North Jukes

The North Jukes District straddles the boundary between the CVC and the Tyndall Group. CVC volcanics are composed predominantly of competent rhyolitic and dacitic volcanics with minor lenses of autoclastic breccias and volcaniclastic sandstones. A series of narrow quartz and quartz-biotite porphyries intrude the CVC package. Intense chloritic and potassic alteration is seen in the vicinity of the porphyries and both volcanics and porphyries are altered and mineralised. Magnetite breccias are extensively developed within the CVC group. The Tyndall group is composed of predominantly unaltered quartz phyric rhyolite volcaniclastics. Remnants of Owen Group conglomerates unconformably overly or are in fault contact with the MRV units.

Intrusive related copper-gold mineralisation is the main target at the North Jukes District. Several styles of mineralisation exist within the district. Chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralisation hosted adjacent to a fault was exploited historically, with covellite, malachite and native copper being found nearer to surface. In addition to this chalcopyrite bearing magnetite breccias are seen developed in places and disseminated chalcopyrite is seen within porphyritic rhyolites.

Minerals exploration commenced in the North Jukes District in the late 1890’s with an influx of prospectors coming from the Mt Lyell field. This resulted in the development of eight historical copper-gold workings, the principal of which was the Jukes Proprietary Mine which consisted of several shafts and a number of drives. The Jukes Proprietary Mine delivered a 20t parcel of ore grading 4% Cu to the local smelter for testing just before the smelter was taken over and shut down, bringing around the cessation of mining activities in the Jukes-Darwin range.

Several phases of modern mineral exploration starting in earnest in the early 1970’s have included five diamond drill holes testing for depth extension to the Jukes Pty mineralisation (best result: JP2 10m @ 1.2% Cu, 1.2 g/t Au). A coincident IP and magnetic anomaly immediately north has yet to be drilled. Gold assays of up to 10 g/t Au from mullock dumps have been recorded by previous explorers.