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Matilda applies for extra ground


Jesse Riseborough


Tuesday, February 22, 2005
JUNIOR mineral sands explorer Matilda Minerals says it has applied for exploration licences in the Kimberley region at Pender, 100km north of Broome, and also at Carnarvon in the north-west of Western Australia.

The licence applications cover tenements over 1600sq.km and Matilda said it was looking for extensive, higher grade strand deposits.

Past exploration at the site has been limited, according to Matilda. Drilling in 1952 reported 50,000 tonnes of sand containing 50% heavy mineral with zircon and rutile levels similar to mineral sands deposits at Eneabba.

The licence applications at Carnarvon extend over 450sq.km and previous exploration had indicated large volumes of coastal sands of a similar age as the North Perth basin. Past exploration work included ground magnetic and radiometric surveys and limited air core drilling. Matilda said quantities of ilmenite, zircon and rutile were discovered but a number of prospective targets were never tested.

Matilda director of operations Bruce Maluish told Mining News there was no planned exploration at Carnarvon and Pender this year, describing the projects as "long-term greenfields."
He said the company's main focus for 2005 would be further exploration of its Tiwi Island tenements.