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G2
Regional Setting
Location of the G2 Project, astride the G2 Gravity Corridor,
is shown on Figure
1 and Figure
8. The Peake and Denison Ranges area has been subjected to significant
diamond exploration in the last 30 years following reports of a one carat
diamond from the area in 1894. There is abundant geological evidence in
the area for the presence of pre-Mesozoic diamondiferous kimberlites, which
have been eroded to produce secondary sources in paleo-gravel horizons
at the base of the Mesozoic succession. The aim of the program is to locate
commercial diamondiferous kimberlites hosted by Permian Basement under
the shallowest Mesozoic cover on the G2 Gravity Corridor.

A veiw from the southern G2 tenement area across the
barren gibber plain towards Mount Allalone.
Tenements
Flinders made application for two full size EL's just
south of the Peake and Denison Ranges on 3 March, 2000. The tenements were
granted on 13 October 2000. Details are tabulated below:
| Name |
Tenement Number
|
Area km²
|
Registered Holder
|
| Francis |
EL 2758 |
2,485
|
Flinders Diamonds Limited
|
| Margaret |
EL 2759 |
2,489
|
Flinders Diamonds Limited
|
| Total |
2 EL's |
4,974
|
|
Land Tenure
This project lies entirely within pastoral leases in
the north of South Australia. In accordance with Part 9B of the Mining
Act and the regulations under the Native Title (South Australia)
Act, the statutory notices for the ELs have been served and the Public
Notices advertised. Negotiations with the Kujani and Arabunna claimants
have commenced.
Previous Exploration
There has previously been significant reconnaissance
diamond exploration in this area with a one-carat diamond reported from
gold workings on the western margin of the Denison Range by HYL Brown in
1894, and six diamonds located by Stockdale near Edward Creek. Also, there
are numerous kimberlitic indicator minerals known in the region. Many of
these are from third-order sources, that is, from creeks having eroded
through basal Mesozoic sediments which are themselves secondary sources
thought to have been derived from kimberlites emplaced during the period
270 to 170 Ma.
Previous work in the region was dominated by two main
exploration strategies. Firstly, detailed follow up of diamond indicator
drainage anomalies led to numerous secondary sources in basal Mesozoic
sediments. Secondly, testing of airborne magnetic targets in the vicinity
of secondary or third-order sources generally proved magnetic hematite
concentrations to be the source of anomalies. This drilling has also located
some dense concentrations of kimberlitic indicator minerals in basal Mesozoic
sediments with relatively fresh wear characteristics suggesting local primary
sources as described by David Jones in 1990.
Flinders believes that the former exploration strategies
demonstrated a lack of willingness to follow up drainage trails of secondary
indicators to find primary sources as would be expected, for instance,
with gold panning. Consequently, Flinders' exploration strategy involves
tracking down primary sources via drilling to follow the paleodrainage
trail of secondary indicators. This involves utilisation of the undercover
drilling technique which was developed by Tiger International at Springfield.
This work, and analysis of other drainage anomalies in the Springfield
area, showed that anomalous drainage or colluvial cover results can be
present over areas of from 10 to 50 square kilometres. They can be detected
by routine kimberlitic heavy mineral analysis on composite drill samples
from the base of overlying unconsolidated cover. It is proposed to use
these strategies on the Francis and Margaret ELAs.
Proposed Program
Flinders plans to carry out a sampling program utilising
undercover drilling to avoid surface contamination of sample material.
Sampling density for this drilling program will be one sample per 25 square
kilometres which will be achieved using a staggered grid on 4.8 km centres.
This is a spacing of 23.04 square kilometres per drill hole. The staggered
drill hole pattern will allow for followup of positive samples by using
a 1.6 km square grid pattern involving an additional 8 holes per original
hole drilled.
It is proposed to drill approximately 10 holes on EL
2758 and approximately 72 holes on EL 2759, subject to access. These are
shown on Figure
1. The drill hole locations were planned using the following criteria:
- Shallow Mesozoic cover - less than 40m
- Avoiding areas of artesian water
Drilling will be carried out by a light weight RAB rig
and a 20 - 40 kg composite sample will be collected from the basal Mesozoic
cover from each drill hole.
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