Qld Khartoum Tin-Tungsten Potential

Khartoum Mineral Potential Mapping, Queensland

Kenex Ltd developed a mineral potential map for intrusion-related tin-tungsten mineralisation over the Khartoum tenement area just to the north of Mount Garnet township in northeast Queensland, Australia for Auzex Exploration Limited. The majority of alluvial and lode tin and tungsten deposits in the region have been exploited by small syndicates or individuals over the last 100 years from initial discovery in the late 1880’s through to the mid-1980’s. Declining economics for tin brought mining in the area to a standstill in 1983. Modern exploration from the 1990’s focused on the gold potential of the region and it has been only recently, with higher tin prices, the focus has returned to tin in this region.

An exploration GIS was developed from geological, geochemical, and geophysical data supplied by Auzex over the Khartoum study area. 2D mineral potential mapping was then undertaken for intrusion-related Sn-W mineralisation using the weights of evidence spatial data modelling technique.

A 3D geological model over the Khartoum study area was also developed to understand the distribution of the source granites at depth in order to optimise exploration targeting.

The exploration GIS has been used to:

• Derive anomalous threshold levels for geological, geochemical, and geophysical data.
• Identify missing data that need to be collected to upgrade the prospectivity of targets.
• QA of the database against mineral system model used.
• Review mineral system models in relation to current exploration practices.
• Prioritise a list of those geological variables that are the best predictors of mineralisation.
• Develop recommendations for follow-up field work.