Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has advanced its understanding and confidence in the Wandanya Project in Western Australia, after completing a phase two drilling program testing the manganese and iron targets.
As a result, the company plans to mobilise a reverse circulation drill rig to site in August to continue testing the full 3km strike potential of the stratabound manganese horizon, as well as further extend the newly discovered iron-rich formation to the north and east.
The phase two program confirmed the presence of large manganese and iron mineralising systems, with the assays expected to be returned through July and August 2025.
Multiple drillholes intersected the hydrothermal stratabound manganese horizon with drill chip logging confirming the consistency of the mineralisation and geology previously encountered from the W2 drill program.
Black Canyon, which has a market capitalisation of $13.61 million, says manganese mineralisation has also been delineated along 2km of strike by the drill program and remains open to the north and east.
Managing Director Brendan Cummins says this round of drilling was critical to confirm the scale and grade potential of the manganese and iron systems.
“It was very satisfying to drill our first hole of the program on a line 1.6km to the north of the W2 prospect and log drill chips with similar alteration, hangingwall and footwall sequences, and importantly, manganese mineralisation,” Cummins says.
“Then stepping out another 350m to the north and again seeing this consistent pattern of mineralisation and geology.”
Cummins adds that the iron-rich formations are laterally extensive with mapping showing hematite dominated mineralisation outcropping for more than 5km along strike.
“The thickness of the iron-rich horizon was previously unknown and with the conclusion of the drill program we are now more confident that this iron mineralisation is more than just surface enrichment and has considerable scale potential subject to confirmation with the receipt of assays,” he says.
Black Canyon is a manganese developer and explorer focused on its portfolio of projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
According to the June 2025 Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) resources and energy quarterly, Australia is ranked the top iron ore resources globally, as well as the largest iron ore producer with 902 million tonnes exported in 2024.
DISR reports that lower forecast prices will cut Australia’s iron ore exports from $116 billion in 2024-25 to $105 billion in 2025-26 and $97 billion in 2026-27.
Meanwhile, Australian exports of other critical minerals to recover are driven by the recovery of manganese. In 2024-25, total export earnings are forecast to fall 40% to $1.7 billion driven from reduced manganese exports.
Manganese exports were lower in 2024 due to severe damage at Groote Eylandt port facilities after Tropical Cyclone Megan, which affected Australia’s largest manganese mine.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon
