CSR delineates Mo/W deposit

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 27

CSR delineates Mo/W deposit

PA Sydney CSR, Ltd, reported that it appeared to have found one edge of the big molybdenum and tungsten deposit which it is evaluating at Mount Pleasant, near Mudgee, NSW. In its report on activities during the September quarter, CSR said that for the first time a diamond drill hole on the prospect had failed to intersect more than 0.05 per cent molybdenum sulphide and “presumably indicates the eastern limit of the mineralisation.” The prospect, for which CSR has not yet provided any calculation of possible reserves, extended at least 3km in an east-west direction and almost 2km north-south, but grades over all are fairly low by world standards. One of the latest holes — the only one for which assays have so far been completed — contained 0.06 per cent molybdenum sulphide from 30 to 33 metres, with 0.05 per cent over the intervals 168 to 171 metres and 225 to 237 metres. Earlier drilling has revealed grades up to 0.25 per cent. Reporting on other exploration work during the quarter, CSR said that its estimate of measured and indicated coal reserves in its Surat Basin areas had been increased to 1399 M tonnes from 1205 M tonnes after drilling of a further 249 holes. CSR has a 50 per cent interest in 10 areas, and 40 per cent in eight others.

In oil shale, CSR said that a 9.5 tonne bulk sample of shale from its 100 per cent owned Julia Creek prospect in Queensland had been taken for retort testing. Engineering studies of insitu retorting, hydro treatment, and retort water effluent decontamination continued. The Amberley, Queensland, prospect has been surrendered after drilling encountered no oil shale. On the production side, CSR said that coal produced by its mines in the latest quarter totalled 2M tonnes, down from 2.2 M tonnes in the June quarter, but up on the year-earlier figure of 1.7 M tonnes. Output from the Buchanan Borehole Colliery in the Hunter Valley dropped to 491,000 tonnes from 592,000 tonnes in the June quarter and 524,000 tonnes a year earlier, reflecting holdups in shipping from Newcastle. The Yarrabee anthracite mine came into production during the quarter with 7000 tonnes contributed to the total. Other Thiess Holdings mines in Queensland all increased their output as did Western Collieries in WA. Iron ore produced by the Mount Newman joint venture (CSR 20.4 per cent) dropped to 6.9 M tonnes from 9.4 M tonnes in the June quarter and 8.5 M tonnes in the previous September quarter.Copper contained in concentrates from the 100 per cent CSR Mount Gunson

mine rose to 3500 tonnes from 3000 tonnes in the June quarter and 3100 tonnes a year earlier. The Gove Aluminium, Ltd, (CSR 51 per cent) share of bauxite mined at Gove dropped to 504.000 tonnes from 673.000 tonnes in the June quarter and 957,000 tonnes in the previous September quarter. A company said the decline reflected the effect of the miners’ strike which began nine weeks ago and is still unresolved. Tin concentrate production from the 37.5 per cent-owned P. T. Roba mine dropped to 1700 tonnes from 1900 tonnes in the June quarter, although it was up on the 1400 tonnes produced in the September quarter last year. Gold production from the Meekatharra joint venture with Whim Creek Consolidated NL (CSR 15.4 per cent) was substantially higher at 96.2 kg up from 54.9 kg in the June quarter and 20.1 kg in the previous September quarter. Crude oil' production by CSR, Ltd’s, wholly-owned AAR, Ltd, at Seram, Indonesia, was 63,903 barrels in the latest quarter, down from 64,981 . barrels in the June quarter and 78,368 barrels a year earlier. AAR’s share of gas from the Roma field in Queensland rose to 47.4 M cubic metres from 43.4 M in the June quarter and 38.3 M a year earlier.