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ASX

Kalkaroo Project (Copper-Gold-Molybdenum)

Summary

Kalkaroo is a large mineral deposit containing over 60 million tonnes of copper-gold-molybdenum mineralisation that is known to extend for more than 2.5 kilometres along strike and to depths of greater than 200 metres. Its limits have not yet been determined by drilling and there is high potential for discovery of additional ore material. Havilah is confident that Kalkaroo will develop into a major new copper mine in South Australia.

History of Exploration

Kalkaroo was explored by a number of major mining groups in the past including Placer, Newcrest Mining and MIM Exploration, who completed more than 45,000 metres of drilling in the region. Following a detailed evaluation of all historic exploration data, Havilah developed a 3D geological model of an interpreted copper resource envelope which it commenced drill testing in July 2004. This model was not tested by previous explorers.

Over the following six months Havilah completed twenty-one 100m spaced drill traverses over a strike length of 2000 metres and achieved wide ore grade copper and gold intersections on every section line, such as the following :

  • 78 metres of 0.90% copper and 0.61 g/t gold in KKRC006
  • 36 metres of 3.13% copper and 0.98 g/t gold in KKRC039
  • 42 metres of 1.37% copper and 1.66 g/t gold in KKRC022
Click to enlarge

Subsequent drilling campaigns expanded the mineralisation to the west, in an area known as West Kalkaroo, where some of the best drilling results were obtained, including 102 metres of 0.83% copper and 1.6 g/t gold in KKRC136.

During the exploration phase Havilah’s drilling was restricted to RC percussion drillholes that were somewhat limited in depth owing to frequent high water inflows. Where Havilah’s drillholes duplicated earlier explorer’s drillholes there was invariably good correlation of assays, providing a high degree of confidence in the drill results.

Geology

The entire region is overlain by a blanket of younger sediments, generally from 30 to 80 metres thick, and averaging about 50 metres at Kalkaroo. Consequently, all information concerning the Kalkaroo deposit is derived entirely from drilling.

Kalkaroo mineralisation occurs as two distinct styles. That comprising the large arc or Main Zone, formed as stratabound replacement of a chemically reactive “mine sequence” that dips 45 degrees to the north as a large sheet. This style of mineralisation characteristically contains moderate copper and gold grades and often quite appreciable molybdenum. Drilling indicates that the mineralised horizon is persistent both along strike and down-dip.

The second style of mineralisation forming the “handle” at West Kalkaroo is hosted by quartz breccias and stockworks developed within highly fractured and altered mine sequence rocks. Copper, and especially gold grades, tend to be significantly higher in this area, while molybdenum is generally absent. The orebody reaches its shallowest depth at West Kalkaroo.

Click to enlarge

Superimposed on the primary copper sulphide mineralisation are the effects of deep weathering that has produced a distinct vertical ore zonation and associated enrichment of gold and copper mineralisation in the upper part of the orebody (green area on sections). As a consequence, the top of the orebody typically has a gold rich cap, overlying a native copper and gold zone. This lies above secondary chalcocite ore which merges into the primary copper sulphide ore below (red area on sections). The enriched, oxidised copper and gold ore, apart from being nearest the surface is also considerably softer than the underlying sulphide ore, which is positive for the mining economics.

On a regional scale, the Kalkaroo deposit lies on the north-plunging nose of a major structural dome, termed the “south dome”. A second, larger dome known as “north dome” lies to the north. There is enormous regional exploration potential along the prospective horizon in the Kalkaroo north and south domes, as shown by exploration drillhole KKRC071 some 3 km south of the Kalkaroo deposit, which contains 63m of 0.41% Cu and 69 metres of 0.67 g/t Au in expected host rocks. These domes are also cut in a number of places by major fault zones which are also likely hosts to West Kalkaroo style quartz breccia mineralization.

Click to enlarge

2007 – 2008 Feasibility Study

In July 2007, Glencore International joined with Havilahto fund a $14 million feasibility study on the Kalkaroo project. Upon completion of the feasibility study, Glencore may elect to arrange project financing for the subsequent mining joint venture in exchange for taking a 14% participating interest and metals offtake.

Overall the feasibility drilling supported the results of the earlier rounds of exploration drilling and confirmed that generally wide economic gold and copper grades continue to at least 200 metres depth over the entire 3 km length of the deposit.

