Trek Metals (ASX:TKM) reports maiden reverse circulation (RC) drill assays have confirmed a ‘high-grade’, shallow manganese discovery at the Kuro prospect within its Christmas Creek Project in Western Australia.
The first batch of laboratory results from 21 drill holes returned multiple significant intercepts, highlighted by 10m @ 42.3% manganese (Mn) from 13m in hole 26XCRC020, within a broader 13m @ 34.9% Mn from 13m.
The same drill hole also yielded a peak assay of 54.4% Mn from 16m downhole, which Trek says indicates ‘high-grade’ mineralisation occurring at depth, not just from surface.
Key results from other holes include 4m @ 44.6% Mn from surface; 11m @ 24% Mn from 6m, including 2m @ 31.8% Mn from 7m; and 4m @ 32.3% Mn from 12m.
In total, 15 of the 21 holes intersected manganese above a 5% cut-off grade, with 10 holes returning grades above 20% Mn.
CEO Derek Marshall says the laboratory confirmation represents a “major breakthrough” for the Christmas Creek exploration program.
“Until now we have been working on outcrop rock chip assays and visual estimates in drilling,” Marshall says.
“While the manganese mineralisation is typically quite visual, having laboratory verification that the high-grade mineralisation we see at surface does indeed continue below surface is a major milestone.
“A preliminary review of the geochemistry … also indicates the potential for a product with low iron and low phosphorus in the manganese mineralised zones, with both iron and phosphorus being the principal penalty elements in manganese ores.”
Samples grading 20% manganese or better averaged 2.7% iron (Fe) and 0.04% phosphorus, delivering a manganese-to-iron ratio of 13:1. Trek notes that the highest-grade intercept achieved a ratio of 47:1 with 0.9% Fe content.
“This is very encouraging for the exploration potential for what we consider to be a potentially large system,” Marshall says.
Trek adds that all significant intercepts to date occur between surface and 37m downhole, noting that the geometry trends from outcrop in the northwest and progressively deepens towards the southeast.
“The thing I find most encouraging about the Kuro manganese discovery is the regional context,” Marshall says.
“Kuro is just one prospect area — one that we initially targeted as there was a small window of rocks sticking out of the ground in a region where most of the rocks are under shallow sand cover.
“We have a large, interpreted basin to explore and we are doing just that.”
Induced polarisation geophysical surveying remains ongoing across high-priority areas within the interpreted prospective basin, which extends approximately 16km.
The company expects the remaining assay results from phase one drilling over the next three to five weeks. Meanwhile, the RC drill rig continues testing regional targets before returning to Kuro.
Two additional geophysical surveys are also scheduled to commence shortly, including sub-audio magnetic surveying over the Martin gold prospect and a regional airborne magnetic-radiometric survey.
Trek Metals is a mineral explorer targeting critical battery metals, gold, and uranium, with a focus on frontier locations within tier one mining jurisdictions in Australia.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Trek Metals
