Innovative Exploration Techniques

In order to effectively explore Flinders' tenements and give the Company a strong chance of finding something that others have missed, it is thought essential to be continually trialing new innovative exploration techniques. There are four techniques in particular that Flinders Mines Limited is expecting to utilise and further develop.

Heavy Mineral Concentration

The Company has carried out experimental treatment of indicator mineral samples with the Kelsey Centrifugal Jig. This jig, initially developed by Geologics Pty Ltd in Adelaide, has the potential to be adapted for field use and to rapidly produce heavy mineral concentrates with a specified density range. The Company is planning to trial a field unit in its Adelaide Hills and Strangways Projects.

Undercover Sampling

Undercover sampling involves collection via drilling of the basal gravels of thin sedimentary cover units. It is these gravels that often contain the highest concentrations of heavy minerals. This provides an effective method of collecting reconnaissance samples while having a high chance of locating an anomaly.
This technique has been trialed at Springfield by Tiger and shown to be effective. It is planned to utilise it for kimberlite search, particularly on the G2 Project where kimberlite indicators are known to be concentrated at the base of the Mesozoic succession. This horizon is thought to be present at less than 30 metres depth over much of the G2 Project area.

Regolith Studies

Tiger made good use of specialist regolith mapping by a recognised expert at Springfield. When searching for the source of minerals in a sediment it is clearly important to know where that sediment has come from. The Flinders Ranges is an active seismic zone and recent uplift has caused many complexities in the directions of sediment transport. Flinders Mines Limited plans to make further efforts to understand the landscape evolution in the areas it is exploring as an aid to locating primary kimberlite sources.

Collaborative Research with PIRSA

As part of its commitment to the use of "state of the art" exploration techniques, in May 2001 Flinders Diamonds made a competitive submission to Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) for TEISA funding (Targeted Exploration Initiative South Australia) to carry out a study.

Flinders Diamonds' submission was successful and the work is in progress by Mr John Howard.

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