Inkheart Prospect (Inkheart silver prospect), Atnarpa Station, MacDonnell Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Inkheart Prospect (Inkheart silver prospect)	Prospect
Atnarpa Station	- not defined -
MacDonnell Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

Ag-Pb-Zn prospects. The Inkheart prospect, along with Bluey's prospect are located in EL 28136, approximately 170 kilometres east-north-east of Alice Springs, 13 kilometres south-east of the Arltunga goldfield historic reserve (in the Central Desert Shire), and 10 kilometres north-west of the Atnarpa Pastoral station homestead. The Inkheart prospect trends north-east to south-west, both sides of the road to Ruby Gap. The Bluey's prospect is one kilometre to the south. They are just east of Giles Creek.

Core Exploration Limited reported high grade soil anomalisms here in 2013, up to 19 552 ppb silver, when 100 ppb is normally considered good. The footprint covered 700 x 400 metres. Surface rock chip samples encountered spectacular grades of 4065 g/t Ag, 8% Cu, and 25% Pb. Described as a broad zone of pervasive stockwork veining, associated with malachite, azurite, and argentiferous galena at the surface.

No prior drilling had occurred at the location, and with Northern Territory government funding, a drilling programme was conducted in 2014. Core hit a high grade silver-lead zone at 112 metres below the surface. Example grades were 4 metres at 195 g/t Ag, 5.24% Pb, 2.49% Zn across 11 metres, and 1 metre at 354 g/t Ag, 11.13% Pb, and 6.51% Zn, within a broad lower grade halo. The high grade zone is 6-12 metres thick, in places up to 10 metres.

The company states the high grade zone extends at least 500 metres, within the Bitter Springs Formation. The Heavitree Quartzite is just beyond the eastern end of the lode at Inkheart.

The company's 2016 shareholder report states the prospects are still a priority, but provides no further information on exploration. It does not explain this, although a lack of funding based on the losses detailed in the report could be to blame. The company may consider off loading its numerous other prospects to companies, to obtain finance to focus on Inkheart/Blueys.

Like many newly discovered rich prospects, there are probably mineral specimens to die for in the upper levels. Mining companies are not of the habit of providing these to the market, and are usually destroyed in the mining process. It is very likely the mineral species listed for this location is incomplete.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

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