An area located ~ 70 km north-east of Ooldea Siding and 50 km east of Maralinga is being explored for the industrial mineral kaolin, and more particularly its crystallographic form halloysite, which typically occurs as microtubules or nanotubes which have a wide variety of commercial uses in the pharmaceutical, biological and agricultural industries. During their exploration for Permian coal on EL 213 in 1975–1976, CRA discovered the buried halloysite occurrence at Camel Lake during the conduct of a rotary drilling campaign, when hole RCH7 intersected a 4 m thick interval of “white, soapy clay” from below 5.5 m depth in the bed of the lake. The overall extent of the halloysite layer at Camel Lake is unknown due to the masking aeolian dune blanket. Halloysite from Camel Lake has since then been demonstrated by PIRSA and CSIRO to possess excellent physical properties, and research continues into its possible applications both as an additive and a molecular carrier within nanotube technology. Research is also underway into the potential use of South Australian kaolin and halloysite within the oil and gas industry as forms of ceramic proppant that could be introduced during “fracking” of petroleum reservoirs. Proppants are spherical beads which are hydraulically emplaced during the fracking operation to keep open induced hydraulic fractures and so enhance porosity and flow of oil and gas within both shallow and deep, oil and gas reservoirs. During the first year of tenure, work done by Minotaur consisted of the compilation of open file historical exploration data and regional geological and geophysical datasets. This work has confirmed the potential for the subject area to contain significant halloysite mineralisation. A Deed of Access was negotiated with the Commonwealth of Australia to allow for the commencement of field-based investigations. During licence Year 2, Minotaur held discussions with plastics manufacturers (e.g. Slipstream Ltd) on using halloysite as a filler for potentially imparting improved product strength and safety. Discussions were also held with gypsum and cement manufacturers (e.g. Knauf) on using halloysite as an additive for imparting possible product improvement. Minotaur also approached proppant manufacturers (Santrol, Hallmark, Applied Minerals) and potential customers (Halliburton, Santos) to find out the required specifications for ceramic proppants used during deep gas reservoir drilling and development within the Cooper Basin. In November 2014, Minotaur was awarded an Innovation Grant from the South Australian Department of State Development Premier’s Research and Industry Fund. The grant will support new test work on the use of South Australian kaolin and halloysite for the manufacture of ceramic proppants. Samples from Minotaur’s Poochera kaolin deposits are being trialled initially due to a ready supply of material, but the technical results should also apply to halloysite from Camel Lake. Testing of kaolin admixtures will be undertaken in collaboration with researchers at the University of Adelaide and OFP Enterprises of USA. A partial relinquishment of 378 square km or ~45.4% of the originally granted licence area, comprising its southern portion, was made on 15/11/2014 at licence renewal. During licence Year 3, high halloysite component kaolin samples from Minotaur’s Poochera kaolin deposits were assessed for their suitability to act as proppants. In November 2014, Minotaur was awarded an Innovation Grant from the South Australian Department of State Development Premier’s Research and Industry Fund. The grant was intended to support new test work on the use of South Australian kaolin and halloysite for the manufacture of ceramic proppants. In tests done by OPF Enterprises in the USA, the Poochera kaolin was found to behave very well as a proppant grade material in terms of its crush strength and specific gravity. It was expected that the same properties would apply to halloysite from the Carey’s Well deposit. Because transport to the end user will be a major cost factor for consideration in any commercialisation of the Camel Lake kaolin, Minotaur is assessing the viability of building a bulk commodity transport hub to handle kaolin and gypsum products from its various industrial minerals projects on the Eyre Peninsula. A study into the feasibility of direct bulk shipping of kaolin and gypsum from the Streaky Bay project area was completed in December 2014 by URB Mining Logistics Consulting, which concluded that the operation could succeed only if a strategic, long term, high volume approach to production was implemented, with >1 Mtpa shipment rates necessary. During licence Year 4, the sample halloysite formulations prepared by OPF Enterprises for use in high-strength lightweight proppants were replicated at the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Adelaide, including utilisation of semi-processed samples that had undergone more limited processing. Additional crush strength test work was undertaken. Due to access difficulties in obtaining Camel Lake samples, high halloysite content samples from Carey’s Well deposit, Poochera, were used for these initial trials. The excellent results achieved are reported herein. The high halloysite content was found to be a key performance factor; whilst it was shown that despite the presence of collapsed tubes, halloysite from Carey’s Well could also act as an eminently suitable strengthening additive. Attempts to compare and contrast the Carey’s Well proppant formulation using Camel Lake halloysite characterised by better structured nanotubes were thwarted when various funding applications made for meeting the cost of extracting and preparing such samples were unsuccessful. A research review was conducted for Minotaur by Adelaide University's School of Chemical Engineering which focussed on other possible strengthening filler applications of high halloysite content kaolin. This review, conducted by postgraduate researcher Claudia Prider, highlighted a broad field of possibilities, with Portland cement improvement chosen for laboratory trials as a potential high volume usage of collapsed tubes from Carey’s Well. A subsequently proposed experimental programme, to test high halloysite as an additive in concrete, was agreed to. Appropriate samples of semi-processed and fully hydrous processed high and low halloysite content kaolin from Carey’s Well were prepared for use in these experiments, with over 100 kg of material from