Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) is now beginning to appreciate the significant potential of the W2 prospect, which represents a shallow and potentially open pittable target.
The company is planning initial metallurgical testwork to examine the potential to produce “high-quality” manganese concentrate at W2, within the Wandanya Project in Western Australia.
The manganese concentrate aims to be produced for silico or ferro alloying and high-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) testwork.
Black Canyon has now received final reverse circulation drilling results from the first-pass drilling program at the prospect, returning further shallow manganese assays.
Black Canyon reports the assay results include 5m @ 31.1% manganese from surface, including 2m @ 42% Mn; and 7m @ 28.3% Mn from 6m, including 5m @ 34.9% Mn; and 7m @ 26.3% Mn from 2m, including 3m @ 38.2% Mn.
The company says the mineralisation has shown consistent thickness and grades, with only 240m of strike drill tested within the 3,000m long manganese corridor uncovered at W2.
Managing Director Brendan Cummins says of the 35 drillholes, 25 holes intersected mineralisation over 20% manganese.
“Even at this early stage, with these final drill assays in hand, we are now beginning to appreciate the significant potential of the W2 prospect,” Cummins says.
“We have mapped the mineral system at W2 for over 3,000m and these assay results have tested only 240m, or less than 10%, so the lion’s share of potential remains both along strike and significantly down dip.
“The W2 prospect represents a shallow and potentially open pittable target, with all of the manganese drill intersects encountered to date within 15m of surface and most within 10m. The flat-dipping stratabound mineralisation will benefit the follow-up drill program by reducing exploration risk and importantly minimising drill costs to keep our discovery costs low.”
Cummins adds surface mapping completed as supported, demonstrating the scale to the Wandanya discovery.
“What I find most appealing about the Wandanya Project though, is its simplicity,” he says.
A follow-up mapping and rock chip sampling program was completed within the project to support upcoming drilling programs.
The programs will support understanding and quantifying the footprint of the new style of manganese mineralisation.
Black Canyon is a manganese-focused explorer that holds a 2,100km2 landholding in the underexplored Balfour Manganese Field and across the Oakover Basin in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon
