VIMP Report 11 Mineral exploration history of the Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet J. Caluzzi November 1995 Bibliographic reference: CALUZZI, .J., 1995. Mineral exploration history of the Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report 11. Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals © Crown (State of Victoria) Copyright 1995 Geological Survey of Victoria ISSN 1323 4536 ISBN 0 7306 7981 0 This report may be purchased from: Business Centre, Department of Agriculture, Energy & Minerals, Ground Floor, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 For further technical information contact: General Manager, Geological Survey of Victoria, Department of Agriculture, Energy & Minerals, P O Box 2145, MDC Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge G. Ellis for formatting the document and R. Buckley for editing the document. She also wishes to thank D. Faul for assistance in formatting the Exploration Licence diagrams and L. Allwood for assistance with and provision of information from the GEDIS database. MINERAL EXPLORATION HISTORY - TALLANGATTA 1 Contents Abstract 2 1 Introduction 3 2 History of exploration 5 Gold 5 Base metals 5 Tin 5 Other minerals 5 3 Exploration programmes 6 References 76 Appendix 1 98 Location of expired Exploration Licences TALLANGATTA 1:250 000 Mapsheet Appendix 2 108 Summary of exploration targets within the Tallangatta 1:250 000 Mapsheet. Appendix 3 118 Exploration Licence Summary - Tallangatta 1:250 000 mapsheet Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum (VIMP) report series 126 List of figures 1 Mineral localities, Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet 4 List of Tables 1 Drilling results EL 690 34 2 Peak results from drilling Mount Morgan prospect EL 690 34 3 Geochemical sampling results EL's 750, 873 37 4 Peak results from drilling Bethanga prospect EL 1058 43 5 Results of drilling EL 1208 44 6 Drilling summary, North Mammoth prospect 48 7 Drilling summary, Wilga & Currawong prospects EL's 1233, 1234, 1236, 1237 51 8 Geochemical sampling results EL 1546 59 9 Drilling summary Granite Flat prospect EL 1546 59 10 Peak mullock sampling results Mount Elliot Goldfield EL 1974 64 2 MINERAL EXPLORATION HISTORY - TALLANGATTA Abstract This report provides a summary of mineral exploration undertaken within the TALLANGATTA 1:250 000 mapsheet area since the exploration licence (EL) reporting system was introduced in 1965. The summary includes details of exploration targets, programmes, results and expenditure, obtained from expired exploration licences in TALLANGATTA. Tables and maps within the appendices provide a further synthesis of the exploration history of TALLANGATTA , with programmes listed both numerically, by Exploration Licence number, and alphabetically, by name of the exploration company. Historically, exploration within TALLANGATTA has largely focussed on the search for gold, with considerable interest also in base metal (copper/lead/zinc) mineralisation. The discovery of the Wilga Cu-Pb-Zn deposit at Benambra has maintained interest in base metal mineralisation in this part of the Lachlan Fold Belt, although modern exploration still predominantly targets gold mineralisation. Modern exploration has also targeted tin, tungsten, molybdenum mineralisation, with minor interest in locating the primary host for diamonds. MINERAL EXPLORATION HISTORY - TALLANGATTA 3 1 Introduction Since the introduction of the Exploration Licensing (EL) system in 1965, approximately 160 licences have been granted within the TALLANGATTA 1:250 000 map sheet area and their locations are presented in Appendix 1. This report summarises information available from expired exploration licences. Appendices 2 and 3 provide a tabulated summary of the exploration programmes. A complete outline of the available work programmes conducted over the EL's within TALLANGATTA is presented in Chapter 3. A description of the geology, mineralisation and prospectivity of TALLANGATTA is presented in Oppy et al. (1995) and a brief appraisal of the airborne geophysical data collected over TALLANGATTA as part of the VIMP programme is presented in Simons (1995). A locality diagram showing the major localities referred to in the body of the report is presented in Figure 1. The appropriate reference(s) are given for each EL and are listed in the Reference section in alphabetical order. MINERAL EXPLORATION HISTORY - TALLANGATTA 5 for 63,164 t of copper concentrate, containing 2 History of exploration 13,613 t of copper, and 11,596 t of zinc concentrate, containing 5,947 t of zinc. Denehurst currently owns the mining lease Gold (ML 1865) over the area. TALLANGATTA has a long history of gold WMC/BP have also undertaken exploration exploration and mining, dating back to the