Located 20 km south west of Youanmi.

The Freddie Well prospect is at the north-west end of the Youangarra gold belt, although the prospect itself is not noted for gold.

It must be the most explored deposit in Australia, yet to see active mining. Gossan outcropping on the surface was recognised. It was explored 1970-1972 in a joint venture Geometals, Carr Boyd, Conwest, Westralian Nickel, and Tycho Mining. 1972 by Australian Ore and Minerals. 1974-1976 CRAE. 1977 CRAE, ICI and Newmont. 1982-1983 Esso Exploration and Production Australia with Jones Mining. 1981-1986 CRAE again. 1988-1992 Eastmet. 1993 Gold Mines of Australia. 1996-1999 Lachlan Resources JV Base Metals of Australia. 2002 Valdera Resources Ltd. The source is dated 2004, and there may have been others after this.

The deposit is just east of a scarp edge, and the immediate area is low hills and gullies. It sits on the south-west margin of a metamorphosed layered gabbroid complex approximately 20 kilometres in diameter. There is a north north-west striking zone, about 500 metres wide, of quartz-sericite-chlorite-feldspar schist, between the Youanmi gabbroid complex to the east, and largely laterite covered granotoid rocks to the west.

The eastern margins shows felsic schist which is sulphidic, with a number pods, and semi continuous horizons of gahnite bearing blue quartz rich rock, informally called Freddite. The source suggests it could be recrystallised chert or banded iron formation, and forms low ridges in the western part of the prospect. This changes along strike to banded quartz-magnetite rocks also containing lenses of massive sulphides, mainly pyrrhotite, pyrite, and sphalerite, with or without magnetite. In some of the lenses, sphalerite accounts for 50% of the rock, with minor chalcopyrite.

Above is boxwork gossan. The mineralisation terminates to the north by faults. The sulphides occur 10 to 12 metres depth from the surface. Thin sands, laterite gravels, residual clay, and some fresh gabbro/dolerite outcrops are at the surface.

Three mineralised zones have been identified. The largest is Zone D, with Zone A and B 1500 metres to the south. Estimated resources are 800 000 tonnes of ore at 9.5%Zn (Valdera 2002). Zone D has two parallel steep dipping shoots, 8 metres apart, both 120 metres long, and 5 to 6 metres wide. Main sulphides are pyrrhotite, pyrite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite, in some cases associated with magnetite.

Geochemically there is high Zn and Fe, subordinate Cu, anomalous Cd, In, Ag, Mo and Mn, erratic Sn, W, Ga and Co. Detectable Sb and Bi, while Pd and Ni is low. As is almost absent.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

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