Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has begun drilling activities to test multiple targets within the Balfour Mineral Field in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The reverse circulation (RC) drill program is focused on previously undrilled manganese-enriched shale targets, providing an opportunity for Black Canyon to discover and deliver additional mineral resources.
Up to 7,500m of RC drilling is initially planned for the full program, with assays expected to be received over the coming months.
High-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) variability samples have been collected from some of the drill targets to investigate their hydrometallurgical amenability to leaching, purification, and crystallisation.
Commenting on the drill program, Black Canyon Executive Director Brendan Cummins says: “The identification of multiple targets with mineral resource potential provides the company with options to consider a long-life, potentially larger throughput hub and spoke mining and processing model that will access ores from multiple deposits, including those on 100%-owned Black Canyon projects.
The drill program will also allow the company to delineate mineral resources across targets already identified as having potential to produce HPMSM feedstock.
“In the short term, this may allow the company to develop a low-impact mining facility that could be permitted and approved relatively quickly”
In the short term, this may allow the company to develop a low-impact mining facility that could be permitted and approved relatively quickly. This could reduce the timeframes for Black Canyon to supply manganese oxide feedstock to a downstream HPMSM facility.”
The initial drill program is beginning on the ‘strategic’ Panther and E46/1383 tenement acquisitions — specifically on the KR1, Balfour West, and Balfour East targets.
Black Canyon is focused on exploring, discovering, and developing manganese projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The company’s projects encompass 2,750km-square of prospective tenure in the East Pilbara mining jurisdiction.
As of 31 March 2023, the company had $1.75 million cash at hand and no debt, according to its latest quarterly report published on 28 April 2023.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon Ltd
