Prospect Hill is South Australia’s best known tin occurrence, with an inferred resource of 172,800 t @ 1.15% Sn to 50 vertical metres estimated at the South Ridge prospect. Significant base metals are associated with the tin, and the...
Prospect Hill is South Australia’s best known tin occurrence, with an inferred resource of 172,800 t @ 1.15% Sn to 50 vertical metres estimated at the South Ridge prospect. Significant base metals are associated with the tin, and the mineralisation is developed in an unusual quartz-biotite-gahnite-garnet ± magnetite horizon. In an earlier PACE Initiative collaborative drilling programme, the area's Northern Ridge prospect was tested with 9 shallow drillholes, as PACE project DPY4-42 (See Env 11515), but gave disappointing results. Soil geochemical sampling recently undertaken by the licensee using portable XRF spectrometric equipment has allowed a better understanding of the zonation of the observed mineralisation, with tin mineralisation at Fly Hill shown to be flanked by Cu and Cu-W anomalous soil domains. This is quite distinct from the zonation observed on the known South Ridge prospect, where the tin mineralisation is flanked by low grade Zn mineralisation. Furthermore, the Black Rock prospect soil contains highly anomalous Ta, Sn, W, Be and F, and seems to be devoid of sulphide phases. It was hoped that doing a spread of additional drilling on these disparate anomalies to obtain bedrock geochemical data would allow for making an interpretation of hydrothermal fluid flow direction, thus leading to better targeting of possible deeper mineralisation (which may lie under shallow cover). The latest PACE-subsidised drilling programme at Prospect Hill, undertaken in February-March 2017, resulted in the completion of 28 inclined RC holes for a total penetration of 2552 m. It tested three new target areas recently delineated by surface geochemical sampling (Petermorra, Fly Hill and Black Rock), and sought the westwards extension of known mineralisation at the South Ridge prospect. A total of 2552 downhole samples were laboratory analysed for an extensive suite of elements, and a further 84 duplicate samples were also analysed by ALS in Perth. Two holes were drilled on the Petermorra prospect, which is a strong copper and tin soil geochemical anomaly. While the downhole sample assay results for tin were generally poor, a potentially significant copper-dominant polymetallic intersection made in hole PHRC45 is of interest. Nine holes were drilled over the complex high grade outcropping tin and soil copper and tin anomaly at the Fly Hill prospect. Assay results here were generally disappointing, with no high grade tin values intersected in the vicinity of the outcropping mineralisation. Of interest, however, is the mineralisation encountered in the most easterly hole (PHRC54), which encountered both tin and copper mineralisation (3 m @ 0.2% Sn and 4 m @ 0.69% Sn). The nature of this mineralisation requires additional investigation. Eight holes were drilled to further test the westwards extension of known mineralisation at the South Ridge prospect. These holes were successful in extending the known mineralisation for an additional 220 m to the west, and potential remains for further extension despite poor results in the westernmost holes undertaken. Unfortunately, significant earthworks will be required to further access this area with a drill rig. Therfore a detailed evaluation of the drilling results obtained to date is still in progress. They include the following tin intercepts: - PHRC55: 3 m @ 0.79% Sn and 5 m @ 3.32% Sn - PHRC56: 1 m @ 0.34% Sn and 4 m @ 1.03% Sn - PHRC57: 3 m @ 0.11% Sn - PHRC59: 1 m @ 1.38% Sn and 1 m @ 0.77% Sn. Nine shallow holes were drilled on the Black Rock prospect to test an area with very high grade outcropping tin mineralisation. The drilling tested a strike length of ~150 m, and all holes returned anomalous to low grade tin values despite the area showing apparently poor surface continuity. This area requires a significant amount of detailed work utilising the drilling information, since such a result has clearly established the potential of this area to host a significant tin deposit. Detailed structural analysis is required at the Black Rock and Fly Hill prospect areas.
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