Based on some 353 drillholes totalling 64,457 metres of drilling, Havilah’s geologists developed a detailed geological model of the Kalkaroo deposit from which a measured resource of 62 million tonnes of 0.55% copper and 0.44 g/t gold was calculated. This resource is tightly constrained by a $20 ore value boundary or cut-off, created using a copper price of A$5,000 per tonne and a gold price of A$1,000 per ounce. This, combined with the excellent continuity of mineralisation between drill sections, provides a high level of confidence in the integrity of the Kalkaroo orebody, suppporting its measured resource status in strict accordance with the JORC code for reporting mineral resources. The attached table summarises important geological parameters relevant to the resource estimate.

Molybdenum, while ubiquitous in the Kalkaroo orebody, was excluded from the above resource estimate although a discrete inferred resource of 4.5 mt of 615 ppm molybdenum was defined within a section of the main copper-gold orebody.

The potential to define further ore outside of the present measured resource is high and would be expected to add further resources in the indicated and inferred categories in future.

The completed geological resource model forms the basis for the design of an optimised open pit mine shell in order to develop an economic model for mining the Kalkaroo deposit using current estimates of capital and operating costs.

 

Metallurgical testing of large diameter core samples carried out at Optimet laboratory in Adelaide has shown that good recoveries of copper and gold can be obtained by standard gravity and flotation treatment methods from both the oxide and sulphide ore types. In particular :

  1. For the native copper (or copper metal) mineralisation in the oxide zone, high recoveries of copper (up to 90%) and gold (up to 80%) were achieved by screening of the +2mm size crushed material (recovering more than 40% of the native copper) followed by flotation of the ground -2mm size material to produce a high grade copper product. Gold floats readily with the native copper.
  2. Conventional flotation of mixed chalcopyrite and chalcocite ore can produce a >30% copper concentrate with recoveries of both gold and copper exceeding 85%.
  3. For the primary sulphide ore copper recoveries of 92-95% for a copper concentrate in the range of 25-29% copper are achievable.
  4. A high proportion of the molybdenum in the primary ore can be recovered and it is expected that by optimising flotation conditions it should be possible to achieve good separation of copper and molybdenum
  5. A pyrite concentrate, produced after recovery of copper from the primary sulphide ore assayed 0.275% cobalt, which could yield valuable by-products of sulphuric acid and cobalt.
Native Copper Samples - Click to enlarge

Table of Assessment and Reporting Criteria


The following tables provides a summary of important criteria related to the assessment and reporting of the Kalkaroo copper-gold resource.

Sampling Techniques, Assay Data, Drilling Details

Criteria Status
Havilah drillholes used in resource estimation
  • A total of 307 Havilah drillholes totaling approximately 53,957 metres are included. This includes a total of approximately 13,500m of drill core and 33,600m of RC samples.
Non-Havilah drillholes used in resource estimation
  • 46 earlier non-Havilah drillholes totaling approximately 10,500m were also used in the resource estimation.
  • This includes three generations of pre-Havilah drillholes, completed by major mining companies, namely Placer Dome, Newcrest and MIM.
  • There is good correlation of the geology and assay data between these earlier drillholes and Havilah drillholes.
Drilling techniques
  • All RC holes were drilled using standard face sampling hammers with bit sizes ranging from 120mm to 136mm.
  • Diamond core sizes ranged from NQ (50mm) to PQ3 (83mm). Triple tube methods were used where required to maximize core recoveries.
  • Drill core was routinely orientated where ground conditions allowed, mainly using the spear technique.
Sampling techniques
  • RC assay samples averaging 2-3kg were riffle split as 1-2m intervals.
  • Half core samples were collected on 1m intervals.
Drill sample recovery
  • Overall RC sample recoveries and diamond drill core recoveries were good and are considered adequate for interpretation purposes.
  • Core recovery for Havilah diamond drillholes averaged 93 %.
Logging
  • All RC samples and drillcore was logged by experienced geologists directly into a digital logging system with data uploaded into an Access database.
  • All drillcore and RC chip trays have been photographed.
  • All drillcore is stored on site at Kalkaroo.
Quality of assay data and laboratory tests
  • A range of elements were analysed by a range of slightly different techniques by the four companies, all of which are considered acceptable.
  • Havilah samples were also subjected to the following additional check assaying to provide more reliable results where coarser grained native copper and to a lesser extent, gold, was present.
  • Screen copper analyses were routinely carried out for samples where native copper had been identified during geological logging.
  • Screen fire gold analyses were routinely carried out where the initial gold assays were in excess of 0.5ppm.
  • Assay data accuracy and precision was continuously checked through submission of field and laboratory standards, blanks and repeats which were inserted at a nominal rate of approximately 1 per 20 drill samples. No data quality issues of significance were identified.
Verification of drilling methods and sampling
  • Ten pairs of twinned RC/DD holes were analysed with comparisons made for the relative intersection widths, hole size, volume differences, metre x %Cu and metre x gm Au, RC sample size and quality and any possible contamination issues. It was found that although there were wide variations in total copper metal and gold metal calculations between twinned holes, the overall average RC and drillcore metal calculations produced similar results (within 8% for copper and within 6% for gold). There was no observed bias between the drill methods and no significant differences in intersection widths.
Location of drillholes
  • Drillhole collar coordinates were surveyed in UTM coordinates using a differential GPS system with an x:y:z accuracy of 20cm:20cm:40cm.
  • Diamond drillholes were surveyed at approximately 30m downhole intervals using either a single or multi-shot down-hole camera.
  • Earlier Havilah RC holes were not surveyed and were assumed  not to have deviated significantly from their collar azimuth and inclination. Most later RC holes were surveyed in the rods with only dip measurements recorded. The last RC program used non magnetic drill rods to allow dip and azimuth readings to be collected with only minor (±1º) deviations noted.
Drillhole spacing and distribution
  • Havilah drilling was completed on nominal 50m sections perpendicular to the strike of the primary copper-gold mineralisation at Kalkaroo West and on nominal 100m sections perpendicular to the strike of the Kalkaroo Main Dome mineralisation. Holes were drilled towards the south at -60 to -75º.
  • Earlier non-Havilah holes were drilled at various oblique angles and directions including to the north.
  • The intersection angle is between 60 and 90 degrees through the Kalkaroo Main Dome style mineralisation and between 20 and 45 degrees through the more steeply dipping Kalkaroo West vein style mineralisation.
  • Resource drilling is predominantly concentrated between 453800E and 456600E and between 6488500N and 6490000N. The deposit is largely untested deeper than 250m below surface.

