Record 2008/03

A summary of company exploration results for minerals, coal and coal seam gas in the Chinchilla 1:250 000 (SG56-9) Sheet area, south-east Queensland

This report summarises company exploration in the Chinchilla 1:250 000 (SG56-9) Sheet area for mineral commodities, coal and coal seam gas other than water. Exploration for minerals, coal, and coal seam gas was conducted under Permits for minerals (EPM), coal (EPC) and coal seam gas (ATP) at or near the contact of the Yarrol Province, the Wandilla Province (Yarraman Subprovince), the north-western part of the Clarence-Moreton Basin, the central Surat Basin and the overlapping eastern edge of the Surat and the Bowen Basin at depth.

Tin exploration was focused on the southern margin of the Permo-Triassic granitoids of the Boondooma Igneous Complex, mainly along the course of Rocky Creek. No new deep lead discoveries were made and the precise source rock for the cassiterite was not determined.
Gold exploration was undertaken close to the contact of the Maronghi Creek beds where it was intruded by Triassic granitoids of the Toondahra Granite. Exploration was mainly focused around the Golden Whip workings and drilling beneath the old workings intersected grades up to 1.05g/t Au, 6.7% Zn. The Boondooma Igneous Complex and the overlying Mooga Sandstone were also tested for uranium, but no significant anomalies were found.

Rutile occurs in the Chahpingah Meta-igneous Complex in the Jumma Creek area. Surface mapping by the Geological Survey of Queensland in the late 1990s and by an exploration company led to the discovery of many small occurrences of rutile in the form of scattered crystal fragments up to 20mm in size at Mannuen Creek. There is also potential for exploitation of feldspar included in the schist and leucogranite of the Chahpingah Meta-igneous Complex.

Several diamonds were reported to have been found in the Brigooda area. Drilling of a breccia pipe near Garnet Gully intersected diamond indicator minerals possibly sourced from diamond eclogite facies rocks.

The potential of the oil shale occurrence in Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments east of Condamine township was assessed. Shallow drilling intersected inferior coaly carbonaceous shale which yielded up to 51 litres/tonne.

Extensive coal exploration in the 1970s and 1980s focused primarily on the Jurassic Taroom and Juandah Coal Measures of the Walloon Subgroup in the Surat Basin. This phase of exploration established measured and indicated resources at Kogan Creek, Glen Wilga, Horse Creek, Haystack Road, Rywung, Cameby Downs, Glen Laurel, Stanley Park, Guluguba, Burunga and Colllingwood. Inferred resources were also established at Columboola, Lallilindi and Baking Board. The resource areas follow a north-west-south-east trend across the Chinchilla (1:250 000) map sheet area coincident with the subcrop/outcrop limit of the Walloon Subgroup. The Taroom and Juandah Coal Measures incorporate high volatile perhydrous, and bituminous rank coal, which typically has high ash content. The Kogan Creek deposit is currently the only commercially exploited resource, providing coal to the adjacent Kogan Creek power plant. Total established resources of thermal coal currently amount to 2.56 billion tonnes.

Coal seam gas exploration commenced with drilling of the first Peat and Burunga wells in the early 1990s. The Permian coal measures in the underlying Bowen Basin were the primary exploration target. The wells produced gas flow rates from 1.27 to 2.5 million cubic feet per day, and coal seam tests produced gas contents from 5.7m³/t to 12m³/t. In 2000, the Peat field, drawing gas from the Baralaba Coal Measures, began production. The Berwyndale and Argyle-Kenya field development followed with the younger Walloon Subgroup coals being exploited.

To purchase Queensland Geological Record 2008/03 print out the order form (PDF, 109 kB), or contact sales at +61 7 3237 1434. 

Last Updated 06 October 2009