Historically, exploration undertaken for finding Iron Oxide - associated Copper-Gold (IOCG) mineralisation on the eastern Gawler Craton, over the long period since the discovery of the Olympic Dam deposit in July 1975, has targeted positive...
Historically, exploration undertaken for finding Iron Oxide - associated Copper-Gold (IOCG) mineralisation on the eastern Gawler Craton, over the long period since the discovery of the Olympic Dam deposit in July 1975, has targeted positive gravity and magnetic anomalies, due to this deposit type's high abundance of associated haematite and/or magnetite. But the known copper-gold mineralisation which occurs within the Cloncurry district of the Mount Isa Inlier in western Queensland, though broadly classified as being of IOCG type, actually comprises a suite of mineral occurrence styles ranging from classic magnetite-rich breccias through to sulphide-rich vein systems which contain minimal or no iron oxides. It was postulated by Minotaur, mid-way through 2014, that the end-member iron sulphide - rich copper-gold mineral occurrences of the Mount Isa Inlier which it had studied while conducting IOCG exploration there (and had decided to give the new name of ISCG style mineralisation) should also occur within the eastern Gawler Craton, but have so far eluded discovery because, in respect of their salient geophysical features, they are unlikely to present as gravity anomalies because of their lack of haematite breccia, and also commonly aren’t directly associated with strong magnetite alteration. Accordingly, it was surmised that to find such ISCG mineralisation different exploration methodologies would be required, of the kind used when searching for massive sulphides (especially pyrrhotite) that are typically electrically very conductive, and thus are detectable by EM surveying. In late 2015, Minotaur Exploration and OZ Minerals Limited formed an exploration alliance over six tenements held by OZ within the Mount Woods Inlier. Following a comprehensive review of Cloncurry district mineralisation styles that was made by Minotaur, and the conduct of a complementary review of key prospectivity indicators present in the Mount Woods Inlier (using information provided from the OZ Minerals exploration database), the new partners selected a number of prospects having potential for doing further work including performing ground geophysical surveys and proof of concept drill testing. An initial phase of reconnaissance ground EM surveying performed within the Mount Woods Inlier early in 2016 by Minotaur geophysicists delineated strong basement conductors at two out of seven prospects (Jupiter and Taurus), which subsequently were drill tested with SA Government Department of State Development funding assistance during September-October 2016 as approved PACE Initiative Year 9 collaborative drilling project DPY9-42. At Taurus prospect, 3 inclined rotary mud precollared, HQ/NQ diamond cored holes were completed for a total penetration of 1192 m, and at Jupiter prospect, 2 similarly constructed holes were put in for a total of 676 m. Significantly, copper-bearing iron sulphide - rich but not particularly REE anomalous basement lithologies were encountered at both prospects, and it was concluded that the nature of the mineralised sulphide - rich veins and breccias present in the retrieved drill cores indicates the former low to moderate pressure passage of FeS - rich hydrothermal fluids through the rocks, thus validating the hypothesis that ISCG style mineralisation should occur on the Gawler Craton. At the Jupiter prospect, a pyrrhotite - matrix breccia zone of ~7 m true thickness contains a network of massive pyrrhotite and minor chalcopyrite along with graphite emplaced between clasts of gneiss, quartz and graphitic schist. The breccia is rich in iron sulphides and totally lacks any haematite or magnetite. A sample taken from 235 m hole depth assayed 0.21% Cu, 130 ppm Co, 25 ppm Mo, 550 ppm Ni, 22% Fe and 11.5% S. At the Taurus prospect, previously interpreted basement EM conductors were observed to predominantly reflect the presence of thick graphitic schist horizons, but also present, and contributing to the strong ground EM response at Taurus North / Bellatrix (as tested by hole DD16TUR016) are pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite - bearing veins and breccia. The veins are rich in pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, and lack other mineral constituents such as quartz, calcite and iron oxides. Best mineralised intercepts recorded here were: - 9 m @ 0.41% Cu from 242 m hole depth, including 1 m @ 1.67% Cu from 246 m, - 3.6 m @ 0.44% Cu from 366.4 m, including 1 m @ 1.15% Cu from 367 m, - 1.7 m @ 1.89% Cu and 0.29 g/t Au from 377.5 m, and - 4.2 m @ 0.3% Cu from 386 m.
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