Upper Coondina Project (E 45/5952) – Western Australia
High-quality Lithium, Tin and Tantalum Exploration in WA
MGA’s primary focus will be on advancing the Upper Coondina Project located 85km south-west of Marble Bar in the East Pilbara district of WA. The Project is located approximately halfway between the major mining regional service centres of Port Hedland and Newman, located approximately 200 km northwest and 180 km south-southeast of the project, respectively.
The Project comprises a single granted Exploration Licence. The tenement covers an area of approximately 6,363 ha and the maximum distance across the project is about 11 km east–west and 8 km north–south. Nearby mines include the Mt Webber (Atlas Iron Pty Ltd) iron ore mine (approximately 35 km to the north northwest) and the Cloudbreak (Fortescue Metals Group Limited) iron ore mine (approximately 50 km to the south).
Exploration and Mineralisation
The Shaw Tin Field has attracted exploration interest since the discovery of tin in 1890 however most of the exploration and subsequent mining of tin and tantalum has been on the small scale. The Shaw Tin Field, which has historically produced more than 6,500 t of tin concentrate, has attracted exploration interest since the discovery of tin in 1890. Most of the exploration and subsequent mining of tin and tantalum has been on small scale.
In 1968, Marble Bar Nickel carried out a rock chip sampling programme covering tenement E45/3699 of the current Hillside CRG (A1714). A 1972 stream sediment sampling programme by Anglo American Services Limited targeting Ni-Cu mineralisation identified a copper anomaly in ultramafic and pillow basalts and another in altered gabbro, both of which were subsequently found to be insignificant.
In early 1968, the field was largely abandoned after the shallow deposits were soon exhausted. Towards the end of 1968, a local resident discovered further cassiterite mineralisation in cemented alluvium within a largely concealed Tertiary drainage channel. In 1983, CSR Limited explored for economic secondary concentrations of tin and tantalum in the area. Their exploration program included follow-up on radiometric anomalies, stream sediment sampling and geological mapping. No discrete localities of anomalous tin could be identified. CSR Limited identified simple pegmatite veins as the sources of the tin.
No dedicated Li-focused exploration has been carried out within the project area. Historical surface geochemical sampling returning anomalous values up to 253ppm LiO2. The untested magnetic anomaly within the project warrants follow-up exploration to determine its source.
No dedicated Li-focused exploration has been carried out within the project area. Historical surface geochemical sampling returning anomalous values up to 253ppm LiO2.
MetalsGrove considers that the untested magnetic anomaly highlighted below warrants follow-up exploration to determine its source. Priority target areas identified by MGA are shown below.
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