Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has exceeded expectations with its manganese hydrometallurgical testing, producing beneficiated manganese concentrate feedstock above the target grade in some cases.
Using samples from the KR1 and KR2 deposits at the Balfour manganese Field, the company conducted high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) testing using heavy liquid separation (HLS).
The process yielded manganese concentrate grades between 30.2% and 37.4% from KR1, and between 29.2% and 35.3% from KR2.
Many of the results from these sets exceeded Black Canyon’s target grade specification of between 30% and 33% manganese.
Executive Director Brendan Cummins says the company is continuing to deliver on its strategy of discovering ‘substantial’ mineral resources that can be developed to produce manganese concentrates.
“The primary purpose of this current beneficiation testwork is to produce 100kg to 150kg of manganese concentrate from KR1 and KR2 samples that can be used for further detailed hydrometallurgical testwork as we seek to optimise and refine the HPMSM flowsheet,” he says.
“The metallurgical results are significant for two reasons. Firstly, we have achieved a higher grade manganese concentrate above our target range of 30 – 33% Mn and secondly it improves our understanding of the relationship between concentrare grade, recovery, and particle size liberation.
“Using wet screening, crushing and subjecting the samples to HLS and Wifley tabling beneficiation testwork we have achieved a bonus on our objectives which opens the scope to improve overall recoveries and also examine the potential for a higher grade manganese product in addition to a standard grade manganese product.”
Black Canyon says the next phase of testwork will be to select a preferred target separation density media prior to applying this to a larger-scale Dense Media Separation test on both deposit’s products.
The company says these activities are currently being scheduled.
Meanwhile, Black Canyon is also investigating several potential sites within Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania for the location of a downstream manganese processing facility, upon further testwork results delivering high-grade manganese concentrate.
A location in a dominantly renewable energy hub will support minimising the carbon footprint of the operations, which are also considered to be ‘attractive’ to European customers with Battery Passport Regulations requiring mandatory carbon footprint declarations and labelling for electric vehicle batteries from early 2027.
As evaluations continue to progress, the company is engaging with end users interested in manganese products.
Black Canyon is a manganese-focused explorer with a ‘significant’ landholding covering 2,400km-square in the underexplored Balfour Manganese Field, as well as across the Oakover Basin in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Canyon
