URL: https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/cr121182
This annual and final report presents a summary of the geological and exploratory activities carried out during the term ending 30th May 2015. for EPC 1305.
EPC 1305 is located 44km east of the hamlet of Emmet and 38km west of the township of Blackall. The main access is by the partly-sealed Blackall-Isisford Highway or the Emmet to Yaraka Road which runs west to Yaraka. A sparse network of secondary roads and dry weather tracks are accessible throughout the tenure area and a low-capacity train line bisects the tenure near its southern border, running from Yaraka to Blackall. EPC 1305 is located approximately 200km south-west of the proposed coal haulage rail corridor which is to connect the central proposed coal mines of the Galilee Basin to the existing Newlands rail line, near Denham Junction in the east (Aurizon, 2012).
EPC 1305 is one of two tenures belonging to Fox Resources Limited (ASX: FXR) which is located on the eastern margin of the Eromanga Basin, where coal has been shown to occur in the Winton Formation and underlying Mackunda Formation (with EPC 1309, they make up the West Blackall Project).
Over the lastfour (4) years there has been significant exploration by various companies in surrounding tenures that has demonstrated the presence of large, shallow coal deposits 30km to the east (Coalbank ASX: CBQ; East Energy Resources (ASX: EER)) and to the south (NSL Consolidated (ASX: NSL) and International Coal (ASX: ICX)) in the lower sequences of the Winton Formation, the upper-most rock unit in the Eromanga Basin.
Current exploration activities were restricted to desktop studies where all historical data was databased and modelled. A full evaluation of the rock strata penetrated is still problematic due to a lack of modern geophysical logging, but it appears that no significant coal horizons are present above 200m in the tenement.
It appears there are substantial historical 2D seismic surveys available for re-processing and this data was only sourced late in the period. Once the drilling database was established a series of orthogonal cross-sections was established across the tenure. Generally, correlation between holes was problematic, as apart from the coal seams, there are no definitive markers. Additionally, there is a lack of downhole geophysics and detailed lithological descriptions. The current investigations confirmed that past historical registered water bores and recent petroleum wells have indicated thick coal at depth, generally 300-450m, and all of Currawong Coal’s boreholes were restricted to depths of <250m.