The
Gum Creek Project is located 640km northeast of Perth, Western
Australia and comprises a land holding of 688km2 in the Gum Creek
Greenstone Belt.
Click here to view a location map.
The Project represents the retained portion of the Gidgee Project,
following the sale of the Gidgee Gold Project to Apex Minerals NL in
August 2007. This area was retained following a regional commodity
review, which highlighted the nickel-copper-platinum group elements
(Ni-Cu-PGE) potential of the Gum Creek Greenstone Belt. The Project
has had no systematic nickel exploration since the early 1970’s.
The Project is divided into three areas, Bungarra, Thangoo and
Woodley, and considered prospective for both intrusion-related
(Ni-Cu-PGE) and komatiite flow-related (Ni) sulphide mineralisation.
Click here to
view tenement map.
Bungarra
Legend announced the discovery of an outcropping
magmatic sulphide gossan at Bungarra, returning rockchip results up
to 1.0% Ni, 5.7% Cu and 0.7g/t PGE, associated with the
mafic-ultramafic Bungarra Intrusive Complex (BIC), (ASX
Announcement:
10 April 2007). The gossan was hosted by gabbroic rocks at/near
the basal margin of the BIC, considered a prospective geological
setting for segregations of Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide mineralisation.
Legend signed the West Bungarra JV with Gateway
Mining Limited (GML) on the
16
July 2007, securing tenure over the entire BIC.
Follow-up ground electromagnetic surveying,
utilising the Moving Loop Transient Electromagnetic (MLTEM)
technique, was completed over three prospects at Bungarra; Python,
Dugite and Adder, (ASX Announcement:
6 August
2007). The surveys identified a number of conductors coincident
with the original outcropping gossan and subsequent field
reconnaissance identified additional gossanous float.
RC/diamond drill testing of several of the MLTEM
conductors has provided sufficient evidence of nickel in sulphide
mineralisation to warrant further exploration focused on the margin
of the BIC, (ASX Announcement:
11 February 2008).
An airborne Versatile Time Domain Electro Magnetic
survey (VTEM) was completed in March 2008 over the entire BIC and
surrounds, effectively testing 18km of intrusive margin for Ni-Cu-PGE
mineralisation, (ASX Announcement:
17
March 2008). The survey identified a number of interesting
anomalies which require follow up drill testing.
Thangoo
Initial aircore drilling of interpreted ultramafic
units at Thangoo intersected broad zones of elevated nickel and
identified the ultramafics at komatiitic in character. (ASX
Announcement:
30 October 2007). These results
provide encouragement for the possible presence of nickel
mineralisation at depth or along strike, similar in style to
Kambalda.
Moving-Loop Time Domain Electromagnetic surveys (MLTEM)
testing the komatiitic units were completed identifying three strong
conductors on the eastern flank of the survey area. (ASX
Announcement:
11 February 2008). Limited drilling
in the area indicates the conductors are related to black shale,
which is in direct contact with ultramafic units of komatiitic
affinity and represent priority drill targets.
A VTEM survey over the eastern half of Thangoo was
completed in March 2008 and has identified a number of features
which require follow up drilling testing, (ASX Announcement:
17
March 2008).
LINKED DIAGRAMS
Gum Creek Location map.
Bungarra Map:
Showing geology, gossan location, electromagnetic survey areas,
drilling.
Bungarra VTEM Image
Thangoo VTEM Image
