ADI funding was granted by DEM to Kelaray to conduct approved geophysical surveys and exploratory drilling and apply logistical support within its Murdie Project, for a combined expenditure of up to A$320,000. At the outset of the project,...
ADI funding was granted by DEM to Kelaray to conduct approved geophysical surveys and exploratory drilling and apply logistical support within its Murdie Project, for a combined expenditure of up to A$320,000. At the outset of the project, Kelaray acquired an onshore ground gravity survey to provide it with a needed significant improvement in the precision and quality of geophysical data at a regional scale. Between October 2020 and March 2021, a total of 2134 new gravity stations were read, initially on a 400 m x 400 m grid covering the entire licence area, and later on two 200 m x 200 m grids to detail areas of elevated gravity response. 2D modelling of the resulting data was performed on five gravity highs which were identified along the western margin of Lake Torrens near Bosworth Station, in the area between Murdie Island and the entrance to the Beda Arm of the lake. Once a suitable exploration target, T4, had been delineated underneath and close to the shoreline of Lake Torrens, significant logistical initiatives were implemented to protect the lake surface from the impacts of proposed drilling activities. Ground protection materials were laid there to reduce the effects of downward pressure which would be exerted by heavy vehicles and the drilling rig. These materials were successfully applied for the purposes of achieving site access and then the completed diamond drilling of a single hole. Minor indentation of the lake surface occurred beneath the four jack legs of the rig platform. The impacts to visual amenity of the lake surface from constructing the access track and drill pad were kept to acceptable levels, and will be further monitored to assess the extent of healing of the ground surface indentations via natural salt recrystallisation. Kelaray completed a single deep vertical diamond drillhole to test a residual gravity anomaly which it called Smith Dam 1. The source of this anomaly was modelled to lie at a depth of ~890 m. Hole WLTD001 reached basement at 730 m depth, and was drilled to a total depth of 924 m. Sampling and assaying of WLTD001 returned only low-order geochemical results. Gold assay values were at or below detection limit (1 ppb Au) for the entire range of sampled intervals. The best copper assay value returned was 246 ppm Cu; the majority of assay values were <50 ppm Cu. The iron content in the basement rocks ranged from 5% to 10%, suggesting that the majority of observed hematite alteration was likely to be late-stage alteration as opposed to being hydrothermally derived ‘steely’ hematite that is typically associated with IOCG mineralisation. LREE concentrations (for Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd) averaged out at around average crustal abundance (maximum combined LREE content was 474 ppm), as did HREE concentrations (for Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu), with a maximum combined HREE content of 51 ppm. WLTD001 intersected some hematite breccia zones that may represent parts of an IOCG alteration system. Basement rock densities, as indicated by specific gravity measurements made on drill core samples, are considered adequate to explain the gravity feature.
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