West Perth-based uranium explorer Scimitar Resources Ltd has been granted an exploration licence over part of the Amadeus Uranium Project by the Northern Territory's department of primary industry, fisheries and mines, the company has announced.
West Perth-based uranium explorer Scimitar Resources Ltd has been granted an exploration licence over part of the Amadeus Uranium Project by the Northern Territory's department of primary industry, fisheries and mines, the company has announced.
The licence, known as the Orange Creek uranium Prospect, brings the company's exploration rights over the Amadeus Uranium Project to 2,780 sq km.
The company also has an exploration licence application over the Angela and Pamela uranium deposits, 10km to the north. Competing applications for these deposits are under review.
Scimitar is currently planning exploration and drilling programs for the Amadeus Uranium Project, 50km south of Alice Springs, which it expects to begin as soon as approvals and heritage clearances have been completed and a drilling rig is located.
The full text of a company announcement is pasted below
The Directors of Scimitar Resources Ltd (ASX Code: SIM), are pleased to announce that Exploration Licence EL 24870, part of the Amadeus Uranium Project, has been granted by the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (DPIFM) in the Northern Territory.
The granted licence (EL 24870) and Scimitars two other previously granted licences (EL 24704 and EL 24876) cover 2,780 km² of the Amadeus Basin, 50km south of Alice Springs. The Amadeus Project is located 10km to the south of the Pamela and Angela uranium deposits.
Scimitar also has an exploration licence application (ELA 25813) over the Angela and Pamela deposits. This area was previously reserved from occupation under the Northern Territory Mining Act. A large number of applications were received over this licence area and assessment of the competing applications is currently being conducted in accordance with the Mining Act by the DPIFM.
The recently granted licence, EL 24870 covers the company's Orange Creek uranium prospect, where broadly spaced percussion drilling by Uranerz Australia P/L (64 holes for 3,873 metres) during 1979 and 1980 intersected uranium mineralisation associated with a regional redox front between depths of 13 to 72 metres over a five km strike length. A number of significant intersections were recorded including 3.40m @ 413ppm eU3O8, 1.25m @ 421ppm eU3O8 and 0.45m @ 864ppm eU3O8.
The Amadeus Basin comprises undulating sandy plains overlying the Devonian Undandita Sandstone Member of the Brewer Conglomerate. Source rocks for the Brewer Conglomerate include uranium enriched granitic rocks of the Iwupataka Metamorphic Complex and the Teapot Granite Complex. The Undandita Sandstone is host to roll front type uranium mineralisation at both the Orange Creek uranium prospect and the Pamela and Angela uranium deposits.
The Undandita Sandstone is generally oxidised but contains a wedge of reduced sediments between regionally extensive upper and lower redox boundaries. This reduced wedge is extensive throughout the Amadeus Basin and is found both in the Missionary Syncline, where it is associated with uranium mineralisation at Pamela and Angela, and in the Orange Creek Syncline, where it is associated with mineralisation at the Orange Creek Prospect.
The company is currently completing the planning of exploration and drilling programs for the project. These programs are expected to commence as soon as approvals and heritage clearances have been completed and a suitable drilling rig has been located.
