Callion East Project
The Callion East Project spans approximately 270 km² in Western Australia’s resource-rich Eastern Goldfields, strategically positioned within the emerging Ida Fault Lithium Corridor. This corridor is a major focus of lithium exploration and development efforts, extending over 300 km north-northwest from the renowned Mount Marion lithium mine.
Geological Setting
The project is underlain by a complex suite of fertile, fractionated granites and gneissic terrains, including:
- Siberia Monzogranite and Bali Monzogranite Group intrusions
- Davyhurst Granite and Papertalk Granite in the northern and western extents
- Riverina Gneiss on the western boundary of the project
These post-regional folding granites (post-RFG) are part of the same broader magmatic events known to generate:
- Lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites, particularly along granite-greenstone contacts
- Auriferous hydrothermal systems, responsible for significant Archaean gold deposits
The presence of these highly fractionated granitoids provides both heat and mineralizing fluids, critical to the formation of pegmatites and gold systems alike.
The Riverina Gneiss is a prime target area for pegmatite formation and depending on the time of emplacement may have further enhanced by the gneissic event.
Strategic Position in the Lithium Corridor
The Ida Fault Lithium Corridor has become a hotspot for exploration following:
- Recent pegmatite discoveries near Mt Ida (by Red Dirt Metals, now under Mineral Resources)
- Regional LCT pegmatite trends extending northwest of Mount Marion
Recognizing the corridor’s potential, Greta Minerals Pte Ltd initiated work at its Gecko North Project, and subsequently expanded exploration through acquisition of the Callion East tenure—chosen for its proximity to fertile intrusions and structural preparation.
Gold Prospectivity: A Valuable Secondary Target
Though critical minerals remain the primary focus, gold potential at Callion East is equally compelling. The area lies over major post-RFG granitic bodies, historically underexplored for Archaean gold systems.
Notably, the Woodcutters goldfield (approx. 1.4 Moz Au), located 50 km north of Kalgoorlie, presents a strong analogue. The Federal Zone, a key deposit there, is hosted in hornblende-biotite granodiorite—6 km from the nearest greenstone contact. This challenges traditional exploration assumptions and highlights the gold potential in granitic terrains similar to those at Callion East.
Exploration Strategy
To efficiently evaluate both lithium and gold targets, Greta Minerals employs the UltraFine+™ soil geochemistry method, developed in collaboration with CSIRO and MRIWA. This advanced technique enhances anomaly detection by:
- Reducing background variability
- Increasing anomaly-to-background ratios
- Identifying subtle geochemical signatures in challenging terrains
This dual-target approach is designed to maximize discovery potential while preserving exploration focus in one of Australia’s most geologically prospective corridors.
