Data release - as updated [made at SA Director of Mines' discretion] : Prospect Hill. Annual reports for the period 25/7/2006 to 24/7/2018.
Created: 12 Nov 2024 Revised: 12 Nov 2024

Continued evaluation of possible economic primary tin oxide mineralisation at three known separate occurrences in the Prospect Hill area, lying 20 km north-west of Moolawatana Homestead, has focussed on the untested zone immediately below the...

Continued evaluation of possible economic primary tin oxide mineralisation at three known separate occurrences in the Prospect Hill area, lying 20 km north-west of Moolawatana Homestead, has focussed on the untested zone immediately below the known mineralisation at South Ridge prospect, which extends from approximately 40 vertical metres to 200 vertical metres in the subsurface. Based on previous limited shallower drilling intercepts, an inferred tin resource of 172,800 t @ 1.15% Sn was estimated to be present to 50 vertical metres over a strike length of 280 m on this prospect (Werrie Gold - Alphadale internal memo, 1995). The mineralisation as known occupies an east-west trending belt ~700 m long, and appears to plunge towards the west, where minor tin anomalism and bedrock alteration continue for approximately 2500 m. It is intimately associated with deformed and metamorphosed felsic volcanic rocks, tuffaceous sediments and high level K, U, Sn and F-rich granites. Tin is present largely as its oxide cassiterite, while minor amounts of tin are also separately contained in solid solution within biotite and other silicates. Significant amounts of base metals are associated with the tin, and the mineralisation is developed in an unusual quartz-biotite-gahnite-garnet-magnetite horizon giving rise to prominent linear magnetic anomalies. During the first year of the subject tenure, the licensees compiled their previous exploration data into digital datasets, converting regional stream, soil and rock geochemical sampling locations to AMG coordinates after first registering earlier uncontrolled base plans and grid maps using satellite imagery. They next undertook spatial data processing of these data using VULCAN 3D visualisation software, to enable more detailed definition of the currently outlined resource and assist with planning further exploration and lode delineation drilling. A proposal for the grant by the SA Government of PACE Initiative Year 4 subsidy funds, to partly meet the cost of further drilling at both the South Ridge and North Ridge tin prospects at Prospect Hill, was prepared and submitted to PIRSA. This application was successful and became PACE collaborative drilling Project DPY4-42. A Heads of Agreement was reached with Havilah Resources NL to enable company funding of the balance of the planned DPY4-42 drilling work. The PACE - subsidised drilling was completed in October 2007, during licence Year 2, and totalled 19 RC holes for 1195 m (see the project DPY4-42 final report held separately in Env 11515). Significant tin mineralisation was encountered at the South Ridge prospect, so therefore a second campaign of drilling, to obtain data that would allow calculation of a JORC Code - compliant resource estimate, was planned and then began near the end of the reporting year; by mid-July, a total of 879 m in 10 RC holes (PHRC20 – PHRC29) had been drilled. Three composite drill cuttings samples were submitted to a consultant for metallurgical testwork to investigate the likely efficiency of gravity separation of the cassiterite from enclosing rock after crushing. Overall, the test results indicated that liberation of tin-bearing particles becomes limited in size fractions above 75 microns. The commingled presence of other high specific gravity gangue minerals (oxides and sulphides) in the concentrates lowered the grade of tin achievable through gravity separation. During Year 3, an additional 14 RC holes for 1352 m were drilled at South Ridge prospect, making the total holes 24 in number for the resource drillout programme, now spaced at approximate 25 m x 25 m centres (topography allowing). A new resource estimate was then prepared, expanding the previous inferred figure to become an Indicated Mineral Resource of 302,000 t @ 0.64% Sn to 90 vertical metres. This resource figure is currently classed as uneconomic. The newly completed drilling failed to intersect significant mineralisation at depth in the central portion of the area despite intersecting lode rock material. However, significant mineralisation was intersected at the western and eastern open ends of known mineralisation at depth, and was also encountered below earlier found zones of narrow and weak mineralisation, thus providing potential for increasing the current resource. These parts of the prospect will be further tested in subsequent drill programmes. In other work, 761 soil samples and 8 rock samples were analysed in situ over the western side of the South Ridge prospect using a Niton field portable XRF spectrometer, while 9 auger samples were collected to assess the eluvial/detrital tin potential of alluvium overlying bedrock north of the South Ridge outcrop zone; the bedrock here exhibits an anomalous uranium channel airborne radiometric response. Similar strong U/Th geophysical anomalism appears to be associated with volcanic and intrusive rocks outcropping to the north of the North Ridge tin prospect. During Year 4, no field work was performed. An unsuccessful PACE Initiative Year 6 drilling proposal was submitted, for work which was intended to evaluate the uranium potential in the cover sediment sequences on EL 3605 that surround the basement block to the north and east. Another technical work proposal was also prepared and submitted to PIRSA, for the PACE Geochronology research group to determine the age of the Prospect Hill Granite, but the submission was not approved. During licence Year 5, the licensees received an objection from a local Native Title holder concerning the application for issue by PIRSA of an EWA approval to allow a third RC drilling programme to start late in 2011. This matter, hinging on the issue of protecting local mound springs, was not resolved by negotiation, and so no field work was done. The impasse also hindered the execution of planned trenching at various sites to explore for alluvial tin. No work ensued during licence Years 6 and 7. Documentation for establishing a Part 9B mining agreement with Native Title parties was initiated in an effort to allow the licensees access to the area to perform further field work, a right which had lately become denied under threat of legal action. Late in 2013, a sample of the Prospect Hill Granite was radiometrically age dated at the Australian National University in Canberra using SHRIMP U-Pb isotope geochronology on enclosed zircon grains, to assist with determination of the potential source and style of mineralisation encountered on the South Ridge prospect. The interpreted absolute age of 1552 ± 8 Ma confirmed the lead isotope information previously obtained from the South Ridge prospect mineralisation, and showed that the mineralisation present is probably skarn related, significantly expanding the potential of the area to host a much larger mineralised body than that currently outlined. During licence Year 8, the sought-for access to allow ground disturbing field work to occur remained denied, and consequently the licensees undertook some low impact soil geochemical sampling plus more in the way of office-based background research to occupy the time. The soil sampling work addressed 17 places within the 45 square km licence area where studied historical records had mentioned anomalous tin values occurring in soil, stream and/or rock samples, or where it appeared that the bedrock might be magnetically anomalous. 