Carey’s Well processed. The well-preserved halloysite tubes from Camel Lake are considered to be more amenable to high value, low volume carbon nanotube replacement carrier uses. Research proposals are being prepared with the University of South Australia Future Industries Institute. During the year a comparative desktop study was undertaken which assessed the suitability of Camel Lake halloysite for use in high purity alumina production. A review of literature indicated that the halloysite from Camel Lake would be suitable for this use; however, because transport logistical issues would likely preclude development, the concept was not pursued further. In addition, Minotaur undertook office-based research into the potential for groundwater brine around and within Camel Lake to contain dissolved alunite, lithium and potassium mineralisation, since there are historically reported downhole intercepts of both halloysite and alunite rich strata from there. Originally interpreted by CRA Exploration as being part of an unusual Quaternary unit, the halloysite-alunite strata are now interpreted to have formed through alteration of Miocene-Pliocene Garford Formation lacustrine sediments by acidic groundwater discharging from underlying Eocene Pidinga Formation lignitic sands. The horizontally-bedded Garford strata, representing a lagoonal-lacustrine unit deposited in a protected embayment behind the Ooldea Range, are expected to be laterally extensive in all directions for many kilometres, although the degree of alteration and halloysite development and ratio of halloysite/alunite are unknown. A hydrogeological and resource sampling drill programme was designed by Minotaur and included in an application for a grant of government subsidy funding which it submitted through the Plan for Accelerating Exploration (PACE) Discovery Drilling 2016 invitation process, but the application was unsuccessful due to the number of high quality proposals received by DSD. On 28th October 2016, EL 5095 was renewed over a further reduced area of 457 km2 for a fifth year from 16th November 2016. During licence Year 5, Minotaur undertook desktop studies, laboratory test work, and reconnaissance work. Negotiations were held with Maralinga Tjarutja regarding access and sampling within the tenement, along with representatives for the Wommera Prohibited Area. A site visit to Maralinga was undertaken to visit historic drill sites and to meet with Maralinga Tjarutja representatives. Chemical engineering trials continued with the University of Adelaide (UofA)– Chemical Engineering Department and the University of South Australia (UofSA)– Future Industries Institute, with UofA undertaking trials utilising high halloysite kaolin as a strengthening filler, and UofSA undertaking halloysite nanotube characterisation trials and investigating the possible process flow path for a high purity alumina product. During licence Year 6, on renewed EL 6128, work continued on the chemical engineering trials at both the University of South Australia and the University of Newcastle, along with the continued promotion of halloysite-kaolin domestically. On 26 April 2018, Andromeda Metals Ltd (Andromeda Metals) and Minotaur Exploration Limited entered into a Heads of Agreement covering four tenements including EL 6128 (Camel Lake). Andromeda Metals formalised the Joint Venture on 25 June 2018 and may now earn up to a 75% interest in Minotaur’s South Australian kaolin-halloysite project for expenditure of $6 million within 5 years. On 10 August 2018, Minotaur appointed Andromeda Metals as Agent to carry out work on their relevant tenements subject to the Joint Venture. Chemical engineering trials focused on the characterisation of halloysite parameters and experimentation on selective upgrading of halloysite sample content. Experimentation has continued to utilise kaolin from Carey’s Well due to access difficulties to Camel Lake. During licence Year 7, work undertaken on the tenement included land access negotiations with Maralinga Tjarutja, desktop review and the generation of exploration targets. A total of 23 targets were identified from potassium radiometric datasets and a drilling program proposed. While an introductory meeting was cancelled in December 2019, the Operator remains optimistic of the opportunity to present to the Maralinga Council in the near future. During licence Year 8, to 15th November 2020, no exploration work was carried out, due to the closure of the Maralinga Lands as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. On 4 March 2020 Andromeda announced it had acquired 51% of the Poochera Halloysite-Kaolin Project, of which EL 6128 is included. On 22 December 2020, Andromeda announced it had acquired 75% of the Great White Kaolin Joint Venture, transferred to Andromeda Industrial Minerals (75%) and Great Southern Kaolin (25%). On 2 July 2021 a transfer of registered interest from GSK to AIM (75%) and GSK (25%) was endorsed in the Mining Register. During licence Year 9, due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 access to Oak Valley has been restricted due to the risk of introducing the virus to the community. Andromeda while wishing to continue exploration within the tenement was concerned that a potential closure of the community would result in them once again paying the access fees without being provided access. Andromeda are in the process of applying for “retention status” for EL 6128. A helicopter supported site inspection was conducted on 14 January 2021 during which 24 localities across the tenement were visited by Maralinga Tjarutja representatives and an anthropologist to ascertain the cultural sensitivity of t On 30 March 2022 Andromeda announced that it had completed the acquisition of Minotaur Exploration Limited, in doing so became the owner of GSK and there by becoming the 100% owner of EL 6128. During licence Year 10 no exploration work was undertaken, with negotiations ongoing between all parties involved around access conditions. During licence Year 11, a retention status application was made to DEM on the 7th of November 2022 for a period of 24 months to allow time for outstanding issues to be resolved which could lead to appropriate exploration of EL 6128. On 14 November 2022 a tenement renewal was submitted for EL 6128. Following the submittal of this report and other required documentation Andromeda will allow EL 6128 (Camel Lake) to expire and will cease the application of ELA 2019/0073 (Dromedary).