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Exploration Opportunities in Katherine Region: Mineral Projects Update

Discover the latest developments in potential mineral projects in the Katherine region, including gold, iron ore, rare earth elements, and zinc exploration. Get insights into new and upcoming projects and the future of mineral exploration in the area.

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Exploration Opportunities in Katherine Region: Mineral Projects Update

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  1. Exploration in the Wider Katherine Region - Future Potential Mineral Projects Dorothy Close Assistant Director, Northern Territory Geological Survey

  2. Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) • Role: to provide the highest quality geoscientific information and advice to NT Government and the resources industry. • Through a series of NT govt initiatives, undertake new generation geoscience to stimulate exploration

  3. Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS)

  4. Gold – Pine Creek Mount Bundy project Company: Primary Gold Ltd New company aiming to restart Toms Gully • Cosmo Deeps • Company: Crocodile Gold • Cosmo Deeps in production • High-grade resources beneath Union Reefs • Spring Hill • Company: Thor Mining • 4.0 Mt @ 2.32 g/t Au • MOU to toll treat ore at Union Reefs • Mount Todd • Company: Vista Gold • 350 Mt @ 0.81 g/t Au • Revised two-stage development

  5. Project name: Mount Todd Company: Vista Gold • Commodity: Gold Status: Feasibility • Location: 55 km north of Katherine • Very large, moderate-grade resource (350 Mt at 0.81 g/t Au; 9 Moz Au) • Potential for long-term mine life (15 years) • Potential for more gold resources in area • Two-stage development, first stage to produce 240,000oz Au per year

  6. Roper iron field • Important emerging iron ore province • Originally discovered by BHP in 1950s • Large (~ 1 billion tonnes) low-grade (40% Fe) resources that can be beneficiated to ~60% Fe, mainly in flat-lying bodies close to surface • More than 70 Mt of higher grade direct shipping ore (~57-58% Fe) discovered • Mining of direct shipping ore schedules to commence in 2013

  7. Project name: Roper Bar Company: Western Desert Resources • Commodity: Iron ore Status: Near-term development • Location: 315 km east-southeast of Katherine • Large tonnage iron ore (hematite) with localised higher grade direct shipping ore • Total resource: 402 Mt @ 40.0% Fe, includes 32.1Mt @ 56.8% Fe • Exportviahaulroadto Bing Bongport • Firstshipmentplannedfor late 2013 • Initialproduction of 2.5 Mtparamping up to 10 Mtpa

  8. Project name: Roper River Company: Sherwin Iron • Commodity: Iron ore Status: Near-term development • Location: 200 km east-southeast of Katherine • Large tonnage iron ore (hematite) with localised higher grade direct shipping ore • Total resource: 488 Mt @ 41.7% Fe, includes 41.1Mt @ 57.8% Fe • Exportviahaulroadtorailway, thento Darwin port • Firstshipmentplannedfor 2014 • Initialproduction of around 3 Mtpa

  9. Project name: Sill 80 Company: Australian Ilmenite Resources • Commodity: Ilmenite Status: In development • Location: 200 km east-southeast of Katherine • Open cut mining of ilmenite-rich sand within 3 m of surface • Onsite processing to ilmenite concentrate • Inititalproduction 100,000tpa, ramping up to 300,000tpa • Currentlybeingcomissioned

  10. Rare earth elements • Group of seventeen specialty metals • Largely used in high-tech industries, eg hybrid cars, plasma screens, superconductors and battery alloys • TUC Resources has discovered two rare earth prospects west and northwest of Katherine – Quantum and Stromberg • Stromberg has the high value ‘heavy’ rare earth elements

  11. Project name: Stromberg Company: TUC Resources Ltd • Commodity: Rare earth elements Status: Exploration • Location: 130 km west of Katherine • Flat lying orebodies rich in high-value heavy rare earth elements • At surface, tabular bodies; soft xenotime-bearing clay • Additional new discoveries, potential for a new district of rare earths deposits

  12. A resurgence of zinc exploration? PitchblackResources Ltd acquiring 90% interest in Crocodile Gold’s base metals assets in the Pine Creek Orogen, including Iron Blow, Mount Bonnie and Mount Evelyn MMG JV into AngloAustralian’s Victoria River project – untested potential shale sub-basin EM and drilling planned in 2013 Batten Fault Zone – active exploration by Teck, MMG, Sandfire Teena prospect -resample of MIM core 11.3m @ 10.7% Zn, 0.2% Pb, 14 g/t Ag

  13. Onshore Petroleum Comparison 2009 - 2012

  14. Map of shale oil/gas basins, Geoscience Australia

  15. Onshore petroleum • Massive interest in onshore unconventional petroleum • Glyde-1 lateral • Company: Armour Energy • In McArthur Basin near Borroloola • 3 wells in 2012 • flows equivalent to over 3 million standard cubic feet of gas per day • Beetaloo Sub-basin: Hess Australia • 3,600 line km of 2D seismic in 2012 • Approaching decision point on drilling five wells

  16. Challenges for greenfields exploration • Difficulties in raising funds for greenfields exploration • Rising costs of discovery, especially in Australia • High-risk nature of undercover exploration • Role of Government is to lower the risk and cost of discovery relative to other jurisdictions

  17. NT Government support for exploration • Ongoing geoscience programs to attract and support exploration • Large-scale regional geophysical survey • Geoscience mapping programs to highlight prospectivity • Improved online access to NTGS data and reports and exploration company reports • Collaborative funding of greenfields exploration • Funding 100% up to $100k of selected projects • Round 6 of Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations underway • Assistance for explorers in attracting investment • International investment attraction in key markets such as China, Japan and Korea

  18. NTGS activities in greater Katherine region • Central McArthur gravity survey • Commencing resource assessment and geoscience mapping programs in McArthur Basin • Co-funding deep geothermal hole in Roper area • Co-funding zinc exploration drilling in Borroloola area and VRD

  19. Summary • The greater Katherine region has potential for significant mining developments for commodities including iron ore, ilmenite, zinc, rare earths, gold and diamonds • Gas exploration and development is emerging as a major industry • Exploration industry is experiencing difficulties globally • NT Geological Survey is working to stimulate exploration in the region through the CORE initiative

  20. Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) March 18-19 2014, Alice Springs Convention Centre

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