Below is from independent Geologist Les Davis Report included in the Consolidated Tin Mines Limited Prospectus. 

 
The Nettle Creek Project alluvial deposits are located within the three granted MLs 4069, 4073 and 4074, contiguous over 6 km of Nettle Creek, about 10 km east of Mount Garnet. The MLs are surrounded by, but are separate to, the south eastern portion of EPM 14185. A satellite image of the Nettle Creek ML area with previous drill hole information has been prepared (see Figure 1).

The MLs were granted in 1964 (ML4069) and 1965 (MLs 4073 and 4074). ML 4069 has been renewed to 2011, and MLs 4073 and 4074 are currently in the renewal process.

Previous Investigations

The Nettle Creek alluvials were discovered in 1881 and worked intermittently from this time. In the period from 1931 to 1946, Nettle Creek Co and then The Broken Hill Proprietary Co Ltd (“BHP”) sluiced the area and recorded 410 tons (~403 tonnes) of tin concentrate production.

From 1965 to 1982, the RTD dredge worked Nettle Creek after which time tin quotas and low grade meant the operation could not continue. During that 17year period, 30.7 million bank cubic metres (“bcm”) of wash were dredged and 6725 tonnes of cassiterite concentrates were produced, for a contained tin metal content of 4700 tonnes. This translates to a grade of 153 g/bcm tin. The dredge started at its upstream point and it continued southwards downstream. Its path took it across the Kennedy Highway at the small settlement of Innot Hot Springs. The abandoned Nettle Creek Tin Dredge is located in Nettle Creek, 6 km south of Innot Hot Springs.

The Nettle Creek area was divided into two sections; the upper section was shallow and crossed by several granite bars.

Alluvial Gold Ltd (“AGL”) undertook alluvial exploration for RTD from the 1950s. Alluvial exploration consisted of drilling lines of up to 20 holes across the creeks; the lines were spaced at approximately 200 to 400 m intervals. An alluvial drill rig - a specialised machine designed to recover sample accurately from unconsolidated ground – was used. Drill hole samples were generally collected at ~1.5 m (5 foot) intervals but assay results were averaged for the complete hole length, because the dredge mined the full drill interval. Dredge paths were planned on “best-hole” assay results per line. Holes were generally only drilled to the planned dredge digging depth, which was generally about 17 m (50 feet) below the pontoon level.

Fill-in drill lines were sometimes completed to better define dredge paths closer to the time that the dredge was to mine through an area.

In 1972, just north of Innot Hot Springs, it was noted that basalt occurred in the creek and that alluvial tin wash occurred under the basalt. This gave reason to investigate under basalts near Innot Hot Springs, and caused RTD to examine the deep lead potential. Nettle Creek was recognised as a deep alluvial system, in which multiple basalt flows, from volcanic centres in the Ravenshoe area to the east of Nettle Creek, had passed along Nettle Creek channels. Nettle Creek had cut its channel in granite basement, which had filled with basalt. Later, Nettle Creek cut a channel in the basalt, into which a younger basalt flowed. In Nettle Creek, at least three separate basalt flows were recognised, interbedded with cassiterite bearing Nettle Creek sediments.

Drill holes that had penetrated through a basalt flow showed high-grade alluvial wash under the basalt. This wash was too deep for recovery by the dredge. In 1976, RTD undertook further drilling and confirmed the tin grade for the wash and demonstrated that the deep lead extended upstream from the initial drill locations. The stratigraphy of Nettle Creek was reported as follows:

Perched alluvials                 (Av. Depth 25 feet)  ~7.6 m

Basalt 3                                              (Av. Depth 6 feet)    ~1.8 m

Recent Alluvium                  (Av. Depth 26 feet)  ~7.9 m

Basalt 2                                              (Av. Depth 15 feet)  ~4.6 m

Intermediate Lead              (Av. Depth 24 feet)  ~7.3 m

Basalt 1

The deep lead occurred over a distance of 650 m upstream of drill line PQ, over a width of 150 m and an average thickness of 6 m.

In the early 1980s, a broad channel was interpreted from a geophysical resistivity survey, seeking to define this deep lead upstream (see Figure 11). In 1984 and 1985, some open-hole drilling confirmed the presence of the unmined high-grade wash. Depths to the deep lead were 14 m to 20 m.

In January 1984, Oakbridge Ltd, then the owner of RTD and TTD, undertook a review of their alluvial mining operations and then sought a joint venture partner to continue the alluvial mining project. The Nettle Creek Deep Lead was highlighted as a high-grade area, with an inferred estimate of 5 million bcm grading 500 g/bcm tin.

Oakbridge did not sell the project or find a joint venture partner. The company continued with limited tin production up to 1989, after which it closed tin operations, sold equipment and started to surrender tenements.

In 1994, Norminco Pty Ltd purchased the remaining Oakbridge alluvial projects. Later that year, Norminco was acquired by Mount Carrington Mines Ltd which then changed its name to Norminco Ltd (“Norminco”).

In 1997, Norminco was suspended from the ASX. A prospectus was prepared to raise money, with the new company to be called Tin Australia NL, Consulting Mining Engineer, Tennent, Isokangas Pty Ltd (“TA”), was commissioned to prepare a valuation report for the Tin Australia ( formerly Norminco) tenements. TA adopted the Nettle Creek Deep Lead Inferred Mineral Resource estimates mentioned above. Tin Australia successfully listed in 1999, but did no work on the Project.

In 2007, CTM purchased the three Nettle Creek MLs.

Conclusions - Mineralisation Potential and Future Work

The Nettle Creek Deep Lead is a large volume of wash. Current drilling must be undertaken to confirm volume and grade as well as depth of overburden. The overburden is, in part dredge tailings and in part unmined alluvium and basalt. RTD believed that there would be an improvement in grade of the lead upstream, reflecting proximity to the source, which is logical.

The granted MLs will allow CTM to mine at Nettle Creek, so it is likely to be the first alluvial operation by the company. While environmental licencing is still required for any work that would be undertaken, granted mining titles will expedite commencement of mining operations should drilling confirm a potentially economic resource or Ore Reserve.

The deposit will be mined using dragline equipment for inexpensive overburden removal but the removal of basalt overburden has to be tested and costed. The tin bearing wash will be processed in a mobile treatment plant. This equipment will also be used at Battle Creek and possibly at Return Creek. CTM hope to commence a mining operation as early as 2009.