Avalon accelerates exploration plans, closes in on key licences

Avalon Minerals’ application for six key exploration licences within the worl....

  Avalon Minerals’ application for six key exploration licences within the world-class Lennard Shelf lead-zinc province of Western Australia is expected to be approved within the next few weeks after the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) withdrew its objection to the grant of the tenements.The KLC’s decision to withdraw its objection to the granting of the tenements paves the way for the Exploration Licences to be granted under the Native Title Act within the next two weeks.The tenements, which are located adjacent to and along strike from Teck Cominco/ Xstrata’s Lennard Shelf deposits, including the 23 million tonne Pillara Deposit, will be a key focus of Avalon’s exploration and growth strategy. The granting of the tenements will enable Avalon to expedite its exploration activities in the Lennard Shelf region in the second half of 2007.A study by international geological consultants, CSA Australia, has identified a number of highly prospective MVT (Mississippi Valley Type) base metal exploration targets within the area covered by the Exploration Licences. CSA also identified a number of potential new host rock units that have previously only received minor exploration.Avalon’s Managing Director, David McSweeney said he was pleased the approvals process for the tenements had been expedited thanks to the excellent relationship the company was developing with the Kimberley Land Council.“We are delighted that these tenements will be granted within weeks and, in anticipation of this, we have targets lined-up, exploration programs planned and field crews on stand-by,” Mr McSweeney said. “Initial work will involve the collection of geochemical and geophysical data to better define priority targets, and we expect to drill test selected targets before the end of the 2007 field season,” he said.Avalon has assembled a large tenement package in the Lennard Shelf in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region comprising 14 Exploration Licences covering almost 2,600sqkm. The tenements cover three distinct project areas – Barramundi, Lawford and Oscar Range – which are prospective for base metals, specifically zinc and lead.