: \

,I

I

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLY AND SHIPPING.

BUREAU OF MINERAL RESOURCES GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS.

REPORT NO.194J/71.

THE BLUE SPEC MINE, NULLAGI1"'E,

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

BY

c.w. Ball,

Geologist.

Coni

CANBERRA, A. C. T. 18th November, 1941.

PIPABZM§g,Q' SU'fPMI Am> §lUPrIM.

lUll! ot Miaela1 R,aogl"".

i'BE BLUE SPEO MID, IULLAGID, J!§tlRl ARSzg6LI4·

/

In aooordano. w1 tb instruot10DS an lDSp.otlon wa. m~de ot the Blue Speo M1n., Hulla,ln., trom 220d io 27i~ O.iob.r. A 8~r.ey wae made ot d •• e1opment work slnc. Mr. a.lllyaa t • • ls1t on 20tb I.pt.mb.r. Th18 ental1.d a aar." ot the 3 l,y.1 dr1 ••• ott Ko. 21. aDd _0.2W. w1nz •• and tb. n.w orOl8-out tro.

. tbe maln sbatt at No. 3 1 ••• 1, Tbe Qew sbatt and Or088-o\lt oa M.L.266 were meppod and the lode wes sampled and 8 ••• , r •• \l1t. ibta1ned. The water ~upp1y problem waa investlgat.d and 8 alt. oho~en tor a new domestio supply bore.

No. , lS.aat W1nz,.

The west dr1ve ott No. 21. winze bad beeu ~lv'D a distance of 131 tt, trom the oeotre ot tbe winze a. tb •• 1., at the vis1t. The teoe ot the dr1ve on 6th ~o.ember wal 148 tt, trom the c.otro of the winl"

The eaet dr1ve off No.2E. winzo e.tenda tor 57 tt, trom the w1nze.

A d1stlnot Ohan,e 1s to be noted 90 ft. weat ot 1'0. 2B. winze.

The or. wh10b preyall1 trom tbe abatt to tbla p01nt ls sudd.nt11 replaoed by orushed oountry rock oons18t1., ot slates with lens.s ot guar... This ext.nded tor 40 tt, to the taot a, tbe t1me ot or .181t. At that t1me r1cb aGtlmon, ore was starting to come 1n on tbe Bouth wall and saba'Quent11 it was reported to bave worked right aoross the dr1 •••

Tho east drive ott No. 2E. winze extends tor approximatelY 58 tt, on tairlY good values.

Altogether 1n the east Hnd west drives t1t )To. 21:. winze there 1s now Qut 150 tt. ot ore wh1ch averages 25 4.t. gold per ton and 5 per oent stlbolt. over a widtb ot 4 ri,Th. assay data are indioated 1n FiS. 1.

Ho. 2 W.at Wlnil_

The new developmental work in the east dr1ve ott No. 2W w1nz. at 3 1ey.l bas been BUrYeyed. PUll a8sal data are not available but Mr. Newman ot Bew1ck Mor.ing, Perth. indioated that trom 9 tt, to 57 tt. the average .alol was onll 2 dwt. gold per ton.

arQ!~-Cu, trom Maln Shatt at 10. 3 NIV,l.

At the time ot ., V181t a oroas-out was beio, drlv.n south trom the main shatt. It bad be.n dr1v.n a dlstanc. ot 8 tt, when insp.oted on 24th ootob.r.

Tb. ma1n ahatt b.twe.n No. 2 and Bo. 3 IlTele 1s olosely t1mbered .x.ept tor the l.et 14 t •• t. In th1s Dottgm d Bectlon ot tbe abatt tbere 11 exposed 8and.tone oyerly1og a eare black slate, the latter oarrying barr.n Quartz ye1n. ap '0

- 2 -

6 incbes across. ~he strike and dip of the sandstone are shown 1n Fig. 1.

K. L •. 2,66 ..

Th1. lea88 is looated approximately 1 mile we8t ot the Blue Spec main shaft. A cross-out hes been driven at the bottom ot aD old 96-toot vertioal Ahart tor 28 teet trom the shaft ta interseot a gold/stibnite lode whaoh was preyioQall worked in a 4o-toot abatt.

At the mine it was reported that 80 tons at ore trom the old sbatt was treated 1n 1937 tor a return ot 30 4wt. of gold over the plates.

