Crystal Creek

Recent uranium discovery at Crystal Creek in the Northern Territory.

Ngalia Thrust (EL 24566)

This licence is 100% owned by UXA, and covers an area of granite intrusions forming the basement to the Eclipse Sandstone (Ngalia Basin) that hosts Energy Metals’ Bigrlyi uranium deposit, 30km to the west.An airborne radiometric survey flown in 2007 identified two anomalies (Anomaly A and Anomaly B at Crystal Creek). Exploration by UXA to date has shown that Anomaly B is potentially the most significant discovery.


Figure 2. Crystal Creek Location Map

Anomaly B, Crystal Creek

Geological mapping has shown that radiometric Anomaly B is due to an East Northeast striking uranium bearing fault zone within greisenised (altered) granite of the Southwark Granite Suite, part of the Arunta Inlier. The structure can be traced for a distance in excess of 3,000m and varies in width from 30cm to 12m, averaging 3m.

Uranium appears to be associated with ironstone and grades are highly variable from trace up to 4,172 ppm U3O8. At surface, uranium mineralisation is poddy along strike and highly variable across strike.Initially uranium values were measured in the field using an appropriately calibrated portable Niton XL3t XRF unit. Scintillometer and XRF readings were taken at 185 points along the structure. Of these 96 points recorded XRF uranium values of between 100 ppm U and 500 ppm U and 12 points recorded values between 500 ppm U and 3,500 ppm U (4,120 ppm U3O8).



Figure 3. Crystal Creek: Portable XRF readings (highest spot determinations).

Laboratory XRF analyses of whole rock chip samples collected at Anomaly B confirm values of uranium up to 4,000 ppm U (4,172 ppm U3O8). Although a direct correlation cannot be made between the reported uranium values made by the portable Niton XL3t XRF unit and the laboratory XRF values which are determined from much larger rock samples, they both provide a strong confirmation of the presence of uranium in outcrop and also indicate that thorium values are low (Table 1).

The company has embarked on an aggressive exploration program to be completed within 2009. A soil sampling field program has recently been completed, with the samples sent to a commercial laboratory for chemical analyses.

Table 1. Laboratory XRF and Niton XRF uranium and thorium values from Anomaly B - at Crystal Creek.

Geological mapping has shown that the greisenised (altered) granite which occurs adjacent to the mineralised structure also has strong surface uranium values, up to 600 ppm U (portable XRF determination).

Petrological and further geochemical studies are being conducted on selected samples to investigate uranium mineralogy.

A high resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey has been contracted to UTS Geophysics and was completed in late August 2009. The highly detailed survey will help to map uranium distribution and possible different alteration phases in the surrounding greisenised granite.

A heritage survey is currently being conducted by the Central Land Council in preparation for drilling activities. It is anticipated that a RC percussion drilling program will commence in November 2009.