Australian explorer and developer Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has encountered manganese mineralisation with grades of up to 54% in rock chip samples from its Wandanya Project in Western Australia.
The company says the ‘high-grade’ mineralisation was returned from 2 samples gathered from the W2 prospect and has been interpreted to outcrop over 300m strike. This outcrop has been recorded up to a width of 150m, forming a gently sloping rounded hill.
The area in which the mineralisation has been found is interpreted to be structurally complex, with multiple northeast- and northwest-trending cross-cutting faults mapped from aerial imagery.
Further work is planned to evaluate the significance of the discovery, and this will include the evaluation of sub-cropping manganese mineralisation interpreted to the north and along strike, which extends discontinuously for a further 1 to 2km.
Black Canyon notes other future exploration work will include additional mapping, sampling, and a gradient array-induced polarisation (GAIP) in order to generate drill targets.
The sampling program at Wandanya was undertaken as part of an initial assessment of the tenement and was designed to determine the geological setting and mineralisation potential of the area.
Speaking on the results, Black Canyon Executive Director Brendan Cummins says: “The high-grade manganese rock chip results encountered over the Wandanya Project contain approximately 20% more manganese than previous surface mineralisation we have sampled related to manganese enriched shales, which commonly range between 25 and 35% Mn.
The 50%-plus Mn grades at Wandanya are more akin to those related to hydrothermal or contact-style manganese enrichment, which presents a new targeting opportunity for the company.
“These early results are very encouraging given the grade of samples and similarities in geological setting to the Woodie Woodie manganese mine.”
These early results are very encouraging given the grade of samples and similarities in geological setting to the Woodie Woodie manganese mine. The outcrop is approximately 300m long and 150m wide, and to the north, there appears to be further mineralisation that will be followed up with mapping and additional sampling.”
Black Canyon is a manganese-focused explorer and developer with a consolidated landholding in the underexplored Balfour Manganese Field and across the Oakover Basin.
The company’s Wandanya Project is located on the eastern boundary of the Oakover Basin and about 80km south of the Woodie Woodie manganese mine.
Black Canyon had $1.75 million cash on hand with no debt at the end of 31 March 2023, as stated in its latest quarterly report released on 28 April 2023.
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon Ltd
