Shree Minerals Ltd (ASX:SSH) has signed an agreement with Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, to collaborate on a research project at Box Hole Zinc-Lead Project near Harts Range in the Northern Territory.
The study intends to evaluate and re-process existing geophysical, lithological and geochemical data as the basis for building a 3D model of the prospect and the control of the lead-zinc mineralisation.
Shree hopes to create an integrated dataset that will improve targeting for exploration drilling.
Data evaluation and re-processing will include VTEM data inversion, gravity modelling, geochemical and lithological data evaluation, structural analysis and 3D structural modelling.
Better targeting of exploration drilling
Executive director Sanjay Loyalka said: ‘The company is very pleased to have engaged CSIRO for the study at Box Hole and for this study to be supported by 50% funding from CSIRO.
“This study will give Shree access to the CSIROs expertise in the fields of geophysical data processing, geochemical vectoring and 3D modelling.
“The resultant litho-structural model will improve understanding of the controls of mineralisation and allow better targeting of exploration drilling.”
Kick-Start initiative
The project was made possible by CSIRO Kick-Start, an initiative that provides funding and support for innovative Australian small businesses to access CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow and develop their business.
Total cost of the study is approximately $60,000 of which 50% will be co-funded by CSIRO.
The Box Hole Project (EL32419) covers 127 square kilometres, around 250 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and is prospective for large tonnage carbonate-hosted lead-zinc deposits of the Mississippi Valley Type (MVT).
Examples of this type of deposit in Australia include the Cadjebut and Blendevale mines near Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia.
Genetic models of MVT mineralisation involve oxidised basinal metalliferous brines migrating up basin margin growth faults and precipitating sulphides into favourable permeable and chemical lithological traps, such as carbonates, graphitic shales and dolostones.
History
Box Hole is centred on the King’s Workings that were mined by hand in the 1960s for galena.
Around 15 tonnes of galena with an average grade of 66% lead, 58.5 g/t silver and 0.43% bismuth was handpicked and sold to the Broken Hill Smelter.
The lead-zinc mineralisation is hosted by a mixed carbonate and shale sedimentary sequence within the Georgina Basin.
Mineralisation is generally associated with silicified dolostone containing gossans that extend for over 6 kilometres in a north-south orientation parallel to faulting and anticlinal hinges (Figure 3).
The project has been explored by a variety of companies since it’s discovery, with the most significant exploration program completed by Uramet Minerals in 2007-09 comprising various IP and gravity surveys, geochemical surveys and shallow drilling.