Tbe section ot lode sampled in the face ot the new c~os~-out was 33 inches in width. The features ot the lode from F.W. to H.W. ere as fo1lowsa-

Su nds to oe. F.W. S iucbcB qUArt:.!..

12 inches Aandstonc (procunvtly barren). 14 inches qu&rtz Rith 6 inohon of st1bnlte -_ric h gu ar tz with flYl" i tE;O OU ? \'w'. slde.

!it..L. 3 inchns of pU8 on n.~.

The lode was dlpping at 70 degrer;s sf.)uth. The assay was carl'ied out by LIr • .nobert~l. Dluo Speo Gold IUnes 1\ssaycr, the rosult being 10.6 dwt gold c n~l lera than 0.5 per cent ant~lliuny.

It 11-3 t:mdel':3tood that thE Con;)iloy propose8 to 4l'iye neotArly along tho lodo.

Pumping tests were obse.L'v~d at No. 5 bore and samples of drill sludge und chippinga t'ro{J N·). G uore \lare examined ln the tluld. A neVI bore a1 te WUB salee l~ed on 1.\idjl~ Creek, aDd data was obtained fom the Manager of -the Blue :J[)SO lIine, Mr. A. Thompson, regarding the various wells operated bl the Com9B ny. Thi s data 19 snown 1 n Appendix II, c. 05 tbe 10cB t10na of the boras u~e s~uwn 1n Figu~e 2.

lb. 5 Bor e is 159 feet deep fl ort \"7US rej):>!' ted to be mostl, 1n bluo slote. Water was ~truck at 35 feet (soepage only). The main aUP91y was struck at 66 feet &nd it woe stated tbat it was lowered only 2 feet when pumping at 6eo fju:!.10D8 per bour. The b~re finished in slnte.

The following pumping tests were oonduoted on 25th and 26th October.-

Pumping cODlDenced at 3 p. m. 25th Oc tober, 1947. At 3.30 [)m. water was being pumped at tholet. ot

900 gallons per hour .. At 4.30 pm. water was being puru~ed bt the rate ot

738 gallons per bour. At 4.40 pm. water was being pape4 at the rate ot

720 gallons per bour. By 10.00 pm. tbe bore was "pumped otat" i. e. 1t

settled down to a stee~y 4appll. The po.pins rate tben ayera~eB 480 8a110ns per boor

tbro'lgh the nigbt and at 7.30 a.1'1. tbe rate was 520 galloDs per bour

At 5.15 pm. on 26th october, 1947, atier, ,2 bours 40 minutes pumping tbe rate W88 350 gallons per hour (8,400 gallons per dal).

-3-

No. 6 Bo~g is approximatelY 3 miles south-east of Branch! Well.

At the time at final inspection on 26tb November. 1947, the totsl depth of the bore wee 161 feet. A seotion of the boro 1s shown 1n Figure 3. Water was ~t ... uck at 86 teet (trickle), 120 teet (emall aupnly only, good water) And 147 feet. Tbe water-level was 61 feet below the Burface on ~6tb 0ctober-, 1947. As the going ws'~ soft it was pro[loeed to sink until a hard .ar was encountered before t~stlns the 811 pply.

:?r,opooed :New llomestio Borre. Middle CleRk.

~h(' ne~ s~te woe C3sleotAd on 26th Ootober. 1947. It 10 l~,~ctod on the lett bank of the Creek sligbtly downstream from (\ right bend in the Creek. Tbe site on the line of strike of c porous fuls~3thic 3AndAtona which outcrons over a w1dtb of 50 feet in tbe Creek bed.. MInor shsley beds up to 18 IDahos thick God limonite banda occur within tbe sandstone, which 1s oonsplcu~u3 for ita oaatings of travertine. The slta oho~en 13 clu~s ~o tb~ exiating )l~e line from the Pl'O':It:t"·~ DOlIl~·'i·~:l.C ;30re and is readily aooessible.

c. r:. B£ll. ~J.ce1st.

APPENDIX I.

BLUE SPEC MIllE t NULLAGINE"

-Re port Date ' .

23rd to'30th September

Locatio~ andoatare of Sample.

West drive oaf' ]jast winze. Faoe a~ '69 reet~

East drive off East winze. : Face at 61 ree~ : Borehole in.north wall at 52 feet

west drive oof East winze. Bore-halest 59 feet in nor,th wall

1st October to 7th october Extension 51· feet 1n West drive.

