The first phase sampling programme in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf has been completed. A total of 327 individual sample “bites” with an approximate surface area of 1.1m2 were recovered from the seabed at 117 locations over the Lacrosse Scour Basin. From the seabed material obtained, approximately 39m3 (70 tons at specific gravity of 1.8) of gravel (1.5 – 12mm size fraction) was screened out and retained for x-ray processing onboard.
July 26, 2005
The first phase of the seabed sampling operations in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf has commenced and is operating to design specifications. The equipment are currently operating on a 24 hour basis. This first pass programme is designed to test 15 features along the floor of the Lacrosse Scour Basin identified by Bonaparte’s technical team as having a high conceptual probability for forming traps for diamond bearing gravels. The initial sampling programme is for a 30 day period and will deliver seabed gravels for analysis by the onboard x-ray machine and for additional detailed analysis of sample material in Perth. Results will be released at the end of the programme, unless circumstances dictate otherwise.
July 15, 2005
Equipment trials of the Bonaparte Seabed Sampler (BoSS) and materials processing system onboard the 64m vessel MV Pacific Challenger have been completed successfully and that the vessel has departed from Fremantle for the project area. The vessel is currently in transit to Wyndham and is expected to arrive there on or about 20th July after which, the sampling programme in the Lacrosse Scour Basin (E80/2503) will commence.
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