A licence consisting of two separate sub-blocks located ~30 km west-northwest of Iron Knob is being explored for possible economic buried Paris type epithermal/hydrothermal gold and silver mineralisation, as well as for Menninnie Dam type...
A licence consisting of two separate sub-blocks located ~30 km west-northwest of Iron Knob is being explored for possible economic buried Paris type epithermal/hydrothermal gold and silver mineralisation, as well as for Menninnie Dam type stratiform/replacement base metals, potential IOCG / skarn style mineralisation and primary vein style uranium mineralisation. During the first three years of tenure the only work undertaken was reconnaissance surface geochemical sampling, initially on a 1 km x 1 km spacing closing in to 500 m x 500 m grid spacing, with various later infill sampling of selected locations, generally to 100 m x 100 m precision. A total of 1174 soil samples were collected, as well as 479 grab float and rock chip samples, and all were assayed for a standard 52-element trace element suite via partial leach analysis (TL8 method). Anomalous values of up to 84 ppm Ag were returned from surface outcrops of quartz ironstone veins at the Wartaka prospect. Investigator Resources planned to soon conduct a 20-30 hole aircore drilling campaign to test the Wartaka silver prospect and the Uno West silver prospect, as well as other minor but robust silver anomalies outlined by the soil sampling. Further soil sampling was also envisaged to better define some drill targets. During licence Year 4, in August 2014, 30 aircore holes for 2227 m were drilled to test said targets, but the results were disappointing, with no significant mineralised bedrock intercepts. The best result came from hole UMAC009 which returned 3 m @ 3.8% Zn + 26 ppm Ag from 93-96 m, near EOH. Investigator concluded that the base metal anomalous quartz–ironstone gossans which characterise the major soil and rock chip anomalies such as the Hurricane (Wartaka) prospect do not continue downwards into quartz sulphide veins within or below the extensive weathered zone present in this area, which is generally in excess of 50 m thick. Prior to doing this drilling, two small ground magnetic surveys were undertaken on grids at the Hurricane and Beavington Dam anomalies to try to clarify structural features that were poorly revealed by existing aeromagnetic data, but the detailed magnetic readings were inconclusive and did not align with surface geochemistry. The company's geological mapping performed at this time discovered a number of previously unrecorded old prospecting pits, as well as several previously unmapped Hiltaba Suite granite outcrops. Not much field work of value in generating new data was undertaken over the next five years, although late in 2016, 11 rock chip samples were collected on renewed EL 5845 to follow up anomalous cobalt detected by previous sampling. The assay results obtained were unremarkable. The prevailing low market price for silver prevented Investigator from attempting to farm out the licence. However, a turnaround in metals market conditions that started in 2020 gave the company new resolve to continue exploring at Uno Range and on its nearby tenements.
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