Location: The reporting area for TR70/3096 is located approximately 59 km to the west of Esperance, with Ravensthorpe located within the reserve. Access via the South Coast Highway, access roads and tracks.

Geology: The Archaean greenstone belt at Ravensthorpe contains three distinct tectonostratigraphic terranes. In the east, the Carlingup Terrane (c. 2960 Ma) contains metamorphosed komatiite, basalt, sedimentary rocks (including banded iron-formation), and minor acid volcanic rocks. The Ravensthorpe Terrane (c. 2990 to 2970 Ma) occupies the central part of the greenstone belt and consists of tonalite and a volcanic association dominated by andesitic volcaniclastic rocks. The Cocanarup greenstones comprise a strongly deformed belt of predominantly metasedimentary rocks, with fewer ultramafic and mafic rocks, lying along the western margin of the greenstone belt. The Ravensthorpe Terrane and the Cocanarup greenstones were thrust eastward over the Carlingup Terrane. The accreted terranes were subsequently deformed to produce a large-scale, south-plunging synform that defines the overall shape of the greenstone belt. Following formation of the Beulah synform, there was a change in the regional tectonics and subsequent Archaean deformation was in response to north-south compression.

The Archaean basement is structurally overlain by the Mesoproterozoic Mount Barren Group. The mainly metasedimentary rocks of the Mount Barren Group have traditionally been regarded as lying unconformably on the Archaean Yilgarn Craton. However, there is no compelling evidence for derivation of the precursor sediments from the Yilgarn, and the Mount Barren Group may be entirely allocthonous. During the Albany-Fraser Orogeny the Mount Barren Group was deformed by several phases of folding and faulting, at c. 1300 Ma. The metamorphic grade of the Mount Barren Group increases southward, discontinuously, from the contact with Archaean rocks. Kyanite-bearing metapelitic schists exposed on the coast west of Hopetoun equilibrated at P >6kb and T >600°C. These high-pressure metamorphic rocks were uplifted south of secondary splays related to the Jerdacuttup Fault. High-grade Archaean (Munglinup) orthogneiss located south of the Jerdacuttup Fault was deformed during the Albany-Fraser Orogeny, and subsequently uplifted.

Work Done: No report text – 8 baseline surface lithology, ground magnetic and aircore down hole sections to accompany report on nickeliferous materials in the Bandalup Creek – Bandalup South areas.

Note: related to Bandalup North reports via project (A4893, 4889)

Group-Level Summary for Group: M97/1 (ITEM 1720) Group Title: Ravensthorpe copper and nickel-copper exploration A Numbers in Group: 652, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 665, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 688, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 1158, 1159, 1160, 1161, 1162, 2432, 2433, 2434, 3246, 3247, 3248, 3249, 4781, 4782, 4783, 4784, 4786, 4787, 4788, 4790, 4791, 4799, 4801, 4803, 4814, 4816, 4817, 4818, 4821, 4824, 4825, 4826, 4827, 4829, 4830, 4875, 4876, 4883, 4884, 4885, 4889, 4890, 4891, 4892, 4893, 4894, 4895, 4896, 4897, 4899, 4900, 4920, 4921, 4922, 4923, 4924, 4925, 4926, 4927, 4928, 4929, 4930, 4931, 4932, 4934, 4937, 4938, 4939, 4940, 4941, 4942, 4943, 4945, 4946, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4952, 4954, 4958, 4959, 4960, 4961, 4962, 4964, 4965, 4966, 4967, 4968, 4969, 4970, 4971, 4972, 4973, 4975, 6547, 7154, 7155, 7213, 7215, 7216, 7217, 7218, 7219, 7221, 7222, 7223, 7224, 7225, 7226, 7227, 7228, 7875, 7904, 7907, 9562, 11273, 14184, 15839 Substantial though poorly documented exploration on Archaean ultramafic, mafic and felsic volcanics and metasedimentary sequence, initially for copper in basalt, but mostly for nickel in ultramafic sills and flows and derived laterite, found subeconomic mineralization in each target. Small high grade sulphide deposit still held at No. 8 Prospect (M74/13) but data released by permission of Western Mining Corp Ltd. Early (1970-74) reporting incomplete.

Results:

Conclusions & Recommendations:

Prospects:

 

Assays: