Abstract tittled "New frontier exploration opportunities on Australia's southwest margin" to accompany presentation at the SEAPEX conference 2011.

Uranium-rich igneous rocks are recognised as an important source of metals in uranium mineral systems. Magmatic-related uranium mineralisation may be orthomagmatic in origin, forming via favourable igneous processes, or may result from the exsolution of uranium-rich fluids from particular magmas. Additionally, it is recognised that igneous rocks also may contribute directly to basin-related uranium mineral systems as a metal source. Thus, mapping of the distribution of uranium in igneous rocks has the potential to highlight prospective regions for uranium mineralisation at a macro-scale. Geoscience Australia has produced a series of three digital maps showing the uranium content of igneous rocks across Australia, drawing together geochemical and geological datasets from disparate open file sources. Map 1 shows the uranium concentration in whole rock geochemical analyses plotted as point data on a background of igneous rock type, which itself is derived from Geoscience Australia's 1:1 000 000 national surface geology map. Map 2 integrates these datasets, and shows the average uranium content of all intersecting geochemical data point for outcropping individual igneous rock units. In Map 3, a similar approach is employed in mapping the average uranium content of igneous rocks occurring under cover, using interpreted solid geology coverages. Combined, these maps provide a comprehensive picture of the province-scale trends in igneous uranium content across the continent. Using an applied knowledge of processes leading to uranium concentration in magmatic systems, igneous rocks exhibiting a favourable combination of factors are able to be identified for further analysis of prospectivity for uranium mineral systems.

Sediments of the Brock's Creek Group and of the Phillips Creek Formation, and volcanics of the Edith River Formation were prospected with carborne radiometric equipment. A comparatively high background count was recorded in the Edith River Volcanics, but no significant radiometric anomaly was found. A geological party prospected ten shear zones south east of the Edith Siding, including a cupriferous one, and a strongly fractured belt near the granite contact. No radiometric anomaly was found. Future prospecting should be directed towards major faults within the sediments.

Abstract for initial submission; see Geocat 71429 for conference paper version

The Capel and Faust basins are located over the northern part of the Lord Howe Rise, a large offshore frontier region containing a number of basins with untested petroleum prospectivity. Recent data acquisition by Geoscience Australia has significantly improved geological knowledge of these basins. Given the diversity of acquired data, comparative sparseness of data coverage, lack of deep drilling control, and complexity of geological structure, effective data integration and analysis methods were essential for a meaningful geological interpretation of the Capel and Faust basins. By using the 3D visualisation and modelling environment provided by GOCAD, the datasets were captured, processed and interpreted to create an integrated 3D model that enabled key geological and prospectivity questions to be answered. This presentation summarises the construction methodology and the resulting geological and prospectivity implications of the Capel-Faust 3D geological model.

Cenozoic basins of the Lake Frome region in South Australia host the Beverley in-situ recovery uranium mine as well as the Honeymoon, Four Mile, Oban, and Goulds Dam deposits and recently discovered Pepegoona prospect several kilometres to the north of Beverley. Most deposits occur in organic-rich sands and silts of the Eocene Eyre Formation or Miocene Namba Formation (Beverley). However, the recognition of Eromanga Basin host rocks at the Four Mile West deposit (Heathgate Resources, pers. comm., 2009) extends the age range of host stratigraphic units into the Mesozoic. We define the Frome Uranium Province as the 3-dimensional volume encompassing known and potentially mineralised areas of Cenozoic and Mesozoic basins in the Lake Frome region, constrained on three sides by Proterozoic inliers (Fig. 1). The northern extent of the metallogenic province is unknown; recent discovery of anomalous uranium in Cenozoic sediments near Moomba (Crescent Gold Ltd, September 2009, www.crescentgold.com) points to the potential of the Lake Eyre Basin for uranium mineralisation well to the north of Lake Frome.

A geophysical survey, comprising self-potential and electromagnetic methods, was made during the 1952 and 1953 field seasons at the Labour Victory Copper Mine, about 7 miles north-north-west of the Mt. Elliott Copper Mine, near Selwyn, Northern Queensland. The self-potential survey covered an area of 2,400 feet x 900 feet, but owing to other operational commitments during the 1953 season, the electromagnetic survey was confined to the southern part of the area. The primary object of the work was to determine the extent of the mineralisation associated with the known lode, which strikes north-south through the centre of the surveyed area. The self-potential survey revealed a well-defined anomaly nearly 1,000 feet long, in the northern part of the area. The axis of this anomaly is parallel to, but about 75 feet west of, the known lode. The disused main shaft of the now idle mine is at the southern end of the anomaly, which in this vicinity deviates slightly towards the south-east, i.e. towards the known lode. No workings exist in the area of the indication, and no outcrops were found, the rock formations being hidden for the most part by alluvium. The electromagnetic results confirmed those of the self-potential survey, but the electromagnetic indication extends farther to the south. The results suggest that the indication may be caused by lenticular bodies and that these are disturbed by cross faults. No mineralised deposits were indicated by the electrical results in the southern part of the area. It is recommended that some trenching and geological and geochemical work be done in the area of the strong electrical indication. If the results of the testing show that the indication is not due to graphitic or pyritic schists, it is recommended that a number of diamond drill holes be put down. Suggested locations for five such drill holes are given. If the anomaly is due to ore the geophysical results suggest an ore body of considerable size.

Operations of the Radioactive Section have been restricted during this quarter due to the "wet" season and lack of staff. Drilling operations at the Ella Creek Prospect were completed and operations commenced at the Edith River Prospect. No encouraging results were disclosed at either prospect. Other work has been limited to inspection of reported new discoveries and geophysical work in the Rum Jungle area.

White's South prospect is situated on the southern bank of the Finniss River (East branch) about 400 feet south southwest of White's Deposit (Ward 1953). Rocks do not outcrop in the area, but low radioactive anomalies were located in this area by the Geophysical Section 1951 suggesting that the western continuation of White's Deposit after faulting might be beneath the soil cover. Low grade ore intersections were obtained in five diamond drill holes put down in the area in 1952. A plan of the area on a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch accompanies this report (Plate 1).

Report on the activities of the administrative and technical sections in the Katherine-Darwin area, November, 1954. A brief account is given of geological and geophysical operations. The results of prospecting and development work are summarised.