Presented by Robert (Bob) Close, Consultant
Thursday 25 January 2018 – Bar open from 5.30pm, Presentation from 6pm (40 mins) + Question time (20 mins)
Bowlers’ Club of NSW – 95 York St, Sydney NSW 2000
Talk Summary
Gentor Resources Inc a Canadian TSX listed entity having successfully explored for Cretaceous Ophiolitic Cyprus-type copper deposits in the Sultanate of Oman, decided in 2011 to search for similar but larger deposits in the Pontide region of Northern Turkey, typified by the proximal type 40Mt Kure deposit.
Subsequent field research in 2012 under my management focused on the Central Pontides where the newly discovered Hanonu Besshi-type VMS deposit (25Mt@1.66%Cu) is hosted within Jurassic distal mafic volcaniclastics and black schists of an Ophiolitic accretionary mélange that is extensively developed in the Sakarya Zone. This represented a major new regional target, so Gentor’s small team conducted systematic reconnaissance work along roads covering prospective stratigraphy east of Kastamonu. With 6 months this resulted in finding the Karaburun deposit in mountainous forest terrain near Boyabat in similar greenschist facies metasediments to the Hanonu deposit model 20km distant.
Having acquired several Joint venture tenements around Karaburun in 2013, detailed mapping and geochemical soil/rock surveys over the 2.5km long polymetallic ironstone gossanous zones showed a stacked mineralised system moderately dipping and facing south. The 600m long Main Gossan positioned towards the footwall sequence, exhibits massive pyrite over 300m along strike in Sevlic Dere gorge below a 75m thick gossanous cliff face. Strong Cu-Zn-Au-Ag geochemical zonation with values up to 0.5% copper and up to 1.6g/t gold, suggests the stratigraphically higher western zones especially Gossans 1-5 west of the weakly anomalous Main zone, are the focus of economic mineralisation and represent priority drill targets.
However, extended permitting, logistical and ground acquisition issues caused defunding of the expat management team, and subsequent initial diamond drilling in 2015 was focused on the huge Main Zone target. Drilling confirmed the Besshi-type nature of the MS with weak copper mineralisation (0.1-0.4%Cu) in SMS-MS zones, but several high-grade intersections of 2-5% Cu provide scope for better results elsewhere in this major system. Further work at Karaburun waits joint venture refinancing.
Presenter Biography
Bob obtained a Geology Degree from RMIT in 1968 and a Masters Degree on Granitoid Geochemistry and Metallogenesis from ANU in 1978. He has more than 40 years dominantly gold and base metals exploration experience in the Mining industry in Australasia, the Middle East and Europe with particular expertise in discovery through to Feasibility. He has developed skills as a competent field and offshore operator in initiating regional programs and onsite team mentoring plus project management. Key capabilities are technical assessment of exploration from grassroots to resource/reserve delineation and feasibility in development projects. Bob has acquired international expertise in intrusive-related and volcanogenic deposits having co-authored 4 papers on VHMS deposits. Since 2014 Bob has been semi retired but operates as an Australian based independent consultant geologist.