1092 soil samples were assayed in situ using a Niton portable XRF spectrometric instrument, at sites on a nominal 100 m x 20 m grid pattern, with closer spaced sampling done to check and map the full extent of any point anomalies first seen. The sampling confirmed several anomalies of which two were deemed worthy of ongoing assessment. Geophysical consultant Dave McInnes was retained to make revised interpretations of the available open file geophysical data based on sophisticated image processing and 3D inversion modelling, while Graham Teale himself performed some in-depth petrological and mineralogical research into the nature of 7 strongly cassiterite or scheelite - mineralised rock outcrop hand specimens which the licensees had lately collected for assaying from two locations, including the newly found soil anomalous Fly Hill prospect (maximum FPXRF readings 6.6% Sn, 555 ppm W, 533 ppm Cd, 305 ppm Zn, 261 ppm Zr and 236 ppm Sr). The mineralisation found in brecciated felsic metavolcanic porphyry here is thought to differ from that seen in the granite porphyry at South Ridge prospect, as it carries more tungsten. Graham observed that the tin-tungsten mineralisation appears to be associated with a scheelite-bearing “skarn” or calc-silicate domain of alteration which is zoned from epidote-garnet-clinopyroxene ± scheelite in the east to epidote-actinolite ± scheelite in the west. The modelling of magnetic and radiometric data for areas concealed by Tertiary and Cretaceous sediments revealed that the depth to magnetic basement in the altered rock domain is relatively shallow for some distance away from the known mineralised outcrops, so planned future drill tests here would be unlikely to have issues with managing artesian groundwater flows. For the regional magnetic dataset, 3D inversion modelling at 100 m cubed mesh size indicated that across the whole licence area, depths to the tops of magnetic sources range from 100 to 300 m. During licence Year 9, little new work was done due to continuing constraints around land access. Further petrological research was undertaken, leading to the following interim conclusions: " The petrogenesis of the mineralisation seen at Prospect Hill is difficult to reconcile due to the strong deformation present. The mineralisation has been deformed by the Cambro-Ordovician Delamerian Orogeny, and is therefore pre-tectonic in origin. The mineralisation, which is sulphide-poor, sits within metavolcanics which were hydrothermally altered prior to deformation and metamorphism, with an addition of F, Fe, Mn as well as tin and base metals. The volcanics contain garnet as the mineralisation is approached, and this garnet becomes manganoan close to mineralisation. Lead isotopic studies of galena from the South Ridge prospect indicate isotopic compositions similar to those of the Hunter’s Dam and Ram Dam prospects to the south in the southern Curnamona Craton. The lead isotopic signature is unlike that of mineralisation associated with Delamerian mineralisation, and is probably Mesoproterozoic in nature. This would suggest that the age of mineralisation approximates the age of the host metavolcanics. " During a short field visit made early in 2015, 18 samples of tin-mineralised rock were collected in order to examine them for their cassiterite grain size, for the purpose of making a comparison between the different prospect areas. A considerable variation of grain size was noted both within and between the six different areas. During licence Year 10, new geochemical and petrological data were acquired, which led to the identification of additional tin mineralised areas. 1565 soil and 41 rock chip samples were spectrometrically scanned using pXRF equipment, and 37 selected samples were laboratory assayed for a multi-element suite. 19 of the rock chip samples were studied under the microscope, and detailed petrographic descriptions were prepared. An application was made to DSD for a grant of PACE Initiative Year 9 collaborative drilling project subsidy funds to assist the licensees to drill several of their newly identified mineralised areas lying external to the identified resource at the South Ridge prospect. Field inspection of potential drill sites was completed, and repositioning of some sites was required due to access difficulties. However, the priority targets for the drilling were not geochemical anomalies but instead were the Black Rock prospect, a very high grade tin mineralised outcrop located west of the South Ridge prospect, and a newly found secondary lode horizon running parallel to the South Ridge main lode, a short distance to the west. During licence Year 11 on renewed tenement EL 5891, further rock sampling for geochemical analysis was completed, with 7 samples collected and analysed by pXRF. The detailed petrographic analysis of a further 20 samples was completed, and further detailed examination of 2 samples from the Black Rock Prospect was also undertaken. During the reporting period the company successfully participated in a PACE drilling program [DPY9-12 - See ENV13041 CNO: 2039925]. The drilling program was designed to test several identified mineralised areas outside of the currently identified “South Ridge Prospect”. The programme resulted in 28 drill holes for 2,552 m of RC drilling being completed. A total of 2,552 samples were assayed for Sn, W, and a range of additional elements by ALS-Chemex. During licence Year 12 no exploration based fieldwork was undertaken. The company completed the removal of all drill cuttings and surface discolouration from the drilled areas and undertook rehabilitation of the drill sites and access roads, excluding the removal of the drill collar casings. During the rehabilitation program additional outcrops of Prospect Hill Granite were identified.

