- 100km2 Licence owned 100% by Aldershot
Agreement signed with Cameco Australia Limited in July 2008
Historical resource of 1.05 Mt @ 350 ppm U3O8 (approximately 810,000 lbs contained U3O8)
- Similarities to Athabasca Basin/unconformity model
- Airborne radiometric-magnetic survey completed in March 2007 and 21 uranium anomalies ground checked.
- Assays of up to 4209 ppm U3O8.
- Orientation ground IP survey undertaken in 2007.
- Results received for airborne EM (Tempest) survey completed in March 2008.
The Turee Creek Project, defined by Exploration Licence E52/1763 is located about 100 km west of Newman Township in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. It covers 100 km2 and is currently owned 100% by Aldershot.
Cameco Australia Ltd has recently signed an Agreement whereby Cameco will reimburse a portion of Aldershot’s exploration costs of approximately $205,337, undertake a minimum of 1,000m of drilling within 12 months and spend $2,500,000 within 4 years to earn a 70% joint venture interest in the property.
Past exploration, particularly by Noranda Australia Ltd focused on sandstone hosted secondary near-surface uranium mineralisation with the best drill intercept returning 26m of 568 ppm U3O8 in DDH1. A historical resource of 1.05Mt @ 350 ppm U3O8 (approximately 810,000 lbs contained U3O8) was reported (Acclaim Exploration NL, 1984 ASX AR) but has not been verified by Aldershot.
Aldershot is focussing on an unconformity type model, similar to the Athabasca Basin and East Alligator River models. The historical drilling has not tested the unconformity and mineralisation at the nearby Angelo River prospect is controlled by graphitic lithologies and has many similarities to the Athabasca Basin deposits including associated altered sandstones containing uranium mineralisation within a bleached envelope (Pancontinental Mining A11692, p33). Earlier reconnaissance by Aldershot also recognised an enveloping clay alteration. Although this model has been considered, it has never been tested by previous explorers.
A ground EM/IP orientation survey was commenced in May 2007 following heritage clearances being obtained, but access problems prevented it from being completed. An airborne EM (Tempest) survey contract was signed in September 2007 and completed in March 2008 with the final data being received in June 2008.
Follow up of the airborne anomalies selected and rock chip sampling showed the strongest anomaly (TC-01) is associated with the Turee Creek Prospect and is defined by an area showing values of greater than 500cps (Saphymo SRAT SPP2 scintillometer) with spot highs of up to 1500 cps. Assays returned up to 4209 ppm U3O8 with elevated lead and copper.
Airborne anomaly TC-04, located 700m west of TC-01 coincides with an area of elevated counts (up to 450 cps) but more significantly is associated with carbonaceous siltstone and gossanous outcrop near the level of the unconformity, one of the critical parameters for unconformity type deposits.
With Cameco now being operator of the Turee Creek Project, the Tempest survey data has been forwarded to them. It is anticipated that planning for drill testing will commence once the Tempest interpretation is complete.
