Deposit Synonyms

A403; Campoona Central; Campoona Copper; Location 32; Mc 10519; Mc 11250; Mc 5808

Mineral District

Deposit Summary

pit on bed of graphitic schist. 6% flake graphite reported at 38%C. Ferruginous and graphitic schist ~970m SW identified anomalous radioactive. Drill tested in 4 holes. Resource figure Oct 2012 of 5.27Mt @ 7.6%TGC.

Deposit Description

CAMPOONA SHAFT, historical shaft located on the crest of a small hill immediately north of Campoona Hill. The shaft exposed a bed of graphitic schist within a 21m wide sequence of schist enclosed within brecciated quartzite, trend N30E. Mapping determined the old shaft was located on units of the Mangalo Schist. The mineralisation is located within the regional “Campoona Shear,” which has a strike length of >16km, and is host to a number of pods of graphitic schist. Graphite formation precedes shearing, in fact the shearing may occur as a consequence of the presence of graphite . The original sediments were interpreted as clastic psammitic and pelitic marine sediments of Palaeoproterozoic age. The original source for the carbon was believed to be from submarine vents, with carbon encapsulated into the marine sediments. Diagenesis and metamorphism to upper amphibolites facies converted the carbon to crystalline graphite. ~970m SW of old pit a sample was identified as strongly radioactive. It was drill tested in 4 holes for samples returning values generally <50ppm, best value 7.3m @ 250ppmU. Drilling by Archer Exploration in 2012 identified a 20-40m wide subvertical graphitic unit within a broader band of lower grade material. In outcrop the immediate footwall to the Campoona graphite deposit was marked by a 2m wide hematite horizon. The mineralised zones occur as steeply dipping NNE-trending bodies, thickness variable from 10-15m to 10-50m, and pinching and swelling along strike, and down dip. Follow-up drilling identified significant resources at Campoona central ~2km SW from Campoona Shaft, as well as other prospects on the line-of-lode to the north and south. The mineralised sequence comprised quartz-graphite-feldspar-muscovite-garnet-tourmaline-cordierite-sillimanite schist and gneiss. Host rocks are strongly weathering to depths of ~100m. The mineralised zone has been subdivided into the “Upper Claystone,” comprised of kaolinite-quartz-graphite-garnet-tourmaline, and an underlying upper BOCO unit (Base of Complete Oxidation) of quartz-graphite-kaolin-garnet-tourmaline ± iron oxides (goethite & hematite). Below 60m – 70m vertical depth the graphitic schist becomes more competent. Resource figures released in February 2014 include inferred 520,000 tonne at 11.6%TGC at nominal cut off of 5%TC for Campoona Central, and for Campoona Shaft, total resource of 2,232,000t at 12.3%TC at a cut off of 5%TGC. Crystal grainsize varies from 30-300µm, averages ~150µm (fine to medium). Flake size and crystallinity of the graphite are by-products of metamorphism. The presence of sillimanite indicates high metamorphic temperature, variable pressure. Prolonged weathering of the host units has lead to strong natural liberation of the graphite from the gangue. Ongoing metallurgical testwork realised a fine crystalline natural graphite concentrate grade 95-98%C achieved from mechanical cell flotation. Recleaning of concentrate enabled concentrate to 99%.

Discovery Year

? 1905

Commodities

Graphite, Uranium

Ore Minerals

Graphite, Uranium Minerals (Non Specific)

Gangue Minerals

Cordierite, Feldspar, Garnet, Iron oxide (non specific), Kaolinite, Muscovite, Pyrite, Quartz, Sillimanite, Tourmaline

? Cleve Domain

mineralisation is located within the regional “Campoona Shear,” which has a strike length of >16km, and is host to a number of pods of graphitic schist.