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About this record

Record No mesac26015
Topic Geoscientific Information
Type of Resource Document
Category Type
Document Type Mineral Company Report - Mineral Exploration
Contributor Burnie Research Laboratory;Australian National University. Research School of Earth Sciences;Montana GIS;Teale and Associates Pty Ltd
Sponsor Brewer Geological Services
Tenement
Tenement Holder Adrian M. Brewer;Teale and Associates Pty Ltd;Havilah Resources NL
Operator Brewer Geological Services
Geological Province
Mine Name South Ridge prospect;North Ridge prospect;Fly Hill prospect;Petermorra prospect;Black Rock prospect
Stratigraphy
Commodity
Notes
Notes: This release to the public of the subject mineral exploration data, namely, company data which was acquired more than 5 years ago, is being done by DMITRE in accord with the provisions of Section 77D of the Mining Act 1971 and Regulation 88...

Notes: This release to the public of the subject mineral exploration data, namely, company data which was acquired more than 5 years ago, is being done by DMITRE in accord with the provisions of Section 77D of the Mining Act 1971 and Regulation 88 of the Mining Regulations 2011. Includes: - Glen, J.R., March 2008. Gravity assessment of tin ore composites (Burnie Research Laboratory consultant's report for Brewer Geological Services). Appx 8 of EL 3605 second annual report to 24/7/2008; - Fanning, C.M., 2013. Zircon U-Pb geochronological data for a sample of Prospect Hill Granite (ANU Research School of Earth Sciences consultant's report for Brewer Geological Services). Appx 1 of EL 4806 seventh annual report to 24/7/2013; - Teale, G.S., June 2014. A mineragraphical and petrological investigation of a suite of Sn-W rich hand specimen samples from the Prospect Hill area, South Australia (Teale and Associates Pty Ltd consultant's report for Brewer Geological Services). Appx 2 of EL 4806 eighth annual report to 24/7/2014. 87 pages, plates. - Teale, G.S., April 2016 and June 2016. Mineragraphy, petrology and SEM analysis of a suite of tin-rich samples from the Fly Hill prospect (Teale and Associates Pty Ltd consultant's reports for Brewer Geological Services). Appcs 4 and 5 of EL 4806 tenth annual report to 24/7/2016. 235 pages, figures, plates. - Teale, G.S., July 2016. A mineragraphic and petrological investigation of a suite of samples from the Fly Hill, Fly Hill East, Petermorra, South Ridge West and Black Rock Prospects, Prospect Hill Tin Project, South Australia. Teale & Associates Pty Ltd TA16-05. Appx. 7 to annual report to 24 July 2017.Pg. 1159-1340 - Teale, G.S., August 2016. A scanning electron microscope study of two high tin-bearing samples from the Black Rock Prospect, Prospect Hill. Teale & Associates Pty Ltd TA16-09. Appx. 7 to annual report to 24 July 2017. Pg. 1341-1361. Geographic Locality: Far North-eastern Flinders Ranges;Prospect Hill;Moolawatana Station;Terrapinna Creek Doc No: Env 11456 Drillhole: PHRC01 - PHRC19;(237661);(237662);(239584 - 239600);PHRC20 - PHRC29;(239686);(239687);(343679 - 343687)

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Language English
Metadata Standard ISO 19115-3

Citations

Use constraints License
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Persistent identifier https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/mesac26015
Citation Brewer, A.M.;Glen, J.R.;Fanning, C.M.;McInnes, D.J.;Teale, G.S. Data release - as updated [made at SA Director of Mines' discretion] : Prospect Hill. Annual reports for the period 25/7/2006 to 24/7/2018. Mineral Company Report - Mineral Exploration
https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/mesac26015

Technical information

Status
Maintenance and Update Frequency
Geographic Reference GDA2020 (EPSG:7844)
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