

Geology of the Cardinals Project
At the Cardinals prospect ferruginous gossans with malachite and azurite occur as lenses in unaltered agglomerate rhyolite tuff and basic schists adjacent to a narrow chert horizon. The prospective acid volcanic units vary in thickness up to 200 metres near Cardinals gossan, where coarse agglomerate probably indicates proximity to a volcanic centre. To the south the prospective horizon is masked by Tertiary gravel outwash, while to the north the upper part of the acid tuff horizon is dissected by a serpentinised pyroxenite intrusion.
Better results from six percussion holes and three subsequent angled diamond drill holes completed between 1976 and 1982 are tabulated below:
Percussion Drilling 1978/79
Hole
N
E
From
To
Interval
Zn%
Pb%
Cu%
Ag ppm
Au ppm
|
Hole |
N |
E |
From |
To |
Interval |
Zn% |
Pb% |
Cu% |
Ag ppm |
Au ppm |
|
XD 66 |
11100 |
9750 |
142.25 |
143.6 |
135m |
6.51 |
0.56 |
0.99 |
30 |
|
|
|
|
incl. |
142.7 |
143.6 |
0.9m |
9.37 |
0.8 |
1.15 |
36 |
0.13 |
|
XD 67 |
11000 |
9750 |
197.6 |
200.55 |
2.95m |
2.52 |
0.19 |
0.94 |
32 |
|
|
|
|
incl. |
198.9 |
200.55 |
1.65m |
3.96 |
|
1.38 |
44 |
|
|
XD 68 |
11200 |
9750 |
78.85 |
80.85 |
2.0m |
3.83 |
0.24 |
0.67 |
28 |
|
|
|
|
incl. |
79.4 |
79.85 |
0.55m |
10.8 |
0.77 |
0.9 |
55 |
0.23 |

Section showing Zinc Mineralisation and Geological Interpretation of the Cardinals Project
Reinterpretation of the previous drilling shows that the massive sulphides at Cardinals are probably located in the east limb and keel of a shallowly south-plunging synform. Judging by the extent of rodding lineations in surface outcrops, the massive sulphide body is likely to be an elongate cigar-shaped plunging shoot. The single hole tests on sections 11000N (XD 67) and 11100N (XD 66) are unlikely to have satisfactorily tested a body of this shape. Reinterpretation of 1979 SIROTEM geophysical data highlights strong EM anomalies extending south from the Cardinals gossan with depth to top of the source estimated at no greater than 40 metres suggesting that the 3 holes drilled by in 1981 were probably targeted too deep to test the observed conductors. Mapped shallow plunging lineations suggest that the conductive body, which is less than 40 metres below surface could represent a south plunging, cigar-shaped massive sulphide pod.
Further drilling is planned at the Cardinals gossan, particularly to the south and immediately beneath hole XM 4, and along the EM conductor axis. The Aloha gossan also warrants assessment in detail.