Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX:AGE) has kicked off an airborne gravity survey over its Nabarlek North Uranium Project in the Alligator Rivers Uranium Province (ARUP) in the Northern Territory.
This gravity survey will be followed by an auger and rotary air blast (RAB) drilling program for which all necessary approvals are in place.
Xcalibur will conduct the survey on Alligator’s behalf over a large portion of the Nabarlek North package of tenements in Arnhem Land, targeting key structural and geological controls.
What’s more, the information gained from this work, combined with the airborne gravity results, will inform the targeting of a deeper reverse circulation drill testing program.
“Highest-grade uranium”
Alligator CEO Greg Hall said: “The Alligator Rivers Uranium Province remains an important primary exploration area for Alligator Energy and is the region with the highest-grade uranium in Australia.
“Alligator has previously defined a small, high-grade resource at Caramal, along with numerous mineralised intersections at its Tin Camp Creek and Beatrice projects.
“The gravity survey followed by auger and RAB drilling will be our first work program on the Nabarlek North Project, which is in a region where the overlying Kombolgie sandstone is shallow, or weathered away, and hence is extremely attractive for exploration of high-grade uranium.”
Gravity survey
The gravity survey will be flown by the Xcalibur Group, using the Falcon Plus system and purpose-built airborne gravity gradiometer (AGG) towed by a fixed-wing light aircraft.
Falcon Plus is recognised as the lowest noise extraneous AGG system commercially available and will ensure the best possible data capture.
The company has opted for 100-metre line spacing to maximise data resolution and clarify targeted structures, and the survey will be flown from east to west, perpendicular to anticipated structural and geological features.
Approvals in place
The Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade has approved Alligator’s proposed auger and RAB drilling programs at the project.
Traditional Owners at a Northern Land Council-facilitated work program meeting approved the work program, paving the way for the airborne gravity survey and regional auger and RAB follow-up drilling.
Hall added: "The extensive work and engagement undertaken by Alligator in Arnhem Land in previous years has contributed to our successful and important agreement over the Nabarlek North Project with the Traditional Owners.
“As previously advised, Alligator and the Traditional Owners successfully concluded this agreement just as Covid was impacting, and hence we have been unable to get onto the ground until this year.
“As advised in the above February 2020 release, in a first for Alligator Energy and the Traditional Owners, the exploration agreement allows for a one-off option for the Traditional Owners to acquire a 25% direct ownership in a potentially economic uranium resource project (if found), in exchange for a reduction in certain production-related royalties and payments.
“This option arises at the time a feasibility report is finalised in relation to a proposed mining right application.
"Alligator looks forward to advancing our exploration work in this very prospective area, and again working with the region’s Traditional Owners through employment and support opportunities, which we have tried to maintain as best we could during the necessary Covid restrictions in Arnhem Land.”