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| Smithfield |
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E70/2254 Smithfield , situated 20 km SW of Greenbushes in Western Australia,lies in the South West province of the Yilgarn Block, within the Balingup Metamorphic Belt. The Smithfield pegmatites fall along the major Donnybrook- Bridgetown shear zone which also controls the mineralization at Greenbushes. Numerous tin, tantalum and niobium anomalies have been noted and well as historical production from Donovans Find, Willow Springs and Native Dog Gully. Exploration by Greenbushes Ltd revealed a broad mineralized zone extending 5km from Willow Springs with small pegmatites up to 35m in width and significant Ta and Nb stream anomalies. The tenement is presently under option to Hampton Hill(Managers)/Teck Cominco/BHP Billiton, joint venture, who are exploring for gold and base metals within the Balingup Gneiss Complex. Activities completed include helicopter EM survey, fixed loop EM, surface geochemical surveys and diamond drilling. The Operators are earning a 75% interest in the Smithfield Prospect by spending $500,000 on exploration. Two drill holes have been completed to test two conductors identified by a helicopter-borne geophysical survey within the licence. One hole intersected 7m of semi-massive to stringer pyrrhotite-pyrite mineralization from 101m with weakly anomalous values of copper, zinc and gold. The other hole intersected disseminated pyrrhotite and pyrite mineralization over an interval of 30m, commencing at 235m, returning anomalous zinc values. Recent laterite soil sampling has defined moderate laterite. Hampton Hill, as Managers, are continuing the program to test these and previous anomalies. |