Norfolk will soon start first-ever uranium drilling within the Walloway Basin, South Australia. Pic: via Getty Images
Norfolk is drilling for a Honeymoon, Four Mile lookalike at its Orroroo uranium project in South Australia
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- Contractor secured to carry out maiden uranium drilling at the Orroroo project
- Previous exploration uncovered signs that uranium is present
- Available data indicates potential for roll-front mineralisation like Four Mile and Honeymoon
Norfolk is poised to start maiden drilling targeting known uranium occurrences delineated by geophysics at its Orroroo project in South Australia.
The 659km2 Orroroo project in South Australia covers the 50km long by 15km wide Walloway Basin, which has never been explored for uranium despite being the same age as sediments from the Frome Embayment, home to several commercially viable deposits.
Historical exploration was limited to coal drilling between 2009 and 2011, which discovered the Walloway coal seam, but this work also identified multiple gamma anomalies which are typical of the “oxidized tails” and “interface zones” of roll-front uranium mineralisation.
Roll-front uranium deposits such as Four Mile and Honeymoon in South Australia are zoned horizontal tabular bodies that have typical gamma-anomaly signatures dependent on their location within the system.
The presence of the Walloway coal measure – considered to be a prime-reducing environment for the precipitation of uranium mineralisation – as well as the gamma anomalies identified within previous Linc Energy drillholes, presents the Orroroo project as prime area for sandstone-hosted uranium discoveries.
More recently, Norfolk Metals (ASX:NFL) completed a gravity survey to delineate the paleo channels in the Walloway Basin and a downhole geophysical survey, which returned a peak uranium reading of 650ppm pU3O8.
This led to the identification of the Western Channel as the targeted area for further exploration at the Orroroo project.
“We have sought insight and opinions from several Uranium Geologists seeking the first phase of drilling to deliver shareholders the best outcome achievable,” executive chair, Ben Phillips tells Stockhead.
“The common theme of how we define success is an interesting topic as the thematic of the maiden drilling campaign is a test of grade and interval while delineating more detailed info on the channels.
“This is very encouraging versus a test to see if any uranium is present.”
Drilling to confirm uranium mineralisation
Norfolk has now secured contractor Watson Drilling, which has carried out successful drilling for fellow uranium explorers such as Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) and Alligator Energy (ASX:AGE) to carry out the maiden drill program.
Private landowner access consultations also well progressed.
This drilling is expected to reconfirm the proven uranium mineralisation of the Walloway Basin with Prompt Fission Neutron (PFN) downhole logging within uncased drill holes.
It will also test step out targets into the REDOX interface and paleochannel models, which may achieve vector orientations to delineate potential ‘tails’ and ‘heads’ (higher grade ore zones) of the sandstone-hosted uranium roll front-style deposit.
“Norfolk embarks upon the most exciting stage of the Orroroo uranium projects exploration journey,” executive chairman Ben Phillips said.
“The maiden drill program is pending and global markets are leaning into the potential uranium bull market.
“Norfolk holds 100% tenure over the entirety of the Walloway Basin with proven sandstone hosted uranium mineralization.
“We expect the maiden drill program to crystallise the value potential of the Walloway Basin as the first phase of a well proven uranium exploration methodology.”
This article was developed in collaboration with Norfolk Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
