At Radford Creek significant lead-zinc mineralisation was indicated by stream sediment values of up to 1000 ppm Pb and 700 ppm Zn. The mineralisation occurs in Lower Cambrian limestone at approximately the same stratigraphic horizon as the zinc...
At Radford Creek significant lead-zinc mineralisation was indicated by stream sediment values of up to 1000 ppm Pb and 700 ppm Zn. The mineralisation occurs in Lower Cambrian limestone at approximately the same stratigraphic horizon as the zinc mineralisation seen at Mount Arden mine prospect. Unlike Mount Arden, however, where mineralisation is present along a strike length of 17 miles, the mineralisation at Radford Creek is exposed over a strike length of less than 1 mile. It occurs within the dolomitic middle member of the Parachilna Formation, and at the upper boundary of this member with an overlying arenaceous unit of the same formation. Low grade zinc mineralisation is more widespread in the general area, however, occurring throughout much of the overlying Wilkawillina Limestone. The Lower Cambrian host succession is exposed for only a short distance westwards of the Radford Creek occurrence. Significant mineralisation persists to the limit of outcrop and could extend for a considerable distance beneath alluvial cover. Cambrian outcrop resumes 7 miles to the south-west in the mount Arden area where it contains anomalous zinc mineralisation (0.2 to 0.4% Zn). It is conceivable that the buried Lower Cambrian rocks present between these two exposures could contain significant mineralisation. To the south of the licence area, the prospective succession is faulted out against Neoproterozoic ABC Range Quartzite. The only work completed on the licence since finishing the sampling and surveys described in the previous progress report has been the drilling of 2 non-core rotary holes for a total of 840 feet, to probe beneath the surface gossan mineralisation, and to try to penetrate the whole of the mineralised section where it lies beneath the groundwater table. Broken ground and hole caving caused the abandonment of both holes before their intended total depths were attained. Hole 1 intersected low, but anomalous lead and zinc values (up to 0.17% Zn) in the basal 60 feet of the Wilkawillina Limestone and in the uppermost part of the Parachilna Formation. Hole 2 intersected slightly higher values, downdip from the main surface mineralisation, where zinc values ranged up to 0.34% and lead values to 0.3%. These values are from a 100 foot thick interval within the zone of oxidation, and correspond to a stratigraphic width of 20 to 30 feet. A band of quartz breccia 6 inches wide was intersected below the boundary of the dolomite member with the upper sandstone member of the Parachilna Formation, and is thought to represent a fault or narrow shear zone. Mineragraphic and spectrochemical determinations were done on the drill cuttings samples, and these confirmed that the mineralisation is stratigraphically-controlled. It was concluded that the available evidence concerning ore grade and persistence in the subsurface suggested that mineable amounts of lead-zinc mineralisation are not present at Radford Creek.
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