Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has delivered a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 40 million tonnes (Mt) @ 11.9% manganese containing 4.7Mt of manganese at a 7% manganese cut-off for its Balfour East and Damsite deposits.
The company says the Damsite and Balfour East MREs increase its global mineral resource base across the Balfour Manganese Field (BMF) to 314Mt @ 10.5% manganese containing 33.1Mt of manganese at a 7% cut-off, classified as measured (32%), indicated (48%), and inferred (20%).
Black Canyon reports it will now begin desktop studies to determine the optimal value from across the ‘significant’ BMF deposits, which will include a review of the scale of operations, multi-pit or single-pit scenarios, and transport logistics.
The company notes exploration targets estimates (ETE) are being estimated for the Balfour East and Pickering targets, with results expected next quarter.
Meanwhile, high-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) testwork is ongoing, with multiple feedstock options now defined for further mineral resources across the BMF.
Black Canyon Executive Director Brendan Cummins says in 2024, the company will continue to advance its flowsheet design for battery grade HPMSM, as well as progress the base case HPMSM process development opportunity at an Australian site.
“Discovering significant tonnes, grade and contained manganese across the Balfour Manganese Field deposits achieves one of our key objectives for 2023.
We were confident that the acquisition of strategic tenements across the prospective BMF would increase the company’s mineral inventory and importantly, provide options to examine a number of longlife development scenarios.
“Discovering significant tonnes, grade and contained manganese across the Balfour Manganese Field deposits achieves one of our key objectives for 2023″
Black Canyon has discovered more than 33 Mt of contained manganese, which in Australia is second only in contained manganese to the world-class Groote Eylandt deposits. We have demonstrated the potential scale of the basin, which may be further enhanced with the estimation of Exploration Targets for the Pickering and Balfour East targets.“
Black Canyon is a manganese explorer with a consolidated ‘significant’ landholding totalling 2,400km-square in the underexplorer Balfour Manganese Field and across the Oakover Basin in Western Australia.
As of 30 September 2023, Black Canyon had $1.872 million cash and cash equivalents at hand, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon
