EL4528
Western Spur is located approximately 60km northwest of Lake Frome in the north-east of South Australia, covering approximately 393 km2 (Figure 1). It is adjacent to Marmota's significant tenement position in the uranium-rich Frome Embayment. Western Spur is considered to be prospective for both uranium and base metals.
Since the discovery of a number of large-scale iron outcrops on the project in January 2011, Marmota has completed consecutive surface sampling programs over several outcrops and one mine shaft. Assays of samples produced grades ranging up to 58.9% Fe, and 28.07% Mn. The zone of iron ore outcrop lies approximately 13 km from the Strzelecki Track, the main arterial road servicing the Moomba gas fields.
Drilling conducted by Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in the early 1980's intercepted significant intervals of massive hematite and siliceous and limonitic limestone. Intervals of hematite of up to 30 metres were complemented by significant intervals of siderite (FeCO3), achieving intercepts of up to 60 metres thickness.
An independent assessment of the exploration targets on the project was recently completed, using data from Marmota's recent sampling programs, in addition to data from previous exploration conducted on the tenement area by WMC and other companies. A conservative low-end composite figure of 60 million tonnes of iron at a grade of 50-65% Fe2O3 was estimated for the three prospects sampled during early 2011 (Locations 1, 4 and 6). Anomalous Fe and Mn in WMC stream sediment samples indicate the possibility that the ironstone at Locations 4 and 6 is continuous inbetween these prospects. Mineralisation potentially extends along strike to the southwest for a total strikelength of ~8 km, resulting in a high-end tonnage estimate of 125 million tonnes Fe2O3.
Figure 1 - Location of Western Spur project
Figure 2 - Outcrops on Western Spur tenement
