Eastman Project

Eastman Prospect Summary Image
Eastman Prospect Magnetic Image
Eastman Cross Section Image

Eastman Platinum Group Metals (PGM)

Navigator's initial focus at the Eastman project is near-surface primary PGM mineralisation amenable to open pit mining.

PGM mineralisation is associated with multiple stacked chromite horizons in the upper and lower ultramafic phases of the Eastman Bore layered intrusion and displays many similarities to the UG2 deposits in the Bushveld Complex in South Africa, and to the Panton deposits in the East Kimberley.

Navigator completed a 50 hole (2,788m) reconnaissance reverse circulation drill programme in late 2003 and extended the strike length of the Eastman layered intrusion from 6kms to up to 20kms, generating several new PGM prospects in the process.

Significant PGM drill intercepts were obtained from all prospects tested. A summary of significant assay results from the drilling is tabled below.

A best intercept of 1m @ 4.2 g/t PGM+gold (within a wider drill intercept of 6m at 2.4 g/t PGM+gold) was discovered under partial cover at the Brumby prospect.

Four reconnaissance drill holes at the Longhorn prospect, located west of the Eastman Granite, all intersected significant PGM below thin transported gravels, opening up a previously unexplored zone of mineralisation up to 10kms in length.

Drilling east of the Eastman Granite focused primarily on the upper ultramafic zone at the Louisa, Brumby and Blackadder prospects, and indicates that the upper ultramafic zone is essentially continuous over the 5km tested. Significant PGM results were also obtained from the lower ultramafic zone at the Bullock and Blackadder prospects, the latter under thin, transported soil that restricted previous exploration.

The drill results from Eastman are viewed as encouraging given the wide-spaced nature of the drilling, the large strike lengths involved, and the mineralised nature of both the upper and lower ultramafic zones of the layered intrusion.

Imminent PGM plans

Follow-up reverse circulation drilling is planned at the Longhorn and Brumby prospects in the coming field season.

Click to view Table 1 (PDF)

Eastman Copper-Zinc-Lead-Gold (VMS)

The Eastman Project has sound potential for copper-zinc-lead-gold (VMS) mineralisation. Copper-zinc-lead-gold mineralisation at the Eastman Project is hosted by the Koongie Park Formation and displays many of the characteristics of VMS base metal deposits.

Recent drilling by Navigator at the Eastman VMS prospect returned significant intersections of:- 12 m @ 5.69 % zinc, 1.86 % lead, 3.20 % copper, 26.50 g/t silver and 0.41 g/t gold (includes 5 m at 3.62 % zinc, 7.91% copper, 54.10 g/t silver and 0.89 g/t gold). This mineralisation has a potential strike length of 500 metres, and remains open at depth. Ground EM and further drilling are required to assess the tonnage potential and geometry of the mineralisation.

Diamond drilling by a previous explorer at the Landrigan VMS Prospect, encountered significant disseminated and massive mineralisation, including 9.6m averaging 2.7% copper, 0.3% lead, 1.5% zinc, 12.6ppm silver and 1.47ppm gold. Selective sampling has returned values up to 10.7g/t gold and 2.23% molybdenum.

Click to view Table 2 (PDF)