Mingary, with several of these surveys, i.e. Beefsteak Dam, Trinity, Birthday and MiV07 prospects lying within the relinquished ground. This EM data is released herein. During 2003, ground EM surveying was conducted at Beefsteak Dam prospects BSD02 and 03, following-up on gravity and AEM anomalies detected there. No bedrock conductive features were detected by these surveys, and no further work was recommended. In 2007, ground EM was undertaken at Trinity prospect along with ground magnetics, gravity and drilling. A portion of this survey occurs within the relinquished ground. In 2007, through to 2008, ground EM surveying was undertaken at MiQ023 prospect, following-up a QUESTEM anomaly. This anomalous conductive zone was also detected in Minotaur’s 2009 VTEM survey. A shallowly northwards-dipping conductor was detected by the ground EM and was recommended for drilling. Estimated depth to the target conductor was ~200 m. Drilling of inclined RC hole 08RCMIN15 at this site during July 2008 was abandoned at 99 m depth due to excess water influx and difficult drilling conditions in soft ground. Consequently the EM target remains untested. The drillhole data (geology, geochemistry and magnetic susceptibility) is released herein. After completion of the 2009 airborne VTEM survey, follow-up ground EM surveying was undertaken at Birthday prospect to determine if the VTEM anomalies were originating from a basement conductor. A shallowly dipping conductive body was detected by that survey. This body was not believed to be a basement conductor related to mineralisation, and no further work was recommended. Ground EM surveying was also undertaken at MiV07, following up a second order VTEM anomaly detected by the 2009 VTEM survey. No bedrock conductors were detected by this survey, hence no further work was recommended. - during the Broken Hill Exploration Initiative, extensive gravity surveying was undertaken across the outcropping to shallowly covered portions of the Curnamona Province. These surveys revealed gravity anomalies which were followed-up by exploration companies with detailed infill surveys to better resolve these features. Minotaur, over the term of EL 4844 Mingary, has undertaken several infill gravity surveys, including broader surveys at Pine Creek and prospect scale surveys at White Roo, Beefsteak Dam (BSD02 and -03), MiQ014, Trinity, Tom’s Dam and Fallout Dam. The detailed gravity survey done at Lawson’s prospect was undertaken by CRA Exploration prior to Minotaur taking over the tenement. Of the above mentioned infill gravity surveys, only the Beefsteak Dam and portions of the MiQ014 and Trinity surveys occur within the relinquished ground. The relevant station data is released herein. - as with ground EM, Minotaur has undertaken various ground magnetic surveys within EL 4844, generally at prospect scale to aid drillhole design. Of these surveys only one, i.e. Trinity, lies within the relinquished ground. This survey was conducted over the ‘12-13’ EM anomalies detected by the Trinity ground EM survey. This data is herewith released to open file. - only one rock chip sample, taken from the Grassy Dam prospect, relates to the relinquished ground. This sample came from an amphibolite which has malachite staining, and returned 5190 ppm Cu. No other trace elements were anomalous in this sample, indicating that only minor surface copper mineralisation occurs at this location. At the Birthday prospect, several Niton portable XRF analyses were collected from exposed outcrop. One sample site revealed elevated lead (99 ppm Pb) in a pelitic gneiss.