7tb October to 14th ootober' .

Not.giien

Not given

West drive; off No. 2 East winze . at 76 feet q 86 11

" 84 " tf 91 tI

11 96 to 106 feet. H III feet n 116 H

I.t 120 "

west dr1 va off No.2 East winze : Bore Hole at 90 teet. in south wall.

o - 20 inches. 20- 40 incbes 40 - 60 inches

t Bore Hole at 106 feet. Over 60 incbes

: Bore Hole at 96 feet on south wall *,"q..,,:-:",~~O incbes ,20~.;;;~rij:0 lncbes 40 -60 incbes

, :" . "yalOGs' ,stlboj,te

, . 79.2 ... 35'

7.8 1.2 '.J:hese 2 values represent. average over 60 inches.·

No assays. As&~ye:r 'absent f~om mine.

No assays.. Assayerab'sent from mine.

46.4 67.2

5 .. 8 9.1

Traces 4.2

.3.4 2 .. 0

"Trace 78.2

126

Traces

1.2 2.4

28..7

35 '" 30

35 35 50

20

'. ,

6 tb BoyellDer. 1947

,

·'

:Be.t v1 ... ott' JIo. 2 •• 8t .1Me 9 - 57 t •• t •.

Wo. 2 Bast wiaze, wast dri'Ye. At 124 teet. It 128 It

If 131 If

tt 135 • " 140 "

lb. 2 Bast winze, west d~i'Y8. Borth wall 118 tee' Soutb wall 122 teet , ! 0 - 20 1ncbes Bore Hole 20 - 40 If

40 - 60 It

Bo. 2 West winze, East «Pi'Y •• 2 - 59 te.t

No. 2 Raet winze ••• st driye. 8 - JA,a teet

N.B. Full face ot qaartz en. atiooite.

!

" -VIAll-

C!Jelj• Stiltaite.

AcHal. jWn .1It dp.

2.0

5.5 0.8 2.4 3·3 2.4

Trace

3 28.6 20 21 .. 2 20

)(11 .il

17.4 15 8.1

APPEJDIX :&1,

-Locatl0.

w • ,.

SIPp1J Gallo •• au Dal

I .. al'k.

I •

Dranohl W.ll 121

10. 1

Bo. 2

Bo. ,

Bo. 5 bore

Jlo. , DOl"

Ko. 7 propol.d

50. 8 proposed (20 ml1ea bor.)-

Salt Bor.

Do.ea~10 Bol"

proposed lfaw K1441. Cr.,k DOllest1o 101"

70 At "anob1 •• 11

150 At irenoh1 W.ll

150 i mile north-.ast ot Brnnch1 Well.

77 300 lards north-••• , ot Bra no h1 Well.

159 Approx1matelY t mile BOU th-east ot Bl"enebl Well.

161 Approx1matelY 1. ml1es south·eaet ot Branabi Well.

1, ,00 aor. not ift •••• Moetly slat. G. dlap. some 88nd81;0 •••

4,500

3,000 Bore 1n bard .1a~ ••

1.200 .at.r aa .. in a' _otio. 77 teet, Ma'erla1 oa 41ap trom Do'toa ot shatt 1s f.l.pat~l. sandston. (with a I1ttl. m1aa) and gr'1 .1a~ •• Tested 26/10/47 a. "7 gallons. !,)er ho.r att.r 16 hours rlll'l.

8,400 buuoesstul Bore. 70' details see tex ••

Ua- Sholld be 8 goo4 ~I'O-tested duoer. Por d.taill •••

tex~. Por~.itl ot ... 4-stone sp80imea 4.81~.

300 yards east of Branch1 Well.

S1te suite_let Bor. should pass tbrolll" shale7 8snd81;ona

Approx1.ately 3 milss south-eaat ot Branoh1 Well.

pl'inaipallJ.

outcrop 120 t •• t wid. ot sandston, wlib a 11ttle 8laie, Spe.i ... ot sandstone ooll •• ~.A tor por ,)S 1 tJ '.1", (Porosity 8pee.A • 4.64,

tI " 1\. 2.76;1

280 On M1ddle CreeK, 3 .11ea 3,000 water suitable tor south or Blas Spec M1D~ plant, but saperY1110.

aQd maintenano. cOltll.

