Kingfisher Mining Limited (ASX:KFM) has identified numerous potential carbonatite intrusion locations across the entire length of the company’s 54km Chalba target corridor identified from a tenement-scale airborne geophysics survey in the Gascoyne Mineral Field in Western Australia.
“The results from the airborne geophysics at our Gascoyne REE projects continue to highlight the significant potential of our belt-scale tenement holding in this globally important REE region,” Executive Director and CEO James Farrell said.
“The survey adds another leg in our discovery journey which has led to the identification of numerous additional potential carbonatite intrusions along the 54km Chalba mineralised corridor. This is an enormously encouraging early development in the project generation, expanding our footprint beyond the Mick Well area, where we made our first breakthrough high grade REE discovery only 12 months ago.
“All of the selected targets have geophysical responses similar to Mick Well, where we have so far identified more than 5km of outcropping high grade REE mineralisation strike, delineated by surface samples and drill results which includes 5.0m at 3.45% TREO.
“We are extremely excited and are looking forward to following up these dominate targets which will hopefully confirm that our Chalba mineralised corridor is world class.”
Airborne geophysics are highly effective tools for the identification of carbonatite intrusions and associated mineralisation.
“The carbonatite intrusion model has a central carbonatite pipe which is comprised of multiple phases of carbonatite intrusion that is surrounded by ring dykes which form around and radial dykes which radiate out from the central intrusion.
“The carbonatite exploration model envisages alteration of the host country rock into which the carbonatites intrude, with development of Sodic (Na) and Potassic (K) fenites around the intrusions which often hosts the REE mineralisation.
“Each part of the carbonatite system has characteristics which can be detected by geophysics, such as high iron content in ferro-carbonatites which is apparent in the magnetics or potassium fenite alteration and thorium associated with the mineralisation which are apparent in the radiometrics. The combination of these geophysical responses to the carbonatite geology make it a very powerful tool for early stage targeting and project generation.”
Ten high priority target areas have been identified from the interpretation of the geophysics surveys, with each target selected from a combination of magnetic, potassium and thorium features.
The target areas are spaced along the entire length of the 54km Chalba target corridor and are large scale, ranging in size from 0.7 sq. km to 18 sq. km.
A significant new large-scale target has been delineated at Kingfisher South (CH10), where geological mapping has already confirmed the presence of ferro-carbonatite intrusions.
The target includes a central area defined by a distinct circular magnetic feature with a diameter of approximately two km which is surrounded by an area of high thorium and potassium which extends over a length of more than six km along the Chalba target corridor.
High priority targets CH2, CH5, CH6 and CH8 have already been selected for immediate surface mapping and sampling due to the presence of interpreted carbonates and circular or oval-shaped features which are indicative of intrusion pipes. The identification of the targets from geophysics is an important early part of the discovery process, with all of the targets to be ranked and included in the company’s project generation activities in 2023 and beyond.
Planning is well advanced for the company’s exploration activities for 2023 at its Gascoyne projects.
It is envisaged the 2023 exploration activities will include drilling at MW2, MW7, MW8 as well as substantial project generation work across the 54km target corridor, including the CH1 to CH 10 targets as well as the Arthur River and Mooloo projects. The 2023 exploration activities are also likely to include airborne geophysics across the Mooloo project.
For further information please visit: https://www.kingfishermining.com.au/
