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Mining Lease ML 6400 covers the historic copper prospect known as the Paragon Copper Mine. The Lease covers an area total area of 18.62 hectares and is situated approximately 50 km north of Broken Hill.
The Paragon Copper Mine has been the subject of mining operations dating back to 1922. Over that period, several small parties have made attempts to mine the copper deposit, but due to circumstances such as isolation, access, terrain, ore recovery techniques and copper prices, workings have been restricted to sinking three shafts and two open cut shallow pits. Copper has been the only economically important commodity. Recorded production amounts to only 5.3 tons of copper produced from 7.39 tons of precipitate in 1961.
Strzelecki Metals has undertaken a review of available Departmental, historical and collected geological data concerning the Paragon Copper Mine to firm up a justifiable case for a thorough but initial study of the subsurface sulphide potential at the Mine.
A report by Robert F. Marshall, Inspector of Mines, NSW dated 2nd April 1969 states that underground lateral workings over 28.0 metres revealed a consistent copper seam 1.0 to 1.8 metres variable width. Vertical workings in the form of access shafts were recorded to at least 30 metres. The traceable surface manifestation of the lode can be seen over 800 metres.
Visiting geologists have stated that mineable copper is consistently present across strike. J.R. Penny at a site visit on 5th June 1985 channel sampled across the ore body from hanging wall to foot wall and determined an average geological copper grade of 3.3%. Cutting grab samples ran as high as 8.76% copper.
A transcript taken from R.E. Brown of the NSW Geological Survey in 1981 states that chalcopyrite was noted along with galena, pyrrhotite, pyrite in primary sulphide ores along with abundant copper carbonates such as malachite, chalcocite, chrysocolla, cuprite, azurite and haematite in secondary ores. Arsenopyrite with quartz in adamellite is also seen between the northern and southern Paragon Mine workings.
The significance of these abovementioned mineralogical associations is that the secondary carbonates appear to co-exist in places with primary sulphide base metal minerals, indicating an oxide-sulphide transition zone possibly extending to a depth of around the lower limit of the weathering zone.
Importantly, the potential exists for a more massive deeper sulphide zone, primarily chalcopyrite.
Since there are limited historical recordings of copper production from carbonates, it is strongly felt that a Reverse Circulation drilling program to initially investigate the longer term, assumingly more extensive copper sulphide zone.
Strzelecki Metals has since undertaken an initial program of up to 1700 metres of investigative Reverse Circulation drilling into the known and specified copper lode target at the Mining Lease. Drilling results are pending.
This EL surrounds ML 6400 and is considered by Strzelecki Metals to have further copper prospectivity. There are extensive databases available for the permits which will help in detailing futher work considerations on the blocks. One of the licences encompasses ML 6400 and could be of significant strategic value should economic deposits of copper be found.