Estimating and Reporting of Mineral Resources

Criteria Status
Database integrity
  • Examination of the database has not revealed any issues of concern that could significantly affect the current resource estimation.
Geological interpretation
  • The mineralisation at Kalkaroo is located around the north plunging nose of a major structural dome and the bulk of the mineralisation is hosted by a specific package of sediments, the Mine Sequence (MS). The Dome is transected by a major E-W trending, subvertical, quartz-carbonate vein breccia system. A later shear offsets the MS and vein/breccia system by 200m to the north along the western limb of the Dome.
  • Primary copper-gold sulphide mineralisation at Kalkaroo occurs as two main styles.

    1. Stratabound style – Kalkaroo Main Dome and lesser Kalkaroo West - mineralisation is hosted within the MS which dips away from the Dome at 30-45º.
    2. Vein/Breccia style - mainly Kalkaroo West - mineralisation is controlled by the quartz-carbonate breccia vein system within a gently W plunging anticlinal fold containing the MS. Best veining, alteration and mineralisation appears to be developed where the vein/breccia system intersects the MS lithologies.

  • Secondary/supergene copper-gold mineralisation is developed as saprolite/oxide gold, native copper and chalcocite dominant zones within the weathering profile. The depth of weathering and associated supergene mineralisation is enhanced around the vein/breccia style mineralisation at Kalkaroo West where it reaches 275m below surface.
Estimation and Modelling Techniques
  • Polygons and hence triangulations are based on interpretations completed on nominal 50m sections for Kalkaroo West and  nominal 100m sections for Kalkaroo Main Dome. Sectional interpretations are made perpendicular to the strike.
  • Triangulated interpretations have been generated for the following lithological domains:
    • Kalkaroo Main Dome East (KME)
    • Kalkaroo Main Dome West (KMW)
    • Kalkaroo West (KWEST)
    • Kalkaroo West Quartz Vein (KWESTQV)

  • The block model was constructed with parent blocks of 10mE by 10mN by 10mRL.
  • Ordinary kriging was used to estimate Cu, Au grades separately for all domains other than those classified as saprolite. Inverse distance estimation was used in saprolite domains.
  • Up to four estimation passes with increasing search neighbourhood size were run for all domains. The search radii for each pass was determined from variography within each domain and differed from domain to domain.
  • 2m assay composites were used.
  • A minimum of 3 and maximum of 9 composites were used per estimate.
Moisture
  • Tonnes have been estimated on a dry basis.
Cut-off parameters
  • Mineral resources have been reported including all material included within a $20 metal value boundary interpreted from drill assays using Au price of A$1,000/oz and a copper price of A$5,000/tonne.
Bulk density
  • A total of 11,774 core samples were measured for density.
  • Most SG calculations were made using the weight in air vs weight in water method.
Classification
  • Mineral resources have been classified on the basis of geological confidence in the continuity of mineralisation.
  • In the geologist’s opinion there is an extremely low likelihood that further drilling within the resource envelope would materially alter the current resource estimate.
 
     
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