programmes targeting stockwork/breccia base 1850's when gold was extracted from major metal mineralisation in the Mitta Mitta and goldfields including the Harrietville, Sassafras areas. Other large exploration Bright/Wandiligong/Freeburgh, Mt. Wills and programmes include Essex Minerals (EL 611), Bethanga Goldfields. Modern day exploration Marathon/Pan Australia (EL 1223), CRAE has continued the search for gold. In the late (EL 690) and A.Webb (EL's 651, 1058), which 1970's-1980's, BHP Minerals completed have targeted limestone-hosted primary exploration programmes in the Bright and stratiform mineralisation as well as Germantown areas (EL's 722, 858, 1208), mineralisation associated with porphyries and targeting large stockwork or disseminated gold breccias. deposits as well as alluvial gold in the Ovens and Buckland Rivers, whilst Australian Anglo- Tin American Prospecting (EL's 752, 1339) targeted alluvial gold in gravels of the Mitta Mitta River Primary tin was first first mined at Walwa in flats. More recently, companies including 1882 and remains a target of modern Bendigo Gold (EL 3163), Nickelseekers exploration programmes in TALLANGATTA . (EL 1553), Poseidon (EL 3244) and CRA The more significant of these have been Exploration (EL's 2131, 2132, 2143, 2146) have undertaken by Australian Anglo-American undertaken exploration programmes in the Mt. Prospecting (EL's 656,752,1232, 1339), Golden Wills, Glen Wills, Mt. Unicorn, Granya and Eagle Mining (EL's 623, 1248) and Northern Wyeebo areas. Their targets have included Mining (EL's 1145, 1151). These programmes both disseminated gold in granite-associated have targeted alluvial tin in the Mitta Mitta gold enriched haloes, and gold in hydrothermal River flats and at Koetong, and granite- vein systems. associated tin in the Mitta Mitta and Walwa areas. Base metals Other minerals TALLANGATTA has undergone significant base metal exploration leading up to and Modern exploration in TALLANGATTA has encouraged by the discovery of the Wilga and also targeted molybdenum mineralisation, with Currawong base metal deposits at Benambra by Australian Anglo-American (EL 695) and Western Mining/BP (EL's 432, 456, 570, 641) in Seltrust Mining (EL's 1207, 1227) exploring for 1978. The Wilga deposit was defined by follow- molybdenum-bearing quartz veins in granites up drilling on a bulls-eye TEM anomaly (Bingo Munjie) and porphyry-molybdenum recognised in 1978. This TEM survey was systems at Benambra. Tungsten mineralisation expanded following further geochemical has often been targeted alongside tin, but to a sampling and resulted in the delineation of two lesser extent. Exploration for diamonds within closely spaced anomalies at Currawong. volcanic breccia pipes at Jimmy Creek, Between 1976-1982, WMC/BP undertook Koetong, has been undertaken by Bruce extensive geochemical surveys, geophysical Resources (EL's 3189, 3190, 3264). surveys and diamond drilling to further define prospective areas for future work. Drilling at Wilga and Currawong outlined a resource of 3.03 million tonnes at 2.7% Cu, 0.5%Pb and 6.2% Zn at Wilga and 8.8 million tonnes at 1.9% Cu, 0.7% Pb and 4.0% Zn at Currawong. These two deposits and additional prospects were sold to Macquarie Resources in 1988 (Allen and Barr, 1990). Extraction of the Wilga deposit began in September 1992. In the 12 months ending June 1995, 254,900 t of ore were mined 6 MINERAL EXPLORATION HISTORY - TALLANGATTA 3 Exploration programmes lines, generally spaced 650 m apart for a total of 45 km. The numerous I.P. anomalies identified were investigated in more detail by surveys The exploration programmes undertaken utilizing mostly an electrode length of 65 m. An within TALLANGATTA are summarised below, additional 40 line km were surveyed, ordered by the Exploration Licence (EL) identifying low to medium anomalies in the number. The locations of these expired area of the old Bethanga Goldfield. A exploration licences are presented in preliminary ground magnetometer survey was Appendix 1. The complete original exploration conducted over known lodes and I.P. anomalies, information submitted as part of the licence but did not reveal any associated significant requirements are available from the magnetic anomalies. Department's Expired Exploration Reports File. Geochemistry - A total of 1565 residual soil EL 1 VAM LIMITED samples were collected as a follow up to the geophysical surveys. These were sieved to -80# Period Held: 1966 - 1967 and analysed for Cu, As and Au by AAS. No Area: Eskdale, Tallandoon significant Cu values were revealed, but many anomalous arsenic values occurred throughout Target: Exploration for base metal the grid area. A peak assay result of 110 ppb mineralisation within shear zones, with interest Au was returned from the soil sampling