210 On Middle Creek, ! mila 1.500 High quality •• t.l'. aouth-ess\ ot tbe Blue Spec Maln Shatt.

OQ Middle Or.ek, ~ mile downstream trom pr ••• at DOllea\1. Bt:t!'8

S1te seleoted OD geo­logical groundl 26710/47. Porolt t1 8. 21~

- ~--------------------.--------.-----.-.-.. --.--- - ----...... -- ---------_._--~ ,

/' /

/ )

J I

/

- - I

/ J

)

( \

I I

I

\ \

\ '- '-- ------.~-.~-

\

,I "

._-_._--- ------ -_ .. ... __ ... +-_._-..,

BLtJ[ 5P~C WAT£P /v1(:Jp of wd cer /)0/(,\ ~H?//) aoe}

IJ{Oposcc/ . bure51

dS of 20 C)ct 19·4 ;'

SCdie :'"""'1_ r- ' .I""""i ' ... F-.. --_· .. _ .. ...,aj

I . 60

i

dldil 15 () 30

__ . ; Ok •

90

I '

.--. . -. . - .--'---~

INS£T SE:CTION or No 6 BOf-7£ ··

Scale r = 40ft

/565 ·

.. (

\

\

!

"

I

~I CJ C::

r, (iN ,i. i

Q Q

I <

tnt? '.. ~~

'~"':f ;"~b ".

0 .,,~

f ' ,

o~ ,

.., •

"

" , o • ',' "

, '.

\

t'J •

~I \)~

n "'~

()O

"

'/' . 100S

, ,I

'----

,5rJr Id StOf IL COdr~e .

-------- - -

---. ~ ---- - -

<} a

/

\ \ \

\

) ,

/

, I f Blue Spec A!fine) M L. 266 ( l o7llc WfS,_ ~POUNO PLAN SLJPFACE. AND UNOEJ~51lfV( \ ' l>y C W I3dll 23 0ct l947 SeA L[ !" = 20ft <:' )')];'0:>'\

BLUE PLAN

Df,ldrnq

" ,ToillUllq

SPEC !\I//f\/[ L£V[L OF No ,)

-LLGLND

ASSAV , 'lip All '/. 11//t){clfJlj '0/

I,' fl.'I' ,r , ri; 'II, llC>'?y A:> , ",I, }"/, II' /1 'c/~, ,'I, I . ~ / 0 • " It It' U., t- ... ;Idf. . ..... 9/~ I "

-', Or t I'),} ! (,J ~

I

I I' I; I: I; II I .

Ii . , I

I I, ! , I I'

d

1\ , , I

I· Ii Ii : I

I!

I I

I , , : I , I II , I

.J . , ,

'I

. '(~ . ( . I 'jo ' /- J

-----

IbO()

/ ()

1800

~ /500

/ r I

LONGITUDINAL SECTION BLUi= SPEC GOLD MINE

()

r'

I IULLAGI E, W. A.

n~,! be Dette r s r ciL <-iry Ih,;

sno{/Jr? I/? p rlrt, at /Cd S {"

I

-~ --1 -~~~---------------T---~~r.rr77

/ !

I I

/ /-" /. I ;" I

I I f I

I

-, f

/ I

/

/ o. SI

\; "-

~/

I f

I ) 1

" / "-'\ / "-'---- "

"­

"

I

/ I

I

", /-' -- -:.,."'--+---1-+---->,,,'""""" ·I--------~

I

I

/

/ "

, "

,

,

ZOOt Tons .?-,

SOOO To ns ???

--- ----------- --- - - ----

"

- -, = !:--,' :-::---

,;.' I P ' ~"'1 ; I r ---' f ,--1. ~ bQJx I I ,

I I ~ I

2000 I I To ns ?? . I II II II II

II I I I I I I

f l

( .

I II _. _______ J L ____ i __ - .... __ ~ =1= ___ ____ _ ----- "--_._--

c=l O r (' h u<..(y .,;vc/upm? 10 - ?Odwts Au per Ton .

II S 10

t2Z1 ,Ytop cd ",;Jr(.vs

- -- -- - - /rltc:r s cctror? of' /X3ddrog O'rl d (odc

------ -~----

:.

, \ \ \ \ -----1-------------­-\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

-~-~ - ----_._-------j - - \

\

. - -- . _--- - ---

llJ ~

"q ',,) I

~ C) C,j r\, _____ -.1.-------.-.---- <'<) • I - _. - -_.-_._--------

14 .. _

-------------- --,--------------------- -