This type of deposit is recognised globally. Occurrences range from high–grade vein type (e.g. Pogo, Alaska; 10 million tonnes @ 17.8g/t for 6 million ounces) to bulk tonnage “porphyry – type” (e.g. Fort Knox, Alaska; 158 million tonnes @ 0.83g/t for 4 million ounces). The larger deposits in this district were Kidston with 3.5 million ounces gold (100 tonnes) and Red Dome with 0.8 million ounces gold (25 tonnes). The Etheridge field comprised numerous small to medium high grade producing mines, some showing IRGS characteristics, with total production of around 5 million ounces (150 tonnes).

Historically tantalum exploration in the Georgetown region has been minimal and with no significant production derived from the known small alluvial deposits. The sources however are clearly a series of hard rock pegmatite bodies with the potential for substantial size.

The important rare tantalum – niobium pegmatite provinces in the world occupy sites within large regional structurally mobile zones, e.g. Greenbushes and Wodgina, WA, Karibib-Usakos, Namibia and Tanco district, East Manitoba and hosted by a specific granite type. Mineralisation is usually hosted in altered roof zones (cupolas) of granite bodies, in simple albite-quartz pegmatites or rare lithium mineral pegmatites within and around the periphery of such bodies. Tin, as cassiterite, is a common associate as are the lithium minerals, lepidolite (mica), amblygonite (phosphate), spodumene and petalite, and rarely pollucite (the only natural ore of caesium).

The company is applying state of the art gold deposit research in this district. The larger gold deposits in the general Georgetown district, 200km west of Townsville, are described as “Intrusive – Related Gold Systems” (IRGS) in that they are developed within and around granites, porphyries, pegmatites and associated breccias, veins and vein stockworks. IRGS are associated with igneous rocks known in the vernacular as “tin, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum bearing intrusives” because of the typical trace metal assemblage.