Trek Metals (ASX:TKM) has begun its earthworks campaign at the Christmas Creek Manganese and Gold Project in Western Australia ahead of drilling.
Earthworks are being conducted at regional drill targets, supervised by Jaru monitors. Geophysical surveys will begin next week, before drilling takes off in early June.
Atlas Geophysics will undertake an extensional ground gravity survey, while Moombarriga Geoscience will undertake an induced polarisation survey.
Drilling will commence at Kuro shortly thereafter, subject to final heritage clearance and construction of access tracks and drill pads.
The company says it has secured bulk fuel supplies that have arrived on site before drilling begins.
As reported by Mining.com.au, the scarcity of fuel has been a major topic of discussion across the mining industry so far this year, with conflicts in the Middle East limiting global access.
Diesel in the US was priced at US$4.92 ($6.89) per gallon in March 2026, up from US$3.72 per gallon the previous month, representing a 32.36% increase, according to Trading Economics.
CEO Derek Marshall says Trek’s field camp at the project is expected to increase to over 20 people in the coming weeks as exploration ramps up.
“This is an exciting time following a period of considerable planning as we begin generating new data in the field,” Marshall says.
“This will start next week with an extension of the ground gravity surveying, which was the key in defining the initial round of drill targets at the recently discovered high-grade Kuro manganese prospect.
“This survey, co-funded by the Government of Western Australia under the Exploration Incentive Scheme, will extend the highly successful survey completed late last year that defined interpreted extensions to the high-grade manganese mineral system discovered late last year.
“We expect the new data to provide us with a key drill targeting technique moving forward, due to the high density of manganese mineralisation and the lack of outcropping geology.
“Importantly, we have commenced pre-drilling earthworks under the supervision of Jaru Traditional Owners at regional targets. In addition, we are expecting the final report from the recent Kuro heritage survey and monitors from the Yi-Martuwarra shortly in order to prepare drill access and pads for our imminent maiden drill program.”
Trek Metals is an exploration company focused on unlocking value in underexplored regions.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Trek Metals
