High grade, near surface uranium and rare earth element mineralization has been intersected at China Yunnan Copper Australia’s Elaine Dorothy uranium target in north-west Queensland.
A limited diamond drill program has been carried out at the target, which is part of the Mary Kathleen Joint Venture, Northwest Properties.
The Northwest Properties comprise China Yunnan’s Cloncurry North Project and Mount Isa Project and the Mary Kathleen Joint Venture with Goldsearch.
Three drill holes totaling 344 metres have been drilled as part of a HQ diamond twin drill program of historic holes at Elaine Dorothy. The final two deeper diamond holes were unable to be completed before the end of the field season in late 2009 but will be completed after target refinement early this year.
All holes intersected significant mineralization with the best intersection from a hole near a surface prospecting pit returning a near surface intersection of 3 metres @ 1.32 kg/tonne uranium oxide, 1.17% cerium and 0.59% lanthanum from 27.5 metres, including 1 metre @ 2.85 kg/tonne uranium oxide, 1.67% cerium and 0.81% lanthanum from 28.5 metres.
At the base of this hole a zone of intense potassic alteration was intersected which returned 1 metre @ 0.62% copper and 1740 ppm molybdenum from 72 metres.
The intersections broadly confirm the zones of mineralization identified in previous drill campaigns in the 1980s and 1950s.
Field investigations have identified a number of surface copper occurrences in the vicinits of Elaine Dorothy which are planned to be followed up. Elaine Dorothy is about 5km south of the previously mined Mary Kathleen deposit, which yielded 9.2 million tonnes at a grade of 1.20 kg/tonne uranium oxide and 3% rare earth elements.
www.cycal.com.au