Good Luck Antimony: the opportunity

Good Luck is a gold–antimony exploration project at Quinn’s Hill, approximately 10 kilometres west of Cooktown in north Queensland. Historical shallow workings exposed three antimony lenses within a gold-bearing quartz vein. Mining also recovered loose antimony material from the hillside above the vein. The 1948 government geological report identified evidence for a second, undiscovered lode uphill from the known workings. Good Luck combines documented historical mineralisation with a specific source target that can be investigated through modern field exploration.

The opportunity is to establish whether the known antimony–gold vein and the interpreted uphill source contain mineralisation of sufficient continuity and scale to justify further exploration. Historical shipment assays establish that high-grade antimony material was recovered. Gold-bearing quartz beneath and between the antimony lenses provides an additional target. The proposed work will test the extent and relationship of these mineralised positions.

Can the source of the uphill antimony be located, and does either target contain continuous antimony or gold mineralisation beyond the small lenses worked historically?

Mining proceeded intermittently after G. L. Bott took up the ground in late 1942. In 1948, Denmead described the known antimony lenses as small and widely separated. He did not recommend underground exploration solely for antimony on that evidence. He recommended investigation of the gold-bearing quartz and deep costeaning to locate the interpreted uphill lode.

The renewed exploration case is to evaluate both antimony and gold, relocate the historical workings and test the source area identified in the government report. Modern mapping and systematic sampling can define targets before decisions on trenching or drilling. Reviewing later exploration records is part of the proposed first-stage assessment, alongside modern mapping and sampling.

Antimony was reportedly discovered at Quinn’s Hill in 1908. More sustained activity began in late 1942. Available production returns in the 1948 report record approximately nine imperial tons of ore. Historical shipment assays included 44.7% to 59.9% antimony. These assays describe selected ore shipments. One recorded parcel assayed 1.19 ounces of gold per ton. Quartz beneath the antimony lenses reportedly assayed up to 23 pennyweights of gold per ton. These historical results support investigation of the gold-bearing vein. The three lenses were reported at eight to fourteen feet long. The southern and centre shafts were eleven feet deep, and the northern open-cut was eight feet deep. These measurements describe historical working depths and lens lengths. An excavation approximately 40 yards west of the known lode and six feet higher reportedly yielded numerous antimony specimens, chiefly stibnite. Denmead interpreted the distribution of loose antimony material as evidence for a second lode uphill. The figures are from the cited government geological report.

The historical report describes a hydrothermal quartz vein hosted in slate. Antimony occurs as stibnite and its oxidation product, cervantite. The vein reportedly dips approximately 45 degrees towards the east-south-east, at a shallower angle than the enclosing slate. The antimony lenses passed into gold-bearing quartz along strike and beneath the workings. The exploration model is to test the quartz vein beyond the small antimony-rich lenses and locate the separate source inferred from loose antimony uphill. The programme will test the continuity, scale and relationship of these targets.

The principal questions are the location of the interpreted second lode; continuity, thickness and grade of the known vein; the distribution of gold relative to antimony; and the extent of any exploration since the historical report. Field verification and representative sampling will determine whether the targets justify trenching or drilling.

Proposed first-stage work is to compile later exploration records, relocate the historical workings and map the known vein and uphill source area. Systematic rock and soil sampling would test antimony and gold distributions. If the results define coherent targets, assess targeted trenching or drilling, subject to access, approvals and funding. Programme design and expenditure would follow the initial review.

Use mapping and representative sampling to prioritise the uphill source target and extensions of the known vein. Geological results, access and programme costs will guide the scope of subsequent trenching or drilling.

Good Luck has been added to MineFinder’s project portfolio. The first objective is to define and test the exploration case. Any future partnership or separate-company structure would be assessed as the project advances.