Trek Metals (ASX:TKM) reports visual manganese mineralisation in 43 of 51 additional reverse circulation (RC) drill holes at its Kuro manganese discovery in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
The drilling validates induced polarisation (IP) as an effective method for targeting concealed manganese beneath shallow sand cover at the Christmas Creek Manganese and Gold Project.
CEO Derek Marshall says the key outcome from this drilling is that “the majority of the manganese intersections were made beneath shallow sand cover, where there is little or no surface indication of mineralisation”.
He adds: “The strong correlation between IP chargeability and visual manganese gives Trek a practical targeting method to explore beyond the known outcrops and systematically test the broader Kuro basin.”
The drilling campaign targeted IP chargeability anomalies identified in recent surveying, with significant visual manganese zones including 15m of visual massive and semi-massive manganese from 11m downhole within a broader 21m zone from 10m downhole.
Other notable intersections include 14m of visual massive and semi-massive manganese from 6m downhole, 11m of visual semi-massive manganese from 17m downhole, and 10m of visual massive and semi-massive manganese from 2m downhole.
Interpreted long sections show mineralisation over strike extents of 400m in the main southern line and two zones comprising 300m and 150m in the northern section line.
A cross-section also indicates an apparent mineralised width of approximately 50m, which Marshall says suggests a hydrothermal Woodie Woodie-style system.
“The real prize at Kuro would be to discover multiple pods of mineralisation, as we see at Woodie Woodie, and that is where our attention is now focused,” Marshall says.
Laboratory assay results from the first batch of drill samples are expected in the coming weeks, followed by the second batch in three to five weeks, and the final phase one batch in four to six weeks.
Additional gradient array IP surveying has been completed to the southwest of the Kuro discovery and is continuing to the northwest.
Trek has also identified an IP target below previous sulphide-bearing drilling at the Coogan copper-gold prospect, with four holes for approximately 1,480m planned.
Meanwhile, the RC drill rig is testing soil anomalies before moving to Coogan, with plans to redeploy to Kuro once initial assays and further IP survey data are received.
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
