What AMIRA describes as “one of exploration’s most important geological projects, P765A (Geochemical and Geological Halos in Green Rocks and Lithocaps), was completed as a resounding success in December 2010, and a new project P1060 (Enhanced Geochemical Targeting in Magmatic-Hydrothermal Systems) will shortly go on circulation to continue this work.”

P765A produced a series of mineral chemistry vectors within porphyry copper systems to allow the primary deposits to be “seen” from much further away than previously. The project focussed on two problematic environments surrounding or overlying mineralised stems – “green rocks” and lithocaps. An unusual feature of the project was to allow sponsors to actively test the vectors in real situations by submitting blind test sites to the research team. As an example, the giant high-grade Resolution deposit in Arizona was accurately detected in early exploratory drill holes under 1 km of barren cover.

Sponsors of P765A were very laudatory of the project. One major sponsor noted “this is why we fund research” and other sponsors were similarly impressed.

P1060 will continue this work by looking at other simple minerals which are found in such systems and which are relatively common and which can be easily identified by field geologists. Other new aspects will also be researched to complement the earlier investigations. The research will be conducted by CODES (University of Tasmania), Lakehead University and Imperial College, and will be lead by Professors David Cooke and Bruce Gemmell.

The proposal for sponsorship will be in circulation shortly, following significant input by the current sponsors into the proposed new program. The work has major value to sponsors in that it is all about getting to targets quicker, particularly in areas of relatively poor outcrop (jungle or desert) or under thick cover, where systematic grid drilling can be expensive and discouraging without such vectors. For further information, contact Alan Goode at [email protected].